Eddie Van Halen Enters Rehab
THURSDAY MARCH 08, 2007 07:20 PM EST

By Brian Orloff

Photo by: David Livingston / Getty / Newscom

Van Halen guitarist Eddie Van Halen has checked into rehab, the musician announced Thursday.

"I would like Van Halen fans to know how much I truly appreciate each and every one of you," the guitar player said in a statement posted on the band's Web site.

"I have always and will always feel a responsibility to give you my best. At the moment I do not feel that I can give you my best. That's why I have decided to enter a rehabilitation facility to work on myself, so that in the future I can deliver the 110 percent that I feel I owe you and want to give you."

Van Halen will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with Patti Smith, R.E.M. and others at New York's Waldorf-Astoria on March 12.

USA Today reports that bandmates David Lee Roth and Alex Van Halen will not attend the event, though vocalist Sammy Hagar and bassist Michael Anthony are scheduled to be there.

Last month, the band announced a reunion tour with Roth – then later canceled it. According to a report by Rolling Stone, Eddie Van Halen's alleged alcohol problems were a contributing factor to the decision.

Well, it's a step in the right direction. Eddie has been messed up with drugs and alcohol for so long, I wonder if he will ever get clean, but at least he's trying once again. He's a master guitarist and it's a shame he's let the booze practically ruin his career, not to mention is marriage and relationships with others.

attention whore ... who wants to bet he will make a surprise appearance at the hall of fame ???

SnidelyWhiplash said:

Attention whore? WTF??

Why wouldn't he make an appearance. It's a huge honor to be inducted. If he can be there, he damn well should.

with a vodka in hand no doubt !

So the tour is off? Weren't the tickets selling?

What was the last cool thing Eddie has done? He's been an idiot for the last decade at least.

I think it is crummy how Roth isn't going. While I don't blame him, to me, it feels like, he probably feels he shouldn't be there, and that isn't right.

Yeah Eddie was a GREAT guitar player and Michael Anthony was great. The whole band rocked. Period. But Roth deserves his oppertunity to be there and not feel kind of pushed away.

As much as I wanted the tour to happen, I still (and will probably always) side with Roth on everything involving the whole VH situation.

(On a side note, his autobiography really goes into depth about his feelings - fascinating read.)

Van Halen is getting inducted but NEITHER Van Halen brother will be there OR the front man that made them a household name????? That shit don't make no sense. Who the hell wants to see Sammy and Michael Anthony???? This woulda been a great opportunity for a killer live performance to kick off the tour. Like Prince did in 2004. That's some BS I sure won't be watching that induction.

SCNDLS said:

Won't be long before Sammy gets inducted as a solo artist at this rate...

In all fairness, I love, "I Can't Drive 55."

Right Now!....Eddie Van Halen is IN REHAB!!

Right Now!...

lazycrockett said:

haha

Right Now! Eddie is throwing his toys out of his cot and going "waaaaahhhh!!!"

Remember the "Hot For Teacher" video at the end??..."Eddie is temporarily relaxing"....good luck Ed..hope you really mean it this time.

He sounds drunk with this statement.
[Edited 3/9/07 16:43pm]

I guess it is about time...

I'm sorry but there's no Van Halen without DLR, he made them, Sammy just swooped in and allowed them to become a wussy college kids band of cheezy party songs. I can't believe Dave won't be there, and without Eddie & Alex, why even have an induction? Sorry to rant, but it just doesn't make sense to me.

Eddie going to rehab is the coolest thing he's done in years. He's won back some respect from me and I wish him well

livluvlaf said:

Yeah well, at least Sammy can sing and could pull it off live (except that last train wreck reunion tour) and made VH more successful than DLR ever did.

I thought their induction with Sammy and Michael Anthony was classy, a lot more than DLR could've done, unless it was a Vegas review.