QUEENSRŸCHE's MICHAEL WILTON: EDDIE VAN HALEN 'Basically Made Me Become A Guitar Player'

In a recent interview with "The Mistress Carrie Podcast", QUEENSRŸCHE guitarist Michael Wilton spoke about the impact legendary VAN HALEN axeman Eddie Van Halen had on his playing. Michael said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "He basically made me become a guitar player. I went… I think I was 17 [or] 18. It was the BLACK SABBATH 'Never Say Die!' tour, and VAN HALEN was opening for them. And I had never seen them live. And I think I was up in the 300 section. And they came out with a song… VAN HALEN was on fire, and David Lee Roth was kicking his legs up in the air, and Eddie was doing these… That's when I decided that's what I wanted to do. And I did have the chance to meet him a couple of times. He had a huge impact on my career, 'cause he basically started it. [Laughs]"

On the day of Eddie Van Halen's death in October 2020, Wilton took to his Twitter to write: "I remember back in High School hearing the first VAN HALEN album. After first listen I was hooked. EVH was a huge inspiration to me and partly the reason why I took up the guitar. So sad. RIP Eddie Van Halen".

Eddie and his brother Alex Van Halen formed a band called MAMMOTH in Pasadena, California in 1972, then renamed it VAN HALEN when Roth joined the group and, later, bassist Michael Anthony.

VAN HALEN was one of the biggest rock bands in the country in the 1980s, with hits like "Runnin' With The Devil", "Dance The Night Away", "Hot For Teacher", "Panama" and "Jump". The group, which later featured Sammy Hagar on vocals, was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2007.

The Van Halen family moved to Pasadena after emigrating to the U.S. from the Netherlands in 1962.

Rolling Stone magazine ranked Eddie Van Halen No. 8 in its list of the 100 greatest guitarists.

QUEENSRŸCHE's 16th studio album, "Digital Noise Alliance", was released on October 7 via Century Media Records. The record was once again helmed by Chris "Zeuss" Harris, who previously worked with QUEENSRŸCHE on 2015's "Condition Hüman" and 2019's "The Verdict" LPs.