Legendary rocker (and no-stranger-to-controversy) David Crosby has ruffled feathers once again, responding to a fan question about the passing of Eddie Van Halen with a resounding “meh.”
Naturally, the hard-rock world did not appreciate the sentiment, and a number of fans jumped on the CSNY singer-guitarist for his uninformed viewpoint, noting Van Halen’s influence on the guitar world, regardless of genre.
Crosby later clarified his shrugging reaction, writing, “Hendrix changed the world of guitar. Nobody else really … look I get it … many of you loved Van Halen …. and the one time I met he was nice … and he was talented … meh to me means I don’t care that much … and I don’t … doesn’t mean he wasn’t good, he was but not for me.”
Meanwhile, a variety of artists from Trey Anastasio to Joan Jett to Lenny Kravitz eulogized Van Halen quite fondly.
Read Relix‘s 2019 interview with Crosby here.
Check out the tweets in question below:
56 Comments comments associated with this post
Double-necked standards: When men smash guitars, it’s rock’n’roll. When Phoebe Bridgers does it, it’s a debate – The Independent – Android Apple & Technology News & Deals
February 11, 2021 at 9:07 am[…] knows he rarely shies away from sharing his unvarnished takes on social media (remember when he said Eddie Van Halen, who’d just died, mind you, was “meh”?). But as a quick aside, do […]
Double-necked standards: When men smash guitars, it’s rock’n’roll. When Phoebe Bridgers does it, it’s a debate – The Independent – Under The Laurel Tree -NEWS
February 11, 2021 at 8:32 am[…] knows he rarely shies away from sharing his unvarnished takes on social media (remember when he said Eddie Van Halen, who’d just died, mind you, was “meh”?). But as a quick aside, do […]
Double-necked standards: When men smash guitars, it’s rock’n’roll. When Phoebe Bridgers does it, it’s a debate - NewsWep
February 11, 2021 at 4:46 am[…] knows he rarely shies away from sharing his unvarnished takes on social media (remember when he said Eddie Van Halen, who’d just died, mind you, was “meh”?). But as a quick aside, do […]
Double-necked standards: When men smash guitars, it’s rock’n’roll. When Phoebe Bridgers does it, it’s a debate - VTBeyond
February 11, 2021 at 4:42 am[…] knows he rarely shies away from sharing his unvarnished takes on social media (remember when he said Eddie Van Halen, who’d just died, mind you, was “meh”?). But as a quick aside, do […]
Double-necked standards: When men smash guitars, it’s rock’n’roll. When Phoebe Bridgers does it, it’s a debate – K News
February 11, 2021 at 4:40 am[…] he rarely shies away from sharing his unvarnished takes on social media (remember when he said Eddie Van Halen, who’d just died, mind you, was “meh”?). But as a quick aside, do […]
Captain Jeff Marchant
October 24, 2020 at 9:47 amJust lost all respect I ever had for David Crosby.
Teach your Children Well and R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
David is a real piece of shit for not recognizing the talents of this guitar God
The landlady
October 14, 2020 at 1:18 amNow for a real vomit trip, listen to his podcast. He has an old friend blow him and say nice things about him while Crosby bores you to tears. Eddie had so much more talent.
Dizzy
October 14, 2020 at 12:57 amHonestly in 1978 when Van Halen’s debut album set the world on Fire David Crosby’s biggest concern was setting his freebase pipe on fire. Obviously he was in no condition to realize the musical mind blowing revolution that was happening. His former band mates as well as people who want to respect him wish he had a better filter as well as a pause button to not look like a crusty old douche. You seriously are like the president you hate in the aspect of how many bad looks can you have before you realize you are wrong. Not a big fan of saying whatever Boomer But?
Lonnie Musil
October 13, 2020 at 10:49 pmFuck you David Crosby…evh was so much an inspiration to me as a guitarist..such an innovator ..i would not be the guitar player i am today….anyone can sing 3 part harmonies..RIP Eddie!!
Hairygerry1968
October 13, 2020 at 10:40 pmMeh???? Hindsight is 20/20 get your head out of your ass and quit the heroin ed was a better guitarist than you and your just jealous
Joe Rye
October 13, 2020 at 10:14 pmWell as far as anyone giving any credence to his opinion on anything MUSIC, you have to keep in mind it’s just his personal thoughts based, of course, on what he enjoys. After all, I don’t recall Bill Cosby ever really being considered a musician by any means. An extremely talented Actor and Comedian but… HuH?
Uhhhh… Yeah, I know tha… Who? *Crosby*??? Ohhhh… Oopsie. Now THAT changes everything. I mean, BING CROSBY was one of the Great
MAGA4LIFE
October 13, 2020 at 10:00 pmI agree with Sideshow Bob.
We are a lot alike.
Thank you , David
Tiner
October 13, 2020 at 8:52 pmEVH was an amazing guitarist, also a great father and husband. What ever happened to the old….if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. Particularly days after someone beloved by so many has passed after a long, painful battle with cancer. DCs meh was left open to wonder if he did not care for EVH music or did not care he died. Luckily for DC, Eddie and Valerie did not raise their son to be a violent ass , although I would not blame Wolf if he verbally shreds DC.
Dan
October 13, 2020 at 8:01 pmHe is in right to his own opinion. Everyone should back off. Crosby is a legend. Eddie was not.
Henry Rollins
October 13, 2020 at 6:55 pmI don’t suppose anyone asked Crosby for his opinion. Twitter affords that opportunity to the irrelevant. I’ll take Red House by Hendrix, but Eruption knocked this 18yo out in ’78. RIP, EVH
Edward Van Halen
October 13, 2020 at 6:12 pmSeems as if you can get by with saying your are anyone here so..
Hi it’s Eddy and I am here in the Hendrix room just now David and you know who loves my chops? Too bad you won’t be joining us here to find out.
Brian Burhans
October 13, 2020 at 6:02 pmI’m with Croz on this. EVH was a great guitar player, I guess, if you like that kind of guitar playing. I never did and so his passing does not matter to me. He shredded the guitar, drank a whole lot, hoovered a bunch of blow and died young(ish) for his pains. No surprise here.
Meh.
Graham Nash
October 13, 2020 at 3:27 pmEDV had one good guitar solo and it was on MJ’s “beat it”. I agree with the time tested, legendary and most importantly, still living Crosby….EDV should have and could have learned something from David…maybe if he did, his washed up, overplayed ass would still be alive.
BillC
October 13, 2020 at 5:00 pmGraham who? Stick to what you know.
Barbara Shandy
October 13, 2020 at 5:06 pmSorry, y’all are COLD. Van Halen had their day, just like you had yours.
Johnny Rocket
October 13, 2020 at 3:26 pmSo, don’t ask me no questions
And I won’t tell you no lies…
David being David. No surprise there. Stop with the tired, burnt out hippie nonsense and faux outrage.
I think EVH was one of the most technically talented guitarists ever, but that doesn’t mean he touched my soul. Steve Vai is another brilliant technician but just meh in the same way, at least to me. Not that I don’t respect their immense talent. Just meh relative to how I feel about their music.
It’s possible to hold two opposing thoughts in your mind at the same time and not be contradictory.
That said, condolences to the Van Halen family and EVH; he clearly will be missed and gone way too soon.
Sonny Barger
October 13, 2020 at 3:17 pmDid you really blow Hell’s Angels members for crack?
Mike Barer
October 14, 2020 at 12:35 amBing Crosby’s son. No, not really!
Pam W.
October 13, 2020 at 2:55 pmI gotta say I’m kind of disappointed in your remark Croz. Like some others, I feel that “meh” was kind of a dick response. While I think you’re one of the greatest musicians alive, it doesn’t surprise me that Neil Young slammed you. This is probably why he and your other band mates SN don’t want to play music with you anymore. It makes me sad.
David G
October 13, 2020 at 2:25 pmMeh, David Crosby he’s nothing but a burnt out old fucking hippie.
JDavis
October 13, 2020 at 2:05 pmWho the fuck is David Crosby???
Steve Koppany
October 13, 2020 at 3:57 pmWell, I would not ask a question like that, because it makes you sound incredibly uninformed. You need only to Google. Having said that, I agree that David Crosby is a self-centered jerk. Always has been, always will be. Just ask Graham Nash. (I know, another name for you to Google.)
Deborah
October 13, 2020 at 1:59 pmWhy would anyone say such a thing? Gah dude. Who cares what moves you?
Sideshow Bob
October 13, 2020 at 1:56 pmI gotta agree w/Cros on this one.
EVH invented “Corporate Guitar” – Ecch!!!!! Made metal lead guitar acceptable in Madison Avenue circles so it could be used in TV commercials & sitcom theme songs. Prior to that all “feel good” music was Broadway show tune based. Now we have crap like Vulfpeck going back & celebrating the days of cheeze music prior to corporate lead guitar – it’s a Hipster thing to be Retro!!!! Yay!!!!!!
CrazyDaysAndNights
October 13, 2020 at 1:36 pmDavid Crosby is a rapist. Don’t worry about his opinion. Hell is waiting.
Fred Levitan
October 13, 2020 at 1:28 pmMetalheads are constantly goading Croz on Twitter about whether he *likes* their guitar gods. David is a folkie – likes sensitive quiet music, like he makes, with a touch of blues-growling (Cowboy Movie, Almost Cut my Hair). Can’t expect him to lionize or even appreciate a guitar showoff like Eddie. He’s right – Hendrix had cosmic soul as well as innovative fretboard brilliance. VH was technically great but lacked heartfelt expression or social significance. He was no Steve Stills, Neil Young, or Jerry Garcia – just an axe-slinger.
SD
October 13, 2020 at 1:19 pmWell the only reason that washed up old fool is still breathing is because his money bought the liver that he needed when his was pickled away. His money got him to the front of the line before other people. Other people who probably were more deserving of it than he was!! He could have been a little more classy in his response towards Eddie’s passing or he could have just kept his trap shut. Eddie’s music, like Hendrix’s will be played & admired for decades to come, a lot of people nowadays have never even heard of Crosby!
Patrick Logan
October 13, 2020 at 1:29 pmDecades? Really? Doubtful. Hair metal is already dead and buried. If only Van Halen the band had more songs that weren’t silly junk like Hots For Teacher. Great guitarist, kind of dopey band.
Beck
October 14, 2020 at 1:05 amIntro to Hot for Teacher fucking rocks. VH prime cut.
Warren HAYNES
October 13, 2020 at 1:17 pmWell said Andrew, don’t worry, I’ll be back with some long winded diatribe to put it all in perspective. I am the self appointed speaker for the dead!
Andrew Haynes
October 13, 2020 at 12:54 pmAsking David Crosby for his reaction to Eddie Van Halen’s death is like asking Eddie Van Halen for his reaction to Pete Seeger’s death and the response would be exactly the same. Crosby and Van Halen are in different worlds musically so why ask him?
Cram
October 14, 2020 at 6:05 pmBingo.
Bob
October 13, 2020 at 12:54 pmCrosby rolled through town pre-COVID, playing at some small club here. If was CRAZY expensive. Didn’t even consider going. Had EVH played that same club, I would have gladly paid the same price.
DC is entitled to honestly express himself, but it does show a lack of any humanness. Washed up old hippie. Peace and love David…peace and love.
It's a tweet
October 13, 2020 at 12:49 pmthis is where we’ve all lost our collective minds…
It’s a tweet, from the real person (David Crosby). Can you ignore some drunk at the other end of the bar spouting off his opinion on the subject of the barroom discussion? Sure you can. Now, start ignoring Tweets.
Adam Nelson
October 13, 2020 at 12:31 pmHe knows he’s an asshole and most everyone else does too. Maybe we should stop asking him questions about things people care about. It’s just a repeat.
iDon
October 13, 2020 at 11:58 amHe was just saying his music was not his thing! Not that he didn’t care he died! Insane how over sensitive and uptight others can be, all because someone doesn’t share the same views, likes, dislikes, opinions, etc as theirs, especially the millennial and gen z generations, where are they learning these poor traits from? Schools?
me
October 13, 2020 at 11:42 amJust David being David… could have replied with a bit of class but it’s no shock that he didn’t and as Neighbor pointed out, at least he was honest. The two pretty much lived in different worlds with only the excesses intersecting (along with amazing talents in their own right). My guess is that there will be many who have the same reaction to David’s death when it happens…
neighbor
October 13, 2020 at 11:32 amEveryone jumps on board when a rock star passes, there are true fans of Van Halen, and then there are the rest of us. Same story when Bowie, and Prince passed…all of a sudden Everyone’s a fan. It’s fake. Was douchey to be insensitive, upon Eddie’s passing, to dismiss him…but at least David isn’t wearing the suit of the pseudo-fan.
Katie
October 13, 2020 at 1:39 pmI agree that it is phony to say you are a fan when you are not.
But how about mustering a little human decency and compassion for the fact that a son lost his father and say, “My condolences to the family,” or “I’m sorry for your loss.”
It’s not DC’s loss, but he can still choose to be kind to those who are suffering rather than be dismissive as though the loss of a loved one is of no account simply because DC does not care for Eddie Van Halen’s style of music.
Neil Young
October 13, 2020 at 11:23 amFucking old bitter junky. Die old man, start basing again.
Kristine Lynn Smith
October 13, 2020 at 12:17 pmYour my idol listen to gold rush when ever I’m sad love you
Andrew Haynes
October 13, 2020 at 12:56 pmNice PC response.
Mike Barer
October 14, 2020 at 12:29 amThe world is off it’s rocker if that’s a news story. I mean, seriously, if you ask someone for their opinion, you just may get just that.
Bonnie
October 13, 2020 at 1:07 pmI agree..you old and washed up junkie..EVH is the best guitarist I’ve ever heard and been around a lot longer than Prince and Jimi Hendrix.
bill curtis
October 13, 2020 at 2:57 pmyou are one of the generic mindless masses.
Frank
October 13, 2020 at 2:08 pmNice respect for a fellow musician… now I’ve lost respect for you David. Meh… really?
Edward Van Halen
October 13, 2020 at 6:18 pmSeriously Neil loved my chops but you know he is a little crabby at times as well. I’m up here with my Dad and Jimi and we are all rockin! I put in an order for some 5150’s. The big guy has Amazon prime.
John
October 13, 2020 at 8:12 pmDamn! That was harsh.
RAILSUP
October 14, 2020 at 5:12 amWhat an asshole!
Richard A Kasper
October 14, 2020 at 5:03 pmSounds like any of CSN. If you want to meet a real cocky jerk meet Graham Nash. They arent called the Three Stoges of music undeservedly.
Cram
October 14, 2020 at 6:02 pmI know and have worked with Graham Nash. He is one of the nicest guys in the music world. A totally normal person who could just as easily have thrived in a regular-person sales job as he did living the rock star life. I have no affiliation with him now, but can’t be silent when someone is calling him a “cocky jerk.” I’ve worked and/or rubbed shoulders with many rock stars. Those words describe GN less than most any other artist.