Edward Lodewijk “Eddie” Van Halen (born January 26, 1955, Nijmegen, Netherlands – Died, October 6, 2020, Santa Monica, California), when he was 7 years old in 1962, was brought by his parents to immigrate to “promising land”, United States, with a capital of 50 US dollars, and a piano. They live in California, in one house, with three other families.
His father Jan van Halen is a musician, clarinetist, saxophonist and pianist, and works as a cleaning service. Her mother, Eugenia van Beers, of mixed European blood – called Eurasian – worked as a domestic helper. Eugenia van Beers comes from Rangkasbitung, Banten. Eddie’s father met Eugenia in Indonesia, during the Dutch colonial period. Eddie said “We came from another part of the world with no money, no steady job, no place to live, and couldn’t speak English,”.
“What saved us was because my father was a musician and gradually met other musicians and performed on weekends, from weddings to anything to make money,” said Eddie.
Eddie then told about the discriminatory treatment he received because he was of European-Asian (Indonesian) descent. That treatment he got while studying in America.
“My first school at that time still separated white and colored students. Because I was considered a second-class citizen at that time, I was equated with black people. It was very difficult at that time,” he said.
Eddie said that his family really enjoyed playing music. Even when they were little, Eddie and Alex often played music with pots and pans, while their father practiced music. Eddie himself never learned to read musical notes. Even so, he argued that he had sharp hearing.
“I am blessed with good ears. I have to see my fingers move. Believe it or not, I can never play guitar well in the dark. I have to look at my fingers,” he said.
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