‘Tonechaser’ Chronicles Part 2: Music Journalist Steve Rosen Talks About His Friendship With Eddie Van Halen

Thanks for joining me for Part 2 of my in-depth interview with music journalist Steve Rosen on his decades-long friendship with Eddie Van Halen, which culminated in Steve’s 2022 book, ‘Tonechaser – Understanding Edward: My 26-Year Journey with Edward Van Halen’. The third edition of the book is coming soon, but you can preorder your copy now at tonechaserbook.com. 

For more information on Steve Rosen and the Van Halen Fiction Challenge I offered all you Lit Listeners who, like me, are jonesing to get your hands on some novels or short stories or graphic novels featuring the band, check out Part 1 of Episode 45, or email me at christyalexanderhallberg@gmail.com. I can’t wait to see what you come up with, and if I wind up devoting an episode to Van Halen fiction that you suggested, I’ll give you a shout out in the episode. 

Back to Steve Rosen: In Part 1, Steve and I talked about the genesis of his friendship with Eddie Van Halen, Eddie’s background as a kid immigrating from the Netherlands to America and his devotion to and respect for his father and brother, the idolatry Eddie’s fans feel for him, and the seeds that eventually sprouted into Steve’s book ‘Tonechaser’.

In Part 2, get ready to learn more about Steve’s complicated relationship with Eddie, including the dark turn it took in the early 2000s and how Eddie’s 2020 death still haunts Steve. You’ll also hear about Eddie’s marriage to Valerie Bertinelli and his love for their son, Wolfgang. Finally, Steve shares juicy stories about his journalistic career beyond his work with Van Halen, such as his tumultuous experience interviewing John Paul Jones and Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin in 1977. 

PLAYLIST:

• Bensound “Happy Rock”—Royalty Free Music
• Rock is Lit theme music
• Clip from Season 3 Announcement/’Duck Tales’/Disney Channel
• [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop”
• 1970s Instrumental Rock Music, Royalty Free
• “Mean Street” by Van Halen
• Clip from Eddie Van Halen talking about Wolfgang in 1994/Professor Gill’s Guitar Gear Galaxy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Icq_-0Iz608
• “Distance” by Wolfgang Van Halen/Mammoth
• “Where Have All the Good Times Gone” by Van Halen
• “Your Time is Gonna Come” by Led Zeppelin
• “Heartbreaker” by Led Zeppelin
• “Jump” by Van Halen
• Rock is Lit theme music

LINKS:

Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Goodpods: https://goodpods.com/podcasts/rock-is-lit-212451

Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rock-is-lit/id1642987350

Steve Rosen’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SteveRosenInterviews

Steve Rosen on Instagram: @steve.rosen.guitar.picks

Steve Rosen on Twitter: @Goodwriter

Steve Rosen’s website: https://www.tonechaserbook.com/

Christy Alexander Hallberg’s website: https://www.christyalexanderhallberg.com/rockislit

Christy Alexander Hallberg on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube: @ChristyHallberg

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