This post was written by my son, Luke Porco, who is a huge fan of Van Halen. I know it will touch your heart.
The Bond Between a Rockstar and His Son
by Luke Porco
It has been just over a week since Eddie Van Halen passed away, leaving a void as impactful as one of his trademark solos. A guitar wizard, he truly was one of a kind and transcended the rock music world by creating Van Halen, one of the most popular and legendary rock bands in history, and also innovating how the guitar is played by popularizing techniques such as two-handed finger tapping and dive bombs, as well as his classic tone, commonly known amongst guitarists as “brown sound,” which can be identified as soon as you hear one of Van Halen’s classic songs, like “Panama,” “Ain’t Talkin’ Bout Love,” “Unchained” and “Hot for Teacher,” among others. He influenced generations of guitarists at every level, from those in successful bands to those who play casually, like me.
Since I was a kid, the guitar was always the “cool” instrument in my eyes, and I remember being around 10 years old, sitting in the car with my dad, and hearing a song on the radio, and thinking to myself, “That’s a cool band! Cool guys probably listen to that band!” I then asked my dad who the band was, only for him to reply, “Van Halen.” Without either of us knowing at the time, that moment would later develop into a lifelong obsession for a guitarist that would motivate me to learn the guitar and a band we would see together three times, including my first concert!
Fast forward five years later, and I’m developing my passion for the guitar, and all I can talk about is Van Halen, and how awesome Eddie Van Halen is, probably to my dad’s annoyance! I also had been fervently wanting to go to a concert, as they seemed like the next step to develop as a music fan. Van Halen was playing a concert at Madison Square Garden May 23, 2008, four days after my birthday, so months ahead of that show, I discretely (or so I thought at the time!) planted the seeds to tell my dad about that show and how awesome it would be for my first concert. So on my birthday, as I opened gifts that day, I opened my last gift, only for it to be…TWO VAN HALEN TICKETS!! I remember jumping up and down and diving into my dad’s arms, elated that we would be getting to see my new favorite band! That night was an epic one, as we drove from my guitar lesson in CT (guitar lesson to a Van Halen concert-how awesome!) into New York City for the concert. Saying I was excited was an understatement, as I even burned a CD with Van Halen’s hits to listen to on the ride there that by the third go-around on the CD, my dad suggested maybe we stop listening to keep the music fresh once we see it live! Once we walked into The Garden to see them, my life was never the same, as I saw a guitar legend playing face-melting solos and hits, as well as David Lee Roth’s reunion into the band and, last but certainly, not least, Eddie’s son, Wolfgang, on bass! While Van Halen’s music, with Eddie’s guitar playing, Alex Van Halen’s powerful drumming, and David Lee Roth’s howling vocals and boisterous stage presence sold me on Van Halen, another aspect that really hit home for me was the fact that Eddie and Wolfgang, father and son, were in a band together. Seeing how tight their bond was for years to come really reminded me of my dad and I and how we bonded together in the audience, as well as any time a Van Halen song came on in the future! From then on, I always equated Eddie and Wolfgang’s relationship to my relationship with my dad, as it was similar in some ways. Eddie was the star that Wolfgang idolized and shaped his life after, and Wolfgang was the sparkplug that kept Eddie going and developed a new passion for himself.
That night was only the beginning of my Van Halen fandom, and there were more Van Halen concerts, as well as plenty of music, books, t-shirts, guitar picks, and more Van Halen merchandise to follow in my future. In January 2012, around the announcement of Van Halen’s new album A Different Kind of Truth, word got out that Van Halen was playing an invite-only show at Cafe Wha? in Greenwich Village, a famous rock club, which was owned by David Lee Roth’s uncle, Manny. While I wasn’t going to drag my dad along to that, there was no way I was going to miss out on this, as I figured there would be a group of loyal VH fans surrounding the club, to hear the concert from the outside, hopefully. While I wasn’t completely confident that this would be the case, I decided to take a chance and go anyway. As I walked to Cafe Wha?, I noticed that I had nothing to worry about, as the tiny street was flooded with Van Halen fans waiting for the “Mighty Van Halen” media, all waiting for the show to start, and media waiting to see it live and upfront! After waiting for hours in negative temperatures, outside of a club where I wasn’t even sure I’d hear the show or see them emerge from the performance, I suddenly see a group of people huddled behind a steel barricade, where I could hear music! I quickly mad-dashed to that group and was suddenly taken to paradise! A group of fellow die-hard Van Halen fans, singing along to every word, and bonding amongst ourselves, what could be better? Oh I know, being feet away from the band as they walked into an SUV after the show! Eddie and I locked eyes as he walked out of the club, a moment that stills blows me away, and I saw the rest of the band follow him out. That moment lasted no more than 30 seconds, but the memory that I literally saw Eddie Van Halen will last forever! This was a great night, especially since at the time, I didn’t know many Van Halen fans besides myself. This leads me to two months later, Van Halen at Madison Square Garden, Part 2!
Getting to see Van Halen as my first concert with my dad was a dream come true, so I had to do it again. This time, I returned the favor to my dad and got the tickets for HIS birthday! Before we went to the show, we met up with my dad’s childhood friend, Lenny, and his brother, Charlie. They also happened to be die-hard Van Halen fans, and played drums and guitar, respectively, a la Alex and Eddie! I met these two guys and could not believe that my dad was friends who had even more Van Halen knowledge than me, and I was shocked and amazed! The four of us had so much fun having dinner at the same restaurant my dad and I had before the first Van Halen show, and it was great seeing my dad relive his memories with these guys growing up in the Bronx, as well as introducing more Van Halen fans to me in the process! This also grew a bond between Lenny and me, which we still have to this day, and talk about how amazing that night was, as well as the final time I saw Van Halen, at Jones Beach, this time with my mom and uncle, as well.
The third and final show had more meaning than I could have ever known at the time. That show, my dad and I sat next to each other, just like tradition, however this time, it was from the seats at Jones Beach, overlooking the ocean and the beach behind the stage. What I didn’t know at the time was not only would this be the final Van Halen concert I’d ever see, but also the last concert I’d see with my dad, as months later, he was diagnosed with kidney disease, and in 2019, passed away. His loss was, and still is, absolutely devastating, and the memory of our bond over Van Halen, among other things, will never leave me. When Eddie died last Tuesday, it almost felt like I went through the same grief process, as Eddie Van Halen was to Wolfgang, what my dad was to me: a Rockstar! I was in absolute shock and depression, and I know Wolfgang is going through the same thing.
While I personally don’t know Wolfgang, I hope he knows that I, along with the rest of Van Halen’s fanbase, are praying for him, Alex, Eddie’s wife, Janie, and the whole Van Halen family. Eddie made such an impact on everyone’s life, even if you didn’t play guitar, even if you had the slightest idea of rock music, chances are you know who Eddie Van Halen is, from his groundbreaking guitar virtuosity, to Van Halen’s classic songs that will remain timeless, and also, the joy he had every time you saw him play live. He always had a smile on his face while jumping and running on stage and doing his signature jump while doing a split in the air. That is just one of many reasons why he and Van Halen ooze coolness, and their legacy will carry on forever, as will his special bond with Wolfgang, which will always remind me of my dad.
God Bless Eddie Van Halen and Frank Porco, two awesome dudes who I hope are together in spirit, Eddie doing a solo, while my dad rocks out and celebrates in the crowd, just like old times.
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