Rock Scene Auctions remembers Eddie Van Halen: January 26, 1955, Amsterdam, Netherlands - October 6, 2020, Santa Monica, California.

"One of my first assignments for Circus magazine was Van Halen at Convention Hall the summer of 1979," begins legendary photographer Mark Weiss. "The album Van Halen II had come out in March and they were selling out theaters. I went to the show early to check out their soundcheck. I got my photo pass and went in. The band was on stage and I was blown away. It was the first time I had seen them live. After they finished soundcheck I waited a few minutes then went backstage. There wasn't any security there yet so no one stopped me. All I had was a photo pass. I went up a flight of stairs and there was Michael (Anthony) and Eddie (Van Halen) hanging out having a beer and a smoke. I introduced myself and showed them my Steven Tyler centerfold in Circus that I had taken last summer. They seemed impressed that I asked if I could take some photos - Eddie just smiled. I took that as a yes and started snapping away." 

Today, January 26th, Eddie Van Halen would have turned 66 years old. To celebrate the late guitarist's birthday, Mark Weiss is offering a special edition Van Halen bundle of his book, The Decade That Rocked. It includes:

• The Decade That Rocked book, signed and personalized by Mark Weiss
• Three 8.5 × 11 Van Halen prints, signed by Mark Weiss
• The Decade That Rocked T-Shirt
• One 10 pack of collectible rock postcards by Mark Weiss

Available now until Sunday, January 31st, the special edition Van Halen bundle includes the 1979 Eddie print, pictured below, FREE! Order yours at this location.

Shortly after Eddie Van Halen's passing last year, Mark Weiss spoke with BBC Breakfast about the legendary guitarist; that clip can be seen below.

"On stage and off stage he seemed like the same person," commented Weiss. "He was always smiling. If he wanted to do something he would be smiling and if he didn't want to do something he would still smile and do it. He was one of those guys that made you feel really comfortable. He knew you were there for a reason and he let you do what you needed to do. When I went back into the dressing room to take some photos, he would let me be a fly on the wall. I would just leave him be. We just had a good relationship over the decade."

(Photos by Mark Weiss)