Metal Master Kingdom spoke with guitarist Steve Lukather, the man behind Toto, who has written and recorded some of the biggest songs in music. Lukather discussed his new solo album, I Found The Sun Again, and the recent passing of Eddie Van Halen. CHeck out the interview below.

On the passing of Eddie Van Halen

Lukather: "It's hard to talk about because the wound is still very deep. I'm very honored to have been Ed's friend, really a friend, not just a guitar buddy; I had a beer with him, 40+ years with him. I know all the guys (in Van Halen), I love all the guys. I was just on Sammy's (Hagar) show, he was beautiful to me, Mike's (Anthony) always nice to me. With the brothers, I have always stayed very close. I've been in touch with Al more than anybody, and Janie (Eddie's widow) sent me some wonderful pictures of Ed and I when we were younger that she found somewhere. And I've been in touch with, talked to Wolf once, and I'm gonna leave him alone. He's got his mom. This is a hole in my heart that won't go away.

He was a real friend of mine; we didn't get together and talk about guitars and stuff unless we wanted to play each other something new or brag about our kids. And really, we spent the last half of our relationship bragging about each other's sons because they both play. ´We always had that in common, the sons and the guitar. We have a lot in common out of the gig that has nothing to do with music. I love the man. 

There's nothing to argue about how great he was as a musician - I don't have to. Who's gonna argue with him? He was one of the greats to ever pick up rock 'n' roll guitar, changed everything! And he was my friend, and I miss my friend more than anything, and I miss the roar of one of his vehicles scaring the shit out of my neighbors. And then the lunacy, the way he laughed, and the way he fucking hugged me whenever he came by...

The last thing I have on my phone is just a heart that he sent me. It's hard for me to talk about because it's an open wound, but I imagine how it's with family. My heart goes out to everybody in the Van Halen family."