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Paul Elliott

“Eddie told me, ‘Roth is driving me nuts. I can't take it. I gotta leave. I know you're looking for a lead guitar player. Do you want me in the band?’”: When Eddie Van Halen asked to join Kiss – and they turned him down!

Eddie Van Halen Van Halen Kiss Gene Simmons David Lee Roth Ace Frehley Sammy Hagar Vinnie Vincent ACDC MusicRadar
Van Halen.

BEST OF 2025: Join us for our traditional look back at the news and features that topped MusicRadar's charts in 2025.

He was one of the greatest guitar players the world has ever seen, but when Eddie Van Halen offered his services to Kiss in the early ’80s he was told: “Thanks, but no thanks!”

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