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Louder
Louder
Entertainment
Dave Everley

The strange story of Brian May, Eddie Van Halen, a kids’ TV theme and the most unlikely collaboration of the 1980s: “It was like going down a really challenging ski run. I was very much conscious of his talent and his incredible aura”

Eddie Van Halen and Brian May backstage at a concert.

Brian May first saw Eddie Van Halen play live on October 30, 1978. The American guitarist’s eponymous band were supporting a flagging Black Sabbath at the Circus Krone, a former circus venue in Munich, Germany on a tour that has since passed into legend as a hard rock changing of the guard.

May had been invited to the show by his friend, Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi. He knew next to nothing about the opening band; information wasn’t easy to come by in those pre-internet times, and his attention was focused on Queen anyway.

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