The death of guitar legend Eddie Van Halen came a huge blow to Slash, the Guns N' Roses lead guitarist shared in a recent interview with Cleveland.com.
Slash spoke with the publication about the new brand new 'Not In This Lifetime' pinball game and during the interview he was asked about his reaction to Van Halen's death.
He responded, "That was a huge...blow. I actually met Eddie back in 1988; He came up to me at a Stevie Ray Vaughan concert and gave me a compliment on one of my guitar solos, which always sticks with me as one of the nicest, most selfless things any fellow guitar player ever did. We've were sort of friends ever since then.
"On top of the fact he's a monster musician, he was just a really good guy, a really sweet guy. Towards the end I'd been in touch with him. I knew he was in the hospital, but I didn't know to what extent. I had a vague feeling what was going on and was just sort of keeping in touch with him, but then around June or something I stopped hearing from him.
"I was in Chicago doing the pinball machine and got a text (about his death) and I was just completely shocked. It was just really sad and tragic and indelible news."
Sammy Hagar Going Vegas With Sammy's Island At The Palms
Wolfgang Van Halen Takes High Road Over David Lee Roth Attack
Wolfgang Van Halen Forced To Change Mammoth WVH Tour Dates
Sammy Hagar And Michael Anthony Look Back At Van Halen's 'For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge'
Mother's Day Gift Guide Part 2
Mother's Day Gift Guide Part 1
Root 66: New Riders of the Purple Sage- Gene Clark- More
Robert Plant, Yes and Willie Nelson Among Stars Coming to Ozarks Amphitheater
Live: Heart and Cheap Trick Rock Tampa
Sammy Hagar, Bret Michaels, Alice Cooper Lead A&E's New Rock Biography Episodes
200,000 Fans Expected At Welcome To Rockville
Slash Adds Date To .E.R.P.E.N.T. Blues Festival Tour
Punk Supergroup Off! Announce Final Shows
Watch The Early November's 'Tired Of Lying' Video
Drive-By Truckers Expand 'Southern Rock Opera' For Special Reissue
Beartooth Add New Leg To The Surface Tour
KK's Priest And Accept Teaming Up For North American Tour