L.A. Artist Set to Complete Mural of Eddie Van Halen in Hollywood

Artist Robert Vargas is currently putting the finishing touches on a mural he is painting of Eddie Van Halen at Guitar Center in Hollywood, which he expects to complete by Sunday, Jan, 17. 

The mural will be unveiled on Jan. 26.

Van Halen, who grew up in Pasadena, died of throat cancer on Oct. 6 at Providence St, John’s Health Center in Santa Monica at the age of 65. Following Van Halen’s death, fans left flowers at his childhood home on Las Lunas Street in Pasadena.

In October, a memorial honoring Van Halen was discussed at a Pasadena City Council meeting in which City Manager Steve Mermell was directed to come up with ideas for how to best honor the musician. 

An agenda report for a Pasadena City Council meeting on Oct. 26 listed proposals for the planned memorial. They included the renaming of a street or alleyway near the Van Halen home, as well as a public monument, potentially at the Pasadena Convention Center and Civic Auditorium, the location of several of Van Halen’s earliest performances.

“Since his passing, Pasadena has received several requests and suggestions from the community to do or name something in Van Halen’s [honor] to [recognize] both his local connection to Pasadena, as well as the impact that his artistry had on music,” guitarworld.com quotes from the city report.

“Given the band’s connection to Pasadena and the hometown pride expressed by its residents, several requests have been made to name a street, alley, or another monument in his [honor],” the report states.

“Although the idea is reasonable, the street renaming process is not conducive to a predominately residential area should it become a destination for fans and visitors,” according to the city report.

Another proposed street for renaming is Electric Drive, situated at the back of the former Raymond Theater – an auditorium once owned by David Lee Roth’s father and an early Van Halen rehearsal location.

“The Pasadena Center Operating Co. (PCOC) has been approached by an individual interested in hosting a virtual benefit concert with proceeds raised funding the construction of a statue or monument in the musician’s honor,” states the city report.

Vargas, a contemporary artist known for his mixed-media portraits, murals and live events, was born and raised in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Boyle Heights, according to blabbermouth.net. His best-known works include a city of L.A. commissioned mural of legendary Suicidal Tendencies frontman Mike Muir titled “Can’t Stop. 

He sees his public mural works as a means to reach a wider audience and promote accessible art and community through the creative process.

“I’ll be painting this 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, Jan. 17th,” Vargas told blabbermouth.net of his Van Halen tribute. 

“You can cruise by outside and watch me create this epic mural from your car or you can tune-in to the live stream here, every day at 4 p.m.,” Vargas said. “I will be blasting the entire catalog as I paint.”

This is not the first mural that has been created in honor of the iconic musician. 

Less than a month after Van Halen’s death, airbrush artist Paul Archer painted an Eddie Van Halen mural on the back wall of Archer Airbrushing shop in Victoria, British Columbia, Cana