Louder: Eddie Van Halen (1955-2020)

Plus: Mariah Carey, beabadoobee, Texas Punk and More

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story October 9, 2020 By Caryn Ganz Pop Music Editor We lost another legend this week. “Eddie Van Halen structured his solos the way Macy’s choreographs its Independence Day fireworks shows: shooting off rockets of sound that seemed to explode in a shower of light and color,” Jim Farber wrote in his obituary. Jon Pareles expanded on Eddie’s “unforced smile” — “a grin of boyish delight at how he could blend propulsion, filigree and outright havoc, and at how much noisy fun he was getting away with.” Rob Tannenbaum gave us a playlist of 12 essential EVH songs. And Ben Sisario collected Kirk Hammett from Metallica’s memories: “To me, he was like Tesla or Louis Pasteur or Ray Kurzweil.” David Peisner profiled the 20-year-old singer and songwriter beabadoobee, who saw her bedroom-pop song “Coffee” blow up via circumstances she didn’t control, then took her music in a more ’90s alt-rock direction for her debut full-length album. Jeremy Gordon asked Pat Blashill to share the stories behind the images in his photo book documenting the early Texas punk-rock scene. Elisabeth Vincentelli profiled a drummer who has a keen ear for recreating iconic beats — but still is struggling with his white whale, “Funky Drummer.” And Jon Caramanica wrote a fabulous piece about Mariah Carey’s memoir and rarities collection. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Eddie Van Halen, Virtuoso of the Rock Guitar, Dies at 65 His outpouring of riffs, runs and solos was hyperactive and athletic, making deeper or darker emotions feel irrelevant. The band he led was one of the most popular of all time. By Jim Farber an appraisal Eddie Van Halen, the Shredder Supreme The guitarist, who died this week at 65, gleefully reinvented the rules of being a guitar hero — then bent them again and again. By Jon Pareles playlist Eddie Van Halen’s 12 Essential Songs His guitar solos stunned and inspired, but the musician, who died of cancer, was also a gifted songwriter, producer and keyboard player. By Rob Tannenbaum Metallica’s Kirk Hammett: Eddie Van Halen ‘Blew Open Everyone’s Minds’ The guitarist remembers the multitalented musician, who died this week at 65. By Ben Sisario FEATURES Rosie Marks for The New York Times   beabadoobee Made Bedroom Pop. Now She’s Turning Up the Volume. The 20-year-old singer and songwriter Bea Kristi’s song “Coffee” has reached millions. Now she’s releasing “Fake It Flowers,” an album that puts a new spin on ’90s alt-rock. By David Peisner Mohamed Sadek for The New York Times   A Musician’s White Whale: Perfectly Recreating the ‘Funky Drummer’ Beat Dylan Wissing is a session drummer with a passion for meticulously duplicating famous rhythms. By Elisabeth Vincentelli Pat Blashill   Texas Punk Rock, Straight From the Pit Pat Blashill’s photo book “Texas Is the Reason” captures the energy and anarchy of Austin’s burgeoning scene between 1979 and 1987. By Jeremy Gordon and Pat Blashill Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT THE CRITICS Joseph Del Valle/NBCUniversal, via Getty Images   Critic’s Notebook Mariah Carey, Elusive No More A new memoir and rarities collection show the powerhouse vocalist and songwriter’s evolution into a poised, boundary-blurring pop superstar. By Jon Caramanica the playlist Jeff Tweedy’s Homesick Tune, and 11 More New Songs Hear tracks by Palberta, Anderson .Paak, Chai and others. By Jon Pareles, Giovanni Russonello and Lindsay Zoladz Luke Combs’s Country Stardom and the Remaking of the Bro The Nashville singer and songwriter learned from the genre’s past and carved his own path. critic’s pick ‘The Forty-Year-Old Version’ Review: Rapper’s Delight Radha Blank’s film is an intimate, epic reckoning with age, ambition and everything else. By A.O. Scott NEWS Led Zeppelin Wins Long ‘Stairway to Heaven’ Copyright Case The U.S. Supreme Court announced it would not hear the case, leaving in place an appeals court ruling that the band did not copy part of a 1968 song by Spirit. By Ben Sisario Tory Lanez Charged With Assault in Shooting of Megan Thee Stallion The Canadian artist is accused of wounding the singer by firing at her feet after an argument last summer. By Joe Coscarelli MacArthur Foundation Announces 21 ‘Genius’ Grant Winners The writer N. K. Jemisin and the playwright Larissa FastHorse are among the fellows recognized for their “exceptional creativity” with a no-strings-attached grant of $625,000. By Julia Jacobs Morgan Wallen Loses ‘S.N.L.’ Music Spot for Violating Virus Rules The country musician was seen in videos on social media mingling in groups without wearing a mask and kissing fans. By Dave Itzkoff the charts Machine Gun Kelly Leads a Shake-Up at the Top of the Billboard Chart The pop-punk album “Tickets to My Downfall” debuted at No. 1, followed by LPs from SuperM and Joji. By Ben Sisario Taylor Swift, leaning further into politics, endorses Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. By Matt Stevens Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT OBITUARIES Johnny Nash, Who Sang ‘I Can See Clearly Now,’ Dies at 80 After only modest success as a romantic crooner, he played a key role in bringing reggae to a wider audience. By Steven Kurutz those we’ve lost S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Indian Singer With Huge Repertory, Dies at 74 Known as S.P.B., he sang in a number of languages and was known for his film work. He died of complications of Covid-19. By Priya Arora FROM THE MAGAZINE Mara Corsino for The New York Times   The Culture Issue The World According to Bad Bunny The Puerto Rican reggaetonero has come to dominate global pop on his own terms. By Carina del Valle Schorske Make a friend’s day: Forward this email! Get this from a friend? Sign up here. Follow us on Twitter @nytimesmusic. Send your feedback on Louder at theplaylist@nytimes.com. Check out our full range of newsletters. Continue reading the main story Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Louder from The New York Times. To stop receiving these emails, unsubscribe or manage your email preferences. 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