Van Halen Magazines/Books


I've been collecting Van Halen cover magazines since the early 1980s. In fact, most of the magazines in my collection were purchased new by me when the issue was first released. One could always count on EVH being on the cover of Guitar Player, Guitar World, or Guitar For The Practicing Musician at least one or two times a year - especially if VH had put out a new album.

The main collecting rule is simple - the publication has to have Edward Van Halen on the cover. About 95% of my VH magazines are music instrument publications, such as Guitar World, Guitar Player, Musician, etc. - not Circus, Creem, or Hit Parader (unless it was a special "all-VH" issue). Also, I only track down U.S. publications, unless it's an "all-VH" issue. I have bent this rule a bit for some British magazines where I can at least read the articles!

The only non-EVH cover magazines in my collection are the November 1978 issue of Guitar Player with Roy Clark on the cover (EVH's first appearance in a guitar magazine) and the November 1982 Life, which featured a piece on the band's Diver Down tour. My rarest magazines are probably the four Record Review issues from 1979-1983, my complete set of Inside magazine, and the mint condition April 1980 Guitar Player - EVH's first cover. And yes, I keep every magazine in sealable plastic bags.

And then there's the books. It's quite surprising how many Van Halen books are out there. The books first began coming out in 1984 - before that, there was nothing. And I think I have them all now. Most are just picture books, but there's some that are pretty comprehensive.

NOTE: The year 2020 was made even more difficult with Edward Van Halen's passing in October, and it was bittersweet to go out (and order online) all the EVH tribute editions that flooded the market around that time. I have them listed in the "2020-21 EDWARD VAN HALEN IN MEMORIAM/TRIBUTE PUBLICATIONS" section below.


MAGAZINES
PUBLICATION/TITLE
DATE
ISSUE
COVER NOTE
BAM
BAM
7/16/82
regular
black/yellow Charvel 79 tour
BILLBOARD
Billboard
6/27/15
regular
cream EVH Wolfgang relic
CLASSIC ROCK (UK)
Classic Rock (UK)
12/05
regular
w/ band 81
Classic Rock (UK)
9/09
regular
black/yellow Charvel 79 tour (b&w photo)
Classic Rock (UK)
4/11
regular
US Festival band poster 83 (b&w photo)
Classic Rock (UK)
4/12
regular
WACF band album cover 80 (b&w photo)
Classic Rock (UK)
6/15
regular
white/black Frankenstein 78 tour w/ David Lee Roth (b&w photo)
CREEM
Creem
1982
Special Edition - Van Halen
all VH issue; w/ band
Creem
1984
Close-Up - Van Halen
all VH issue; red/white/black Frankenstein w/ David Lee Roth 83 US Festival
Creem
1986
Rock Shots Presents Van Halen & David Lee Roth - The Noise And The Fury!
all VH/DLR issue; VH band/DLR band
THE DIG (Japan)
The Dig (Japan)
2012
Van Halen - The Dig Special Edition
all VH issue; w/ band 81 tour
EQ
EQ
2/96
regular
in 5150 studio (b&w photo)
GUITAR AFICIONADO
Guitar Aficionado
1/14
regular
on beach w/ bass mandolin
GUITAR EDGE
Guitar Edge
3-4/08
regular
black/yellow Charvel 79
GUITAR for the PRACTICING MUSICIAN / GUITAR
Guitar for the Practicing Musician/Guitar
5/84
regular
red/white/black Frankenstein 81 tour
Guitar for the Practicing Musician/Guitar
4/85
regular
black Kramer Ripley
Guitar for the Practicing Musician/Guitar
9/86
regular
Kramer 5150 w/ Sammy Hagar
Guitar for the Practicing Musician/Guitar
11/88
regular
red/white/black Steinberger w/ Sammy Hagar
Guitar for the Practicing Musician/Guitar
9/90
regular
Kramer 5150 88 tour w/ Vivian Campbell & Eric Clapton
Guitar for the Practicing Musician/Guitar
8/91
regular
amber EBMM
Guitar for the Practicing Musician/Guitar
6/93
regular
amber EBMM 91 tour
Guitar for the Practicing Musician/Guitar
3/94
regular
w/ Jimmy Page
Guitar for the Practicing Musician/Guitar
3/95
regular
guitar collage
Guitar for the Practicing Musician/Guitar
1/97
regular
black Peavey Wolfgang
Guitar for the Practicing Musician/Guitar
1995
Classics - Eddie Van Halen Issue
all EVH issue; Kramer 5150 86 tour
Guitar for the Practicing Musician/Guitar
2003
Heroes Of The '80s
red/white/black Frankenstein 84
GUITAR ONE
Guitar One
Vol. III 1996
regular
black/yellow Charvel 79 tour
Guitar One
4/98
regular
tobacco sunburst Peavey Wolfgang w/ Gary Cherone
Guitar One
5/02
regular
black/yellow Charvel 79
Guitar One
5/02
regular
black/yellow Charvel 79
Guitar One
5/06
regular
white/black star 80 tour
GUITAR PLAYER
Guitar Player
11/78
regular
Roy Clark cover; EVH's first guitar mag feature
Guitar Player
4/80
regular
black/yellow Charvel 79 tour
Guitar Player
7/84
regular
red/white/black Frankenstein
Guitar Player
10/87
regular
white Spector bass w/ Sammy Hagar
Guitar Player
5/93
regular
red/white/black Frankenstein 82 tour (b&w photo)
Guitar Player
3/95
regular
amber EBMM (b&w photo)
Guitar Player
4/01
regular
red/white/black Frankenstein 82 tour
Guitar Player
12/11
holiday
sunburst EVH Wolfgang w/ white EVH 5150 stack
Guitar Player
4/22
regular
black/yellow Charvel 79 tour
Guitar Player
1984
Legends Of Guitar - Hendrix/Van Halen
red/white/black Frankenstein 83 US Festival
Guitar Player
1986
Positively Van Halen
all EVH issue; Kramer 5150 84 tour
Guitar Player
1993
Best Of Guitar Player - Van Halen
all EVH issue; black/yellow Charvel 79 tour
Guitar Player
2005
All-Star Guitar Lessons
Kramer 5150 84 tour
Guitar Player
2008
All-Star Guitar Lessons
red/white/black Frankenstein 79 tour
Guitar Player
2010
Classic Rock Lead Guitar
white/black star 80 tour (b&w photo)
Guitar Player
2011
The 50 Greatest Guitar Tones
sunburst EVH Wolfgang 07-08 tour
GUITAR SHOP
Guitar Shop
Spring 1994
regular
purple EBMM 6/12 & amber EBMM; Peavey 5150 amp
Guitar Shop
7/97
regular
white Peavey Wolfgang
GUITAR WORLD
Guitar World
1/81
regular
custom Charvel Snake
Guitar World
1/82
regular
red/white/black Frankenstein
Guitar World
1/84
regular
Gibson Flying V
Guitar World
7/85
regular
Kramer 5150
Guitar World
9/86
regular
red swirl Kramer Ripley
Guitar World
7/88
regular
Kramer 5150
Guitar World
2/90
regular
Airline, red/white/black Frankenstein, Teisco Del Ray
Guitar World
9/91
regular
purple EBMM
Guitar World
3/92
regular
amber EBMM 91 tour (b&w photo)
Guitar World
2/95
regular
amber EBMM
Guitar World
4/96
regular
black Peavey Wolfgang w/ Billy Corgan
Guitar World
3/98
regular
white Peavey Wolfgang-3 SC (b&w photo)
Guitar World
10/99
regular
red/white/black Peavey Wolfgang w/ Jeff Beck & Jimmy Page (b&w photo)
Guitar World
8/04
regular
sunburst Peavey Wolfgang (b&w photo)
Guitar World
3/07
regular
red/white/black EVH Frankenstein replica
Guitar World
9/07
regular
red/white/black EVH Frankenstein replica
Guitar World
4/08
regular
cream EVH Wolfgang w/ Wolfgang Van Halen
Guitar World
2/09
regular
4 EVH Wolfgang covers=cream, black, red/white/black, sunburst
Guitar World
4/12
regular
red/white/black Frankenstein 83 US Festival
Guitar World
8/12
regular
matte black EVH Wolfgang Stealth 12 tour
Guitar World
2/14
regular
red/white/black Frankenstein Jump video
Guitar World
6/15
regular
EVH white/black Star
Guitar World
2/16
regular
ivory relic EVH Wolfgang 15 tour (b&w photo)
Guitar World
12/20
regular
black/yellow Charvel 79 VHII photo shoot
Guitar World
1984
Guitar Heroes
red/white/black Frankenstein 82
Guitar World
1992
Guitar Legends
all EVH issue; red/white/black Frankenstein 82
Guitar World
1993
1993-94 Buyer's Guide
red EBMM in 5150 studio
Guitar World
2001
Guitar Legends - The 100 Greatest Guitar Solos
white/black Frankenstein 78 tour (b&w photo)
Guitar World
2004
Guitar Legends
all EVH issue; white/black Frankenstein 78 tour (b&w photo)
Guitar World
2006
Guitar Legends - The Greatest Guitar Portraits
white/black Frankenstein 78 tour (b&w photo)
Guitar World
2007
Guitar Legends - The History Of Hard Rock
purple/white/yellow/orange/blue Kramer 82 w/ James Hetfield & Angus Young
Guitar World
2009
Guitar World 30th Anniversary Special
red/white/black EVH Wolfgang w/ Tony Iommi
Guitar World
2011
Guitar Legends - 100 of the Most Iconic Guitars
red/white/black Frankenstein
Guitar World
2012
Van Halen - 40 Years of The Great American Rock Band
all VH issue; w/ band 78
HUH
Huh
2/95
regular
w/ band (Mike & Alex upside down)
Huh
12/96
regular
EVH sitting
THE INSIDE
The Inside
(Spring 1995 - Summer 2000 COMPLETE SET
16 separate issues
multiple covers
INTERNATIONAL MUSICIAN AND RECORDING WORLD
International Musician And Recording World
3/84
regular
red/white/black Frankenstein Jump video
International Musician And Recording World
2/85
regular
black Kramer Ripley
International Musician And Recording World
1/86
regular
w/ band
KEYBOARD WORLD
Keyboard World
7/88
regular
w/ keyboard
LIFE
Life
11/82
regular
Test-Tube Baby Boom; 82 VH tour review
MUSICIAN
Musician
9/82
regular
red/white/black Frankenstein
Musician
6/84
regular
w/ David Lee Roth
Musician
2/86
regular
w/ band
Musician
5/91
regular
red EBMM w/ Albert Lee & Steve Morse
Musician
3/95
regular
amber EBMM w/ Slash
MUSIC CONNECTION
Music Connection
5/9/93
regular
amber EBMM HT
MUSIC LIFE (Japan)
Music Life (Japan)
2003
Van Halen Special Issue
all VH issue; band food fight 79
MUSIC SPOTLIGHT
Music Spotlight
4/22
Van Halen - Celebrating 50 Years Of America's Favorite Rock Band
all VH issue; w/ band 78 (b&w photo)
PASADENA MONTHLY
Pasadena Monthly
7/12
regular
w/ band 81
PASADENA WEEKLY
Pasadena Weekly
10/8/20
regular
red swirl Kramer Ripley 86
PEAVEY MONITOR
Peavey Monitor
Vol. 10 issue 4 1991
regular
Peavey 5150 amp
Peavey Monitor
Vol. 15 issue 1 1996
regular
white Peavey Wolfgang
Peavey Monitor
Vol. 18 issue 2 1999
regular
tobacco sunburst Peavey Wolfgang
PLANET ROCK (UK)
Planet Rock (UK)
6/19 (Issue 14)
regular
VH logo & red w/ black & white stripes
RECORD REVIEW
Record Review
4/79
regular
w/ band in studio
Record Review
6/80
regular
mandolin w/ David Lee Roth
Record Review
2/81
regular
red/white/black Frankenstein 79 tour w/ David Lee Roth
Record Review
8/82
regular
Fair Warning photo shoot 81
Record Review
10/83
regular
red/white/black Kramer Frankenstein replica
RIP
RIP
8/88
regular
w/ band
ROCKLINE
Rockline (Guitar Center)
Summer 1983
regular
red/white/black Kramer Walker Ad Frank
ROLLING STONE
Rolling Stone
7/86
regular
w/ band
Rolling Stone
7/88
regular
w/ band
Rolling Stone
4/95
regular
(b&w photo)
Rolling Stone
12/11
regular
red/white/black Frankenstein 82 tour (b&w photo)
SPORT TRUCK
Sport Truck
6/93
regular
red/white/black EBMM w/ red/white/black Chevrolet truck
TEEN AGE
Teen Age
10/83
regular
w/ David Lee Roth
TOTAL GUITAR (UK)
Total Guitar (UK)
8/95
regular
amber EBMM
Total Guitar (UK)
8/10
regular
black/yellow Charvel 79
Total Guitar (UK)
7/16
regular
red/white/black Striped Series Frankenstein
Total Guitar (UK)
12/20
regular
red/white/black Frankenstein w/ Brian May guitar
Total Guitar (UK)
6/21
regular
black/yellow Charvel 79
VINTAGE GUITAR
Vintage Guitar
4/14
regular
red/white/black Frankenstein 82 tour
YOUNG GUITAR (Japan)
Young Guitar (Japan)
2003
The Guitar Man - Edward Van Halen
all EVH issue; Kramer 5150 84 tour
Young Guitar (Japan)
2005
Special Interviews!! The Guitars Of Eddie! 1978-2004
all EVH issue; red/white/black Frankenstein 79 tour
Young Guitar (Japan)
2007
Return of The Guitar Man
all EVH issue; white/black Frankenstein 78 tour
Young Guitar (Japan)
2020
The Guitar Man - EVH's Guitars
all EVH issue; red/white/black Frankenstein 81 tour
2020-21 EDWARD VAN HALEN IN MEMORIAM/TRIBUTE PUBLICATIONS
-listed in the order I acquired them
Bauer Media Group
2020
Special Issue
Eddie Van Halen - 1955-2020
all EVH issue; white/black Frankenstein 78 tour (b&w photo)
Rolling Stone
2020
Special Issue
Eddie Van Halen Special Commemorative Issue - The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time
red/white/black Frankenstein 82 tour (b&w photo)
Guitar Player
2020
Holiday Issue
Eddie Van Halen - A Celebration of His Life and Legend
white/black Frankenstein 78 tour (b&w photo)
Young Guitar (Japan)
12/20
Regular Issue
In Memory of Edward Van Halen
all EVH issue; Kramer 5150 84 tour
Guitar Part (France)
11/20
Regular Issue
Eddie Van Halen - Last Eruption 1955-2020
red/white/black Frankenstein 79 tour (b&w photo)
Guitar World
1/21
Regular Issue
Eddie Van Halen - A Farewell to the King
on beach w/ red/white/black Frankenstein 14
Guitarist (UK)
12/20
Regular Issue
Eddie Van Halen - 1955-2020
white/black Frankenstein 78 (b&w photo)
Guitarist (UK)
12/20
Special Insert (28 pages)
A Salute to EVH
red/white/black stripes w/ EVH silhouette
Classic Rock (UK)
12/20
Special Insert (32 pages)
Eddie Van Halen - Rock's Last Great Guitar Hero
white/black Frankenstein 78 tour (b&w photo)
Guitar (UK)
12/20
Regular Issue
EVH - 1955-2020
white/black Frankenstein 78 tour (b&w photo)
Metal Hammer (UK)
12/20
Regular Issue
Eddie Van Halen - An All-Star Metal Tribute
red/white/black Frankenstein 81 tour (art)
Popular 1 (Spain)
11/20
Regular Issue
Tribute to Eddie Van Halen - 1955-2020
red/white/black Frankenstein 82 tour
Gitarzysta (Poland)
11/20
Regular Issue
Eddie Van Halen - 1955-2020
white/black Frankenstein 78 (b&w photo)
Guitar (Japan)
1/21
Regular Issue
Eddie Van Halen
all EVH issue; Kramer 5150 84 tour
Premier Guitar
12/20
Regular Issue
Edward Van Halen - 1955-2020
white/black Frankenstein 78 tour (b&w photo)
Life
12/20
Special Issue
Van Halen - The Life, The Music, The Joy
all VH issue; w/ band 81
Metal Hammer & Heavy Metal (Greece)
11/20
Regular Issue
Eddie Van Halen - A Farewell To King Edward
WACF back cover 80
Guitare Xtreme (France)
2/21
Regular Issue
EVH - 1955-2020
Kramer 5150 86 tour
Player (Japan)
1/21
Regular Issue
Edward Van Halen
purple EBMM 91
Vintage Guitar
12/20
Regular Issue
Edward Van Halen
red/white/black Frankenstein Jump video 83
Guitar (Germany)
12/20
Regular Issue
Farewell, Eddie!
ivory relic EVH Wolfgang 16
BOOKS
AUTHOR
DATE
TITLE
COVER NOTE
Blair, Iain
1984
Van Halen
-
Craven, Michelle
1984
Van Halen
-
Kamin, Philip & Goddard, Peter
1984
Van Halen
-
Matthews, Gordon
1984
Van Halen
-
Morrison, Buzz
1984
The Mighty Van Halen
-
Palmer, Jim
1984
Van Halen (Anabas Look Book Series)
-
Shearlaw, John
1984
Van Halen - Jumpin' For The Dollar
-
Tene, Phil S.
1984
Van Halen
-
Freeze Frame
1984
Van Halen Live
-
Starbook
1984
The Van Halen Scrapbook
-
Considine, J.D.
1985
Van Halen!
-
Kaye, Annene
1985
Hot Songs For Van Halen
-
Hedges, Dan
1986
Eddie Van Halen - The Vintage/Musician Magazine Series
-
Anabas
1988 (Issue 10)
Van Halen - David Lee Roth
-
Dome, Malcolm
1994
Van Halen - Excess All Areas
-
Guitar World
1997
Guitar World Presents Van Halen
-
Dome, Malcolm & Fogg, Rod
2005
Eddie Van Halen - Know The Man, Play The Music
-
Sanchez, Abel
2005
Van Halen 101
-
Christe, Ian
2007
Everybody Wants Some: The Van Halen Saga
-
Zlozower, Neil (signed)
2007
Van Halen: A Visual History 1978-1984
hardcover
Young Guitar (Japan)
2007
Edward Van Halen - Collection Vol. 7
Kramer 5150 84 tour
Guitar World
2010
Guitar World Presents Van Halen
-
Dodds, Kevin
2011
Edward Van Halen: A Definitive Biography
-
Zlozower, Neil (signed)
2011
Eddie Van Halen
hardcover
Wiley, Elizabeth
2012
Could This Be Magic - Van Halen Before 1978
-
Scanlan, John
2012
Van Halen - Exuberant California, Zen Rock 'N' Roll
-
Guitar World
2012
Van Halen - 40 Years of The Great American Rock Band
w/ band 81
Renoff, Greg (signed)
2015
Van Halen Rising: How A Southern California Backyard Party Band Saved Heavy Metal
-
Monk, Noel E.
2017
Runnin' With The Devil
-
Young Guitar (Japan)
2018
Van Halen: Live Tour In Japan 1978 & 1979
hardcover; black/yellow Charvel 79 tour
Popoff, Martin (signed)
2018
Unchained: A Van Halen User Manual
-
Bennett, Andrew
2020
Eruption In The Canyon
hardcover
Popoff, Martin
2020
Van Halen - A Visual Biography
hardcover; black/yellow Charvel 79 tour
Halfin, Ross
2021
Edward Van Halen
hardcover; b/w 78 tour (early edition w/ backward EVH logo)
Christopher, Michael
2021
Van Halen - The Eruption And The Aftershock
EVH 84 tour (color) w/ b/w all-time band members
Tolinski, Brad & Gill, Chris
2021
Eruption - A Conversation With Edward Van Halen
hardcover; b/w 78 tour
Brannigan, Paul
2021
Unchained - The Eddie Van Halen Story
hardcover; b/w 83 US Festival


UPDATED JAN 7 2022


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