Jomsky, Mark
From: Steven Sawyer <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, January 16, 2022 6:22 PM
To: Jomsky, Mark
Subject: Van Halen park
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Please name a park in Pasadena after Edward Van Halen.
Sincerely
Steve Sawyer
Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone
Jomsky, Mark
From: timothy jimenez <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, January 15, 2022 9:57 AM
To: Jomsky, Mark
Subject: Edward Van Halen Memorial Park
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Dear city of Pasadena, please try to put into perspective the impact that Edward Van Halen had on plant earth in his music charities and culture changing style of music that he produced during his lifetime. In many interviews he always credited and was proud of his upbringing in Pasadena. He was considered the Mozart of modern day music and deserves a memorial park. Im one in millions that if they could email you would concur and ad much more to what i have written. He is very very worthy of a park dedication. Thank You Sincerely Tim Jimenez Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android
Jomsky, Mark
From: Winston Arntz < [email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, January 9, 2022 2:58 AM
To: Jomsky, Mark
Subject: Pasadena Edward van Halen Park
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Dear sir or madam,
It had come to my joyful attention that your city of Pasadena is creating a new park and is open for a suitable name for it. Let me first introduce myself;
My name is Winston Arntz., I live in Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Nijmegen is the city where musician Jan van Halen and his wife Eugenia moved from to the USA, Pasadena, to be precise. The two brough their two young sons along; Alex and Edward. Starting with literally a few USD to their name the family boarded a ship, on to a new future. A huge leap of course.
But it turned aout more that great! The chances and possibilties the local culture offered gave way for the remarkable talents of the two boys. Once they switched instruments (Ed to guitar,m Al to drums) things changed rapidly. Bands were formed, many gigs in school halls, back garden's and other places allowing (or not) followed. All this lead to the formation of one of the world's most influential and important rock bands; Van Halen.
Your city is where it all started and happened.
Sadly Edward (Eddie) passed away in October 2020. The people of Pasadena 4 Van Halen already donated a beautiful plaque, which was placed on the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, for which many people are grateful, I'm sure.
n 2013 I started a campaign for Eddie, to have a street, bridge or square named after him in Nijmegen. The response was not negative but there is a guiding rule that if someone would get such an honor, he or she must be deceased for at least 10 years. So that was a bummer. But when Ed so sadly past away in 2020 the countdown started. I got into contact with a representative from a city council representative who helped me tremendously with the official proposition. And, a couple of weeks ago the mayor and city council agreed! In a new -to be build- part of town Nijmegen will name streets after famous people who lived in our city. it officially will be in 2030, but who knows what will happen, could be sooner! But there's more; inspired by the beautiful mural painting in Hollywood and the fact that Nijmegen has a new vision on the looks of the city a mural for Eddie also came to mind. The council is open for such initiatives, yet this must be sent in by the public, no political party can be behind it. So that will happen once I know what the exact procedure is.
I would love and admire it when this unique connection between Nüjmegen and Pasadena can be established. In this time of pandemic and other politcal issues, both in the USA and The Netherlands we can show how important connections are. Past, present and future.
1 So 1 fully support the initiative for a Edward van Halen Park in Pasadena! And to have the band saying it themselves; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIPqm0Lcr5w With kind regards,
Winston Arntz
2 Jomsky, Mark
From: David Anderson < [email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, January 8, 2022 8:36 PM
To: Jomsky, Mark
Subject: Naming of park / Edward Van Halen
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Greetings Mr. Jomsky,
I hope my communication finds you well in this New Year and you have sufficiently dodged the wretched Covid variants perusing the world currently.
I come to you this day in light of naming of a new park process in the Great city of Pasadena. As you are well aware, Pasadena's own Edward Van Halen passed away October 6th, 2020. The world continues to mourn the loss of Edward and his myriad accomplishments, most which born out of Pasadena. The Van Halen Band called Pasadena home in its formidable years and is still drawing the Van Halen faithful to its varied sites tied to the band.
Van Halen has sold over 80 million units worldwide and placed itself in the top 20 top selling acts in the recording industry. That being said, Edward Van Halen contributed to many various charities in and around the Pasadena area. Not only did Edward give of his time, expertise, and finances...he also gave Pasadena the location of the greatest guitarist of all time. Edward Van Halen will always be linked inextricably to Pasadena.
Isn't just plain common sense to return the gesture by naming your newest park in Edward's honor? It is my sincerest hope that my words and intentions will sway yourself and other counsel members to echo the sentiments of the legions of Van Halen fans in Pasadena and the World over. Please consider in ernest naming the new park after Edward Van Halen.
It would go a long way to helping with the grief fans are still experiencing to this day. It would also draw legions of fans and tourists to Pasadena and spur on growth and recognition of the beauty that is Pasadena.
I thank you for your time and consideration in this matter. I'm sure I echo the thanks and sentiments of the legions of Van Halen fans the world over.
Sincerely,
David Fuller Anderson
1915 S. Izard St
Little Rock, Arkansas. 72206
501-687-7716
[email protected]
Van Halen FOREVER !!!
Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android
"ANYTHING IS ACHIEVABLE"
Almost 40 years ago 4 musicians came together that made the musical world stand on its ear. One of which took a 6 string instrument that many others before him played, and played them well and were/are considered masters of their crafts. But one man stood out. He took that mundane instrument, the electric guitar, and transformed it into a P5, wailing monster.
Coming from a country and a musical background far from their own creations, 2 brothers with classical music background imbedded into them, changed their path after hearing one song, "Glad All Over." With an apparent, nose to the grindstone work ethic that was displayed by their father, the Van Halen brothers, were unknowingly, going to be "Lighting Up" the rock and roll industry.
There are thousands of VH fans out there, over the many years that this band, entity, has created. Many may or may not have liked the changes. VH has become not just a name, but a phenomena, a growing, evolving, state of being.
It's been said that the initial birth of VH created a "MAMMATH" rock and roll sound that will never be matched. VHI, all the way through to 1984, took us to a new level of music, something we have never heard before. The amount of explosive energy that 6 thin metal strings have made is beyond the realm of logical thinking. Out of a need of necessity there is invention. That invention is the "Frantenstrat." A montage of color, and creations. Too even the already talented and well known rock and roll/heavy metal guitarists that have established themselves, went, what the hell is that? How is he doing that? There's no pedal fades, no latest technology seen on stage, how is he getting that sound? Out of his own mind came this creation. Eddie Van Halen had created his own sound, above and beyond "a style" ', it is, a state of mind. Eddie and Alex have given us, the fans, an insight into themselves. Eddie reinvented the electric guitar and how to play it. He took what's out there and recreated his way. We ate it up. Our ears were wide open and our hearts and souls were overwhelmed.
The amount of energy that Eddie and Alex created needed to be bridged by 2 more. Michael Anthony and, David Lee Roth. These 4 individuals brought us, chest pounding drums, an unheard of wailing monster, earth vibrating bass, and a screaming lead singer. On their own, each one brought an over the top, above 10 volume, of positive energy. It took us to an all new high with such G force, it left us breathless.
Van Halen led us along for a high speed, fun, screaming roller coaster ride over the years and this is my view points on my long loved, #1 band, as it has evolved over the years. DLR was the correct man for VH. His vocals and sound was parallel to Eddies sound. They needed each other to make VH work the way it did. That sound, era, will live on in infamy.
Just like a painful divorce, we heard DLR is no longer with VH. Some, or many, untold amount of voices around the world said, is this the end of VH?? Not another short lived band that ran hard and fizzled out?? No it wasn't. DLR went on to make his own sound, but VH lived on!! Casually along came Sammy Hagar. An established well known rocker himself brought a different phase of VH. A rebirth. VH was evolving. Hard core DLR fans may have shunned Sammy. Some saying Van Hagar. Two larger than life musical minds came together and brought us a new VH. Sammy with his famous, "I Can't Drive 55", and " Your Love Is Driving Me Crazy" as well as other songs and, he had his own following.
Just hearing one song with Sammy, made me realize, he opened my mind up and I said, he was the write man for the job. To me, VH needed someone with the same range, persona, stage presence and hard rock image that emphasize the quintessential VH state of mind. Sammy brought growth and "Balance" to VH. VH was growing up, with us and around us. Making us strap in, hold on, get ready for Mach 1. That growth in music and lyrics matured along with the fans from the previous era, but, VH still didn't let go of what brought them to this point. It still had the monstrous sounds and over the top riffs that brought VH to beyond a reachable status.
Then it happened again, we lost another cannon. A third was brought in, Gary Cherone. Another lead singer from another well known band, Extreme. Gary is/was an established lead singer from a band of a different era. Perhaps an era as popular as rock and roll/hair bands that came after VH, but different. The music industry was changing and VH was changing also. But it was different. Nothing that long term VH fans were used to. It was like VH had reached a fork in the road as many might have decided to as we get older. Do you live from the past or move on and leave the past behind you? VH was evolving again. The image, and persona, that we had grown up with, looked like it was going away. Was the new age of rock, Nirvana, Chevelle, Extreme, ECT, taking over my VH?. Obviously Eddie saw something in Gary that would take VH into its next era.
It's a new millennium and VH has given us the best of VH again. A mix of 2 phases of VH. It brought together 2 dimensions of VH, Eddie and Alex. It's been almost a year since the 2015 VH Live tour with DLR. We are all older now, much older than 20. Will we ever hear from VH again? If no, it saddens me greatly that I could not see them in 2015. I proudly blare my VH collection in my car, CD player to say, hey everyone, VH lives !!!. It lives in me and many others out there and it's screaming to get out. There's no other rock music like it out there now, and may never will be. VH is, the entity, heard 'round the world.
I know there are thousands of VH fans out there, some more dedicated others. I'm sure there are some that would consider themselves more of a fan than me and that's cool. We need VH and VH needs us. Hearing VH trying to explode out of my car speakers is like an erupting volcano, with so much power, pouring into my heart and soul, it's overwhelming. As loud and hard as I sing, I know I'll never come close, but damn when the volume played past 10 and Eddie is playing past 15, there's just nothing else like it.
Seeing them in concert at The Capital Center in D.C for the 1984 tour, then again at the MCI Center years ago with Sammy, hearing the sound, their energy, brought tears to my eyes. I couldn't nor can I put words to it. • I've seen Kiss, Ozzy, Cinderella, Motley Crue, and they were good concerts, but nothing can even come close to seeing VH on stage, and or just hearing them. Back in the day, at Towson High School, I would have VH cranked up in the student parking lot in the am before the school bell rang. I can remember an older student would almost always walk over to me as I hung around my 69 Camaro Z/28, with my "MCMLXXXIV" sticker proudly displayed on my windshield and VH blaring out of my car. With a big Eddie type of grin, wearing various bandanas like DLR, and we would just smile at each other knowing how great, I can't even describe it, of a band VH is.
VH has brought us a realm of music. Lyrics that warm our soul, make our hearts race, and made us just want to sing, yell and scream to no end. Eddie and Alex, thank you for everything you have brought us, your talent, your love of and dedication of music, throwing caution to the wind and saying wtf, it sounds good to me. Putting your own signature on sounds and music took us to a new dimension. To DLR, Sammy, Gary and Michael, it's been a wild ride. One that I/we relive every time we crank up our stereos. If I had my last wish of VH, it would be to see all members playing in a grand tour. Each one backing up the other in vocals. To see and hear Eddie and Alex playing with Dave, Sammy and Gary, Michael playing along with Wolfy, double teaming axes. I can just hear the crowd roaring. I can feel my eyes well up as I type this, just thinking about it. Two encores wouldn't be enough that we would be screaming for from the stands. No one wanting it to stop.
Eddie, thank you for pushing on and not fading away. Alex, thank you for stealing his drum set...lol.
To all of Van Halen, past and present...
... "anything is achievable"......
Liked by Greg Renoff- "Van Halen Rising" Eddie Trunk, Pamela Hazelton-VHND. Leslie Feffer C. Dean Marino 8-23-2016
3304 Delpha Ct. Parkville, Md. 21234
[email protected]
443-570-8743
Jomsky, Mark
From: Eric Franklin < [email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, January 19, 2022 7:01 PM
To: Jomsky, Mark
Subject: PLEASE: Eddie Van Halen Park
CAUTION: This email was delivered from the Internet. Do not click links or open attachments unless you know the content is safe. Report phish using the Phish Alert Button. Learn more...
Mayor Gordo, City Council Members, et. al. -
I am a Burbank native, life-long guitar player and would like to humbly ask that Pasadena's newest park be named after Edward Van Halen.
My father owned a business in Pasadena for 10 years, he took me on antique car rides through your old neighborhoods and we never missed a Swap Meet at PCC.
Years later, after he passed away, I took Automotive 101 at PCC to learn how to take care of his cars.
I take my two boys to The Hat, Pie N Burger and Roma Italian Deli every every month or so.
I spent years performing and studying classical guitar at the Pasadena Conservatory of Music.
I mention all of this to express the deep love, respect and kinship I have for Pasadena and it's citizens and how serendipitous it would be to create this local public place to celebrate Edward Van Halen's legacy. Hopefully you are familiar with Edward's story by now but you would be hard pressed to find a better example of the American Dream which began in the lovely city of Pasadena. Before Van Halen played The Forum, they played backyard parties in Pasadena. Before Guitar Center had murals of his face all over their walls across the nation, he was tinkering with his instruments on Las Lunas. Before they toured the world a hundred times over and became one of the moist successful recording groups of all time (over 100m albums, R&R HOF) they were selling out the Pasadena Civic.
Edward Van Halen's story is the epitome of the American Dream firmly rooted in Pasadena's hallowed ground.
Your attention to this matter is greatly appreciated,
Eric Franklin
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