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A clever Star Wars and Van Halen fan has crafted a stop-motion animated video in which a Jawa pays tribute to Eddie Van Halen with a performance of “Eruption.”
Animator Thomas J. Yagodinski made the clip, which he uploaded to YouTube on Saturday, January 23rd. In it a Jawa — the hooded creatures who live on the desert planet Tatooine — speaks of the mythic Edward Lodewijk Van Halen, “a virtuoso, innovator, intergalactic legend!” The Jawa goes on to say that he once “scavenged an artifact,” and proceeds to pull out one of Van Halen’s signature “Frankenstrat” guitar.
The Jawa then shreds along to the studio version of “Eruption” — the epic instrumental that leads into Van Halen’s cover of the Kinks’ “You Really Got Me,” off the band’s self-titled debut.
Eddie Van Halen died last October at the age of 65 after a long battle with cancer. Tuesday, January 26th, would’ve been his 66th birthday.
