David Crosby says he regrets tweeting ‘meh’ reaction shortly after Eddie Van Halen’s death

Crosby says he 'didn't even remember [Van Halen] had just died’

David Crosby at the Grammys on 26 January 2020 in Los Angeles, California (Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

David Crosby has expressed regret after tweeting he felt “meh” about Eddie Van Halen’s work, not long after the musician’s death.

Crosby was asked for his opinion on Van Halen and gave it on Twitter on 10 October, summarising his position simply as: “meh”. Van Halen died on 6 October of cancer aged 65.

Due to that timing, many found Crosby’s tweet tone-deaf, with one person denouncing it as “rude, unkind and totally lacking empathy”.

On Tuesday, Crosby himself admitted that the tweet was ill-advised.

“Yes you Van Halen fans I did just toss off an answer that was not cool,” he wrote.

He then shared an “even more embarrassing truth”, adding that at the time of his “meh” update, he “didn't even remember [Van Halen] had just died”. If he had, Crosby said he “would have kept [his] mouth shut”.

“I do make mistakes,” he added. “No offense intended.”

Van Halen’s son Wolfgang Van Halen announced his father’s death on social media, paying tribute to “the best father I could ever ask for”.

The news of Van Halen’s death prompted widespread tributes across the music industry, with many honouring his work as a co-founder of the band Van Halen, as well as his position as one of the most celebrated guitarists of all time.