Australian rock legend Jimmy Barnes has paid tribute to rock star Eddie Van Halen and reminisced about the time he asked him to join Van Halen.

He said it was a “very sad day” after the death of Van Halen, a guitar legend, who died aged 65 after battling throat cancer.

“I had the pleasure of meeting Eddie in the mid-80s in Los Angeles, he asked me to join Van Halen, after David Lee Roth left,” he told Neil Breen.

“I had just made Working Class Man … he came over and asked if I wanted to join the band.”

The Scottish-born performer and author has just released his third book, Killing Time, a collection of short stories.

He likened writing books to producing music.

“When you’re making records, you don’t think about chasing the number one spot, it’s the same with writing a book.

“I just wanted to get out everything I wanted to write.”

Press PLAY to hear the full story