Album after album after album. They gave him the platform to express his style.

And also a self absorbed asshole.

I have heard a number of first hand stories about what a jerk he is to his fellow musicians and the audiences! These days he ambles around like an overweight troll, still a great product in the end but clouded by his penchant for expecting people to be something they aren't and not being able to deal with it.

Still makes good music all the same.

I was in line for a beer and this entourage of bouncers were creating a path for this little guy to get to the front. Total rudeness, but he did say "sorry mate" or some-such as he passed on. Word got around that Van was in the house.

He's got a rep.

Man, we used to go to Boston all the time, short drive for So. NH, and go to all the music stores and night clubs. Those were the days.

I wore it all of the time. When I went home, I think my mom trashed it.

It was a mandatory stop! We hit Copley Sq., Kenmore Sq., Harvard Sq., we used to take one of the color lines, red maybe? We'd drive down to Liechmere Station and get on there. That was one of the cool things about the city, mass transit that actually got you there, cheap, no parking problems or traffic or accidents.

I forgot that part, Green line from Liechmere to Red. It's been decades.

Just because.