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Happy Birthday, Alex Van Halen!

May 8, 2009 47 Comments

alex_zlozower

Alexander Arthur Van Halen was born on May 8th, 1953, in Amsterdam, Netherlands. He was raised in Nijmegan, a town just otside Amsterdam. Luckily for millions of rock fans, the Van Halens moved to the U.S. when Alex was about 9.

While not much is known about the man himself, fans can deduce all they really need to know by listening to his music.

We wish Alex all the best, and we thank him for all the music and memories that he and his band has given us over the years!

Filed Under: Alex Van Halen
  • Big AL

    GREATEST DRUMMER EVER!!!!!!

    and I mean EVER!!!!!!!!!

  • nick h

    Happy birthday to the best rock drummer on the face of the earth!

  • ou812

    We wish Alex all the best, and we thank him for all the music and memories that he and his band has given us over the years!AND ALEX Happy birthday Happy birthday toyou

  • mad anthony

    LONG LIVE BIG AL !

  • phil

    go get em big al!

  • http://youtube.com/esalutti Erico Salutti

    Greatest for EVER!

    Wish you all the best!

    Tks.

  • JCN

    Happy b-day, and you don’t look like a Fish.

  • Kayzer Sozay

    Happy Birthday Alex! I for one am hoping that for your birthday this year your balls will drop and you’ll finally grab your little brother by the scruff of the neck and kick his ass into the studio and get us fans something new to get excited about. You guys are just too damn good not to.

  • PolishFan

    Happy Birthday Reverend, big Al… You are the best!

  • Gee Lopz

    Happy Bithday “Reverend” Al!!!

    Long live to Alexander, The Great!!!

    Wish you all the best!!

  • http://- Renfis Otto

    Hai Alex I will say this in dutch cause you will understand !
    Hartelijke gefeliciteerd en bedankt voor de muziek !
    Greets / Groeten uit ,
    Amsterdam ,
    Holland.

  • pete

    hey al,since you are one of 2 people on this planet (wolfie) that eddie will listen too can you talk him into recording some of that music he always talks about?

  • SCAR

    Happy Birthday AVH!!!! I wish you all the best – now bless this bottle and lets all get ripped!!!!

  • TOP GUNslinger5150

    Happy birthday to Alexander “The Great” Van Halen!!!! A toast to the greatest Rock drummer to rule the world of ROCK!!!!

    Happy birthday Big Al!!

  • Landshark

    Happy Birthday, Alex!
    Looking forward to whatever happens next.

  • amber

    Happy Birthday Alex!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My Whole Family Loves You!!!!!

  • VHJAMES68

    Happ Birthday Big AL! Get your brother Ed married then please give us another dose of the best music on the planet: the Mighty Van Halen!!!

  • Erick

    Sorry, but I have to mention this: It’s Nijmegen and not nijmegan. And Nijmegen is in Dutch terms not really ‘a town just outside of Amsterdam’. Nijmegen is close to the border with Germany.

    And we should most certainly be glad that the Van Halens moved to California to team up year later with Dave and Mike!

    Van harte gefeliciteerd! Wat een foto, trouwens, wow!

  • http://www.myspace.com/ctabert Drummer Boy ’72

    Big Al!!! Still kickin it!! Happy 56th.

  • Matt from Australia

    Happy Birthday Alex – you’re a legend!

  • Frank

    Prachtfoto, Alexander “de Grote” in zijn topdagen en zoals we hem het liefst zien! Van harte gefeliciteerd!
    Now, “reverend” Al, after you get Ed married, bring a holy foot to his ass and tell him to go to work!!;-)

    Frank, NL

  • Bocephus

    Happy Birthday Al!!

    “Bocephus knows and rules all!!”

    -1986..Sam joins the band.

  • J Kane

    Happy Birthday to the best rock drummer on the planet for the best band on the planet! Drink one for me

    James, US Army Infantry

  • TopJimmy77

    Happy Birthday Big Al, many happy returns, here’s looking forward to what the future holds!

  • http://vhnd emery

    Happy B-day Alex. And my you enjoy many more years of playing and making awesome music. Keep on rockin Bocephus………See ya at the show.

  • Stymie

    Happy B-day AL!! You can have the day off today. We as the fans need more music you better be working after that!

  • kenny

    Happy Birthday Alex………….

  • Darren from Brooklyn

    Hey man that suit is you hope you get some leg tonight for sure,tell us how you do. Happy birthday. Looking forward to yet another great show with lil bro,Dave and the nephew. God bless.

  • ATOMIC PUNK

    Happy birthday to ” THE MIGHTY ALEX VAN HALEN ”

    You rule brother!!!!! Keep on rockin!!!!!

  • BigJ

    Happy Birthday to the most INTENSE drummer ever and the reason I play drums today ALEX VAN HALEN!

  • walteR

    Alex,
    Hey dude, I hope your b-day is a ‘great’ one.. Go an jam with Eddie n Wolfie..

    A US Army Logistician…

  • http://vhnd surfsno

    i find interesting that he is a dutch-american
    i assume both him and edward can still speak Dutch
    does anyone know?

    his mom was indonesian too very interesting

    his dad played on diver down and 0u812 is dedicated to him.

    as for his citizenship i wonder if he has both or just
    american
    was he naturalized?

    most likely eddie is the most famous Dutch person alive.
    kind like arrrrnold from austria.

    i always liked the fact that alex was really really smart like dave he has a huge brain.
    get that brain to talk ed into making some tunes!
    put those hands to work big al.

  • Mitch Cumsteen

    Happy B-Day Al!! You da man!! Get your lil bro, Roth & Wolfie in the studio and get Bocephus for us and lay it down man!! :-D

  • Jero

    Van harte gefelicteerd paardelul! Kom snel naar Nederland(met Dave)

  • The Full Bug

    Happy Burthday Day, Big Al!!!! :D

  • just the facts

    Happy B-Day Big Al, why not take 10 more years off………

  • http://None Ducky / Dirty Duck

    Happy belated birthday to one of the best drummers in the WORLD! Hope it was a blast!

  • drummingdan97

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALEX!!!! YOU KEEP UP THE GOOD ROCKIN’ MUSIC!!!!!

  • http://hotmail Pete Smith

    Happy B day Al the BEST DRUMMER bar-none 56 years young
    keep rockin’ can’t wait to hear you guys again with Dave,Wolfie
    on a new cd some time in the year

  • just the facts

    You know Al loves the internet, and all his fans. These messages mean so much to him and his brother. Wake up y’all Al would’nt give the average fan the time of day.

  • Nick

    I think Hitler might be the most famous Austrian ever. Not Arnold.

    Just sayin’.

  • Frank

    @surfsno:
    Both Al and Ed can still speak Dutch. In fact, back in ’95 they co hosted a radioshow at Veronica radio in the Netherlands where they did promotion for Balance. They spoke Dutch well, but with an American accent (sounds funny by the way). As for their citizenship, I’m not sure. I think they’ve been naturalized American when they arrived in the States, givin’ up their Dutch passports.
    Their dad also changed their last name from van Halen to Van Halen.

    Frank, NL

  • http://myspace.com/timkarplus t1m

    Happy birthday!

  • http://www.johndennerrocks.com JOHND

    Big Al Rocks!!!
    Happy Birthday

  • http://WWW.VEGAS21.US Mark

    Rock on Alex luv your playing man

  • iplaypearldrums

    Happy BDay….I think my monitors are almost as loud as yours,lol.

  • iplaypearldrums

    I’m thinking triple depth bass drums!!