In 1978, Van Halen was a four-man party looking for a place to happen. For the third stop of their first world tour, the band checked into Madison, Wisconsin's Sheraton Inn. The problem was that the seventh floor didn’t survive their visit. Inside the liner notes for their second album, Van Halen II, the band thanks, among others, “The Sheraton Inn (seventh floor), Madison, … [Read more...]
Eddie Van Halen News
Alex Confirms NEW VAN HALEN ALBUM in the Works. Eddie, Alex, and Wolf Have Already Recorded Their Parts
In a new interview with Gastão Moreira of Brazil's Kazagastão, Alex Van Halen has confirmed that his previously mentioned collaboration with Steve Lukather is that Steve is helping Alex put together songs that the three Van Halen's have recorded together (Eddie, Alex, and Wolf). Alex: "Many people have asked, what about releasing unreleased stuff?' Well, we're not gonna … [Read more...]
Van Halen Trail 2026: Historic Pasadena Locations [Video]
Photo by Zeil Zlozower Pasadena played a critical role in the early lives of the Van Halen brothers, David Lee Roth, Michael Anthony, and original Van Halen bassist Mark Stone. The Van Halen Trail 2026 video, filmed this week by VHND contributing writer, Jeff Goebel, documents the real locations connected to the band's history — from childhood homes and rehearsal spaces to … [Read more...]
Alex Van Halen Shares Home-Movie of a Young Eddie Van Halen
Alex Van Halen just blew us away. In a tribute to his brother on what would have been his 71st birthday, Alex posted a short teaser video featuring a glimpse of a very young Eddie Van Halen playing guitar at home. It's surreal to watch this. Note the spark in his eye as he absolutely loves playing guitar at such a young age. Thank you, Alex! The silent home-movie … [Read more...]
Eddie Van Halen (1955–2020): A Life in Music
Credit: Neil Zlozower By VHND & contributing writer CJ Chilvers Today marks what would have been Eddie Van Halen’s 71st birthday. Edward Van Halen gave the world a gift—four decades of musical genius. His approach to the guitar gave birth to an entire generation of guitar players who see it as an instrument with unlimited possibilities. He introduced a myriad … [Read more...]
Photos: Opening Night of Van Halen’s 1984 Tour
Van Halen kicked off their legendary 1984 world tour on January 18th — 42 years ago today! Michael Anthony, Neil Zlozower and Tim McCrum share their memories of that first show, below. McCrum also shares his photos from that night exclusively with VHND, and Eddie recalls how massive that tour was. A sold-out crowd of 11,628 people witnessed Van Halen's first show of the … [Read more...]
Wolfgang Van Halen Is Done Being a ‘Punching Bag’: ‘I’m Not a Kid’
In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Wolfgang goes deep on his great new album as Mammoth, (reluctantly) addresses his feud with David Lee Roth, reveals his weight-loss journey, and much more By Brian Hiatt Wolfgang Van Halen, who records as Mammoth, talks about his new album and much more in the new episode of Rolling Stone Music Now. Listen to the Podcast. "It's as … [Read more...]
Eddie Van Halen’s ‘Kramer Ad’ Guitar Sells For $2,734,000 At Auction
Eddie Van Halen's iconic ‘Kramer Ad’ electric guitar has sold at auction for $2,734,000, making it one of the most sought-after guitars in history. This remarkable price makes it the sixth most expensive guitar ever sold at a public auction. Sold on October 24. In August, Sotheby's announced it would auction one of the most high-profile Van Halen guitars ever. Built in … [Read more...]
‘Van Halen: A Visual Biography’
A new Van Halen book was just published and is now available at Van Halen Store. Here are all the details: Presenting the NEW SOFTCOVER EDITION of Van Halen: A Visual Biography by Martin Popoff, following the now out-of-print hardcover release. (This edition showcases a stunning new cover photo of Eddie Van Halen.) This visually stunning book spans 224 pages. With roughly … [Read more...]
A Farewell to the King, Part 2
Photo by Kevin Baldes By Chris Gill [Originally written in 2020 for Guitar World. Part 1 is here. Here is Part 2, below:] My favorite interview with Ed was a cover story for Guitar Aficionado, where he invited me to his 5150 studio to view about 40 guitars from his collection. Ed told illuminating stories about each guitar, and I quickly realized he could find the … [Read more...]
40 Years Ago: Eddie Van Halen and Sammy Hagar First Perform Together
In a way, the birth of Van Halen Mach 2, "Van Hagar," was 40 years ago today. It was during the summer of 1985 that rock fans heard the devastating news that Van Halen and David Lee Roth had split up. There were rumors that the band was going to look for a new singer, but that's all that anyone knew. Embed from Getty Images It was … [Read more...]
The EVH ‘Super ’78’ Flannel by Dixxon
EVH and Dixxon Flannel Company ("Flannels That Don't Suck!") are thrilled to announce their second collaboration - the Eddie Van Halen SUPER '78 Flannel! Paying tribute to Eddie Van Halen’s first iconic version of the famous Frankenstein design, the Super '78. A black-and-white pattern inspired by a guitar and sound that redefined rock. This collab piece is custom-built … [Read more...]