Guitarist Greg Howe said when it came to creating rock and roll music that could really swing, there was nobody better than Eddie Van Halen. "For me Eddie Van Halen, honestly, was the king of swing when it comes to rock guitar players," said Howe in a recently released clip of Dweezil Zappa's podcast Runnin' With The Dweezil. "I don't know that I've heard a rock guitarist … [Read more...]
Alex Van Halen
From Alex
"First birthday without you, Ed. The view from my drum set will never be the same. VH forever! #vanhalenforever" - Alex Van Halen, May 8th, 2021 … [Read more...]
Happy Birthday Alex Van Halen!
Photo by John Douglas On May 8th, 1953, Alexander Arthur Van Halen was born in Amsterdam Holland. Later the family moved to Nijmegen, where they lived until they moved to the U.S. when Alex was about 9, through a government-incentive program to reunite families. Because the family spoke little English, Alex and Eddie formed a bond during this time that has lasted … [Read more...]
‘The Van Halen Story – The Early Years’ Now Available on DVD
Back on DVD! The Van Halen Story - The Early Years has been released again on DVD! This DVD documentary chronicles the rise of four young musicians from their formative years to their transformation into a worldwide phenomenon. Witness the group's gripping tale told by the people who were there when it began - the childhood friends, fellow musicians, roadies, bodyguards, … [Read more...]
David Lee Roth On The Van Halen Brothers & ‘The Two Pasadenas’ In Latest Illustration
Credit: Neil Zlozower David Lee Roth is back with another illustrated story and this one tells of a darker side to sunny Pasadena. Roth, born in Bloomington, Indiana, arrived in Pasadena during his teens. While attending Pasadena City College in the early 70s, he met the brothers Eddie and Alex Van Halen, who had moved from the Netherlands to Pasadena in … [Read more...]
WATCH: Drummer Brian Tichy Plays Along To Van Halen’s ‘I’m The One’
Photo from Brian Tichy's Official Website Drummer Brian Tichy (Whitesnake, Billy Idol, Ozzy Osbourne) has shown his love for Alex Van Halen with a play along video to "I'm The One"! Tichy posted the video along with the following comments on his YouTube page: Alex Van Halen rules! Always been in my top 3 favorite drummers! Always creative add always exciting and … [Read more...]
‘Hot For Teacher’ Among The 10 Hardest Drumming Songs In Hard Rock
The website WhatCulture has come up with a list of the ten hardest drumming songs in hard rock and Alex Van Halen's performance on Van Halen's classic 1984 track "Hot For Teacher" placed tenth. Tim Coffman set up his list by saying the drummers that made his list "are much more than just the pulse of the song...they're the heart." "In addition to just adding in the casual … [Read more...]
LISTEN: Gene Simmons/KISS Demos Featuring Eddie & Alex Van Halen
EVH & AVH Photo Credit: Neil Zlozower The complete versions of all three demos Gene Simmons recorded with Eddie & Alex Van Halen can now be heard. YouTuber ShockMe1994 had uploaded "Christine Sixteen" and "Have Love Will Travel" back in October. Just recently he uploaded the the last of three tracks - "Tunnel Of Love" - to his channel. Simmons officially … [Read more...]
Listen To ‘Extremely Rare’ 1979 Interview With Eddie & Alex Van Halen
A July 1979 interview with Eddie and Alex Van Halen during Van Halen's first headlining tour has surfaced. In the interview, uploaded by YouTuber Paulo Micheli, Eddie and Alex are hangin' out in the studio of St. Paul, Minnesota's KQRS FM to promote their second of two shows at the St. Paul Civic Auditorium. Van Halen played at the St. Paul Civic on July 24th and 25th of … [Read more...]
Van Halen Tour Stories With Guitar Tech Tom Weber & Keyboard Tech Greg Rule
From controversial keyboard mishaps to giant show-stopping bugs, Van Halen guitar tech Tom Weber and keyboard tech Greg Rule shared over two-hours worth of must-hear tour stories during a recent podcast appearance. Weber, who worked with Van Halen in 2007 & 2015, along with Rule, who worked with the band in 2015, appeared on The Jeremy White Podcast and Rock Talk with … [Read more...]
New Alex Van Halen Book
Nice to see the GREAT Alex Van Halen get recognized! Modern Drummer has put together a special book that is entirely devoted to Alex Van Halen! Modern Drummer Legends: Alex Van Halen is the second installment in the 'Modern Drummer Legends' series, and is the one and only Alex Van Halen drum book! Includes Alex’s 1983, 1993, and 2008 Modern Drummer cover stories. … [Read more...]
Michael Anthony Says He ‘Spoke Briefly’ With Alex Van Halen, Texted Wolfgang After Eddie Passed
Michael Anthony told KSHE 95 in St. Louis he made contact with Alex and Wolfgang Van Halen shortly after Eddie Van Halen's passing. "I spoke briefly with Alex right after Eddie passed but I wanted them to have their privacy," said Anthony. "I have texted with Wolfie a couple of times and everything's all good." Anthony added that he hopes to reconnect with Alex in the … [Read more...]