Dreams Realized On April 26, 1986, 5150 officially reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200. It was anything but inevitable. By 1986, the band had already built one of the most powerful runs in rock. Six albums deep—all of them charting, and all of them shaping what Van Halen was. Yet none had taken that coveted top spot. Then everything changed. New lineup. New … [Read more...]
Alex Van Halen
Van Halen ‘Live in New Haven 1986’ Coming to Vinyl & CD June 5
Van Halen fans are getting another shot at Live in New Haven 1986—this time as a widely available release. A crystal-clear vinyl edition of the album was released today as part of Record Store Day and quickly sold out at many independent record stores. Now, a standard black vinyl version is on the way, set for release on June 5, along with the first-ever standalone CD … [Read more...]
Alex Van Halen Shares Personal Video Tribute to Donn Landee
Following the news of Donn Landee’s passing, Alex Van Halen has shared a brief, personal video tribute; a clip of himself hanging out and reminiscing with Donn Landee, offering fans a rare, candid glimpse of the legendary engineer in his later years. It's embedded here: The accompanying caption said it all: “Rest in Peace Donn Landee.” All of the recent … [Read more...]
Going Mad in Wisconsin: Van Halen Destroys the 7th Floor of the Sheraton Inn
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...]
Alex Van Halen Poses for Living Room Portrait by L.A. Artist
Los Angeles artist Robert Vargas recently shared a special behind-the-scenes moment with Alex Van Halen — and Van Halen fans are getting a glimpse inside. (Note that Robert Vargas is the artist who painted the epic Eddie Van Halen mural in Hollywood a few years ago. Yes, that guy!) In a video posted to social media, Vargas is seen sitting on the floor of Alex's living … [Read more...]
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...]
Van Halen Live in London, 1995: Relive the Epic Concert!
'Live At Wembley 1995' is the new live album just released by Van Halen, spotlighting the concert from London's Wembley Stadium. The explosive eight-song recording, recorded on June 24, 1995, during the band's Balance tour, features an anthemic mix of the band's biggest hits and deep cuts. Available on black vinyl and Compact Disc. Track List Both the LP and CD are … [Read more...]
Alex Van Halen: ‘I’ve Got a Movie to Make, a Record To Make’
The season finale of Modern Drummer's 'Metal Sticks' delivers an extraordinary and rare conversation with Alex Van Halen. In this exclusive episode, Alex joins hosts Nicko McBrain and David Frangioni for a wide-ranging discussion that offers a unique window into his world. Alex shares what he's been up to, reflects on the Van Halen albums, revisits some of his drum setups … [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...]
In Memory of Mark Stone
A special article today. Greg Renoff, author of Van Halen Rising, has been asked by the widow of original Van Halen bassist, Mark Stone, to post something about Mark on social media. We're sharing it here on VHND, so that she can read the comments, thoughts, and memories posted online about her dear, late husband... "Darlene Stone -- the wife of the late Mark Stone, who was … [Read more...]