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 their entire lives. Together … [Read more...]
Alex Van Halen
Heartwrenching & Heartwarming: The Wolfgang Van Halen ‘Behind The Music’ Is A Must Watch
The "Behind The Music" episode on Wolfgang Van Halen has arrived. Both heartwrenching and heartwarming, it's an emotional roller coaster ride you can't take your eyes off of. The 96-minute-plus episode debuted on Paramount+ Thursday (May 2nd), just a few weeks after the promo trailer promised to deliver a raw, honest, and candid look at the life of Wolfgang Van Halen and the … [Read more...]
Michael Anthony Still Open To Performing With David Lee Roth
Michael Anthony says he's still open to collaborating with David Lee Roth. Anthony commented on his current relationship with Roth during a recent Q&A interview at the 2024 Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp. "The last time I actually spoke with him was when [there was talk] about a possible reunion thing,” said Anthony, referring to the rumored 2021 Van Halen tribute … [Read more...]
‘They Were Nuts!’: Ann & Nancy Wilson On Touring With The Van Halen Brothers
Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart shared some "back in the day" stories during a recent appearance on the Howard Stern Show ahead of the band's Royal Flush tour. Among the stories were of their time spent touring and partying with Van Halen back in 1979. Heart opened up for Van Halen on their World Vacation Tour in 1979. As you'll see in the video above, the Wilson sisters got … [Read more...]
Mike Post: ‘Van Halen III’ Was To Be An Album ‘Eddie’s Way’
Van Halen's 1998 album Van Halen III was a project intended to be led primarily by Eddie Van Halen, according to a candid interview with the album's producer Mike Post. During an appearance on The Hustle podcast, Post explained why he was chosen by Eddie to produce the album, what his role was to be as producer, and why he had the difficult task of asking Alex Van Halen to … [Read more...]
Van Halen Was ‘The Nirvana For The Late 70s’
Few bands in rock history could create such a seismic shift in popular music in such a short time as Van Halen. In a recent interview, musician Roger Joseph Manning Jr (Jellyfish, Beck, The Moog Cookbook, Imperial Drag) recalled the first time he heard Van Halen and compared the band's impact to Nirvana's in the early 90s. "I remember being on my school playground and … [Read more...]
Introducing Van Halen ‘The Collection’ 1978-1984 6-LP Exclusive Limited Edition Box Set
Van Halen's 'The Collection' 1978-1984 is a vinyl boxed set showcasing the band's groundbreaking early years. Van Halen's THE COLLECTION (1978-1984) is a vinyl boxed set that showcases the band's early years and first incarnation, featuring singer David Lee Roth, guitarist Eddie Van Halen, drummer Alex Van Halen, and bassist Michael Anthony. The set includes remastered … [Read more...]
‘Van Halen II’ Anniversary Celebrated On ‘In The Studio’
On March 23rd, 1979, Van Halen released Van Halen II. In celebration of its 45th anniversary, the syndicated radio show In The Studio with Red Beard has shared its original documentary on the album. Below is what host Red Beard has to say about the album 35 years later along with the special: The quintessential American hard rock band Van Halen's 1978 debut probably … [Read more...]
When Gene Simmons Asked Ace Frehley To Play Eddie Van Halen’s Solo: ‘He Was Furious’
Gene Simmons recently once asked Ace Frehley to play a guitar solo exactly like Eddie Van Halen on a KISS track and it's safe to say that didn't go over well with Ace. Below is an excerpt from a recent article written for Ultimate-Guitar by Greg Prato: Producer Ted Templeman is often credited with discovering Van Halen and helping them sign a deal with Warner Bros. … [Read more...]
Five Kids, One Dream: Seeing Van Halen Live
Forty years ago this month, five Cincinnati, Ohio kids barely in their teens got the chance to witness their very first Van Halen concert. The biggest band in rock and roll came to the Cincinnati Gardens and gave them an experience that would last a lifetime and it's all told in the brand-new book Jump: 40th Anniversary of Attending the "1984" Van Halen Concert by author Jim … [Read more...]
Could A ‘Van Halen Rising’ Movie Be Coming?
News broke today about the possibility of a movie based on the highly acclaimed book by Greg Renoff - Van Halen Rising - the book that charts the iconic band's journey from Pasadena locals to rock legends. What the chances are it'll happen, we don't know yet. But it's possible. Renoff has posted an update to Facebook: Some exciting news broke today, about me and my book … [Read more...]
Hagar & Anthony On Top Live Songs From ‘For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge’
In the latest video to celebrate the release of The Collection II box set, Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony name the biggest live tracks from For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge. Hagar posted the video (above) along with a few additional comments: "This was the first record We actually took our time to write and record. I think pound for a pound, or song for a song, it might be … [Read more...]