It's official: Van Halen's final studio album, A Different Kind of Truth, is finally coming back into print! Rhino will re-release the album on October 23, 2026, on CD and as a 2LP set pressed on 180-gram black vinyl. The vinyl edition comes in a double gatefold package, with new lacquers cut by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering. A limited-edition clear vinyl … [Read more...]
Alex Van Halen Knighted in the Netherlands
Alex Van Halen has received one of his native country's highest honors. The legendary Van Halen drummer was appointed Knight in the Order of the Netherlands Lion (Ridder in de Orde van de Nederlandse Leeuw) Tuesday in Nijmegen, the Dutch city where Alex and his brother Eddie spent much of their childhood before their family moved to America. Nijmegen mayor Hubert Bruls … [Read more...]
40 Years Ago Tonight: Live Without A Net is Recorded
On August 27, 1986, Van Halen took the stage at the New Haven Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Connecticut for a show that would become one of the most iconic concert videos in rock history: Live Without a Net. It was the band's second night in New Haven during the massive 5150 tour — and fortunately so. The first night's filming had audio problems, … [Read more...]
VIDEO: The Hilarious ‘True Story’ of How Van Halen Landed Ted Templeman
Here's some classic Van Halen humor that's well worth revisiting. Back in 2006, the cult comedy web series Yacht Rock turned its attention to Van Halen with Episode #9, "Runnin' with the Devil" — offering a completely fictional (and hilarious) account of how the young band convinced producer Ted Templeman to produce their debut album. For those unfamiliar with Yacht Rock, … [Read more...]
40 Years Ago Today: My First Van Halen Concert
Forty years ago today, on August 12, 1986, longtime Van Halen fan and drummer Kurt Ekstrom attended his first Van Halen concert — a night he still remembers vividly four decades later. Kurt has written numerous articles for Not So Modern Drummer and has appeared on the Drum History Podcast to discuss Alex Van Halen's drums and gear. With the 40th anniversary of that first … [Read more...]