Happy Birthday to Alex — the heartbeat of Van Halen! Born May 8, 1953 in Amsterdam, Holland, Alex helped build one of the greatest rock bands of all time alongside his younger brother, Eddie. From backyard party gigs in Pasadena to selling out arenas around the world, Alex’s drumming became a defining force behind the band’s sound. Fans often focus on Eddie’s guitar … [Read more...]
40 Years Ago: 5150 Takes Van Halen to No. 1
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...]
Gregg Bissonette Takes On Van Halen’s ‘Unchained’
Gregg Bissonette—best known to Van Halen fans for his time with David Lee Roth—is taking on one of Alex Van Halen's most iconic drum performances: "Unchained." In this new clip from Drumeo, Bissonette digs into the Fair Warning classic, locking into the groove that helped define Van Halen's heavier, more rhythmic edge in the early '80s. His performance highlights what makes … [Read more...]
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...]
Van Halen ‘Live Without A Net’ Watch Party
Van Halen’s classic concert film Live Without a Net is set to premiere on YouTube Friday! The 90-minute concert video will premiere on Van Halen's official YouTube channel at 8pm Eastern / 5pm Pacific Friday, giving fans everywhere a front row seat to watch it together in real time. We've embedded it above, and we're inviting everyone to crack open a cold one, and get … [Read more...]