A reunion tour for the legendary rock band Van Halen was axed because the group's lead singer, David Lee Roth, refused to pay tribute to the late Eddie Van Halen, his brother, Alex Van Halen, revealed in an interview with Rolling Stone.
Alex Van Halen, who founded the band with his brother, opened up to the magazine for the first time since his brother's death and shed light on infighting within the band that led to the collapse of the latest planned tour.
Eddie Van Halen, the virtuosic and revered guitarist, died in October 2020 after a bout with cancer at age 65.
Alex Van Halen confirmed to the magazine, in a piece published Tuesday, that rumors of a planned tour after Eddie Van Halen died were true and said there were even early rehearsals featuring himself on drums with Roth, the band’s original lead vocalist. However, the plans fell through after an explosive argument over paying tribute to the band's late co-founder.
“The thing that broke the camel’s back, and I can be honest about this now,” Alex Van Halen revealed, “was I said, ‘Dave, at some point, we have to have a very overt — not a bowing — but an acknowledgment of Ed in the gig. If you look at how Queen does it, they show old footage.’ And the moment I said we gotta acknowledge Ed, Dave f---in’ popped a fuse. ... The vitriol that came out was unbelievable.”
Alex Van Halen said he had several phone conversations with Queen’s Brian May about how the band performs while still honoring the group’s late singer, Freddie Mercury. But he said Roth simply refused to pay tribute to his brother.
“It’s just, my God. It’s like I didn’t know him anymore. I have nothing but the utmost respect for his work ethic and all that. But, Dave, you gotta work as a community, motherf---er. It’s not you alone anymore,” Alex Van Halen said. The magazine noted that Roth declined to comment.
Ultimately, he said that he feels OK about canceling the tour and that he’s still in touch with Roth.
“It’s too bad on one hand, but it’s fine on the other,” he said. “Because now, in retrospect, playing the old songs is not really paying tribute to anybody. That’s just like a jukebox, in my opinion. ... To find a replacement for Ed? It’s just not the same.”
Alex Van Halen said that his brother’s death left him in the throes of “oceanic grief” and that he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. He's set to release a memoir on Oct. 22 titled "Brothers," following his childhood with Eddie Van Halen up through their original band lineup.
“I just miss him,” he said. “I miss the arguments. I live with it every day. And I can’t bring him back. I can’t make things right.”
He said he feels his brother's spirit at times.
“Ed’s been around a couple times,” he told Rolling Stone. “He was there this morning.”
He said he believes he and his brother achieved “what we came here to do.” Speaking of his brother, Alex Van Halen said, “Wherever he is — he’s fine.”