\n<\/p>\n
Alex Van Halen<\/a>\u2019s recent acknowledgement<\/a> that an album made up of previously unreleased Van Halen<\/a> material is in the works has sparked excitement among the band\u2019s passionate fanbase.<\/p>\n In a conversation with Brazilian YouTube channel KazaGastao<\/a>, Alex revealed that the bulk of the songs were earmarked for a new Van Halen LP that ultimately wasn\u2019t able to be finished before his brother Eddie<\/a>\u2019s death.<\/p>\n Toto<\/a>\u2019s Steve Lukather<\/a>\u00a0is helping him complete the project, but vowed that he will not play a note of guitar on the album<\/a>.<\/p>\n We know that Eddie recorded guitar tracks, Alex handled the drumming and\u00a0Wolfgang Van Halen<\/a> recorded bass. That means 3\/4 of the lineup from the band’s most recent album, 2012’s A Different Kind of Truth<\/em><\/a>, will be present.<\/p>\n However, the primary holdup seems to be who will handle vocals.<\/p>\n Alex confirmed that Bad Company<\/a>\u2019s Paul Rodgers<\/a> was approached, but declined due to his own health problems<\/a>. The drummer further noted that Robert Plant<\/a> \u201cwould’ve been an ideal choice,\u201d but the Led Zeppelin<\/a> frontman\u2019s involvement seems unlikely.<\/p>\n Surprisingly, neither David Lee Roth<\/a> nor Sammy Hagar<\/a> were mentioned during the interview, an indication that neither of the classic Van Halen singers will be involved in the project.<\/p>\n Looking at recent history, it becomes clear that the schism between Roth and Alex is far too deep to overcome.<\/p>\n In 2024, Alex revealed that a proposed tribute tour honoring Eddie was sunk by Roth\u2019s refusal<\/a> to acknowledge the late guitar god during the show.<\/p>\n \u201cThe thing that broke the camel\u2019s back, and I can be honest about this now,\u201d Alex confessed to Rolling Stone<\/em>, \u201cwas I said, \u2018Dave, at some point, we have to have a very overt \u2014 not a bowing \u2014 but an acknowledgment of Ed in the gig. If you look at how Queen does it, they show old footage.\u2019 And the moment I said we gotta acknowledge Ed, Dave f—n\u2019 popped a fuse. \u2026 The vitriol that came out was unbelievable.\u201d<\/p>\n READ MORE: <\/strong>Van Halen Lineup Changes: A Complete Guide<\/a><\/p>\n Alex threatened to beat Roth\u2019s \u201cf—ing brains out\u201d over the outburst, but the dispute never escalated to violence. Still, the drummer came to the realization he and his former bandmate would never see eye to eye regarding Van Halen again.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just, my God. It\u2019s like I didn\u2019t know him anymore,\u201d Alex recalled thinking. \u201cI have nothing but the utmost respect for his work ethic and all that. But, Dave, you gotta work as a community, motherf—er. It\u2019s not you alone anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n Alex\u2019s rift with Hagar goes even further back. In 2011, the Red Rocker released his autobiography Red: My Uncensored Life in Rock<\/em>. Within the memoir, the singer detailed how alcoholism had affected Eddie. In one passage, he recalled visiting the guitarist and being shocked by the state of his home. \u201cIt looked like vampires lived there,\u201d Hagar wrote. \u201cThere were bottles and cans all over the floor. The handle was broken off the refrigerator door. There were spider webs everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n Alex was infuriated that Hagar would put such serious personal information about Eddie into his book. The memoir reportedly forged a wedge so deep between the musicians that Alex still has no interest in reconciling.<\/p>\n READ MORE: <\/strong>Nastiest Rock Feuds<\/a><\/p>\n Following Eddie\u2019s death, Hagar expressed remorse<\/a> over the autobiography. “I apologize from the bottom of my heart for exposing his dark side to where I don’t think anyone wants to hear that now,\u201d the singer remarked. “[If I\u00a0could do it over] I would only put the good of Eddie Van Halen, because he was such a brilliant, genius guitar player and such a great friend and a great partner — until everything went wrong, like everything else.\u201d<\/p>\n Hagar claimed to have tried to mend his relationship with Alex on multiple occasions. He left messages for Alex following Eddie\u2019s death, invited the drummer<\/a> to be part of his Van Halen-celebrating Best of All Worlds tour and even publicly hoped<\/a> that their friendship could be salvaged, even if they never work together again.<\/p>\n While Alex has remained silent on the matter, he did make the conscious choice to almost entirely exclude Van Halen\u2019s Hagar years from his own memoir, 2024\u2019s Brothers<\/em>.<\/p>\n \u201cAlex is not doing his brother\u2019s musical legacy justice by not acknowledging all the No. 1 albums and some great music Eddie and I wrote together \u2013 not Alex \u2013 but Eddie and I wrote together,\u201d Hagar wrote on social media<\/a> in response to Brothers<\/em>. \u201cTo not acknowledge [those] 10 years of music is blasphemy to his brother\u2019s musicianship, songwriting and legacy.\u201d<\/p>\n A ranking of every Van Halen album.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Gallery Credit: Ultimate Classic Rock Staff<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWhy Won\u2019t David Lee Roth Be on the Next Van Halen Album?<\/h3>\n
Why Won\u2019t Sammy Hagar Be on the Next Van Halen Album?<\/h3>\n
Van Halen Albums Ranked <\/h2>\n