A planned reunion tour for the iconic rock band Van Halen was scrapped due to lead singer David Lee Roth’s refusal to honor the late Eddie Van Halen, according to Eddie’s brother and band co-founder, Alex Van Halen.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Alex opened up about the internal conflicts that led to the collapse of the tour, marking the first time he has spoken publicly about the issue since Eddie’s passing.
Eddie Van Halen, the legendary guitarist known for his groundbreaking contributions to rock music, passed away in October 2020 after a long battle with cancer at the age of 65.
Following his death, there were rumors of a potential Van Halen tour featuring Roth and Alex, which were confirmed by Alex in the interview. He revealed that early rehearsals had even taken place, but tensions between the band members eventually derailed the plans.
“The thing that broke the camel’s back, and I can be honest about this now,” Alex Van Halen said, “was I told Dave, ‘At some point, we have to have a very overt acknowledgment of Ed in the show. Look at how Queen honors Freddie Mercury — they show old footage.’ But the moment I mentioned paying tribute to Ed, Dave lost it. The anger that came out of him was unreal.”
Alex explained that he had spoken with Queen’s Brian May several times about how Queen continues to honor their late frontman Freddie Mercury during performances. Inspired by their approach, Alex believed it was important to pay respect to Eddie Van Halen’s legacy during any future Van Halen tour. However, Roth was adamantly against the idea.
“It was like I didn’t know him anymore,” Alex said about Roth’s reaction. “I have so much respect for his work ethic, but at some point, you have to understand it’s not just about you. It’s about working together as a community.”
Despite Alex’s hope for a respectful acknowledgment of Eddie’s contribution to the band, Roth’s refusal to honor his late bandmate led to the breakdown of their plans for a reunion tour. According to Rolling Stone, Roth declined to comment on the situation.
