Alex Van Halen revealed that David Lee Roth was the reason behind the cancellation of his all-star tribute to his late brother and bandmate, Eddie Van Halen.
Alex claimed that Roth “popped a fuse” when he suggested the tour should “acknowledge” Eddie’s legacy.
In his first interview since Eddie’s passing in 2020, Alex confirmed some previous reports regarding the ill-fated tribute tour.
This included insights from guitarist Joe Satriani, who was set to step into Eddie’s shoes, and former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted, who inadvertently broke the news to the public.
Michael Anthony, who was also approached to participate, previously stated that he only learned of Newsted’s involvement through the press.
According to Rolling Stone, preparations for the tour began shortly before Alex suffered a spinal injury in a shooting range incident in 2022, with members of Roth’s solo band filling in during early rehearsals.
However, Alex started to experience peripheral neuropathy, especially in his feet, leading him to question whether it was a sign he shouldn’t proceed with the tour.
Alex had consulted Queen’s Brian May about how to honor Freddie Mercury, which inspired his own tribute plans.
However, things fell apart after he suggested to Roth that they needed to make a clear acknowledgment of Eddie during the performances.
Alex recalled, “The moment I said we gotta acknowledge Ed, Dave fu**in’ popped a fuse.… The vitriol that came out was unbelievable.”
Despite not understanding Roth’s reaction, Alex expressed his frustration, stating, “I’m from the street. ‘You talk to me like that, motherfucker, I’m gonna beat your fu**ing brains out.’ And I mean that. And that’s how it ended.”
He continued, “It’s like I didn’t know him anymore. I have nothing but the utmost respect for his work ethic, but, Dave, you gotta work as a community, motherfu**er. It’s not you alone anymore.”
While Roth declined to comment on the matter, Alex didn’t express regret over the tribute tour’s cancellation. “It’s too bad on one hand, but it’s fine on the other.
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.”
Rolling Stone noted that Alex refused to mention Sammy Hagar, who has been performing Van Halen classics with Joe Satriani, Michael Anthony, and Jason Bonham.
Alex emphasized that “the heart and the soul and the creativity and the magic was Dave, Ed, Mike, and [himself].”
Radio personality and rock historian Eddie Trunk first suggested that Roth was the main obstacle preventing the tribute project from moving forward.
Wolfgang Van Halen, when asked if “the main problem was a certain singer with three initials,” responded, “I would say ‘Do your research on the history of Van Halen, and come to your conclusions.’”
