In a new interview with Rock Of Nations With Dave Kinchen And Shane McEachern, former VAN HALEN members Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony were asked about possible involvement with the album that VAN HALEN drummer Alex Van Halen has been working on with TOTO guitarist Steve Lukather.
Last year Alex revealed that he was putting together an album from incomplete tracks meant to become the next VAN HALEN record before the band’s guitarist — and Alex‘s brother — Eddie Van Halen died in 2020. The drummer has since teamed up with Lukather to complete these recordings, which contain drums, guitar and bass, with only the vocals missing from the tracks.
Earlier this month, Alex told Gastão Moreira of Brazil’s Kazagastão that “most” of the recordings for the upcoming album feature bass playing from Wolfgang Van Halen, Eddie‘s son and former VAN HALEN bassist, because “these are recordings that were made ready for the next [VAN HALEN record.”
Asked by Rock Of Nations With Dave Kinchen And Shane McEachern if Sammy and Michael are involved with the upcoming LP, and if not, whether they would like to be, Hagar said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “No. We haven’t been asked, number one. I can tell you, the day I walked in the studio, in 5150, to basically, if you wanna call it an audition, but to meet the guys and to play music, we played for about eight hours at least. And we recorded everything. Everything that I ever did, and every time we made a record, we recorded hundreds of hours of jam and music, and then we cut ’em up, made songs. That’s the way we did it. So there’s so much stuff from Mike and I and Ed and Al in the studio. Like I said, just the initial day that I went in there, we got ‘Summer Nights’, we got ‘Good Enough’ and the beginnings of ‘Get Up’ from [the] ‘5150’ [album] — three songs that came from that eight-hour jam. And I remember there was a blues thing we did, and I was making up lyrics. So there’s so much stuff that Al could really choose from, if he wanted to include Mike and I. But, obviously, Al‘s got a reason, and he’s Alex Van Halen; he can do whatever he wants. And, to me, it’s an Alex Van Halen project, and it’s not necessarily a VAN HALEN project, but I guess we’ll see if it ever sees the light today. But I’m disappointed that Mike and I wouldn’t be invited. It’s, like, what? Are you kidding me? We’re still alive. We’re out here doing it. We’re playing those songs. We can still do it, you know?”
Added Mike: “Yeah. If this is material that we jammed on or whatever, I’d have no problem coming in and singing or [playing bass] or whatever. It’s all good there.”
Earlier this month, Anthony told the WNCX radio station that the new VAN HALEN project should be kept instrumental, with the spotlight firmly on Eddie‘s playing.
“The way I personally feel about it is, if they wanted to do it justice, [the best idea would be] to just finish it up as a great instrumental nod to Eddie,” Michael said. “Because getting a new singer in there, we’re not forming a new band, and then you’ve got to work on lyrics and all that stuff. And who knows when anything would be put out at that point.”
During the aforementioned Kazagastão interview, Alex said about the album he is working on with Lukather: “Ed and I had a lot of stuff that we made, that we made musically that we never let go. Many people have asked, what about releasing unreleased stuff? Well, we’re not gonna release it in its embryonic form because it wouldn’t make any sense. But I’ve been fortunate enough to have Steve Lukather, who was a good friend of Ed‘s, and we’re working on putting a record together, but it has to be of the quality and the level of where we left it. Not just to say, ‘Hey, here’s some music that we made. If you like it, that’s great.’ No. It has to be the quality that we expect.”
Regarding what Lukather‘s role is in the making of this new album, Alex said: “I call Lukather Luke affectionately. He is the connective tissue. Luke can play anything… But because of this talent that kind of blends in with everything, he doesn’t get the recognition that I think he deserves. And I may be wrong. Maybe he is recognized the world over. He should be, because I can’t play guitar. And I can work things out on a keyboard, but it takes me too long to figure it out. And by that time, the moment is gone. I went to Steve‘s house several times and we played a piece of music and he goes, ‘Yeah, I got it. That’s it. That’s all we need.’ Then he can do all the connective tissues. He knows where to put the solo, as far as structure and organ and structure and an organization. I have my opinions and he has his, and they are just opinions. So he can facilitate things that would’ve taken me 10 times as long. And I love the guy. We’ve known him for years.”
Asked if he and Lukather are going to use some old Eddie recordings, Alex said: “Well, these are recordings that were going to be the next [VAN HALEN] record, and that were stopped because [Ed] didn’t live that long… The drums are already recorded. The drums, the guitar and the bass are already in there. What we didn’t have is a vocalist, and obviously the subtleties and the glue — we call it the glue or the spackle.”
After Moreira brought up “Unfinished”, the last piece of music Alex and Eddie wrote together, which is included with the audiobook version of Alex‘s “Brothers” book, the drummer said: “The feedback for that song was incredible. But there was no vocals on it and it was not completed. And that was the whole point.”
He continued: “The lineage of how my brother and I did things was some of the stuff that our dad taught us were very deeply rooted, and one of his favorite songs was the ‘Unfinished’ by Schubert. And so this song was unfinished, so I figured we’d call it ‘Unfinished’ and then that’s it. We weren’t even aware that we were going to make this public at any point. This is just Ed and I working at the studio. Unbridled, unpressured, un-anything. And there are a couple of places, if you heard, where the needle goes right through the machine. [Laughs] I hope we didn’t blow up any speakers.”
Asked if the plan is to put some vocals on the songs on the album he is working on with Lukather, Alex said: “We originally had plans to — I think I can probably say without talking outta school, one of the singers who we really, really, really wanted to use for the new stuff was Paul Rodgers, and he has a relationship with Luke and we grew up on FREE and all that, but [Paul] can’t do it anymore. And it was very difficult for him to bring himself to say, ‘No, I can’t. Count me out.’ I respect that. I’m saddened and disappointed, but you know, that’s life… He knows he can’t do it — which I think is better than saying, ‘Yeah, I can do it,’ and then not be able to do it.”
As for whether he and Lukather are thinking about inviting another singer sing on the record, Alex said: “Yeah. Luke and I are looking for somebody right now.”
Asked if he has any special singers in mind for the project, Alex said: “No, because it depends on who you ask. If you ask record executives, you’re gonna get one way of looking at it. If you listen to, I call it the peanut gallery, you’re gonna get something else.
“Music is not so much about music as it is about people having a shared experience,” Alex explained. “I’m 72. We gotta find somebody in that age group who was exposed to the same musical experience that we have. Otherwise, it doesn’t have the depth.
“I can’t remember what the expression is, but there’s a difference between knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge is knowing that a cucumber is a vegetable. Wisdom is knowing where to put it. [Laughs]”
After Moreira suggested LED ZEPPELIN legend Robert Plant as someone who is still very musically active, Alex said: “Robert Plant is brilliant. But if it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be. And he’s out touring, doing his thing. He would’ve been an ideal choice. But nothing is etched in stone. And I really believe that the universe will work something out to where this project will come out the best it can possibly be. We have no other intent other than to have it come to fruition.”
Last March, Lukather shot down reports that he would play guitar on a new VAN HALEN album.
De Telegraaf, the largest Dutch daily morning newspaper, reported that Alex was working on a collection of previously unreleased, unfinished VAN HALEN recordings, with Lukather helping him to complete it. The VAN HALEN drummer said of the project in a paywalled article (via Guitar World): “Ed and Steve Lukather were very good friends and they often worked together. There is no one who can do this process with me as well as he can.”
Lukather, seemingly surprised about Alex‘s comment, is quoted in the same article as responding: “Did Alex say that? Oh, in that case the news is true. Ed, Alex and I were very close for years. It is true that we worked on it together.”
On March 15, 2025, Lukather took to his Instagram to clarify his possible involvement in a new VAN HALEN album, saying: “For the record: Ever since Alex Van Halen dropped some we were gonna work together I think there is a huge misunderstanding.
“I will NOT EVER play a guitar note on a VH song ever!.
“Al asked me to help him go thru a ton of unfinished recordings of Al and Ed writing and recording that never saw the light of day. As of now thats all I got.
“The fact that ANYONE would think for even a second that I would play anything on this is ridiculous. I have too much love and respect for that and … I play nothing like Ed.. more as a co-producer or something. I am honored Al would ask me though.
“Lets see …”
Alex had previously said that there was enough VAN HALEN material in the vaults for another “three or four records”. Speaking on an episode of Chris Jericho‘s “Talk Is Jericho” podcast, Eddie‘s brother said: “I’ve talked about it loosely, and I am rather superstitious, but I can say a couple of things that I’ve mentioned before. We’re gonna go through the ‘vault’ and go through some of the musical ideas that were there.”
He added: “There was some good stuff in there. And you have to remember, when in the thick of it, sometimes the really great stuff kind of passes you by. And it’s not until you revisit it going, ‘Whoa, I forgot about that. This kicks ass.’ But that takes time. And you wanna do it right. I wanna do it right.”
Eddie Van Halen and Steve Lukather had collaborated on several projects in the past, including Michael Jackson‘s “Beat It”, on which Lukather played the main riff and Van Halen played the solo. Eddie also played bass on Lukather‘s debut solo album and made a guest appearance on Steve‘s 2003 Christmas LP “Santamental”.
Back in November 2020, a little over a month after Eddie‘s death, Lukather reflected on his friend’s passing, telling Metal Master Kingdom: “It’s hard for me, man, ’cause the wound is still very deep. I’m very honored to have been Ed‘s friend — really a friend; not just a guitar buddy who had a beer with him once. [There is] 40-plus years with him, Al and I.
“I know all the guys [in VAN HALEN]. I love all the guys. I’m Switzerland [when it comes to their relationships with each other]. I was just on Sammy‘s [Hagar] show. He was beautiful to me. Mike‘s [Anthony] always nice to me. The brothers [Ed and Al] and I have always stayed very close. I’ve been in touch with Al more than anybody. And Janie [Eddie‘s widow] sent me some wonderful pictures of Ed and I when we were younger that she found somewhere. And I’ve been in touch — I talked to Wolf once. I’m gonna leave him alone. He’s got his mom.
“This is a hole in my heart that won’t go away. He was a real friend of mine, okay? We didn’t get together and talk about guitars and stuff unless we wanted to play each other something new or brag about our kids. And really, we spent the last half of our relationship bragging about each other’s sons, ’cause they both play. We always had that in common — the sons and the guitar. We have a lot in common off the gig that has nothing to do with [music].
“I loved the man. There’s nothing to argue about how great he was as a musician. I don’t have to. Who’s gonna argue? He was one of the greats to ever pick up rock and roll guitar — he changed everything. And he was my friend. And I miss my friend more than anything. I miss the roar of one of his vehicles scaring the fuck out of my neighbors. And the way he laughed, and the way he fucking hugged me whenever he came by…
“The last thing I have in my phone is just a heart that he sent me.
“It’s hard for me to talk about because it’s an open wound. But I imagine how his family [feels]. My heart goes out to everybody in the Van Halen family.”
Eddie died on October 6, 2020 at St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica, California at the age of 65.
The iconic VAN HALEN axeman died from complications due to cancer, his son confirmed.VAN HALEN was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2007.
Rolling Stone magazine ranked Eddie Van Halen No. 8 in its list of the 100 greatest guitarists.
Press photo credit: Rob Shanahan