Alex Van Halen Claims David Lee Roth Ended Van Halen Tribute Tour Plans
In a recent interview with *Rolling Stone*, drummer Alex Van Halen revealed that plans for a Van Halen reunion tour, following the death of legendary guitarist Eddie Van Halen in 2020, fell apart due to frontman David Lee Roth’s resistance to honoring his late bandmate. Alex, 71, claimed that Roth, 70, “popped a fuse” at the idea of paying tribute to Eddie during the planned performances, leading to a heated exchange that ultimately ended their future tour plans.
According to Alex, he suggested a tribute similar to how Queen honors Freddie Mercury, with old footage and a moment to acknowledge Eddie’s legacy. However, Roth reacted strongly, and the tension escalated. “The moment I said we gotta acknowledge Ed, Dave f—in’ popped a fuse,” Alex shared. He further described the exchange as filled with “unbelievable vitriol,” which came as a shock to him.
A representative for Roth quickly refuted Alex’s version of events, calling it “nonsense” in a statement to *PEOPLE*. However, Alex expressed deep disappointment in Roth’s reaction, noting that it fundamentally altered their relationship. “It’s like I didn’t know him anymore,” Alex remarked, explaining that the tour plans were derailed by the disagreement. Additionally, Alex revealed that he had broken his back in 2022, making it impossible for him to tour, even if the plans had moved forward.
Despite the fractured relationship, Alex acknowledged Roth’s significant contributions to Van Halen but criticized the singer for failing to collaborate as part of a team. “Dave, you gotta work as a community, motherf—er. It’s not you alone anymore,” he said. Reflecting on the tour’s collapse, Alex concluded that simply playing the old songs without Eddie wouldn’t have felt like a true tribute, equating it to performing like a “jukebox.”
At the time of the fallout, Alex and Roth had reportedly begun rehearsals for the tour and had considered recruiting virtuoso Joe Satriani as a guitarist and longtime bassist Michael Anthony. Alex also sought advice from Queen’s Brian May on how to continue touring after the loss of a key member, as Queen had done following Mercury’s passing.
Van Halen last performed together in 2015, with a lineup featuring Alex, Roth, Eddie, and Eddie’s son, Wolfgang Van Halen, on bass. They toured extensively across North America, hitting nearly 40 cities. Roth eventually announced his retirement from music in 2021, further diminishing hopes of any future Van Halen reunions.
As Alex prepares for the release of his new book *Brothers* on October 22, which pays tribute to Eddie Van Halen, fans continue to wonder what could have been if the band had reunited one last time. The lost opportunity to honor Eddie’s legacy on stage remains a sore point for Alex, but the brotherly bond and musical magic that defined Van Halen’s golden years are sure to live on in rock history.
