In his newly released memoir, Brothers, Alex Van Halen offers an insightful look into the tensions that led to David Lee Roth’s departure from Van Halen in 1985. One of the key revelations Alex shares is that Roth’s exit was driven by feelings of jealousy over Eddie Van Halen’s growing prominence within the band. According to Alex, Roth became frustrated with Eddie’s increasing attention and even requested that the guitarist reduce his solos.
“He couldn’t handle the fact that Eddie was getting more attention than he was,” Alex wrote in his book. “He kept asking Eddie to play fewer guitar solos. Dave was convinced he was going to be a movie star.”
Brothers provides an “intimate and open account” of Alex’s journey, focusing on the themes of “family, friendship, music, and brotherly love.” It delves into the band’s early years and the period leading up to Roth’s departure, but it does not cover the era of Van Halen with Sammy Hagar, who fronted the band from 1985 to 1996.
In the book, Alex also reflects on a deeply personal moment: when he called Roth after Eddie’s death. He shared his thoughts on their relationship and Roth’s current state, saying, “I think Dave is laying low right now. I don’t know his mental state in terms of how he’s dealing with all of this.” Alex added, “I was taught early on that the music field isn’t about the notes and things, it’s about relationships, and what we all had [in Van Halen] was deeply entangled.”
Despite the years of complex dynamics between the band members and Roth, Alex made it clear that he harbors no anger toward the singer. “He was one of the three main components of the band. At the time we didn’t recognize it because we were constantly battling things out,” Alex told Billboard.
Following the release of the memoir and Alex’s interviews, Roth made a rare appearance on his YouTube channel. In a playful video, the former frontman was seen dancing to Van Halen’s upbeat classic, “Dance the Night Away.” This marked the first video of its kind in five months, leading many to believe it could be a subtle, lighthearted response to Alex’s candid comments.
