In a recent conversation with Bringing It Back To The Beatles, Alex Van Halen gave a hint about a forthcoming book that would focus on the Sammy Hagar years of Van Halen. He explained why his previous book, Brothers, ended in 1984, bypassing the band’s later years.
“The original lineup was the driving force behind everything,” Alex shared. “That was the connection that tied the various parts of the musical world together. We were young and driven.”
He continued, “The first album going platinum—unbelievable. That’s one of those moments you can’t really expect to ever happen again. But after that, things changed—it’s a different story for another time. There were moments of excitement, confusion, and all that ‘fumbling in the dark,’ along with our share of mistakes. We went through a lot of B.S., but by the end, we realized maybe there was one more record left in us.”
Alex reflected on the band’s dynamic, adding, “You can’t undo that, but it’s always in the back of your mind. There’s an old saying: ‘If you don’t go over the edge, you can’t come back.’ You need to push boundaries to get back inside. Does that make sense?”
However, he didn’t shy away from admitting the band’s missteps. “Unfortunately, we’re human, and we made some bad calls. The US Festival, for example—it was a total clusterf*ck. No one knew what was going on. We just told them, ‘Make sure you have enough power, and we’ll play.’ That was it.”
Sammy Hagar later addressed why he was left out of Alex’s Brothers during a Q&A with Rolling Stone last month. “It’s painful,” Hagar admitted. “I haven’t read the entire book, but I’ve seen the excerpts, and I hear the interviews.”
He continued, “It breaks my heart. I get where Alex is coming from—losing his brother, never having played with anyone else, and dealing with his health struggles. When I saw how frail he looked, I understood why he wasn’t responding to my calls about playing together again. He can’t.”
This conversation offers a rare glimpse into the complex relationship between the Van Halen brothers and Sammy Hagar, as well as a preview of what Alex might reveal in his upcoming project. It also highlights the lingering tension and emotional weight carried by the band’s tumultuous history.
