David Lee Roth Refused to Pay Tribute to The Late Eddie Van Halen

By Jack Nevins

The Van Halen reunion tour has been officially canceled due to a clash between members. Alex Van Halen and David Lee Roth have disputed how to handle a tribute to the late, great, Eddie Van Halen. Alex Van Halen wanted to acknowledge Eddie during the concerts, similar to how bands like Queen incorporate tribute footage for Freddie Mercury. However, Roth was reportedly whole heartedly opposed to this idea, leading to a heated exchange between the two. Alex expressed disappointment at Roth’s refusal to honor Eddie and felt the reunion couldn’t move forward under those circumstances.

Alex also suffered a serious spinal injury in 2022, which would have made it very difficult for him to perform. This injury further complicated the possibility of the reunion. In hindsight, Alex reflected that playing the old Van Halen songs without Eddie would not have truly honored his brother’s legacy, reducing it to a mere “jukebox” experience. 

Wolfgang Van Halen, Eddie’s son, mentioned that there had been ongoing interpersonal conflicts within the band, making any form of tribute or reunion very challenging. He played Van Halen songs during the Taylor Hawkins tribute shows in 2022, which he described as his own personal way of honoring his father, and felt closure from that experience. 

Alex Van Halen said that his brother’s death left him in great grief and that he was diagnosed with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). He’s set to release a memoir on Oct. 22 titled “Brothers,” following his childhood with Eddie Van Halen up through their original band lineup to show a depiction to the public of what their childhood was like. Alex commented “I just miss him, I miss the arguments. I live with it every day. And I can’t bring him back. I can’t make things right.” Alex said that he feels just with canceling the tour and has been in contact with David Lee Roth about this cancellation.