For the first time since the death of Eddie Van Halen in October 2020, Alex Van Halen has confirmed that previously unheard Van Halen material is being shaped into a new album.
In a recent interview with Brazilian YouTube channel KazaGastao, later reported by Consequence and Loudwire, Alex revealed that he has been working alongside Steve Lukather of Toto to assemble recordings that were originally intended for what would have been the next Van Halen studio album.
“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,” Van Halen said in the subtitled interview.
According to Alex, the material is far from a loose collection of demos. He emphasized that the band will not release unfinished sketches.
“We’re not gonna release it in its embryonic form because it wouldn’t make any sense,” he explained. “It has to be of the quality and the level of where we left it.”
He clarified that the recordings stem from sessions that were halted due to Eddie’s illness and passing. “The drums are already recorded. The drums, the guitar and the bass are already in there,” he said, confirming that Wolfgang Van Halen handled the bass parts.
That revelation suggests these are not mere vault curiosities but fully tracked compositions awaiting final assembly.
One major missing piece remains a singer.
Alex confirmed that he and Lukather are currently looking for a vocalist to complete the project. He revealed that Paul Rodgers was considered but ultimately declined, reportedly due to his own health considerations. Previous Van Halen frontmen David Lee Roth, Sammy Hagar, and Gary Cherone were not mentioned in the interview.
Van Halen floated the idea that someone in his own age group would be ideal, emphasizing shared musical experience and depth. He even noted that Robert Plant would have been “an ideal choice,” though Plant is currently focused on touring.
“We have no other intent other than to have it come to fruition,” Alex said, expressing confidence that the right collaborator will eventually emerge.
Preserving the Legacy
Van Halen last performed live on October 4, 2015 at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, closing with “Jump” after a career that reshaped hard rock and guitar culture. Since Eddie’s passing, speculation has surrounded the fate of unreleased material recorded during the band’s later years.
This marks the clearest confirmation yet that those sessions are not destined to remain unheard.
If completed, the project would represent the first new Van Halen material since 2012’s A Different Kind of Truth and the first release assembled in the wake of Eddie’s death.
For now, no timeline has been announced. But for fans who have long wondered what remained in the vault, Alex Van Halen has confirmed that the tapes are rolling again.
