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Alex Van Halen is finally opening the vault — and he’s doing it alongside Steve Lukather. In a new interview, Alex revealed they’re building an album around unreleased music he recorded with late brother, Eddie. Alex is adamant though: nothing is coming out as a rough demo. These tracks were meant for the next Van Halen record. Drums, guitar, and Wolfgang Van Halen’s bass have already laid down.
Lukather has become the project’s secret weapon. Alex says he can tinker on keys but loses the spark before he gets far; Lukather hears the arrangement instantly. Alex says together, they’re adding the “glue and spackle” the songs were missing — everything from structure to connective parts — while staying true to the spirit of what the Van Halen brothers started.
There is a big challenge. Finding a singer. Alex says their top choice, Paul Rodgers, ultimately had to decline, knowing he couldn’t deliver the way he once could. At 72, Alex is searching for someone from the same musical era, someone with the depth and history to match the material. He’s confident the right voice will surface. When this album finally does come together, it’ll be Alex’s first new music since “Unfinished,” the track he and Eddie released with the 2024 Brothers audiobook.
[Source: Premiere]