<![CDATA[ Latest from Guitar World in Van-halen ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/tag/van-halen Wed, 29 Apr 2026 14:37:35 +0000 en <![CDATA[ “The original idea was Steve Stevens, but he was busy with Billy Idol”: How Steve Vai ended up joining David Lee Roth's post-Van Halen band – thanks to Billy Sheehan ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/how-steve-vai-joined-david-lee-roth-post-van-halen-band PvSZ62oFZyXz3c2QMoFd5K Wed, 29 Apr 2026 14:37:35 +0000 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 15:19:03 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I didn’t see it for 18 or 19 years. It disappeared, and it broke my heart”: Jerry Cantrell looks back on the guitar gift from Eddie Van Halen that went missing ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/jerry-cantrell-on-the-guitar-gift-from-eddie-van-halen-that-went-missing mRy46dZCJDwPH7MnCrbdV3 Tue, 21 Apr 2026 07:00:00 +0000 Tue, 21 Apr 2026 13:17:47 +0000 <![CDATA[ “We bounced around the idea of having everyone from Joe Cocker to Phil Collins to Mike Rutherford sing”: Out went David Lee Roth and Frankenstein, in came Sammy Hagar and Kramer –the story of Van Halen’s rebirth ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/the-making-of-van-halen-5150 crn2Hfo927Gsp9GP89K6wM Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:26:39 +0000 Mon, 20 Apr 2026 10:07:19 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I certainly didn’t know how to build a studio. It was all Donn’s magic”: Donn Landee, the engineer who masterminded 5150 Studios, and helped shape Van Halen’s sound, dies at 79 ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/music-industry/producers-engineers/van-halen-engineer-donn-landee-dead-at-79 ZmurCrtTiQB6JEuTsMpac4 Mon, 06 Apr 2026 15:30:37 +0000 <![CDATA[ “This guy comes over, leaning on me. He said, ‘I’m sorry my guitar is such a pain in the butt’”: That time Eddie Van Halen visited the EVH workshop while they were building the Wolfgang ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/fender-master-builder-andy-hicks-on-meeting-eddie-van-halen XAGw9nxuT9cgvWwUfH24fh Wed, 11 Mar 2026 13:06:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I never know what might come across my desk, but this was a taker”: Steve Vai has recorded a new solo over Van Halen’s Jump – which has been crowned the official World Cup 2026 anthem ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/music-releases/steve-vai-van-halen-jump-world-cup-anthem DfeMhvNz5UHMwsPM9Vf9aR Mon, 09 Mar 2026 11:45:59 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Finish it up as a great instrumental nod to Eddie”: Michael Anthony has his own thoughts on how the “new” Van Halen album should be completed ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/bands/michael-anthony-how-new-van-halen-record-should-be-finished kGuDB7zzVySkUgM6U2CiSH Thu, 26 Feb 2026 16:09:54 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I am in my acoustic, zen phase of life”: Why Paul Rodgers declined an offer to front the new Van Halen album ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/paul-rodgers-has-declined-an-offer-to-front-the-new-van-halen-album MJHZQKaxvUbxVhiiuxWqQe Mon, 23 Feb 2026 11:29:50 +0000 <![CDATA[ “The drums, the guitar and the bass are already in there. What we didn’t have is a vocalist”: Alex Van Halen says a new Van Halen record was virtually finished before Eddie passed away ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/alex-van-halen-new-van-halen-album-update F9xoPk8UwCBKzBhY3tgH5b Thu, 19 Feb 2026 15:59:19 +0000 <![CDATA[ Alex Van Halen shares rare recording of a young Eddie Van Halen playing guitar to mark the late guitar great’s birthday ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/alex-van-halen-shares-rare-recording-of-young-eddie-playing-guitar s9YicAMwuG4AyP5EgcSeNn Thu, 29 Jan 2026 15:19:06 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Playing with Vince Neil, opening for Van Halen, it got to be total rock ’n’ roll excess. I had to reassess why I was even playing guitar”: Steve Stevens on resisting shred, how Paco de Lucia made him go nylon, and Billy Idol’s eternal appeal ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/steve-stevens-billy-idol-dream-into-it H3LG9Gb7d3HrHRQDz4DLc9 Mon, 19 Jan 2026 10:35:39 +0000 Mon, 19 Jan 2026 10:35:43 +0000 <![CDATA[ “We submitted plans for a racquetball court”: Eddie Van Halen's 5150 Studios was decades ahead of its time – but it required a white lie to build ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/eddie-van-halen-building-of-5150-studios Mw3DjC8ty7JhaYYqRCXyBo Wed, 07 Jan 2026 12:51:32 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Everybody looks at him as Mr. Tap and Mr. Shred. That’s just a flavor of what he did”: Wolfgang Van Halen on one the most overlooked and underrated aspects of Eddie’s playing ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/wolfgang-van-halen-on-why-his-dad-isnt-just-mr-shred H8iLhHpj65QEmqhq6isC2V Mon, 05 Jan 2026 17:35:31 +0000 Tue, 06 Jan 2026 16:12:51 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I hope your reaction is, ‘I have never heard Van Halen like this’“: New compilation album of old Van Halen rehearsals with Eddie, Alex and Wolfgang has reportedly been released – and it doesn’t feature a singer ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/bands/van-halen-the-5150-sessions-vinyl TMSVFpJQoQD9bzBQEynyRQ Mon, 22 Dec 2025 17:45:50 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Dad let me organically follow whatever I wanted. That was his main mantra: ‘Just play.’ It’s that simple”: Wolfgang Van Halen on Allan Holdsworth, unintentional Van Halen-isms, and his go-to guitar-test riffs ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/wolfgang-van-halen-mammoth-the-end-2025 SAeSztqjXJY8zJBjxpXeMY Fri, 12 Dec 2025 17:36:23 +0000 Mon, 15 Dec 2025 22:20:24 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I don’t know if Jaco was a Van Halen fan. We were both more intent on getting drunk than anything else”: When Michael Anthony met the self-proclaimed “greatest bass player in the world”, Jaco Pastorius ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/bassists/when-michael-anthony-met-jaco-pastorius Nzji76ggsTYvot9brd9kgG Thu, 04 Dec 2025 11:44:13 +0000 <![CDATA[ “They can show you what a guitar is about right away”: Wolfgang Van Halen names the 2 classic rock tracks he plays to test any electric guitar ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/wolfgang-van-halen-best-songs-for-testing-guitars 2swtBD79RvTGUyPm5KxnSR Mon, 24 Nov 2025 12:46:43 +0000 Wed, 26 Nov 2025 13:03:31 +0000 <![CDATA[ “He plays that amazing lead, and I'm like two feet from him. Can you get a better private concert with Van Halen, anywhere, ever?”: Charlie Sheen reveals the real story behind Eddie Van Halen’s legendary Two and a Half Men cameo ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/charlie-sheen-on-eddie-van-halen-two-and-a-half-men-cameo YMuPJjmuu59Pd972kZoBdA Thu, 20 Nov 2025 17:27:32 +0000 Thu, 20 Nov 2025 21:40:44 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I had to keep Dad in check whenever he made a mistake”: Wolfgang Van Halen on his early gigs with Van Halen – and keeping Eddie in line ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/wolfgang-van-halen-on-his-early-gigs-with-van-halen TtVsarokNJCb3RRQoTEhbM Tue, 18 Nov 2025 17:21:17 +0000 Wed, 26 Nov 2025 13:12:18 +0000 <![CDATA[ “If I could ever even get close to the feel or touch of that performance, I could die a happy man”: He’s inspired by Buddy Guy, played EVH in a Van Halen tribute band and made his name in GA-20 – say hello to Pat Faherty's new power trio ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/pat-faherty-canyon-lights-breathe-easy DSc8gzH4jcvxDqmXNHaHkV Fri, 07 Nov 2025 11:40:49 +0000 Wed, 12 Nov 2025 14:49:32 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Let me see you lay down a groove like Poundcake. That’s harder than getting up there and soloing”: The lead single from Van Halen’s 1991 album with Sammy Hagar combines a thunderous bassline with a revved-up power drill ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/bassists/michael-anthony-van-halen-poundcake Sm62nzFxPzmfBajJgRbkQZ Thu, 06 Nov 2025 14:48:06 +0000 Wed, 12 Nov 2025 13:10:16 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I didn’t have the brainpower to focus – I was just like, ‘I need to make sure Frankenstein is safe’”: Anxiety, wildfires, slap guitar: How Wolfgang Van Halen made the monster guitar album of 2025 ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/wolfgang-van-halen-mammoth-the-end JvHZrzUy3tWnKLFujXBRZ Wed, 05 Nov 2025 10:29:42 +0000 Wed, 12 Nov 2025 13:05:03 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I would run across the stage and ‘break’ the bass over my head while our sound guy played samples of trees cracking”: Described as the 4-string equivalent of painting with a sledgehammer, Van Halen’s Ultra Bass was not your typical bass solo ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/bassists/artists/bassists/michael-anthony-van-halen-ultra-bass zxBcLrzCQz4yoMKfAYst5H Sun, 02 Nov 2025 19:10:00 +0000 Wed, 05 Nov 2025 13:41:38 +0000 <![CDATA[ Sammy Hagar is touring the UK for the first time since 1996 – and bringing Joe Satriani and Van Halen’s Michael Anthony with him ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/sammy-hagar-brings-the-best-of-all-worlds-tour-to-the-uk MtdummwGkNLSCSYRX3cbgd Tue, 28 Oct 2025 17:01:07 +0000 Wed, 05 Nov 2025 12:46:19 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I look at tapping in two different ways. There’s Eruption, and there’s Hot For Teacher”: Wolfgang Van Halen explains the variations in EVH’s trademark technique – and shows you how to play them ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/wolfgang-van-halen-the-end-tapping-tutorial-with-ola-englund AcTxQYdL6DgQp33moL3NkG Thu, 18 Sep 2025 14:41:07 +0000 Wed, 24 Sep 2025 14:53:33 +0000 <![CDATA[ “In my mind, it would have ruined my life had I messed up. I took it very seriously”: Wolfgang Van Halen took a gamble when he decided to cover his dad’s songs – and it paid off ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/wolfgang-van-halen-on-the-risk-of-covering-van-halen-songs XeYfaUPNqEZjgV9H88gB7m Mon, 15 Sep 2025 14:32:34 +0000 Wed, 24 Sep 2025 14:33:33 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Dave's a good storyteller, but there's some truth in between the showmanship”: Sammy Hagar believes David Lee Roth’s story about being visited by the ghost of Eddie Van Halen ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/sammy-hagar-believes-david-lee-roth-was-visited-by-the-ghost-of-eddie-van-halen z5rifQQQAvPP77CzttpxtS Wed, 20 Aug 2025 12:07:49 +0000 Wed, 27 Aug 2025 16:02:52 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I don't know what the odds are, but last night the ghost of Eddie Van Halen visited me at my hotel room”: David Lee Roth trolls Sammy Hagar over his ‘ghost of Eddie Van Halen’ claims ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/david-lee-roth-trolls-sammy-hagar-over-ghost-of-eddie-van-halen-claims k9A9SCFSPnnL3sfPpf94zJ Mon, 18 Aug 2025 10:38:52 +0000 Wed, 27 Aug 2025 15:52:23 +0000 <![CDATA[ “As soon as I heard the news, I turned to my roommate and said, ‘That's my gig.’ The next day, Dave rings”: Steve Vai on how he joined David Lee Roth’s band – and Roth’s desire to “beat Van Halen” ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/steve-vai-joining-david-lee-roth-beating-van-halen QnesrBETWsQqsz5WUykfME Thu, 14 Aug 2025 14:34:36 +0000 Tue, 19 Aug 2025 15:40:20 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Eruption with one hand”: This guitar prodigy plays Eddie Van Halen's legendary two-hand tapping part – with only one hand ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/felipe-rosset-eddie-van-halen-eruption-with-one-hand 9AWoz2BfRVivr3AvUYaVaF Fri, 08 Aug 2025 13:55:15 +0000 Wed, 13 Aug 2025 15:23:39 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Every now and then, you’ll look at the wall and think, ‘I can’t believe we’re here’”: Wolfgang Van Halen welcomed Alter Bridge into the hallowed halls of the legendary 5150 Studios to record their new album ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/bands/alter-bridges-5150-studio-sessions bbWKKChRcjmvrZhzjeT8xk Fri, 08 Aug 2025 12:17:04 +0000 Wed, 13 Aug 2025 15:26:22 +0000 <![CDATA[ “He took us to 5150, and it still had all the tapes up there. There was Jump, the old analog tapes, everything marked”: Lzzy Hale on why Wolfgang Van Halen is well positioned to “save rock ’n’ roll” ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/halestorm-lzzy-hale-on-why-wolfgang-van-halen-is-well-positioned-to-save-rock-n-roll 99DhKDVFPwcYs5baZAn3c7 Wed, 06 Aug 2025 14:40:18 +0000 Wed, 13 Aug 2025 14:56:10 +0000 <![CDATA[ “You don't come into a Van Halen record and tell Eddie, ‘This is how we're going to do it’”: Why Eddie Van Halen didn’t double-track his guitars ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/ross-hogarth-on-why-eddie-van-halen-didnt-double-track-his-guitars EmdUGTYKthNj9FfUHpBVxN Thu, 31 Jul 2025 15:54:52 +0000 Tue, 05 Aug 2025 12:21:51 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I just said, ‘Look, Ed, if you want to do this, I’ll set up a guitar for you, and if you don’t like what we do, I’ll just destroy it in front of you’”: Eddie Van Halen and Keanu Reeves nearly ended up on the John Wick soundtrack ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/eddie-van-halen-and-keanu-reeves-nearly-ended-up-on-john-wicks-soundtrack gHaVPRNKmeaM2F9fE4EpSH Tue, 01 Jul 2025 13:40:24 +0000 Tue, 08 Jul 2025 11:50:18 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I have the memories”: Wolfgang Van Halen says he’s stopped listening to his dad’s music ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/wolfgang-van-halen-says-hes-stopped-listening-to-his-dads-music EEQpGCKHZo7gDmz4mJB9E3 Mon, 09 Jun 2025 11:25:49 +0000 Thu, 19 Jun 2025 08:58:52 +0000 <![CDATA[ “There's a great picture of Eddie, Pat Thrall, and myself backstage. Oh man, we look awesome. Three guitar players, just 24 years old”: Pat Travers recalls the best show he ever played – with Aerosmith, AC/DC, and Van Halen all on the same bill ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/pat-travers-recalls-the-best-show-he-ever-played-with-aerosmith-ac-dc-and-van-halen Ro8R2HDkpeRU9A9ihgLqAQ Sun, 08 Jun 2025 13:30:00 +0000 Thu, 19 Jun 2025 08:57:16 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I hear the promoter got a phone call from Eddie, who said, ‘If Yngwie Malmsteen is playing, I'm not playing’”: Yngwie Malmsteen claims Eddie Van Halen felt “threatened” by him ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/yngwie-malmsteen-intimidated-eddie-van-halen qCnqkX5ACeVpP37pnstU97 Wed, 07 May 2025 16:46:07 +0000 Tue, 13 May 2025 14:18:56 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Makes me feel closer to Pop every time I record”: Wolfgang Van Halen used Eddie’s legendary Frankenstein to track the slap riff – and the wild two-hand tapping sequence – in his new single ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/wolfgang-van-halen-the-end-eddie-van-halens-frankenstein gdq8ZuWhQjwDFLYtYdH5oU Tue, 06 May 2025 12:06:07 +0000 Tue, 13 May 2025 14:07:34 +0000 <![CDATA[ Free Eddie Van Halen mini-documentary explores the origins of Eruption and his two-hand tapping technique – and it’s partly narrated by the man himself ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/simon-alkin-van-halen-eruption-tapping-documentary EeRa7BvEGQa3xtKSzzC2ng Sun, 04 May 2025 14:30:00 +0000 Mon, 05 May 2025 07:33:37 +0000 <![CDATA[ Wolfgang Van Halen goes big on the two-hand tapping in new Mammoth single – and recruits Slash and Myles Kennedy for a horror-inspired music video loaded with an Eddie Van Halen Easter egg ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/mammoth-the-end-music-video GdrWTNk5nCYzdC2Rj625b7 Fri, 02 May 2025 10:57:56 +0000 Wed, 07 May 2025 10:50:03 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Eddie’s musicianship blossomed when I joined the band”: Sammy Hagar on his musical dynamic with Eddie Van Halen – and why the virtuoso stopped releasing music in the 2000s ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/sammy-hagar-on-his-musical-dynamic-with-eddie-van-halen Lzu5e63nwx6LLY8zDtaoWk Thu, 01 May 2025 14:08:06 +0000 Wed, 07 May 2025 10:42:42 +0000 <![CDATA[ “It’s not meant to be anything more than a thank-you – with love, with respect, and with one hell of a guitar solo”: Sammy Hagar set to release track inspired by a dream he had about Eddie Van Halen, co-written with Joe Satriani ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/sammy-hagar-eddie-van-halen-dream-track-with-joe-satriani tXk3D6iywGGwKKLC5KVajP Tue, 22 Apr 2025 10:30:32 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I hope they never do one of Van Halen. I told Wolfie, ‘Make sure I’m dead’”: Eddie Van Halen's former wife, Valerie Bertinelli, rules out Van Halen biopic ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/valerie-bertinelli-rules-out-van-halen-biopic SkGLoPg7uYKL9ajxZLCtzQ Wed, 16 Apr 2025 10:39:36 +0000 Tue, 22 Apr 2025 14:33:26 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I think Pantera might’ve talked about this in Hot and Heavy”: Kayla Kent nails Eddie Van Halen’s Ice Cream Man solo in the style of Dimebag Darrell ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/kayla-kent-dimebag-darrell-eddie-van-halen-ice-cream-man-solo adqgehunvgVyb9a8NbYXg6 Mon, 07 Apr 2025 09:49:41 +0000 Mon, 14 Apr 2025 09:56:09 +0000 <![CDATA[ “EVH would be so proud”: 16-year-old shredder nails Van Halen’s Live Without a Net solo at school talent show – and captures Eddie’s tone with a budget modeling amp ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/16-year-old-shredder-nails-van-halens-live-without-a-net-solo WZeAEef2iXhXtmbbk5xCKR Wed, 26 Mar 2025 13:36:37 +0000 Tue, 01 Apr 2025 15:09:53 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Unforgettable”: Nuno Bettencourt joins Van Halen tribute band for blazing Hot For Teacher cover ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/watch-nuno-bettencourt-shred-hot-for-teacher-onstage-with-tribute-band-nerd-halen D2kgiVoZBwdrAVZ8LoA5ZE Wed, 19 Mar 2025 17:33:33 +0000 Thu, 27 Mar 2025 16:16:15 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I don’t think I got the intro right until halfway into the tour. It felt so odd to my fingers”: Joe Satriani reveals the Eddie Van Halen guitar parts he found most difficult to play ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/joe-satriani-reveals-the-eddie-van-halen-guitar-parts-he-found-most-difficult-to-play jDQAdWfXt8DNEcZKDvwFyf Wed, 19 Mar 2025 16:44:30 +0000 Thu, 27 Mar 2025 16:18:38 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I will not ever play a note on a Van Halen song!” Steve Lukather sets the record straight on his reported involvement on a new Van Halen album ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/steve-lukather-on-his-role-on-a-new-van-halen-album 9DkK34Vm6tKkcLFwWLDS9Z Mon, 17 Mar 2025 12:30:08 +0000 Thu, 27 Mar 2025 16:04:38 +0000 <![CDATA[ “There is no-one who can do this process with me as well as he can”: Alex Van Halen says a new Van Halen album is in the works – and he’s recruited Steve Lukather to help him complete it ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/music-releases/alex-van-halen-new-van-halen-album-steve-lukather MUYz2EpP4VnDPaWFfKd4LF Thu, 13 Mar 2025 17:18:28 +0000 Thu, 20 Mar 2025 16:08:34 +0000 <![CDATA[ “You already have your own distinct sound, which normally people take decades to find”: 11-year-old shredder stuns with Eddie Van Halen and Brian May solos during relentless Britain’s Got Talent audition ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/olly-pearson-britains-got-talent-audition iHA7cucT7bZfEAZwiB6v6A Mon, 10 Mar 2025 17:21:09 +0000 Fri, 14 Mar 2025 13:17:41 +0000