Al is such a captivating speaker and story teller. It’s crazy Becusee my whole life I don’t remember hearing him talk much. I wish he, Dave and Mike would visit sunset sound and do an interview. I’d love to hear about their early memories of recording there.
This man truly gets what rock and Van Halen were/are all about. I've never heard it said more clearly and honestly. Long live Alex Van Halen and the music he helped to create.
I’m a 61 year old man who was 15 when my 17 year old brother and I went to the Dallas County Convention Center in 1978 for my first rock concert: Black Sabbath. The venue was only half full when the warm-up act took the stage: Van Halen. We had nosebleed seats when the concert began featuring Roth doing a flying splits bounce over the drums onto the stage center-front. I was stunned.
Having grown up in Burbank right next to Pasadena when these boys were coming up and being in the music I'll tell you connecting up with these guys in the early days was nothing short of an adventure!.. I went to most of the backyard parties they were at and had a great time!.. I am so blessed to have been part of the environment and the whole scene of Eddie and Alex and their rise to fame and being right there was amazing!
As a east Los Angeles lifelong guitarist raised in Pico Rivera, my band BATCH used to open many times for Van Halen at The Whiskey A Go Go. I used to watch kind Alex drive up in his beat up station wagon to unload. Years later playing at lunch time at Rio Hondo Jr. College. Then meeting Eddie again eagerly waiting for my missed real friend Allan Holdsworth to San Dimas Grover Jackson’s old Charvel guitar shop I drove Allan to a few times.
Fantastic interview with Alex Van Halen and Ariel Levy. Alex’s insights into his career and his life growing up with Eddie were both heartwarming and profound. I recently finished the *Brothers* audiobook and found it incredibly entertaining-funny, personable, and so insightful. It gave such a vivid sense of their journey together that I didn’t want it to end. I've been an avid Van Halen fan since 1978, (taped cradle off the radio on my reel 2 reel) and this book has deepened my appreciation for their legacy. Highly recommended.
Very in-depth, heartfelt, loving, resilient, and spiritual. Alex has done a great service in honor of his brother and best friend. You can see and hear that the pain of losing Ed was/is always with him. He said it early in the interview that his father always told them to stick together. It was obviously not lost on them. Thank you to Alex for allowing us the insight into their relationship and personal life. We know them because of the music, but this gave me a perspective of BROTHERS! ❤
Thanks, Alex. It was a pleasure to be there and a night I won't soon forget. My greatest and most important takeaway from the entire evening was how easily, how often, and how heartily you laughed. It went a long way in helping me heal from our incredible loss. I'm loving the book. God bless.
I'm incredibly moved by this interview. Alex expresses so much love, respect, and admiration for his brother, and for the parents and experiences that shaped them - all the pain and joy of a life fully lived. Bless you, Al.
Incredibly rich conversation with Ariel Levy and Alex Van Halen. Wonderfully hosted by Ariel, and fantastic stories, insights and thoughts to live by from Alex. Never really even knew Alex Van Halen. I loved Van Halen's big hits like everyone else but wasn't a fan boy. Now I am. Thanks so much for this!! - Benjamin
Alex VanHalen is totally fascinating!-seems like such a unique, great human being, besides one of the greatest rock drummers!-can't wait to read his new book.
The first 15 minutes of this interview I’ve totally changed my opinion of Alex Van Halen. Sadly my ignorance of judging a book by its cover. I never gave him the credit he was due. Being in the shadows of a guitar playing brother like Eddie and a then popular DLR. Alex was owed much more than he got. His humbleness, honesty and transparency in this interview showed his musical knowledge alone. Thank you Alex for doing this sit down interview. I learned a lot of things and admire your drive and push to be the best. God Bless
I could just listen to this man all day every day. His intelligence is right on...word usage is phenomenal. Love the stories. Thanks Alex. I can dig it.
I was floored by this interview. I don't think I've heard Alex speak at this length ever. I was humbled by his humility and his earnest love for bro, King Edward. Magnificent!
i can accept i'm an old man now at 58 but damn its hard watching your heroes grow old, probably because when i was young i never thought of them as mortal. so grateful Alex is still with us, just wish Eddie was too, no other guitarist influenced me more
Alex made a statement that is as true now as it has ever been in history, and that is that you do what you have to do so your family can have food on their table, and a roof over their head !!! Love for your family drives everything !!!
After reading the book, it is absolutely wonderful to see my idol on stage like this, and to hear him be a real human being. Thank you Al. I am saddened that the later work between Ed and Al may not be released for another 20 or 30 years or more. At that point, most of the original diehard fans, such as myself, won’t be around any longer. That wonderful material will be released to a later generation that will be a much smaller audience, many who won’t have the appreciation for it that me and my contemporaries who grew up with Van Halen would have. I sincerely hope that Al will reconsider releasing that material soon. I’d treasure it.
He was my favorite drummer when I was a teenager. Changed my life and influenced me to become a professional musician. It's great to hear him speak about everything and open up.
For so many years, people viewed Alex as "just the drummer" behind Eddie's guitar playing. BUT -- he is so much a musician, his classical piano training, his understanding of the whole industry. And at 53:27 when he's talking about Led Zeppelin, it shows just how much he connected with THE MUSIC, the ideas of improvisation, the recording, everything. Alex is every bit a virtuoso as Eddie was, even if it was on different instruments.
@robertmarcotte276: The very first time I heard Runnin’ With The Devil, Eruption and You Really Got Me, etc., etc., I was 13 years old and in Myrtle Beach, SC, in July of 1978!!!!
God bless Alex. Sharing from his heart about the most important things in his life . His (family) brother and his music. What a beautiful carve the two of you were able to make in this world. It's really unbelievable to be quite honest...
Alex was equally talented as Ed, and I’m genuinely happy that Al has finally come fourth to talk about the bond between himself and his brother. Al was equally influential as a drummer as Ed was on guitar, but he never held a grudge about Ed taking all the attention. DLR, on the other hand was great as a showman, but he had the best band to back him, and Hagar did truly take VH to ultimate success (5150-Balance were all double platinum albums).
@@tinafoos8018 He reminds me of my cousin Mikey who's Mexican 🤣 Especialy that liner photo from the first VH album. I remember thinking back then, he don't look Dutch to me:)
I agree, you can really tell he has an Indonesian mother and a Dutch father, there are lots and lots of indo's living here in the Netherlands and you can totally see him fitting in one of the pasar malams here. He looks a lot more indo than Eddie did, though Eddie started looking more indo as he got older. Actually VH is indorock! 🙂
I've never heard Alex talk so much, he usually was just there chiming in on whatever Eddie was saying because Eddie was always the focus. It's great to see that he's finally at a point where he can go down memory lane
Man, I got drunk the last two days and I am ex United States Navy. Proud. The Van Halen brothers were/are great music. When ever i'm feeling down and as a Native american, I look up some Van Halen.
Alex was always a great guy. I was there at the park incident that afternnon with the knife. I remember who it was.And I also remember the party's at Dennis's house that he was talking about. I really enjoyed listening to Alex again in this interview.
Alex reminds me of an old Chinese American friend I have. He sounds pragmatic, unfiltered, knowledgeable based on experience and rough around the edges, but means well. His laugh is just like his too.
I felt like I got to know Alex listening to his book, he is quite the character! I think he would be a blast to just sit and talk with. I’ve always been a Van Halen fan, but now I’m truly an Alex fan.
Great interview with Alex! He is one year older than me and at our age we are beginning to reflect on life and what we have learned. The story of the Van Halen Brothers is fascinating. The work ethic that was ingrained in them from a young age took both Alex and Ed a long way in life. There is a lot of wisdom in his words. Alex freely admits that they weren't always perfect but I think they had way more wins than losses together. Thank you Ariel and Alex! I have been a Van Halen fan since the beginning and I enjoyed this very much!
what a great interview. i am so glad the interviewer allowed him to just speak. i feel this book he has written is very cathartic for him. it's good to see him so animated and talking so much! he clearly is a man who feels quite a lot.
He truly loved his brother - you can see it, hear it, feel it
หลายเดือนก่อน +4
Had I known Alex talked, I would have listened a lot more. I think in the 40 years I've listened to and loved Van Halen this may be the first time I've heard him speak at length and in depth. What an interesting character he is. He is one of many drummers I taught myself to play drums to back in the day when vinyl was still a thing.
In 1979, I graduated 6th grade and my Mom took me to KMART and I bought VH1. I couldn't believe the sounds each of the four created. It changed my life as far as music goes. I'm glad Al now understands how loved he is and always was by us.
I was never a big Van Halen Fan. Not super familiar with Alex. This guy is super genuine and well spoken, gracious and humble. Not to mention funny. Best of luck to you Alex.
The Drum intro to Hot for Teacher is by far the coolest most amazing and hardest hitting drum intro to a rock song ever recorded. I used to love John Bonham, Neil Peart, and Keith Moon, until Van Halen came along lol. Alex is my favorite percussionist of all time.
What a treat to hear from Al. He seems to have such a great outlook on life and a true understanding of life's purpose. He was a loyal brother. You heard of squabbles with Dave and others, but the VH brothers always remained loyal to each other.
He has got some serious Amsterdam genes in his blood. The way he expresses himself, his humor and the expressions in his face are so recognizable if you've been with people from Amsterdam. We zijn trots op je Alex. Dank je wel voor de geweldige muziek.
Alex articulates a certain sensibility about the roll of his father in his and Eddie's success that backstops alot of things I always suspected. Alex talks about channeling...... In 1979 at the Jackson County Expo I stood 8 feet from Eddie and watched him do exactly that. That night kicked the door open to the rest of our lives.
I'm 55 from the Pine Tree State and have been listening to you cats from the beginning. Thank you so, so much Mr. Alex Van Halen for everything with deepest respect.
This was a wonderful interview. Glad I stopped to view. Love hearing how they became who they were as a band. We look forward to hearing what you have to share, all those unfinished projects! Alex, know that we all teared with you at towards the end of this clip when you mention "Ed." You guys made a huge impact on the music industry.
Man this guy is just one of those drummers who within the first bar you know it’s him. Thank you for the music and the soundtrack to our lives Alex and Edward. One of the musical highlights of my life was being able to see them in 1993 in Belgium when I was 19. I’m 50 years old now and living in Fiji now but Van Halen is still heavy on my daily rotation list in the car or at home, at work. Thank you for sharing your life and memories of you and Edward with us all. God bless always
I'm happy that Alex is finally opening up he was silent for a few years. I can't even imagine how hard it was for him to lose EVH. We've all suffered a great loss and its never easy it just becomes something that you learn to live with. I took Edwards deat really hard. It still sucks that he is not with us. I really hope that AVH and WVH are serious about going into the vault and release some music for all us fans. Music sometimes helps people heal. I know it brings othe emotions also but wow it would be amazing to hear new stuff. I hope Alex decides to do something else to honor EVH besides the instrumental he released. Again its great to see Alex out doing these interviews and opening up
Great interview with Alex Van Halen. I didn't know what to expect but he had positive words for everyone that they talked about, and I have respect for him for that. But, sadly lacking was any mention of Michael Anthony who was 1/4 of the band, he was the lead singer of his own band before he joined Van Halen and was an integral member of the team! I get it that this interview was about the book "Brothers" but come on Alex, it was the four of you and Michael Anthony's back up vocals were part of that magical sound.
It's a shame we couldn't hear about Eddie's life in his own voice, but many would say that his music speaks for him. Great to hear Al share his life & love of his brother in his voice.
Thank you, Alex. Hearing you speak and sharing your thoughts further explained why I loved the original band so much. Truth be told, I loved your musical sound in all carnations of the band. You two together always sounded tight no matter who was singing. Thank you for Van Halen!!!!
That was great ,that was awesome!!!!!!! I love hearing Alex's recollections of the old days. Hat's off to Alex, such an incredible force of nature in his own right on those drums. He and his brother "King Edward" had that musical telepathy, the likes that we may never see again! :) Hat's off to David Lee Roth and Micheal Anthony for being at the right place at the right time, to be the other half of that magical pie, that was Van Halen! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Thank you Mr. Alex Van Halen for sharing with the audience yet again. I have Always admired the acutely unique sound that you achieved with your kit , and for your dedication to the band,and the fans. God bless you brother. Brian in Arizona
I’m so glad that Alex did this interview. As a guitar player, Eddie became my hero the day I first heard “Eruption.” Alex was definitely one of the most talented drummers ever. They were a brotherly team. It is so fascinating to listen about the VH family/band history. The loss of his brother is devastating. Thank you VH brothers for decades of unbelievable music! Take care and live well Alex.
I met Alex 3 times. Without fail he was a total jerk. His wife back then was a piece of work as well. I wish we would have met when he was sober. I talked to him for 2 hours while his old lady barked at the staff over having to sit in business class. But now I have a new perspective. I'm glad he got clean. Alcohol makes a lot of people go crazy. He was a great drummer and a very loyal brother. These guys were good. Real good.
@@briansalisbury5760 Yeah this is a look at a different side of him. I only saw Ed once and he was basically passed out. He looked awful, greasy hair, missing teeth, you get the picture. I just finished the book "Tonechaser" which gives Eddie some humanity as well. I ask myself why the f*ck did they choose to go through life like that? But damn, when you're that famous and having people tell them they're God-like you begin to believe it. I'm sure it gets to you after a while. I've met a lot of rock musicians, (albeit briefly) and for the most part they're a pretty down to earth bunch. You forget that they're actually just kids. What upsets me the most is how they treated Michael. No need to publicly berate him as a no talent hack. He's a damn fine bassist and from the little I did see, a great guy. Thanks for replying, take care!
I have the exact family background Alex has, these two brothers are my heroes. I grew up in Southern California my name is Eddie Van @ No relation but we probably grew up about 2 1/2 hours from each other. I practice the piano since my Dutch dad owned a piano store. We were both rebuilding and tuning pianos for a living.
Amazing interview, Alex is such an articulate, funny guy and one of the best drummers ever to grace a stage. So many iconic drum parts 🥁 There are so many wise words during this interview. Eddie and Alex both had their own unique sound. They were both a force of nature on their instruments. I have never seen anyone smile like Eddie on stage, I miss seeing that smile! He epitomised the love of music. Those first six Van Halen are unbelievable and 1984 is my favourite album ever. I saw VH perform at Donnington in the UK. That gig is still spoken about by me and my friends as one of our favourite performances ever. I have loved reading 'Brothers' and listening to the Audible version with Alex narrating. Thanks so much to Van Halen for providing the soundtrack to my life and for so many great memories. RIP Eddie and to Alex, Thanks for giving an insight into your life 🙏
Alex, I love you and still miss your brother. I loved seeing Van Halen play in the summer time. Your music was always a party..I thank you for your labor of love for music..It hurts. It's like missing a childhood friend. I listen to Van Halen all my life
Wow. What a fantastic interview. She asked tons of great questions, and AL provided very well thought out answers and stories from back in the day. He's a very deep person. This was fascinating. I didn't want the interview to end. Rock on. AL!
Great interview, Love VH,maybe my favorite band with Dave and Sammy.I wish Alex would open his heart to talk with Sammy again. My dad's most valuable lesson-Never Hold Grudges!
After Eddie passed away, Alex wrote on his birthday "the view from my kit will never be the same". Broke my heart...
❤😢. Love them
Always where is he? My brother passed this year. Al is doing better than me VH4EVER
@@bobravenscraft5376 ll9ky
Al is such a captivating speaker and story teller. It’s crazy Becusee my whole life I don’t remember hearing him talk much. I wish he, Dave and Mike would visit sunset sound and do an interview. I’d love to hear about their early memories of recording there.
That would be excellent!
Whenever Alex spoke in group interviews, he sounded like the smartest on in the room.
Mike not necessary lol
I was thinking same. I think Dave and Eddie talked over him probably. He’s interesting to listen to
Captivating 😂
This man truly gets what rock and Van Halen were/are all about. I've never heard it said more clearly and honestly. Long live Alex Van Halen and the music he helped to create.
🙏 Amen
I’m a 61 year old man who was 15 when my 17 year old brother and I went to the Dallas County Convention Center in 1978 for my first rock concert: Black Sabbath. The venue was only half full when the warm-up act took the stage: Van Halen. We had nosebleed seats when the concert began featuring Roth doing a flying splits bounce over the drums onto the stage center-front. I was stunned.
Witness to history. So cool!
Having grown up in Burbank right next to Pasadena when these boys were coming up and being in the music I'll tell you connecting up with these guys in the early days was nothing short of an adventure!.. I went to most of the backyard parties they were at and had a great time!.. I am so blessed to have been part of the environment and the whole scene of Eddie and Alex and their rise to fame and being right there was amazing!
Awesome!
As a east Los Angeles lifelong guitarist raised in Pico Rivera, my band BATCH used to open many times for Van Halen at The Whiskey A Go Go. I used to watch kind Alex drive up in his beat up station wagon to unload. Years later playing at lunch time at Rio Hondo Jr. College. Then meeting Eddie again eagerly waiting for my missed real friend Allan Holdsworth to San Dimas Grover Jackson’s old Charvel guitar shop I drove Allan to a few times.
WOW! He's great! Great interview! He's an incredible human being. Deep, humble and unavoidably loveable!
I was there that evening. Was an amazing event! Great job Alex & Ariel!!
Ah NICE (Paul)
@@JohnnyBeane that’s awesome! I wish I’d known about it, I would have flown into town to see this live.
@@walterevans2118😊
@@PARTner91Was fun!
Fantastic interview with Alex Van Halen and Ariel Levy. Alex’s insights into his career and his life growing up with Eddie were both heartwarming and profound. I recently finished the *Brothers* audiobook and found it incredibly entertaining-funny, personable, and so insightful. It gave such a vivid sense of their journey together that I didn’t want it to end. I've been an avid Van Halen fan since 1978, (taped cradle off the radio on my reel 2 reel) and this book has deepened my appreciation for their legacy. Highly recommended.
Alex was one of my big influences playing drums starting in 1983. Thanks Al for being so inspirational!!!
Very in-depth, heartfelt, loving, resilient, and spiritual. Alex has done a great service in honor of his brother and best friend. You can see and hear that the pain of losing Ed was/is always with him. He said it early in the interview that his father always told them to stick together. It was obviously not lost on them. Thank you to Alex for allowing us the insight into their relationship and personal life. We know them because of the music, but this gave me a perspective of BROTHERS! ❤
Thanks, Alex. It was a pleasure to be there and a night I won't soon forget.
My greatest and most important takeaway from the entire evening was how easily, how often, and how heartily you laughed.
It went a long way in helping me heal from our incredible loss.
I'm loving the book. God bless.
I'm incredibly moved by this interview. Alex expresses so much love, respect, and admiration for his brother, and for the parents and experiences that shaped them - all the pain and joy of a life fully lived. Bless you, Al.
Al has always been a rock and a shield for Ed: brotherhood, fellowship, love and respect.💙💜
its good to see Alex up front and to hear his wisdom. Live it up Al!
I am currently reading "Brothers" , I must say, it is so easy to visualize the stories Alex is telling! Great book
Incredibly rich conversation with Ariel Levy and Alex Van Halen. Wonderfully hosted by Ariel, and fantastic stories, insights and thoughts to live by from Alex. Never really even knew Alex Van Halen. I loved Van Halen's big hits like everyone else but wasn't a fan boy. Now I am. Thanks so much for this!! - Benjamin
"David was the candelabra." Perfect metaphor!
Alex VanHalen is totally fascinating!-seems like such a unique, great human being, besides one of the greatest rock drummers!-can't wait to read his new book.
i love this interview. the future generations are gonna know who van halen is. seeing our idols get old and dying sucks but theres nothing we can do.
The first 15 minutes of this interview I’ve totally changed my opinion of Alex Van Halen. Sadly my ignorance of judging a book by its cover. I never gave him the credit he was due. Being in the shadows of a guitar playing brother like Eddie and a then popular DLR. Alex was owed much more than he got. His humbleness, honesty and transparency in this interview showed his musical knowledge alone. Thank you Alex for doing this sit down interview. I learned a lot of things and admire your drive and push to be the best. God Bless
I could just listen to this man all day every day. His intelligence is right on...word usage is phenomenal. Love the stories. Thanks Alex. I can dig it.
I was floored by this interview. I don't think I've heard Alex speak at this length ever. I was humbled by his humility and his earnest love for bro, King Edward. Magnificent!
i can accept i'm an old man now at 58 but damn its hard watching your heroes grow old, probably because when i was young i never thought of them as mortal. so grateful Alex is still with us, just wish Eddie was too, no other guitarist influenced me more
Thank You for inviting us into your healing process Alex, we are honored.
Alex made a statement that is as true now as it has ever been in history, and that is that you do what you have to do so your family can have food on their table, and a roof over their head !!!
Love for your family drives everything !!!
After reading the book, it is absolutely wonderful to see my idol on stage like this, and to hear him be a real human being. Thank you Al.
I am saddened that the later work between Ed and Al may not be released for another 20 or 30 years or more. At that point, most of the original diehard fans, such as myself, won’t be around any longer. That wonderful material will be released to a later generation that will be a much smaller audience, many who won’t have the appreciation for it that me and my contemporaries who grew up with Van Halen would have. I sincerely hope that Al will reconsider releasing that material soon. I’d treasure it.
He was my favorite drummer when I was a teenager. Changed my life and influenced me to become a professional musician. It's great to hear him speak about everything and open up.
Mad props to Ariel Levy for driving this interview and doing her homework. Boss.
Thank you Alex, and thank you Ariel for interviewing him so artfully. Listening is a lost art among interviewers.
For so many years, people viewed Alex as "just the drummer" behind Eddie's guitar playing. BUT -- he is so much a musician, his classical piano training, his understanding of the whole industry. And at 53:27 when he's talking about Led Zeppelin, it shows just how much he connected with THE MUSIC, the ideas of improvisation, the recording, everything. Alex is every bit a virtuoso as Eddie was, even if it was on different instruments.
Gosh, I never thought Al was such a wise man. Great interview!
Alex was so underrated
Thanks Alex. You and your brother are missed. I miss you and the original recipe. Ben listing since I was 13 and now I'm 59.
@robertmarcotte276: The very first time I heard Runnin’ With The Devil, Eruption and You Really Got Me, etc., etc., I was 13 years old and in Myrtle Beach, SC, in July of 1978!!!!
@@Anna_NimmittyMyrtle Beach was incredible back then..well 1980
SAME!
God bless Alex. Sharing from his heart about the most important things in his life . His (family) brother and his music. What a beautiful carve the two of you were able to make in this world. It's really unbelievable to be quite honest...
Alex was equally talented as Ed, and I’m genuinely happy that Al has finally come fourth to talk about the bond between himself and his brother. Al was equally influential as a drummer as Ed was on guitar, but he never held a grudge about Ed taking all the attention. DLR, on the other hand was great as a showman, but he had the best band to back him, and Hagar did truly take VH to ultimate success (5150-Balance were all double platinum albums).
I am from Indonesia. And believe me...Alex's face is so Indonesia :)))
@foreverdoomedvolt-
He totally does!
@@tinafoos8018 He reminds me of my cousin Mikey who's Mexican 🤣 Especialy that liner photo from the first VH album. I remember thinking back then, he don't look Dutch to me:)
I agree, you can really tell he has an Indonesian mother and a Dutch father, there are lots and lots of indo's living here in the Netherlands and you can totally see him fitting in one of the pasar malams here. He looks a lot more indo than Eddie did, though Eddie started looking more indo as he got older.
Actually VH is indorock! 🙂
I've never heard Alex talk so much, he usually was just there chiming in on whatever Eddie was saying because Eddie was always the focus. It's great to see that he's finally at a point where he can go down memory lane
Man, I got drunk the last two days and I am ex United States Navy. Proud. The Van Halen brothers were/are great music. When ever i'm feeling down and as a Native american, I look up some Van Halen.
Alex really poured out his heart in this interview. Over the years seemed like Dave did most of the talking. Great interview 👍
Alex Van Halen influenced me greatly as a young drummer. Seen him live 5 times and always such a powerhouse
Powerful moment when he says “Ed was brave till the end”
Alex was always a great guy. I was there at the park incident that afternnon with the knife. I remember who it was.And I also remember the party's at Dennis's house that he was talking about. I really enjoyed listening to Alex again in this interview.
No doubt, Alex is Eddie’s biggest fan.
That was a great interview! Loved every second! Can't wait to read the book.
Alex reminds me of an old Chinese American friend I have. He sounds pragmatic, unfiltered, knowledgeable based on experience and rough around the edges, but means well. His laugh is just like his too.
He and Ed have almost the same exact voice. Great interview.
I hope Alex could feel the complete joy when they played Portland, Oregon. We were so blessed to have them play our city many times.
I felt like I got to know Alex listening to his book, he is quite the character! I think he would be a blast to just sit and talk with. I’ve always been a Van Halen fan, but now I’m truly an Alex fan.
Great interview with Alex! He is one year older than me and at our age we are beginning to reflect on life and what we have learned.
The story of the Van Halen Brothers is fascinating. The work ethic that was ingrained in them from a young age took both Alex and Ed
a long way in life. There is a lot of wisdom in his words. Alex freely admits that they weren't always perfect
but I think they had way more wins than losses together. Thank you Ariel and Alex! I have been a Van Halen fan since the beginning and
I enjoyed this very much!
Al is not just talking about music, he's talking about life.
His name is Alex Van Halen...not AI.
Love this I'm glad to hear Alex talk about them and the music I miss van Halen RIP Eddie 🙏
what a great interview. i am so glad the interviewer allowed him to just speak. i feel this book he has written is very cathartic for him. it's good to see him so animated and talking so much! he clearly is a man who feels quite a lot.
It is great to hear from Alex. He provides down to earth interviews.
He truly loved his brother - you can see it, hear it, feel it
Had I known Alex talked, I would have listened a lot more. I think in the 40 years I've listened to and loved Van Halen this may be the first time I've heard him speak at length and in depth. What an interesting character he is. He is one of many drummers I taught myself to play drums to back in the day when vinyl was still a thing.
In 1979, I graduated 6th grade and my Mom took me to KMART and I bought VH1. I couldn't believe the sounds each of the four created. It changed my life as far as music goes. I'm glad Al now understands how loved he is and always was by us.
I was never a big Van Halen Fan. Not super familiar with Alex. This guy is super genuine and well spoken, gracious and humble. Not to mention funny. Best of luck to you Alex.
What do u mean "I WAS a Van Halen fan"? So You're not anymore?
@ I stated I was never a Big Van Halen fan. Still Not. Does not mean anything more or less. Alex is Great Guy. Super Interview.
Love his sense of humor. You can tell he misses Edward with his heart and soul.
I can see the pain in his face and hear it in his voice truly heartbreaking.
The Drum intro to Hot for Teacher is by far the coolest most amazing and hardest hitting drum intro to a rock song ever recorded. I used to love John Bonham, Neil Peart, and Keith Moon, until Van Halen came along lol. Alex is my favorite percussionist of all time.
You have a point but Bonham’s “When the Levee Breaks” is without doubt the greatest Drum intro of all time…. Let’s be serious here.
@@kennethchartrand4251nowhere near as cool. Sorry dude
What a treat to hear from Al. He seems to have such a great outlook on life and a true understanding of life's purpose. He was a loyal brother. You heard of squabbles with Dave and others, but the VH brothers always remained loyal to each other.
They had their share of fights and arguments too but that’s all brothers.
So many great lines in this interview. Alex is a pleasure to listen to whether he's behind the kit or graciously sharing his thoughts and insights.
He has got some serious Amsterdam genes in his blood. The way he expresses himself, his humor and the expressions in his face are so recognizable if you've been with people from Amsterdam. We zijn trots op je Alex. Dank je wel voor de geweldige muziek.
Alex articulates a certain sensibility about the roll of his father in his and Eddie's success that backstops alot of things I always suspected. Alex talks about channeling...... In 1979 at the Jackson County Expo I stood 8 feet from Eddie and watched him do exactly that. That night kicked the door open to the rest of our lives.
I'm 55 from the Pine Tree State and have been listening to you cats from the beginning. Thank you so, so much Mr. Alex Van Halen for everything with deepest respect.
This was a wonderful interview. Glad I stopped to view. Love hearing how they became who they were as a band. We look forward to hearing what you have to share, all those unfinished projects!
Alex, know that we all teared with you at towards the end of this clip when you mention "Ed." You guys made a huge impact on the music industry.
It was incredible Alex what you ,Edward and your family accomplished and the the connection you and Edward had is one of the most special ever.
I’m glad he’s coming out and talking, it’s rough when you lose your brother
Beautiful interview. Full of wisdom, insights and a ton of love and humanity.
I appreciate Alex's candor! Didn't know what to expect.
This is the first time I've really heard Alex in an interview, he is extremely great to listen to.
What a beautiful soul Alex has and is. I thank you and Eddie for the wonderful ride.
Man this guy is just one of those drummers who within the first bar you know it’s him. Thank you for the music and the soundtrack to our lives Alex and Edward. One of the musical highlights of my life was being able to see them in 1993 in Belgium when I was 19. I’m 50 years old now and living in Fiji now but Van Halen is still heavy on my daily rotation list in the car or at home, at work. Thank you for sharing your life and memories of you and Edward with us all. God bless always
I'm happy that Alex is finally opening up he was silent for a few years. I can't even imagine how hard it was for him to lose EVH. We've all suffered a great loss and its never easy it just becomes something that you learn to live with. I took Edwards deat really hard. It still sucks that he is not with us. I really hope that AVH and WVH are serious about going into the vault and release some music for all us fans. Music sometimes helps people heal. I know it brings othe emotions also but wow it would be amazing to hear new stuff. I hope Alex decides to do something else to honor EVH besides the instrumental he released. Again its great to see Alex out doing these interviews and opening up
Great interview with Alex Van Halen. I didn't know what to expect but he had positive words for everyone that they talked about, and I have respect for him for that. But, sadly lacking was any mention of Michael Anthony who was 1/4 of the band, he was the lead singer of his own band before he joined Van Halen and was an integral member of the team! I get it that this interview was about the book "Brothers" but come on Alex, it was the four of you and Michael Anthony's back up vocals were part of that magical sound.
Yeah. I'm pretty dirty about how they downplay MA's contributions to VH music. It's pretty sad. That's why I consider MA an absolute MVP.
You can tell Al made a living using his hands, because he uses them so much to express himself . I can understand how he became a drummer !
I've loved Van Halen's music for about 40 years.
It's a shame we couldn't hear about Eddie's life in his own voice, but many would say that his music speaks for him.
Great to hear Al share his life & love of his brother in his voice.
This was wonderful to watch and listen to.
Thank you, Alex. Hearing you speak and sharing your thoughts further explained why I loved the original band so much. Truth be told, I loved your musical sound in all carnations of the band. You two together always sounded tight no matter who was singing. Thank you for Van Halen!!!!
That was great ,that was awesome!!!!!!! I love hearing Alex's recollections of the old days. Hat's off to Alex, such an incredible force of nature in his own right on those drums. He and his brother "King Edward" had that musical telepathy, the likes that we may never see again! :) Hat's off to David Lee Roth and Micheal Anthony for being at the right place at the right time, to be the other half of that magical pie, that was Van Halen! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Thank you Mr. Alex Van Halen for sharing with the audience yet again. I have Always admired the acutely unique sound that you achieved with your kit , and for your dedication to the band,and the fans. God bless you brother.
Brian in Arizona
My first stadium concert I ever went to was Day on the green in 1978 in the San Francisco area. VAN Halen was great. AC/DC was great also.
I’m so glad that Alex did this interview. As a guitar player, Eddie became my hero the day I first heard “Eruption.” Alex was definitely one of the most talented drummers ever. They were a brotherly team. It is so fascinating to listen about the VH family/band history. The loss of his brother is devastating. Thank you VH brothers for decades of unbelievable music! Take care and live well Alex.
I have so much respect for this man. He and Eddie are the reasons I wanted to play drums AND guitar. God bless them.
Alex Van Halen this book is absolutely incredible. The love and respect between brothers is amazing. ❤❤
I met Alex 3 times. Without fail he was a total jerk. His wife back then was a piece of work as well. I wish we would have met when he was sober. I talked to him for 2 hours while his old lady barked at the staff over having to sit in business class. But now I have a new perspective. I'm glad he got clean. Alcohol makes a lot of people go crazy. He was a great drummer and a very loyal brother. These guys were good. Real good.
He is probably a great guy sober. Clearly him and Eddie were complete asses fucked up.
@@briansalisbury5760 Yeah this is a look at a different side of him. I only saw Ed once and he was basically passed out. He looked awful, greasy hair, missing teeth, you get the picture. I just finished the book "Tonechaser" which gives Eddie some humanity as well. I ask myself why the f*ck did they choose to go through life like that? But damn, when you're that famous and having people tell them they're God-like you begin to believe it. I'm sure it gets to you after a while. I've met a lot of rock musicians, (albeit briefly) and for the most part they're a pretty down to earth bunch. You forget that they're actually just kids. What upsets me the most is how they treated Michael. No need to publicly berate him as a no talent hack. He's a damn fine bassist and from the little I did see, a great guy. Thanks for replying, take care!
Al walks with a cane now. We're all getting older, but Van Halen will always live on.
I have the exact family background Alex has, these two brothers are my heroes. I grew up in Southern California my name is Eddie Van @ No relation but we probably grew up about 2 1/2 hours from each other.
I practice the piano since my Dutch dad owned a piano store. We were both rebuilding and tuning pianos for a living.
Amazing interview,
Alex is such an articulate, funny guy and one of the best drummers ever to grace a stage.
So many iconic drum parts 🥁
There are so many wise words during this interview.
Eddie and Alex both had their own unique sound. They were both a force of nature on their instruments.
I have never seen anyone smile like Eddie on stage, I miss seeing that smile! He epitomised the love of music.
Those first six Van Halen are unbelievable and
1984 is my favourite album ever. I saw VH perform at Donnington in the UK. That gig is still spoken about by me and my friends as one of our favourite performances ever.
I have loved reading 'Brothers' and listening to the Audible version with Alex narrating.
Thanks so much to Van Halen for providing the soundtrack to my life and for so many great memories.
RIP Eddie and to Alex, Thanks for giving an insight into your life 🙏
Alex, I love you and still miss your brother. I loved seeing Van Halen play in the summer time. Your music was always a party..I thank you for your labor of love for music..It hurts. It's like missing a childhood friend. I listen to Van Halen all my life
I bet Alex would be really fun to talk to. He just seems so friendly and light hearted.
Love Alex. Loved this interview. Drum legend.
I’m truly impressed by Alex’s honesty and wisdom! Eddie’s one of my Guitar heroes as well-he gave sooo much to the Guitar World!!!❤
One of the best bands EVER! These guys were a big part of my teen years. At 56 I still love some Little Guitars ❤
Wow. What a fantastic interview. She asked tons of great questions, and AL provided very well thought out answers and stories from back in the day. He's a very deep person. This was fascinating. I didn't want the interview to end. Rock on. AL!
Van Halen was the soundtrack of my teenage years! Thank you Alex! ❤ miss you Eddie 🎸🎵🎶
Van Halen definitely changed my life, even saved me in my teen years. I absolutely adore Eward and Alex. RIP EDWARD and God Bless Alex @❤😂🎉
Great interview, Love VH,maybe my favorite band with Dave and Sammy.I wish Alex would open his heart to talk with Sammy again. My dad's most valuable lesson-Never Hold Grudges!