Author:Alex Van Halen
The passing of Eddie Van Halen marked the end of the road for a band that in its two different incarnations sold over 80 million albums worldwide. As his elder brother, and the man behind the drum kit who often seemed to be he glue that held the band together, no one is better placed to recount their story. This though is a book that is as much about the relationship between two young brothers uprooted to a foreign country as it is about the band. Moving from Holland to the US in 1962 was a huge upheaval for them, especially as they didn’t even speak English at the time. However, encouraged by the work ethic of their father, and the musical talents they inherited from him, they stuck together and eventually fought their way through school and into various line ups of the band that would ultimately bring them fame and fortune, but would also lead them into the grip of alcoholism and the excesses of archetypal rock star behaviour. Throughout the book the author looks back without donning rose tinted glasses to give an inside look at their career, although surprisingly he doesn’t have a bad word to say about any of the other band members, perhaps preferring to let bygones be bygones. However, this fascinating book is ultimately all about relationships, be they with family or band members, and in particular the close bond he had and indeed still feels with his late brother – to this day he seems lost without his presence in his life.
Length of Read:Medium
Might appeal to people who enjoyed…
Other books from those associated with the band, such as David Lee Roth, Sammy Hagar and Ted Templeman.
The band’s music.
One thing you’ve learned
This memoir is a heartfelt and often quite moving tribute to his late brother – I just wish it had been longer than 220 pages as there must have been a whole lot more left to tell.
DLR’s book is fun. When asked about their mercurial success he would say “we weren’t surprised. We knew we were better than all the other bands”.
Hagar’s book is also worth a read
I’ve read Runnin’ with the Devil by their first manager Noel Monk, and it’s quite the eye opener, as is Sammy Hagar’s Red, though the latter author comes across (unsurprisingly) as more of a blow-hard. What both books have in common is their authors’ belief that Mike Anthony has been treated appallingly by the Van Halen brothers.
Not only a rock-solid bassist, Anthony’s vocal harmonies made him the glue that cohered the showboating of the other three into a musical whole. As so often happens, what started as a ‘one for all’ band attitude became a scramble for money between the other three once fortune and cocaine got introduced to the equation. Firstly, they insisted that Anthony relinquish his rights to the publishing, then they removed him from full band membership, paying him as a hired hand. Mike is a happy-go-lucky sort and, while hurt, went along with this. Unfortunately, when they reunited with DLR, they saw Anthony’s work with the departed Hagar as a slight and got rid of him, getting Ed’s teenage son in a replacement. While a useful musician, Wolfgang joined a band that had ceased to be any cop, live or on record.
So when they talk about what a great, albeit flawed, bunch of lads the VH brothers are, they don’t mention the guy who got shafted for a few extra dollars, who they thought was easily replaceable. He wasn’t.
Agree with all of them. Very poor behaviour.
Anyone who needs to be convinced about MA’s contribution to Van Halen should listen to Dance the Night Away and then try to imagine how it would sound without his vocals.
Yes he was very badly treated and yet he’s very well spoken of in the book.
In his most recent novel, one of Richard Osman’s characters states this is the best VH song …..and he’s right!