Rock fans were recently surprised by exciting news from Alex Van Halen, the legendary drummer and co-founder of the iconic band Van Halen. While speaking on Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain’s Metal Sticks podcast, Alex revealed that he is preparing to work on a new record with Steve Lukather, along with a few other musicians.
“I’m getting ready to do this record with Lukather and a couple of other people,” Alex said. “It should be exciting.”
This short statement quickly caught the attention of fans around the world, especially because of the history between Alex Van Halen, his late brother Eddie Van Halen, and Steve Lukather.
A Long History Together
Alex Van Halen and Steve Lukather have known each other for decades. Lukather, best known as the guitarist from the band Toto, was also one of the most in-demand session musicians in the music industry. One of their most famous collaborations happened in 1982 on Michael Jackson’s hit song “Beat It.” On that track, Steve Lukather played the main guitar riff, while Eddie Van Halen delivered the unforgettable guitar solo.
Over the years, Eddie Van Halen and Steve Lukather became very close friends. They often worked together, shared ideas, and deeply respected each other as musicians. Because of that connection, Lukather’s name has often come up when fans talk about unfinished Van Halen music.
Confusion About a New Van Halen Album
The news of this new project is especially surprising because last year Steve Lukather denied claims that he was going to play guitar on a new Van Halen album. At the time, a Dutch newspaper reported that Alex Van Halen was working on a collection of unfinished Van Halen recordings, with Lukather involved in the process.
Alex later commented that Eddie and Lukather were very close and that there was no one better to help him go through the old recordings. Lukather initially reacted with surprise and said that the news was true, explaining that he had worked with Alex on the material.
However, Lukather later clarified the situation on Instagram. He made it very clear that he will never play guitar on a Van Halen song out of respect for Eddie Van Halen.
Instead, Lukather explained that Alex asked him to help review and organize unfinished recordings that Alex and Eddie worked on many years ago. These recordings were never released, and Lukather’s role was simply to help go through them — not to replace Eddie in any way.
He said he has too much love and respect for Eddie to ever try to step into that role.
Respect for Eddie Van Halen
Eddie Van Halen passed away in 2020 after a long battle with cancer. His death deeply affected the music world. Steve Lukather publicly shared his grief, calling Eddie one of the greatest guitarists of all time and a close friend.
Lukather said Eddie didn’t just play guitar — he changed rock music forever. Their bond makes it clear why Lukather is being so careful and respectful about this project.
What Do We Know So Far?
At this point, details are very limited. Alex Van Halen has not confirmed whether this new record will be released under the Van Halen name, or if it will be a completely separate project. He also hasn’t shared who the other musicians involved might be, or when fans can expect to hear the music.
What we do know is that Alex is finally ready to return to music in some form, and he is doing so with someone who truly understood and respected Eddie Van Halen.
Final Thoughts
For Van Halen fans, this news brings both excitement and curiosity. While it may not be a traditional Van Halen album, the idea that Alex Van Halen is working with Steve Lukather on music connected to the past is meaningful.
It shows that the legacy of Van Halen is being handled with care, respect, and love — especially for Eddie. Fans will now be waiting patiently to see what this project becomes and when more information will be revealed.