Brothers: An Intimate Account of Brotherhood and Rock Music

“BROTHERS” By Alex Van Halen When I heard that Alex Van Halen was writing a book, I could not wait to read it, for many reasons, but of course the number one reason was because I missed Edward Van Halen so damn much and still to this day can’t accept that he’s gone. Come to find out, neither can Alex. And I know that I’m not alone in this feeling. To me, he wasn’t what some people, ( Ok, A lot of people), would call their hero, because I believe that the word hero should be reserved for the real, actual heroes in the world, and that it gets thrown around, mixed in and mixed up incorrectly and creates a false answer to the question, What Is A hero. A War Hero? Someone that’s saving lives… giving up their own life or at least putting themselves into the line of fire to save others… Absolutely – HERO! Sports Hero? Guitar Hero?? Well, I won’t continue this because it’s really a matter of opinion, but I would rather use the words sports legend rather than sports hero and a Guitar Player, no matter how great, is a rock star. My point is to say that Eddie Van Halen was a big part of my life. Musical inspiration of the highest caliper. He was born 10-1/2 years before me and passed away in 2020, just over 4 years ago at age 65. I had his influence in my life from age 13 until 55! Pretty significant I’d say. When Van Halen 1 was released in FEB. 1978, I was all of 13. A brand-new teenager in the 8th grade. I had started playing the drums, ( well, the snare drum first because I had to prove to my Musician Father that I was serious and could/would learn to read and study the material through lessons) when I was in 5th grade, which puts me at about 10 years old when I first held the drums sticks and started studying. I didn’t get an actual drum set until the 7th grade and the only reason that I got that drum set that my parents could never afford, was because my brother died and had left Mom some money. So, it was a sad/happy feeling to have received those drums under that circumstance, so you’d damn well better know that I took it all very seriously! I’ve always taken Music seriously and that’s why I refuse to tolerate others that don’t. NO, it’s NOT just a hobby! Dad was an actual Musician, a real life long Musician, so I had a teacher living in my house with me ( Ha Ha ). This was both beneficial and a huge pain in the butt! When I was 10, he was 58! Dad ruled with an iron fist! Two of them in fact. So, If I ever didn’t pay attention at a lesson, or had a question for dear ole Dad… “What do you mean you don’t understand what the teacher told you!? What the hell am I paying for? Why weren’t you paying attention! You don’t know the value of a dollar! Ahhhh… Fun Fun Fun - Practice, Practice, Practice - Love It, Love It, Love It. Even though my instrument of choice at the time was the drums and Eddie Van Halen is obviously a guitarist, Eddie wrote all the music. Not the lyrics, not the drum parts, but all the music. I loved their Music. It motivated me and it moved me in ways that I had never felt as a kid, or even a young adult. Growing up, I always heard the Drummer jokes – A band of 4 consists of 3 musicians and a drummer … Ha Ha … But upon reading this book by Alex, I learned that they treated each other as equals, and Alex had a say in the music as to the form, the structure, intros, fade in and outs, song choices, song order, and all those things because they respected each other and had a very tight brotherly bond through all the years together before they made it. And they stuck together through it all even after they made it. I was hoping that this book would be mostly about Eddie, even though I like to think that as far as Eddie Van Halen goes, I’ve read every interview in print and have seen every interview on video! The difference being that Alex was there and experienced everything that Ed did, plus, they were brothers, so I was hoping for a different take from another person that was there. I wanted a personal perspective from Eddie, I wanted to know what they talked about privately, and I wanted insight on how things really went down during the many events that they had during the Van Halen years, I wanted to be a fly on the wall when the two Brothers talked about “things and stuff”, not just what they told reporters and casual encounters with people that told stories. Well, I must report that after reading it all, if you were hoping for the same revelations for the same reasons I was, you’re going to be disappointed. But, the book itself isn’t disappointing at all, it’s a great read and I highly recommend it. And he does reveal certain aspects of their lives together as they toured the world, but maybe I just had my expectations set too high. Understand that from my point of view, my point of expectations, my perspective, the book could have been ten thousand pages and reveled everything they’ve ever said and done, and it still wouldn’t have satisfied me. But, keep in mind, I’m me, and you’re normal! Apparently, he started writing it in 2020 right after he lost his brother, though I didn’t hear about him writing a book until sometime in 2023, maybe late 2022. But it still seemed like an awful long time after finding out, so, maybe that’s why I expected so much. Anticipation does that to you. This is why surprises are so memorable and effective. No time to over think things. The book starts out about their Parents and their struggles. It details how shy Eddie was, how sensitive he was and how he always hated giving interviews. It then gets into their club days playing dive bars and backyard parties. It details how they met Michael Anthony and David Lee Roth and there are some interesting details about their club days and especially DLR that are fun to read. They were the best of friends and did everything together for the greater good, which was the band! Their commitment, their comradery. The 4 of them stuck together through all the drama that they would face. Alex doesn’t hold anything back, which is a strong point in the book when reading his words, as he details emotions that both he and Ed felt about certain people and certain happenings. He really hammers it out about when DLR decided that Van Halen was all about him, and that DLR was the main attraction of Van Halen and decided to leave to pursue a solo career. DLR didn’t even go to Eddie and Valeries Marriage Ceremony. The book doesn’t go into the Sammy Hagar years at all. It stops at their last record from the original line up which included David Lee Roth until 1984. Alex doesn’t say much about Ed’s condition and the years of sickness, other than a few mentions about how he’d always have a cigarette in his mouth, plus he’d have one burning in the ashtray, and he always had one in the strings of the headstock of his guitar – 3 at a time, all the time! He calls his brother self-destructive and blames his shyness at being called the greatest guitar player that ever lived and not knowing how to handle all that responsibility, much less having to constantly live up to it, thinking that he wasn’t worthy of his god given gift to play the guitar. Alex mentions how their mother died on the same day that his youngest son was born, and that Eddie died on the same day that his oldest son was born. Though it doesn’t state that they were all in the same years, I suspect he’s talking about the dates themselves, not the exact day AND year. The book is 227 pages and, it does give the details that a normal fan would want, so, other than my own over-expecting, it’s a great read and I highly recommend it if you grew up with Van Halen on the brain! ~~ Chris T. ~~

Alex began each chapter of this book with a quotation or two. Then he closed the book talking about remarkable coincidences in his life. So, with quotations and coincidences in mind I'll begin a review of his book with one of my favorites from Albert Einstein - "A coincidence is God's way of staying anonymous." Alex also closes that book with some distant fond memories that he treasures. Well, I'd like to share a couple myself... The very first live band I ever saw perform live as a teenager growing up in Pasadena, CA was Van Halen. It was at my high school gymnasium in the Fall of '72. It was my freshman welcome dance. Except they weren't called Van Halen yet, they went by Mammoth. All I can recall from that dance was that the guitar player was unbelievably talented, and that he wore a blue Pendleton shirt like one that I happened to also own. A year later, now as Van Halen they played at a friend of mine's garage off Arden Road (mentioned in Alex's book) on Rosalind Road. They were paid $150 (see contract with address redacted), and they played for less than an hour as the rowdy crowd from Pasadena High School or PHS crashed our party, soon followed by the police in their helicopters shining bright spotlights down upon us. As I recall, Mark Stone was still the bassist at the time. I vividly remember David striding into the kitchen with his bright orange spandex outfit and matching platform shoes asking to be paid. After having been blessed to have seen Van Halen perform at other dances and parties in the '70s, I headed north of Pasadena to attend college. At Christmas time I'd come home to Pasadena and worked at the local Christmas tree lot called Tahoe. The cashier was Eddie's girlfriend at the time. Van Halen were working on their 3rd album, so they had already made it big time. Eddie would come in to pick up Kim at the close of most evenings. I was blessed with the opportunity to get to chat with him, as he waited patiently for Kim to get off work. To this day what struck me about Eddie was his humility more than anything else. He was a very sweet, sensitive person who would kindly converse with me. I was so impressed that this guy who was a larger-than-life rock star would even take the time and effort talk to me. A year or so after that was last time I saw Kim at the Sawmill Bar in Pasadena where she told me that she and Eddie had broken up, and he was now dating Valerie. So, when I heard Alex was writing a book based upon his memories and the otherworldly brotherly bond he had with Eddie I went on Amazon and pre-ordered it. I'm so glad that I did. Alex is an incredible storyteller, and this book fully exhibits his amazing talent. Also, Alex has clearly got a heart of gold - and this shines through especially when reading about his relationships with his family. What a surprising joy it was to read this book, so insightful and such an interesting read. Well done Alex!

Alex has a lot to say. Some you may already know, some you may not. Suffice to say, they were innovators who got mashed into the Hair Metal thing, even when I always saw VH as their own original hard rock band. Tired to the dour punk scene, two working class immigrants, a short egocentric rich kid and a chubby fun bass player created a new sound and band that was at once wild and serious. Van Halen was the only rock band where the cheerleaders adored. They weren't metal. They were talented musicians who loved to throw a party. This coupled with Alex's honestly about addiction, his brother's shyness, humbleness and their genius, creates a remarkable bio. Alex is extremely intelligent in his discussions about finding new sounds in the ether and his admiration for fellow artists like William Kurelek and Nirvana. His last brilliant prose about all these great artists that we lost made me think of the final end of Floyd's Welcome to the Machine. Where the machine cuts off and all you hear is some lane record launch party with goofy people giggling. Made me think that Van Halen were musicians first and had to steer around and sometimes into the frivality. I did wish he cut down on the exclamations. It reminded me of another excellent bio called Punk Ave. The writer did this !!! too much. But that's small stuff. Well done, Mr. Van Halen. (And the true reason about the infamous M&Ms controversy was epic). You should start the VH movie with an ignored guitar player asking a writer if he can play basketball with him.

I've read an awful lot of books about Van Halen; memoirs from Noel Monk, Dave Roth, Sammy Hagar, and Ted Templeman; interview collections, and even Renoff's impeccably researched book Van Halen Rising. I've even read quite a bit about them from other rock bios, like Lukather's and Ozzy's books. And part of what makes Brothers an interesting read is that Alex read all those books, too. Sometimes, he quotes them because he thinks they say what he's thinking better; sometimes, he quotes them just to give more context; and other times... well, he's disagreeing. But what's amazing about it is that, like a well-composed piece of music, he allows those dissenting voices space to make their statements. The voices he disagrees with most are the ones you don't hear at all. One specifically. He barely mentions Sammy by name. And if you've read Templeman's book, you kind of get it. Another part of what makes it interesting is that Alex is not nearly as well-represented in any of those books as Edward, Dave, or even Michael. While Ed was painfully shy, Alex is opening up here about his family life, and in particular about their parents, and their home life. Ed wasn't locked in a room with his guitar; it was barely a room, and there was no lock to be found. He speaks lovingly of both of their parents, about how their mother wanted more for them than just to be rock entertainers and to wear suits! But also about how critical and formative the lessons they learned from their father was in the kind of band they created and how they built it. Alex Van Halen covers their lives in deep detail from the beginning through the break up with Dave Roth, with a few bits and pieces about the death of Edward. I was expecting a tear-jerker, but the warmth and humor he has towards his brother, and sharing his stories from those early years, are a joy to read instead, and he doesn't dwell long on his brother's death, while making clear the profound impact it's had on him. If you're into Van Halen history, this is likely the most detailed, introspective and insightful look into the breakup with Dave Roth of any book, because he starts from the beginning and goes all the way to the end. Like I said above, he makes it clear that this is his perspective only, his opinion, his values; and yet by doing so, it lends an authority to his words here that others' perspectives lack. If you've read every other Van Halen book, you owe it to yourself to read this one for that perspective. If you haven't read any other Van Halen books, the brevity, detail and references to the other works make this book a great starting point. If you don't care about Van Halen, this book is very insightful into the music industry of that era and what it took to succeed in it. And if you don't care about any of those... why are you here?

"Brothers" by Alex Van Halen is a captivating journey through the life and bond of two rock legends, Alex and Eddie Van Halen. As a fan of hard rock biographies, I found this book to be truly exceptional. Alex skillfully intertwines personal anecdotes with profound insights their father imparted, offering a deep and intimate look into their lives. What struck me most was Alex's ability to convey raw emotion and genuine sentiment throughout the narrative. His storytelling obliterated the line between author and reader, drawing me into their world with every turn of the page. The book not only celebrates their musical journey but also beautifully captures the essence of brotherhood and family. "Brothers" is an excellent read for anyone interested in the Van Halen legacy, offering a poignant and heartfelt glimpse into the lives of two remarkable musicians. Alex Van Halen's storytelling prowess shines through, making this biography a must-read for fans and newcomers alike.

This is an amazing memoir. I know next to nothing about Van Halen other than the 3 songs from 1984 that got radio play. But I read a blurb about this book, thought I’d check it out. I’m an avid reader, to put it mildly, and a former Language Arts teacher - and this was the one of the best memoirs I’ve ever read. Soooo many of them are far longer than they need to be, include too many details either foreign or boring to the reader, and serve as little more than a self celebration. This was none of those. Other than the sometimes annoying overuse of ! and HA!, the writing style was absolutely perfect. He took a lot of history, details, and information not known to many readers and crafted an accessible, very moving, and really fascinating tribute to his brother. Fans of the band will certainly love the book, but what elevates it is that even a reader such as I, who has only a passing knowledge of the group or the music industry, found myself unable to put it down - other than to repeatedly Google song names and guitar terms and watch of few of their videos for reference; I quickly realized that saying Eddie Van Halen was gifted and innovative is an understatement of some magnitude. Alex Van Halen clearly put a lot of love into writing this book. It has just the right amount of sentiment, detail, and “inside information” and his approach is often humorous and unfailingly charming. HIGHLY RECOMMEND. HA! 😄

Alex Van Halen tells the story of the two brothers growing up and founding Van Halen. It was nice to hear about the early years but I was frustrated that the story only covered the first decade of the band. The book ended at the release of "1984" and David Lee Roth leaving the band. To me this is where things began to get interesting... but the next 40 years of biography content is missing. Other than that it was an interesting story... it just left me feeling like there should have been more.

Some good inside Van Halen and behind the scenes stories from behind the drum kit. Stops after David Lee Roth leaves the band but doesn't really explain why in many details. Stories are thin on details, more about how bad Dave was than talking about Ed. Barely mentions Michael Anthony, never mentions him by his last name, thanks everyone including Dave and God in the Acknowledgements but no Mike. Never mentions the Hagar years or acknowledged him coming in the band. Quick read, not long on details, great music just not a great memoir.