For the first time in years, there’s a quiet but heartfelt movement among Van Halen’s surviving members. Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony, the duo who powered the band’s chart-topping era through the late ‘80s and ‘90s, have openly expressed a desire to reconcile with Alex Van Halen, the band’s reclusive drummer and co-founder.
But while their olive branch has been extended several times, Alex has remained silent. And as time passes, the prospect of healing one of rock’s most legendary rifts grows more complicated, and more poignant.
The Long Silence After The Storm
Van Halen’s history is legendary, but it’s also littered with personal battles and broken bonds. When Eddie Van Halen passed away in 2020, fans hoped his death might bring the surviving members together, if not on stage, then at least in spirit.
That reunion never came.
Speaking recently, Sammy Hagar admitted that he hasn’t spoken to Alex in more than two decades. “I’ve tried so many times,” Hagar told Ultimate Classic Rock. “I’ve emailed, I’ve called, I’ve left messages. I just want to talk. I’m not looking for anything other than friendship. But he won’t respond.”
Hagar believes the silence isn’t about hostility, but rather grief and emotional exhaustion. “Alex lost his brother, his best friend, his musical soulmate,” he said. “I can only imagine how hard that must be.”
Reaching Out Again And Again
Together with bassist and longtime friend Michael Anthony, Hagar has made several attempts to reconnect — personally and musically.
The pair, who have been touring under The Best of All Worlds banner performing Van Halen classics, repeatedly invited Alex to join them for a tribute to Eddie. “We didn’t want to do a cash-in reunion or anything cheesy,” Anthony explained. “We just thought it’d be a beautiful thing, to celebrate what we built together, with Alex there to complete the circle.”
The calls went unanswered.
Hagar elaborated:
“I’ve reached out five or six times, sincerely, not for business. I just said, ‘Brother, let’s talk. Let’s make peace before it’s too late.’ I don’t want to take this to my grave.”
The 77 year old singer’s tone is no longer combative, gone are the days of bitter interviews and subtle digs. In their place is something softer, even regretful. “We made some of the best music of our lives together,” Hagar said. “And I still love that man.”
Alex Van Halen’s Silence
Since Eddie’s passing, Alex has retreated from public life almost entirely. Outside of releasing his 2025 memoir Brothers, a personal reflection on growing up with Eddie, he has given no interviews, made no statements about a reunion, and shown no interest in returning to the stage.
In the book, Alex focuses heavily on his bond with Eddie and their shared musical evolution, but he largely avoids discussing later-era bandmates like Hagar. The omission reportedly stung.
“I read the book,” Hagar said. “And yeah, it hurt not to be mentioned. But you know what? I get it. Eddie was his world. I just wish I could tell him that in person.”
Some close to the drummer have suggested that Alex has been struggling with ongoing health issues and a deep desire for privacy. “He’s not angry,” one longtime associate told Rolling Stone. “He’s just done. He doesn’t want the circus anymore.”
Keeping The Flame Alive
Meanwhile, Hagar and Anthony continue to honor the Van Halen legacy through their live shows, playing the hits from both the Roth and Hagar eras with the same joy and reverence that made them famous.
“We’re not trying to replace anybody,” Anthony said. “It’s about keeping that music alive. There are millions of fans out there who still feel that energy, that fire. We’re doing it for them, and for Eddie.”
The chemistry between Hagar and Anthony remains strong, their friendship rekindled after years of estrangement. And though they’ve accepted that Alex may never join them, they both insist they’ll keep the door open.
“Alex doesn’t owe us anything,” Hagar said. “But I’d love to sit down with him one day, even if it’s just to have a beer and laugh about the old days. That’s all I want.”
The Wounds That Never Fully Heal
For many fans, the situation mirrors countless other rock legends, friendships fractured by fame, egos, and loss. Yet, as time passes, these divides seem more tragic than dramatic.
Van Halen’s story has always been about extremes: genius and chaos, love and conflict, triumph and tragedy. But beneath the amplifiers and egos were four men who built something timeless, something that changed the sound of rock forever.
And as the years wear on, Hagar’s mission feels less like an attempt to resurrect Van Halen and more like an attempt to make peace with its ghosts.
A Legacy Worth Healing
No one knows if Alex Van Halen will ever pick up the phone. But if he does, there’s little doubt that Hagar and Anthony will be waiting, not with contracts or press releases, but with open arms.
As Hagar put it best:
“We shared something magical. Life’s too short to let silence be the last word.”
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