Druing a recent conversation with Gastão Moreira of Brazil’s “Kazagastão,” Alex Van Halen shed light on the highly speculated project he has been developing alongside Toto guitarist Steve Lukather.
The main point of the interview was the confirmation that the upcoming record will feature previously unreleased, unfinished recordings that Alex created with his late brother, the iconic Eddie Van Halen.
Setting the record straight on the quality and intention behind the release, Alex stated:
“Ed [late Van Halen guitarist and Alex‘s brother, Eddie Van Halen] and I had a lot of stuff that we made, that we made musically that we never let go. Many people have asked, what about releasing unreleased stuff? Well, we’re not gonna release it in its embryonic form because it wouldn’t make any sense. But I’ve been fortunate enough to have Steve Lukather, who was a good friend of Ed‘s, and we’re working on putting a record together, but it has to be of the quality and the level of where we left it. Not just to say, ‘Hey, here’s some music that we made. If you like it, that’s great.’ No. It has to be the quality that we expect.”
When asked how Lukather fits into the puzzle of completing these archival tracks, Alex praised the guitarist’s musical intuition and ability to seamlessly tie the elements together:
“I call Lukather Luke affectionately. He is the connective tissue. Luke can play anything… But because of this talent that kind of blends in with everything, he doesn’t get the recognition that I think he deserves. And I may be wrong. Maybe he is recognized the world over. He should be, because I can’t play guitar. And I can work things out on a keyboard, but it takes me too long to figure it out. And by that time, the moment is gone. I went to Steve‘s house several times and we played a piece of music and he goes, ‘Yeah, I got it. That’s it. That’s all we need.’ Then he can do all the connective tissues. He knows where to put the solo, as far as structure and organ and structure and an organization. I have my opinions and he has his, and they are just opinions. So he can facilitate things that would’ve taken me 10 times as long. And I love the guy. We’ve known him for years.”
Alex also confirmed that the foundation of these songs was actually intended for the next Van Halen studio album before Eddie‘s passing. The core instrumentation—featuring Eddie‘s son, Wolfgang Van Halen, on bass—is largely intact:
“Well, these are recordings that were going to be the next [Van Halen] record, and that were stopped because [Ed] didn’t live that long… The drums are already recorded. The drums, the guitar and the bass are already in there. What we didn’t have is a vocalist, and obviously the subtleties and the glue — we call it the glue or the spackle…”
“Most of ’em is Wolf [Wolfgang Van Halen, Eddie‘s son and former Van Halen bassist], because these are recordings that were made ready for the next record,” he told when asked who is playing the bass.
With the instrumental tracks largely secured, the massive hurdle remains finding the right singer. Alex revealed that they had initially approached Free and Bad Company legend Paul Rodgers, but health and vocal limitations prevented it from happening:
“We originally had plans to — I think I can probably say without talking outta school, one of the singers who we really, really, really wanted to use for the new stuff was Paul Rodgers, and he has a relationship with Luke and we grew up on Free and all that, but [Paul] can’t do it anymore. And it was very difficult for him to bring himself to say, ‘No, I can’t. Count me out.’ I respect that. I’m saddened and disappointed, but you know, that’s life… He knows he can’t do it — which I think is better than saying, ‘Yeah, I can do it,’ and then not be able to do it.”
The search for the right frontman continues. When the interviewer suggested Led Zeppelin‘s Robert Plant, Alex was open to the idea but noted the importance of finding someone from their specific era who understands the musical context.
“Yeah. Luke and I are looking for somebody right now”
“Music is not so much about music as it is about people having a shared experience. I’m 72. We gotta find somebody in that age group who was exposed to the same musical experience that we have. Otherwise, it doesn’t have the depth.”
“I can’t remember what the expression is, but there’s a difference between knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge is knowing that a cucumber is a vegetable. Wisdom is knowing where to put it. [Laughs]”
“Robert Plant is brilliant. But if it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be. And he’s out touring, doing his thing. He would’ve been an ideal choice. But nothing is etched in stone. And I really believe that the universe will work something out to where this project will come out the best it can possibly be. We have no other intent other than to have it come to fruition.”
One potential contender for the role is Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst. Responding to Consequence’s report on the topic via social media yesterday, Durst commented: “let’s go!! I’m ready.”
let’s go!! I’m ready
— Fred Durst (@freddurst) February 19, 2026
While the idea of Fred Durst fronting Van Halen material might seem unusual, there’s a fascinating shared history between him and Eddie Van Halen that has become almost legendary. According to the 2020 book “Eruption In The Canyon: 212 Days and Nights with the Genius of Eddie Van Halen,” the two connected at a 2001 party following guitarist Wes Borland’s departure from Limp Bizkit.
The encounter eventually led to a jam session at Durst’s Beverly Hills home. Reports suggest that Eddie quickly grew frustrated with the party lifestyle and heavy dr*g use that were part of the band’s environment at the time.
Eddie reportedly left his gear behind during his abrupt departure. After struggling for two days to recover his equipment, seemingly ignored by Durst, he devised a new approach. Author Andrew Bennett, who penned the book, described the incident:
“Eddie once bought an assault vehicle from a military auction. It has a shine g*n mount on the back and is not legal. Eddie drove that assault vehicle through L.A., into Beverly Hills, then parked and left it running on the front lawn of the house Limp Bizkit was rehearsing in.”
“He got out wearing no shirt, his hair in a Samurai bun on top of his head, his jeans held up with a strand of rope and combat boots held together by duct tape. And he had a g*n in his hand.”
Bennett also recounted Eddie’s take on how the situation unfolded.
“That a**hole answered the door. I put my g*n to that stupid f**king red hat of his, and I said, ‘Where’s my s**t, motherf**ker?’ That f**king guy just turned to one of his employees and starts yelling at him to grab my s**t…’”
“Eddie Van Halen stood on the front lawn of a residential home in Beverly Hills in broad daylight, smoking a cigarette while holding a g*n on Fred Durst as he went back and forth from the house to the assault vehicle, lugging amps and guitars,” he added.
