David Lee Roth and Alex Van Halen Reunite Publicly for First Time Since 2015

David Lee Roth and Alex Van Halen reunited in public for the first time in nearly a decade on July 30, appearing together for a taped conversation at TEDxFargo. The event, which also featured artist Robert Vargas, marked the pair’s first joint public appearance since Van Halen’s final concert at the Hollywood Bowl in October 2015.

• David Lee Roth and Alex Van Halen appeared together at TEDxFargo on July 30.
• Artist Robert Vargas joined the two musicians for the conversation.
• It was their first public reunion since Van Halen’s last show at the Hollywood Bowl in October 2015.
• Van Halen guitarist and co-founder Eddie Van Halen died in 2020.
• The TEDxFargo talk will soon stream on YouTube.

What Happened at TEDxFargo

Robert Vargas shared photos from the taping and captioned them “Good vibrations only.” He described the event as “Three icons, one conversation. Talking Art, Music, & Creative Process capped with a virtual standing ovation,” adding that the talk is “now filmed and in the vault.” The conversation covered art, music and creative process, and it will soon be available to stream on YouTube.

Why Van Halen Never Reunited After Eddie Van Halen’s Death

Eddie Van Halen, the band’s guitarist and co-founder, died in 2020, five years after Van Halen’s final show. In the wake of his death, Alex Van Halen and David Lee Roth began planning a Van Halen reunion tour, but those plans never came to fruition.

Alex Van Halen told Rolling Stone that the plans collapsed after he told Roth the band needed to overtly acknowledge Eddie during any reunion shows, pointing to how Queen incorporates old footage of Freddie Mercury into its performances. According to Alex, Roth reacted with intense anger to the suggestion. “That’s how it ended,” Alex Van Halen said. “It’s just, my God. It’s like I didn’t know him anymore… But, Dave, you gotta work as a community, motherf**ker. It’s not you alone anymore.” David Lee Roth declined to comment on Alex Van Halen’s account of the collapsed tour plans.

Shortly after the reunion tour fell apart, Alex Van Halen suffered a broken back, an injury that would have forced the tour’s cancellation had it moved forward. Looking back, Alex Van Halen said he now believes it was for the best that the trek never happened, arguing that playing the band’s old songs without Eddie would amount to little more than “a jukebox” and that finding a replacement for his brother “is just not the same.”

FAQ

When did David Lee Roth and Alex Van Halen last appear together before TEDxFargo?

Their last public appearance together before the July 30 TEDxFargo conversation was at Van Halen’s final concert at the Hollywood Bowl in October 2015.

Why did the Van Halen reunion tour after Eddie Van Halen’s death fall apart?

Alex Van Halen said the plans broke down after he insisted on an overt tribute to Eddie Van Halen during any reunion shows, a suggestion he said David Lee Roth reacted to with intense anger.

Where can fans watch the TEDxFargo conversation?

Robert Vargas said the taped conversation is “in the vault” and will soon be available to stream on YouTube.

More Info

1. Van Halens David Lee Roth and Alex Van Halen Reunite Onstage for the First Time Since 2015 (American Songwriter) https://americansongwriter.com/van-halens-david-lee-roth-and-alex-van-halen-reunite-onstage-for-the-first-time-since-2015/