Former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony has spoken out about the possibility of organizing a tribute show in honor of legendary guitarist Eddie Van Halen. He signaled his openness to the idea but warned Alex Van Halen not to be too late in a conversation shared on Trunk Nation with Eddie Trunk.
Anthony addressed the concept of a large-scale tribute event for Eddie Van Halen, who passed away in October 2020. He expressed both enthusiasm and a sense of urgency, given the age of the remaining band members.
“Yeah, any guitar player or musician could put together a tribute to Eddie, but it would be great, ’cause the rest of us are still here, if anything could happen with us all being involved too, being we were all in the band. But who knows?” Anthony said. “I mean, I’m not gonna sit there and knock on the door all day long, but if somebody knocks on my door and it’s something that sounds like it could be very cool… Like I’ve said in interviews, not a tour, whatever, [but] a couple of giant shows maybe, or maybe one on the East Coast, one on the West Coast, whatever, and just a full-on tribute and thank you to the guy who fricking opened up guitar and took it to the next level.”
Anthony went on to emphasize the level of interest he believes such an event would generate among the guitar community.
“I guarantee any guitar player who’s any guitar player would wanna come and be a part of it, and I think that would really be the amazing thing right there. ‘Cause I, obviously, know plenty of guitar players … and they all would be chomping at the bit to come up and jam, do a couple of songs,” he continued. “Obviously it can be done, but time’s not running out yet, but it’s getting thin for all of us other members to be involved actively in doing something. Because I definitely would love to be part of something like that.”
No official plans for a tribute event have been announced at this time.
Anthony’s comments reflect a broader conversation that has been ongoing in the rock world since Eddie’s passing. It is centered on how best to honor a musician widely regarded as one of the most transformative figures in the history of the electric guitar.
Eddie Van Halen died on October 6, 2020, after a long battle with throat cancer. He was 65 years old. His death sent shockwaves through the music world, with tributes pouring in from virtually every corner of the rock and metal community. This underscored just how far-reaching his influence had been across generations of musicians.
Michael Anthony was a founding member of Van Halen, serving as the band’s bassist from its formation in 1974 until 2006, when he departed amid internal tensions. He was later replaced by Wolfgang Van Halen, Eddie’s son, who joined the band for its 2007 reunion tour with David Lee Roth. Despite his departure, Anthony has consistently spoken with warmth about his time in the band and his relationship with Eddie. This makes him a natural voice in any conversation about a potential tribute.
The remaining original members of Van Halen — Anthony, vocalist David Lee Roth, and drummer Alex Van Halen — are all in their 70s. This lends weight to Anthony’s remarks about the window for such an event narrowing. Alex Van Halen has remained largely out of the public eye since his brother’s death and has not publicly commented on the tribute idea. Wolfgang Van Halen, meanwhile, has continued to honor his father’s memory through his own band, Mammoth WVH, keeping the Van Halen name alive in the live music landscape.
Eddie Van Halen’s impact on guitar playing is difficult to overstate. His two-handed tapping technique, showcased most famously on the instrumental “Eruption” from Van Halen’s 1978 debut album, redefined what was considered possible on the electric guitar. It inspired countless players who followed. A tribute event of the scale Anthony envisions would serve not only as a celebration of that legacy but as a rare opportunity for the surviving members of one of rock’s greatest bands to share a stage one final time.
