TOTO guitarist Steve Lukather has addressed recent speculation about his involvement in unreleased Van Halen recordings. He made the clarification through his Instagram statement on March 15.
“For the record: Ever since Alex Van Halen dropped some we were gonna work together I think there is a huge misunderstanding,” Lukather stated. “I will NOT EVER play a guitar note on a VH song ever!”
“Al asked me to help him go through a ton of unfinished recordings of Al and Ed writing and recording that never saw the light of day,” he explained. “As of now that’s all I got.”
“The fact that ANYONE would think for even a second that I would play anything on this is ridiculous,” Lukather continued. “I have too much love and respect for that and… I play nothing like Ed.. more as a co-producer or something. I am honored Al would ask me though.”
De Telegraaf newspaper had reported that Lukather would play guitar on unfinished Van Halen recordings. The project currently remains in development with Alex Van Halen.
The existence of unreleased Van Halen material has been extensively documented throughout the years. Multiple sources have confirmed substantial archives of unheard recordings.
Bass veteran Michael Anthony shared insights with Guitar Player. He confirmed the existence of “miles” of recorded ideas from before their 1978 debut album. This vast collection showcases the band’s creative output during their early years.
Ultimate Classic Rock reports that the band repurposed several unreleased songs for their 2012 album “A Different Kind of Truth.” This demonstrates the lasting quality of their vault material.
95.7 The Hog revealed that Warner Bros. has discovered new tracks in their vaults. These include an alternative version of “Hot for Teacher.” The unique recording features Eddie Van Halen performing both guitar and bass parts.
The significance of this archival project between Alex Van Halen and Steve Lukather is clear. However, Lukather’s involvement will focus solely on reviewing and organizing the material. He will not contribute musically to the recordings.
