Legendary Collab: Alex Van Halen Working On Album With Toto’s Steve Lukather
It has been a long, quiet road since the world lost guitar great Eddie Van Halen in 2020. For the better part of the last five years, fans have been staring at the metaphorical doors of the 5150 studio, wondering if – or when – the silence would break. The wait is now over, folks. Alex Van Halen is officially heading back into the studio, and he’s bringing a heavy hitter with him: Steve Lukather. We have all heard the rumors. We’ve all read the tabloids. But now, we finally have it straight from the source. Yes!
Alex Van Halen Breaks His Silence
The confirmation dropped in a way that feels perfectly on-brand for the old guard of rock – during a casual chat between legends. While speaking on the “Metal Sticks” podcast with Iron Maiden’s Nicko McBrain, Van Halen dropped the bombshell. “I’m getting ready to do this record with Lukather and a couple of other people,” he said. “It should be exciting.”
That’s it. No press release, no flashy Instagram teaser, just a matter-of-fact statement that signals a massive shift. For several years, Alex Van Halen has been understandably private, mourning the loss of his brother and bandmate. To hear him speak about a “new record” with genuine excitement is the kind of emotional pivot point fans have been waiting for. It suggests that the grieving period is shifting into a period of celebration and preservation.
Steve Lukather is Not “Replacing” Eddie
But before the internet explodes with wild theories about a new lineup or a sacrilegious reboot, let’s take a look at what is actually happening. This isn’t a reunion tour. This is a quasi-rescue mission. Lukather is not joining Van Halen to play guitar. If you think the Toto legend would dare try to fill the shoes of his best friend, you probably don’t understand the bond they shared.
Lukather has been aggressively shutting down this narrative for months. When rumors first swirled that he was involved, he took to social media with the kind of sass and authority that shuts down trolls instantly. He explicitly stated to Ultimate Classic Rock he would “NOT EVER” play a note of guitar on a Van Halen track. Lukather went on to say:
“The fact that ANYONE would think for even a second that I would play anything on this is ridiculous. I have too much love and respect for that and I play nothing like Ed [Van Halen].”
So, what is he doing? He’s acting as a curator, a co-producer, and more than likely, an emotional support system for Alex. His job is to help sift through the mountain of tapes, organize it, and polish the gems without altering the perfect, gorgeous guitar DNA of what Ed played.
The Treasure Trove Inside the 5150 Vault
We aren’t talking about a few throwaway demos here. Van Halen has previously hinted that there are “three or four albums” worth of material sitting in the vault. These are tracks that didn’t make the cut, jam sessions that went on for hours, and unfinished symphonies that only the brothers understood.
The release of the track “Unfinished” alongside Alex Van Halen’s memoir, “Brothers,” gave us a taste of what’s possible – a haunting, beautiful glimpse into their creative process. But turning hours of jamming into cohesive songs requires a steady hand. That is why Lukather is the only man for the job. He was there during the glory days. He played rhythm on “Beat It” while Eddie Van Halen shredded the solo. He understands the musical language the brothers spoke.
A Labor of Love, Not a Cash Grab
This project carries a heavy emotional weight. This isn’t a label scraping the bottom of the barrel for a quick buck; this is a brother trying to figure out how to say goodbye properly. Van Halen admitted that working on this material is about figuring out “how and why and what to do with them.”
By recruiting Lukather, Van Halen is ensuring the integrity of the music remains intact. We are looking at a project that honors the greatest guitarist who ever lived, intelligently curated by the people who loved him most. It’s going to be emotional, it’s going to be heavy, and if Van Halen says it’s going to be exciting, we’d better be ready to listen.
