Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony Express Disappointment Over Exclusion from Alex Van Halen's Upcoming Album Project
Los Angeles, CA – February 27, 2026 – Former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar and bassist Michael Anthony have voiced their disappointment after confirming they have not been invited to participate in a new album that drummer Alex Van Halen is completing with Toto guitarist Steve Lukather. The project draws from unfinished recordings originally intended as the next Van Halen studio album before the 2020 death of guitarist Eddie Van Halen.
In a recent interview on the Rock Of Nations podcast with hosts Dave Kinchen and Shane McEachern, Hagar and Anthony addressed rumors surrounding their potential involvement. When asked directly if they were contributing to the LP—or if they would like to—Hagar was candid.
"No. We haven't been asked, number one," Hagar said. He went on to highlight the wealth of archived material from his era with the band, noting that Van Halen sessions often produced hundreds of hours of jams that were later shaped into songs. He cited examples from their first day jamming together at Eddie’s 5150 studio, which yielded classics like "Summer Nights," "Good Enough," and the beginnings of "Get Up" from the 1986 album 5150. "There's so much stuff from Mike and I and Ed and Al in the studio... Al could really choose from [it], if he wanted to include Mike and I," Hagar added.
The singer described the project as more of "an Alex Van Halen project" than a full Van Halen endeavor, while expressing clear frustration. "I'm disappointed that Mike and I wouldn't be invited. It's, like, what? Are you kidding me? We're still alive. We're out here doing it. We're playing those songs. We can still do it, you know?"
Anthony echoed a willingness to contribute if asked. "Yeah. If this is material that we jammed on or whatever, I'd have no problem coming in and singing or [playing bass] or whatever. It's all good there."
The comments come amid ongoing developments for the album. Alex Van Halen recently told Brazil's Gastão Moreira on Kazagastão that "most" of the bass on the tracks features Wolfgang Van Halen (Eddie's son and the band's former bassist), as the recordings were prepared for what would have been the follow-up to 2012's A Different Kind of Truth. The core includes Eddie's guitar parts, Alex's drums, and bass, with vocals still needed. Lukather, a longtime friend of Eddie's, has been instrumental in fleshing out the material, providing what Alex called "connective tissue" through his versatile playing and structural expertise.
Alex has stressed maintaining high quality rather than releasing raw demos. "It has to be of the quality and the level of where we left it," he said, praising Lukather's ability to quickly organize and enhance the pieces.
Anthony previously suggested in a WNCX radio interview that the project might best serve as an instrumental tribute to Eddie, avoiding the challenges of adding a new vocalist or lyrics. "If they wanted to do it justice, [the best idea would be] to just finish it up as a great instrumental nod to Eddie," he said.
The album's status remains uncertain, with recent reports indicating Alex and Lukather are seeking a vocalist to complete it. Hagar and Anthony's remarks highlight lingering tensions within the Van Halen camp, even as fans await any release from the band's extensive unreleased archives.
No official release date or further details on the project's direction have been announced.
