Eddie Van Halen Was Planning to Bring Back Michael Anthony for Van Halen Farewell Tour

The post Eddie Van Halen Was Planning to Bring Back Michael Anthony for Van Halen Farewell Tour appeared first on Consequence.

Eddie Van Halen was in the process of reuniting Van Halen’s classic lineup for a farewell tour before his health took a turn for the worse and he eventually passed away in October 2020. The revelation comes from Extreme guitarist Nuno Bettencourt, who met with the rock legend in 2019.

While speaking with Sirius XM (as transcribed by Brave Words) about Extreme’s recent comeback single “Rise” and the band’s forthcoming album, Six, Bettencourt recalled a surprise visit from Eddie during the recording of the LP. Bettencourt was in a studio laying down the solo to “Rise” when he got a call from Extreme singer and onetime Van Halen vocalist Gary Cherone, who told him to get back to his home as soon as he can.

When Bettencourt arrived back at his house, Cherone was there with none other than Eddie Van Halen. The rock icon proceeded to play the Extreme bandmates some songs by his son, Wolfgang (later released on the debut album from Wolf’s Mammoth WVH project), while also revealing his plans for Van Halen.

“Edward [was] playing us some of Wolf’s new stuff, which we all know now was coming out,” recalled Bettencourt. “And he was like a proud papa saying that [Wolf] played all the instruments and he did that and everything else. And then he said something really cool, he was like, ‘Hey, just between us … I wanna let you know Van Halen’s coming back and we’re gonna go out the way we came, with [bassist] Michael [Anthony]. We’re planning a run, and we’re gonna go out the way we came in, like a farewell tour, but like, do it old school.'”

Van Halen’s last active lineup featured Eddie, singer David Lee Roth, drummer Alex Van Halen, and bassist Wolfgang Van Halen. According to Bettencourt’s recollection, Wolfgang was the one who encouraged Eddie to bring Anthony back into the fold.

“I’m like, ‘Amazing. Overdue, way overdue,'” Bettencourt remembered telling Eddie of his tour plan. “He was even saying, like, ‘You know, Wolf, he’s the one who’s like, he’s reaching out to Michael.’ It was like a really cool thing.”

Eddie had planned to meet with the Extreme guys again once their album was finished, to give it a listen, but as Bettencourt noted, “He never made it back for obvious reasons, ’cause he passed away shortly afterwards.”

Bettencourt also said that he was inspired by EVH’s playing for the “Rise” solo, noting how in retrospect it was a coincidence that he was recording it at the same time he got the call from Cherone to meet up with Eddie.

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Prior to Eddie’s passing, Michael Anthony himself acknowledged in 2019 that Van Halen’s management did reach out to him about a possible reunion with the band, but said ultimately it didn’t materialize.

Van Halen’s manager Irving Azoff later confirmed that the tour was scrapped due to Eddie’s declining health at the time, while Wolfgang noted there was even a plan for a “kitchen-sink tour” with all three singers: David Lee Roth, Sammy Hagar, and Gary Cherone

Listen to Nuno Bettencourt recall his conversation with Eddie Van Halen in the player below.

Eddie Van Halen Was Planning to Bring Back Michael Anthony for Van Halen Farewell Tour
Spencer Kaufman

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