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Van Halen‘s manager has confirmed that the classic line-up of the band were close to going on tour together last year.
Speculation that Van Halen’s 1974-1985 line-up — Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, David Lee Roth and Michael Anthony — would play live together again had been mounting in recent years, and in a new interview Van Halen’s manager Irving Azoff has confirmed that that was indeed their intention.
Speaking following the death this week of Eddie Van Halen following his battle with cancer, Azoff told Pollstar that those 2019 touring plans were ultimately scuppered by the guitarist’s health issues.
“We had lots of stops and starts, but there was every intention of doing a summer stadium tour [in 2019],” Azoff said, before adding: “As the cancer moved around, [Eddie Van Halen] was physically unable to do it.”
Azoff claims that there were also plans to invite the likes of Foo Fighters and Metallica to join the tour in select cities, and that the tour itself would’ve been marketed as a grand farewell to Van Halen.
“There is no doubt in my mind that it would have been massive,” he added.
A host of major music names paid tribute to Eddie Van Halen following the news of his death this week, with Ozzy Osbourne delivering a moving tribute to the late guitarist.
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