Alex Van Halen Shares Message on First Birthday Without Eddie Van Halen

Drummer Alex Van Halen has largely stayed out of the public eye since the death of his brother Eddie Van Halen last fall, but the musician offered a new public statement as he passed his first birthday minus his brother on Saturday (May 8).

Posting a photo of the siblings in happier times, Alex commented in a post shared by the Van Halen News Desk, “First birthday without you, Ed. The view from my drum set will never be the same. VH forever!” He then added hashtags for #VanHalenForever, #AlexVanHalen, #EddieVanHalen, #VanHalenBrothers, #TheMightyVanHalen, #VanHalen, #EVHForever and #EVHRIP.

Last fall, shortly after Eddie Van Halen’s death, the drummer shared a brief but touching post showcasing the two brothers as children and the message, “Hey Ed, Love You. See you on the other side. Your brother, Al.”

Eddie’s son, Wolfgang Van Halen, revealed the news that his father had died on Oct. 6 after a battle with cancer. Eddie’s family members and bandmates also shared their tributes which can be seen here.

Alex founded the Van Halen band with Eddie in 1974 and remained the lone constant in the lineup alongside his brother throughout the group’s entire run. They released 12 studio albums during their run en route to a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2007.

Their catalog includes two diamond-selling albums – the band’s self-titled debut and 1984 – and 13 chart-toppings singles on the Mainstream Rock chart including such classics as “(Oh) Pretty Woman,” “Jump” and “Why Can’t This Be Love.”