Former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony has opened up about the confusion surrounding the much-talked-about but ultimately abandoned Van Halen tribute project — the one that briefly involved ex-Metallica bassist Jason Newsted.
In a recent interview, Anthony revealed that he first learned about the rumored tribute lineup the same way many fans did: through the press.
> “Honestly, I heard about it in the press,” Anthony admitted. “Nobody from the Van Halen camp or anywhere else called me about it beforehand. I just started seeing all these stories pop up online about Jason Newsted, Joe Satriani, and even Alex [Van Halen] being part of a tribute. And I was like, ‘Wait a second — this is the first I’m hearing about it!’”
Back in 2022, Newsted himself stirred headlines when he claimed Alex Van Halen had approached him to potentially join forces with Joe Satriani and David Lee Roth for a tribute to Eddie Van Halen. The news spread like wildfire, but nothing materialized, with the idea collapsing before it got off the ground.
Anthony said the reports left him feeling blindsided, but not necessarily surprised.
> “I love Alex to death, and I know it’s tough for him after losing Eddie. But sometimes things get floated out there without everyone being on the same page,” Anthony explained. “It’s not like there wasn’t interest in doing something — we all wanted to honor Eddie — but for me, the way it came out just felt weird.”
While the proposed project never came together, Anthony made it clear he would have been open to paying tribute to his late bandmate, but only under the right circumstances.
> “If there’s ever going to be a Van Halen tribute, it’s got to be done right,” Anthony stressed. “Eddie deserves the best, not some rushed thing that people hear about before the band even talks about it.”
For now, the bassist continues to perform with Sammy Hagar in The Circle, keeping Van Halen’s music alive on stage. But he hasn’t closed the door on a future tribute that properly celebrates the guitarist who changed rock forever.
> “The fans deserve it, and Eddie deserves it,” Anthony said. “But it has to come from the heart — not from the headlines.”
