'Van Halen' Book By ALEX VAN HALEN: More Details Revealed

Genesis Publications has announced that pre-orders are now open for "Van Halen", written and signed by Alex Van Halen. This is the official chronicle of the band, published in a limited edition of only 1,500 signed and numbered copies worldwide. The book traces the brothers' journey from their childhood in Pasadena, California, and the band's early days playing backyard parties, to the release and world tour of their chart-topping album 1984.

Featuring a dynamic blend of iconic photography alongside rare and never-before-seen images, and with exclusive access to Alex Van Halen's private archives, "Van Halen" offers a personally guided tour through the band's legendary rise.

"Van Halen" opens the Van Halen family archive for the first time. From the brothers' arrival in California from Holland in 1962 to backyard parties in Pasadena, their 1978 debut album and the chart-topping success of 1984, the band's story is explored through an extraordinary collection of correspondence, tour memorabilia, album artwork, press material, musical equipment, unpublished photographs and much more.

Featuring photography from the band's early years on the Sunset Strip, their first tours to Japan in 1978, and landmark performances including the US Festival in 1983 and 1984's Monsters Of Rock, "Van Halen" brings together rare archival material alongside the work of celebrated photographers.

This wealth of archival material is accompanied by an original manuscript from Alex Van Halen, drawn from a series of new interviews conducted especially for this book — his most sustained and detailed reflection on the band's formative years. Alongside Alex's account are archival texts from Eddie Van Halen, together with contributions from fellow musicians, friends and artists inspired by the band.

Brothers with different superpowers. Eddie revolutionized rock guitar with tone, technique, and attitude, while Alex anchored those innovations with sophisticated rudiment-based grooves, syncopated accents, and a jazz-tinged feel that still feels modern decades later. In that sense, the quip "Alex Van Halen is to drums what Eddie was to guitar" captures how both were virtuosic, stylistically singular, and essential to the band's sound." (Modern Drummer magazine)

Copies 1 to 350 are presented as Deluxe boxed sets, each containing a copy of "Van Halen" hand-signed by Alex Van Halen. The Deluxe boxed set also includes an archival art print of VAN HALEN in front of the collapsed Pier 48 on the Hudson River, West Village, Manhattan, NY, 1978. The print measures 11" × 8" and is suitable for framing.

Fully bound in black vegan leather with silver page edging, the Deluxe copies feature a patch motif from VAN HALEN's 1982 "Hide Your Sheep" tour and are housed in a black clamshell box featuring the VAN HALEN emblem surrounded by Alex's iconic burning ring design.

The Deluxe set also includes exact replicas of items from the VAN HALEN archive: a vintage silver VAN HALEN logo pin, a 1979 Van Halen Productions keychain, three replica Eddie Van Halen stage-used guitar picks, six 6" × 4" art postcards and a 7" vinyl record (tracks to be announced).

Copies 351 to 1,500 are presented as Collector boxed sets, each containing a copy of "Van Halen" hand-signed by Alex Van Halen. Quarter-bound in black vegan leather with silver page edging, Collector copies feature a silver debossed VAN HALEN logo from the band's 1978 world tour. The book is presented in a black clamshell box featuring the VAN HALEN emblem, surrounded by Alex's iconic burning ring design.

Each Collector boxed set includes exact replicas of items from the VAN HALEN archive: a 1979 Van Halen Productions keychain, three replica Eddie Van Halen stage-used guitar picks, six 6" × 4" art postcards and a 7" vinyl record (tracks to be announced).

Alex Van Halen formed VAN HALEN with his brother, Eddie Van Halen, in 1972. Alongside David Lee Roth and Michael Anthony, they powered one of history's most successful rock bands.

As the heartbeat of the band, Alex helped drive the band's breakthrough era from the late 1970s through the mid-1980s — this period produced a run of multi-platinum albums including "Van Halen", "Fair Warning" and "1984", which featured classics such as "Runnin' With The Devil", "Panama" and "Jump".

Born in Amsterdam and raised in Pasadena, California, Alex began as a classical pianist before switching to drums, this background contributed to his artistry behind the kit. He is known for using large drum kits, and his approach fully utilized these kits while complementing the band's electric performances.

The backbone of every iteration of VAN HALEN, the brothers would rise to Californian stardom with five hard years of gigging on and around the Sunset Strip, then go on to tour with JOURNEY, Ronnie Montrose and BLACK SABBATH before becoming headliners in their own right, finally disbanding in 2020.

Together, VAN HALEN became one of the best-selling bands in history, selling over 75 million records worldwide and they were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2007. Cementing their legacy as icons of rock, and Alex a major influence on generations of drummers.

Pre-order the book now from VanHalenAnthology.com.

Genesis Publications was founded in 1974 in Britain as an independent publishing house true to the arts of printing and craftsmanship. Genesis creates some of the world's most sought- after books for readers in 90 countries, working in the past with authors such as George Harrison, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton and with recent authors in including Yusuf/Cat Stevens, DEF LEPPARD, Chuck D, Paul Weller, Lenny Kravitz, THE BEACH BOYS and THE DOORS.