To mark what would have been Eddie Van Halen’s 71st birthday on January 26, Alex Van Halen shared a glimpse into the past by posted a silent home video of his brother as a young boy playing the instrument with which he would change music.
Although the clip contains no audio, Eddie’s joy is evident as he strums an acoustic guitar. At one point, the camera briefly turns to a young Alex, who flashes a wide grin, a reminder that the Van Halen story was always a shared one.
Accompanying the video, Alex included a message from his nephew, Wolfgang Van Halen: “Al, you and dad changed the world of music.” Wolfgang responded in the comments with three red heart emojis, while his mother, Valerie Bertinelli, added a single white heart.
The post arrived amid a period of renewed creative activity for Alex. Earlier this month, he confirmed he’s working on a new album with Toto guitarist Steve Lukather. Alex has also revealed plans for a new Van Halen anthology book, slated for release later this year, which will follow his 2024 memoir, Brothers.
The birthday tribute was a silent reminder of where the Van Halen journey began.
