alex van halen: finish what they started. Pt. 2/2

Now let’s look at the VH singer possibilities if the music already recorded is in a keyboard heave experience ala the Hagar years or whatever you’d call the Cherone years as well.  We all know that there were leftover for a follow-up to “Van Halen III” and Edward didn’t toss ideas he laid down on guitar. 

In part one I gave you the vocalist for an album that’s music was in the vein of Roth era music.  Frankly, taking them all into consideration, well, let’s get through the Van Hagar/Cherone era(s) music.

1.    RICHIE KOTZEN

Richie Kotzen is the guy who walks into the studio, opens his mouth, and suddenly everyone remembers what a real voice sounds like. He’s got that molten‑soul tone, that grown‑man phrasing, that “I’ve lived a life and I’m not apologizing for any of it” weight that late‑period Eddie’s music demands. Kotzen doesn’t oversing, doesn’t posture, doesn’t chase nostalgia he just fucking delivers pure, effortless, emotionally loaded melody that sits perfectly on top of keys, synths, and atmospheric grooves.  If the unfinished Van Halen album leans into the Hagar‑era melodic sophistication or the VH III introspective shadows, Kotzen is the one singer who could elevate it without breaking a sweat. He’s the modern gold standard for adult rock vocals, and the one of few singers who could make those tracks feel like they were always meant for him.

2.   SEBASTIAN BACH  (The Nuclear Option)

Sebastian Bach is the pick you make when you want the album to punch through the goddamn wall.  People forget how good he still is because they’re stuck in the ’89 freeze‑frame, but Bach today is a different animal; older, sharper, more dangerous, and still capable of unleashing a skyscraper‑level vocal when the moment calls for it.  If the unfinished Van Halen album has even one track that wants to explode into one big, soaring, melodic monster, Bach is the guy who can take it from “strong” to “holy hell.”  He’s not subtle, he’s not polite, and that’s exactly why he belongs on this list. Sometimes you need a voice that doesn’t ask permission, but Bach can also pull it back vocally as well.  Now, if he could do something about his polarizing personality that makes him so easy to dismiss; well, if he could do that he’d be in Skid Row.

 3.   ERIC MARTIN

Eric Martin is the singer who makes everything feel right without ever drawing attention to the mechanics.  His voice is warm, expressive, controlled, and still shockingly intact and the kind of tone that can sit on top of keys, synth pads, or mid‑tempo grooves and make the whole thing feel lived‑in and honest.  If the unfinished Van Halen album leans into the melodic sophistication of the Hagar years, Eric is the perfect fit; no ego, no chaos, no circus, just pure, emotionally grounded singing that honors the song instead of wrestling with it.  He’s the adult melodic anchor this project could definitely benefit from.

4.   JORN LANDE (The European Hammer)

Jorn Lande is the voice you call when you want power without losing precision. He’s got that massive, resonant, arena‑shaking tone that feels carved out of granite, but he also knows how to pull back and let a melody breathe.  If the unfinished Van Halen album has any heavy, dramatic, or atmospheric corners, Jorn is the guy who can make them sound cinematic without turning them into parody.  He’s the rare vocalist and underrated one at that, who can be huge without being cartoonish. This is aa grown‑man voice with real authority who’d bring weight, not noise, and without chaos.

5.   JOHN BUSH

John Bush is the most honest voice on this list, not much of a “personality”, but hasn’t Van Halen had enough of those types.  No baggage, no posing, no theatrics, no nostalgia,  just pure, lived‑in, emotionally grounded rock singing that hits like a steel‑toed boot.  If the unfinished Van Halen album leans darker, heavier, or more introspective, Bush is the guy for sure, one who can make those songs feel like confessions instead of compositions.  He’s got that rare ability to sound tough and vulnerable at the same time; the exact emotional duality VH3 was reaching for but never quite captured.  Bush brings truth, and truth is what late‑period Eddie deserves.

6.   COREY TAYLOR  (The Unmasked Modern Hybrid Monster)

Corey Taylor is the only singer of his generation who can go from whisper‑soft vulnerability to full‑throttle melodic power without ever losing emotional clarity.  He’s versatile, disciplined, and shockingly good at navigating keys, atmosphere, and mid‑tempo rock; the exact terrain the unfinished Van Halen album likely lives in.  Corey has shown he can handle the melodic arcs of the Hagar years and the introspective shadows of VH3 without sounding like he’s imitating either.  He is literally the modern hybrid; the guy who can make the album feel relevant without betraying its DNA.

 7.   TY TABOR

Ty Tabor is the deep‑cut genius pick; the one that makes people blink twice and then realize you’re absolutely right.  His voice is warm, melodic, emotionally grounded, and tailor‑made for atmospheric, introspective, keys‑driven rock.  If the unfinished Van Halen album leans into the VH3 lane, space, texture, mood, emotional weight, well, Tabor is a perfect fit.  He doesn’t overpower the music; he inhabits it.  He is the quiet storm on this list.

 8.   TODD KERNS (The Trojan Horse Weapon)

Todd Kerns is the guy who sneaks up on you and then blows the doors off the place.  He’s powerful, consistent, melodic, and emotionally believable.  He’s a pure vocalist with zero ego and a tone that fits perfectly into the late‑period Van Halen aesthetic.  Kerns can handle big choruses, atmospheric verses, and everything in between.  He’s the “why isn’t he on the list pick from day one?”,  He’s the modern, reliable, high‑ceiling voice that could walk into 5150 tomorrow and make the unfinished album feel alive.

 9.   MYLES KENNEDY

Myles Kennedy is the singer you call when you want the impossible done quietly, professionally, and with zero ego. He’s got the range to soar, the restraint to simmer, and the emotional intelligence to make even the densest harmonic corners feel human.  He isn’t my favorite singer, hell, I don’t even enjoy his music, even with Slash, but one thing, I FUCKING RESPECT HIS TALENT.   If the unfinished Van Halen material leans into big choruses, layered keys, or atmospheric verses, Myles is the guy who can thread all of it together without ever sounding like he’s trying to be anyone but himself.  He’s the modern evolution of the Hagar lane, but with discipline, nuance, and a sense of space that fits late‑period Eddie like a glove. Myles doesn’t imitate greatness; he meets it, just not my cup ‘o Joe, but again, I’d respect it.

10. STEVEN TYLER (The Last Great Rock Voice Standing)

The Demon of Screamin’, Steven Tyler, the wildcard that shouldn’t work but absolutely would.   Yes, we’re all aware that Steven can’t do a tour or probably even a 2-hour live concert, but that’s not the project is it? Even now, he’s got that elastic phrasing, that blues‑infused swagger, that “I can make this line smirk or bleed depending on how I feel today” mastery that late‑period Eddie’s music would thrive under.  Tyler brings a danger, humor, soul, and melodic intelligence, i.e., rock and fucking roll.  This would be the exact cocktail VH3 wished it had.  He’s age‑appropriate (save the jokes), battle‑tested, and still capable of delivering a vocal that sounds like it’s been marinated in gasoline and wisdom.  If Alex wanted a legend who can still actually sing in a studio, Tyler is the last man standing. He’d be my personal pick for this project.

 All of that being said, I don’t think any of the 20 vocalist I picked would be a bad choice, not in the least.  Frankly, if I were Alex, I wouldn’t use just one singer, not at all.  He’s not looking to piece together a new Van Halen, he’s celebrating the legacy of his brother and some unfinished business that Edward left behind.  The use of multiple vocalist would put to rest any hope or rumor of a Van Halen reunion.