ALEX VAN HALEN: FINISH WHAT THEY STARTED. PT 1
I been doing some thinking about the “unfinished” Van Halen album that Alex Van Halen recently spoke of…after this past weekend, well, I had some time on my back; I mean hands. Thanks to another procedure and the pain meds that were finally prescribed, I let my brain just have a party.
So, Alex let out they these tracks didn’t include and vocals, for me there are two reasons. Reason one, Roth wrote the lyrics, as did Sammy. Now I exclude Sammy for one simple reason…
If you piss off a Van Halen brother, you piss them both off and neither has the ability to just forgive real easy. Sammy wrote about the dark side of Edward, when frankly, I understand why, but I didn’t agree with him doing it. Sammy seems to have a really big heart, but his mouth, sometimes it’s that much bigger. Telling the tales of Edward living like a vagrant in his own domicile of 5150, ain’t exactly the kindest thing you can do for a beloved friend. If he was going to write about it, he should have done it well before so maybe, just maybe, Edward could have taken something more away in some hopeful/helpful and healing way. This just made Sam look like a fucking twat. For all the bullshit that seems to seep out of Sambo’s mouth, I’m not believing that he and Edward has any type of closure in the least before the guitar GOAT passed. Of course, this dissection should be for another rant if you will.
But, back to the original reason for these many words. If it truly was the next Van Halen record, a follow-up to “A Different Kind of Truth” it would have been written as if Roth was going to take the wheel again. Now there were some tumultuous waves during that final run with Roth, Edward, Alex, and Wolfgang, so maybe, the album was going in a “Different Kind of Direction”, similar to either Edward’s, “1984” style of music, perhaps, it was going to be leaning in the “Van Halen III” direction or could have been leftovers from all things Van Halen over their career.
Now, if it is “Roth” era style, you need a vocalist who could bring the bravado and swagger of one Diamond Dave vocally. Here are the Top 10 that I played over and over in that playground, which is my brain. I also kept in mind that Alex wanted someone closer in age with similar life experiences, but that can be two-fold. One age doesn’t necessarily negate the life experiences, so it also didn’t pigeonhole my pics.
Seems no one's talkin' 'bout the crazy days gone past…I am the LITTLE DREAMER!
1. Robin Zander (Cheap Trick)
Robin Zander isn’t just a great fit for Van Halen’s unfinished album, he’s the only singer alive who could walk into 5150, open his mouth, and make you believe Eddie Van Halen never left the room. Zander carries the one thing every other contender lacks: that lethal combination of swagger, danger, melody, and lived‑in authority that Roth once weaponized but can no longer deliver. He can snarl without sounding desperate, croon without losing the edge, and ride Eddie’s riffs with the kind of behind‑the‑beat swing that separates real frontmen from karaoke heroes. And unlike Roth, Zander can still actually sing — not in a nostalgic, “remember when” way, but with the kind of ageless, bulletproof tone that makes you wonder if he sold his soul somewhere around 1977. He’s the only vocalist who could take music written for Roth’s phrasing, inject it with fresh blood, and make it feel like Van Halen didn’t end — it evolved. If Alex ever wanted to finish that album and make the world’s jaw drop, Zander is the one name that wouldn’t just honor the legacy… he’d ignite it..
2. Eric Dover (Jellyfish / Slash’s Snakepit / Sextus)
Eric Dover is the name that makes the average rock fan squint, tilt their head, and then suddenly realize they’ve been sleeping on a goddamn weapon. Dover is that rare breed who carries the same unhinged, sideways‑grinning voltage Roth used to bottle before he traded swagger for self‑parody. The man sings like he’s balancing on a barstool that’s missing a leg; ever loose, dangerous, and somehow still dead‑on. This would be the exact pocket Eddie wrote for when he wanted the vocals to feel like they were surfing the riff instead of chasing it. Dover has that sly, elastic phrasing, that “I know something you don’t” smirk baked into every line, and the kind of melodic intelligence that lets him dance around a groove instead of bulldozing through it. And here’s the kicker: he’s the right age, the right temperament, and still has the damn voice. If Alex Van Halen ever wanted to finish that album without summoning the ghosts of the Roth/Hagar wars, Dover is the curveball that lands like a fastball. He too, could walk into 5150, open his mouth, and make you wonder why his name wasn’t on the shortlist from day one
3. Jay Buchanan (Rival Sons)
Jay Buchanan is the curveball that would make the whole room go quiet, because the second you hear him, you realize he’s carrying the one thing every modern rock singer lost somewhere along the way; danger wrapped in soul. He’s younger, sure, but he sings like a man who’s lived three lifetimes and buried the evidence. Buchanan has that rare, voltage‑in‑the‑veins intensity Roth used to weaponize, but without the circus‑act baggage. He can lean behind the beat, twist a phrase into a threat or a prayer, and ride a riff with the kind of blues‑born swagger Eddie always wrote for when he wanted the vocals to feel like they were surfing the groove, not chasing it. And here’s the part that should make every VH fan sit up straight. Jay Buchanan sings with the emotional gravity of a man who understands what it means to stand in front of a giant. He wouldn’t imitate Roth, he’d honor the intent, elevate the music, and make the unfinished album feel like Van Halen didn’t need a time machine to matter again. He’s the modern spark plug who could walk into 5150 and make the whole damn thing roar back to life.
4. Mike Tramp (White Lion)
Mike Tramp is the pick nobody sees coming because they’re too busy chasing nostalgia or fantasy, but he’s the one guy who actually fits the moment Van Halen is in, not the moment fans are stuck remembering. Modern day Tramp doesn’t sound like the kid from White Lion; he sounds like a man who’s lived through the wreckage, swept up the glass, and learned how to sing from the scar tissue. He’s got that grown‑man grit Roth used to fake and Hagar used to polish, but Tramp wears it like a second skin. He doesn’t over sing, he doesn’t posture, he doesn’t try to be 25, he brings the kind of weathered, blues‑heavy authority that Eddie’s late‑period riffs were begging for. And here’s the part that should make every VH fan sit up straight; Tramp can sit behind the beat like a man who knows exactly where the groove lives, and he can deliver a line with the kind of quiet danger that makes you lean in instead of back away. He’s the voice of a band that’s older, wiser, and still capable of hitting you with something real. If Alex truly wanted a singer who could finish that album without turning it into a tribute act or a nostalgia cash‑grab, Mike Tramp is the one name that makes the whole damn puzzle snap into place.
5. Whitfield Crane (Ugly Kid Joe)
I’m quite sure, my Whitfield Crane is the pick that makes every purist spit out their coffee. And that’s exactly why he’s the fucking pick. Crane walks into a room with the kind of chaotic, good‑natured, blues‑rock swagger that Roth used to radiate before the mirrors and martial arts took over. He’s younger, sure, but he’s lived enough life to carry the scars in his voice without turning them into a costume. Crane sings like a guy who’s been punched in the mouth, laughed about it, bought the other guy a beer, and then hit the stage anyway. That’s the exact energy Edward’s late‑period riffs were built for. He’s loose without being sloppy, wild without being stupid, funny without being a clown, and he can sit in the pocket like he’s been rehearsing with Alex since ’82. And here’s the part that should make every VH fan stop and rethink everything they thought they knew; Crane is one of the only singers alive who can bring joy back into the music without sanding off the danger. He’s the guy who could again, just walk into 5150, crack a joke, hit a line with that sideways grin baked into his tone, and suddenly make the unfinished Van Halen album feel like the band didn’t age, like they just got their sense of humor back. Whitfield Crane isn’t the safe pick. He’d be the right pick, because Van Halen was never supposed to be safe in the first place.
6. Marc LaBelle (Dirty Honey)
Marc LaBelle is the pick that would make every classic‑rock gatekeeper clutch their pearls, because he’s the one frontman young enough to terrify them and good enough to justify it. He’s not a nostalgia act, he’s not a tribute singer, and he’s not some washed‑out ’80s survivor trying to duct‑tape his voice back together. LaBelle is the real, breathing, snarling, swagger‑dripping future of the thing Van Halen invented. LaBelle sings like he’s got gasoline in his bloodstream and a blues‑rock preacher whispering in his ear, and he carries that rare, dangerous calm Roth had before the ego swallowed the art. He doesn’t chase the riff, he owns it. He doesn’t imitate the swagger; he is the swagger. And here’s the part that should make every VH fan’s spine light up; Marc LaBelle is the only singer under 40 who understands the difference between performing rock and living rock. He’s got the looseness, the grit, the behind‑the‑beat swing, the smirk‑in‑the‑throat phrasing, and the “I was born for this shit” energy that Eddie’s late‑period riffs were begging for. He’s the kid who walks into 5150, plugs in, and suddenly the unfinished Van Halen album doesn’t feel like a legacy project, it feels like the band just found its next 20 years. Marc LaBelle isn’t the safe pick, the expected pick, or the nostalgic pick. He’s the holy‑shit‑how‑did-we-miss-this pick. The one pick that proves rock isn’t dead; it’s just been waiting for someone with the guts to carry the torch without dropping it.
7. Michael Monroe (Hanoi Rocks)
Michael Monroe is the pick that exposes everyone else’s lack of imagination, because if you actually understand what Van Halen was at its core; danger, swagger, unpredictability, charisma, and a frontman who could make the whole room lean forward. Monroe isn’t or shouldn’t be a left‑field choice, he’s the obvious choice that checks everything Alex wants. The man is a walking, screaming, sax‑swinging embodiment of everything Roth pretended to be and everything Hagar never wanted to be. He’s got the danger, the glam‑punk grit, the blues‑rock sneer, the “I might set this place on fire just to see what happens” energy that Eddie’s riffs were built to dance with. And while everyone else is busy recycling the same safe, predictable names, Monroe is out there still performing like he’s got a detonator in his back pocket and a point to prove. He’s older, he’s wilder, he’s lived more life than half the rock scene combined and that’s exactly why he fits the unfinished Van Halen album like a lit fuse fits dynamite. If you didn’t think of Michael Monroe, that’s not on him; that’s on you for forgetting that Van Halen was never supposed to be polite, predictable, or corporate‑approved. Monroe is the one singer who could walk into 5150 and make the whole damn thing feel dangerous again. If that doesn’t scream Van Halen, you haven’t been paying attention.
8. Jesse James Dupree (Jackyl)
Jesse James Dupree is the pick that didn’t even make sense to me when his name first shot across my brain. That thought just felt like one of those wild, late‑night, half‑insane ideas you laugh off in the morning. But then it hit me like a boot to the chest, this could easily be the guy. This is the one name that drags Van Halen back to the outlaw energy they were built on before the industry tried to turn them into a theme park. Dupree doesn’t just front a band, he fucking storms a stage like a man who’s already walked through the explosion and came out grinning, lighting his cigarette off the burning debris. He’s got that chainsaw‑baritone grit, that bar‑fight blues swagger, that “I’ll sing it my way, or I’ll burn the place down trying” energy Roth used to channel before the schtick swallowed the danger. And here’s the part even a chainsaw‑wielding lumberjack can’t argue with; Dupree sits in the pocket like a man who’s been drinking with the groove all night, not chasing it like a tourist. He’s raw, he’s real, he’s unfiltered, and he brings the kind of grown‑man, Southern‑fried authority Eddie’s late‑period riffs were begging for. This certainly isn’t an obvious or a safe pick. Hell, it isn’t even a logical pick. This is the holy‑shit‑how‑the-fuck-did-we-miss-this pick! The one choice that makes you realize Van Halen was never supposed to be polite and Jesse James Dupree is the guy who could walk into 5150, slam the door behind him, and make that unfinished album roar like the band rediscovered its backbone. Even the lumberjack knows you don’t argue with that.
9. Kevin Martin (Candlebox)
Kevin Martin should be the obvious choice, and the fact that people don’t immediately see it just proves how shallow their understanding of Van Halen really is. Martin carries that rare, blues‑soaked, soul‑scarred vocal weight that comes from actually living a life, not pretending to. He’s got the grit without the gimmick, the power without the posing, and the kind of emotional authority that lets him drop a line like a hammer instead of a headline. His voice sits right in that sweet spot Eddie loved; warm enough to ride the groove, tough enough to cut through the mix, and flexible enough to swing behind the beat the way Roth used to before the wheels came off. And here’s the part that should make every VH fan slap their forehead, Kevin Martin is one of the only modern‑era singers who can deliver grown‑man rock without sounding like he’s auditioning for a nostalgia cruise. He’s got the tone, the phrasing, the soul, and the lived‑in authenticity to make the unfinished Van Halen album feel like a continuation, not a resurrection. If you didn’t think of Kevin Martin, you probably aren’t alone, and that doesn’t make it a good thing.
10. Butch Walker
Butch fucking Walker is the pick that sneaks up on you, taps you on the shoulder, and then detonates your entire understanding of what a modern rock vocalist can bring to an unfinished Van Halen album. He’s the quiet assassin in a room full of loudmouths; the guy who doesn’t need to posture because he’s already out‑writing, out‑singing, and out‑feeling half the industry before breakfast. Walker carries that rare, lethal blend of swagger, looseness, grit, and melodic genius that Roth used to weaponize, but he delivers it with the maturity and emotional intelligence Roth never grew into. He can sit behind the beat like he’s been living in the pocket his whole life, twist a phrase into a smirk or a gut‑punch, and ride Eddie’s riffs with the kind of effortless authority that only comes from a man who’s spent decades in the trenches actually making music instead of pretending to. And here’s the part that should make every VH fan’s brain light up; Butch Walker is the only guy on this list who could walk into 5150, hear those unfinished tracks, and instantly elevate them, not by imitating Roth, not by competing with Hagar, but by doing what he does best; making the song undeniable. He’s the songwriter’s singer, the producer’s dream, the grown‑man voice with enough dirt under the fingernails to make the whole thing feel lived‑in and real. Butch Walker isn’t just the final pick, he’s the ace up the sleeve, once again, asking the question, “holy shit, how did we not think of him sooner” revelation that makes the entire project snap into focus.
And here’s the truth no one will say out loud… certainly none of these names; not Zander, not Dover, not Monroe, not Tramp, not Crane, not LaBelle, not Dupree, not Kevin Martin, not Butch Fucking Walker, ever came up in a single conversation between Alex Van Halen, Steve Lukather, or Wolfgang. Not because they aren’t worthy, but because the industry has gotten so safe, so predictable, so terrified of coloring outside the lines that the obvious choices are the ones nobody even bothers to consider. Hell, Alex even has admitted that there are boxes that he wants the vocalist to check. Is the age thing simply because of “Van Halen 3” and the age difference with Cherone?
That’s the whole point of my list. Van Halen was never about the expected pick. From the start did anyone see a direct path from Roth to Hagar, back again, then to Cherone, then ending on the OG singer again? They were three different worlds with three different musical journeys. My picks were never about the corporate picks; why would they be, this is the “Brother’s” picks, as its always been.
At no time what choices were made were they from a Corporate or Label choice, they were never about the “who’s available on short notice” pick. If I had to guess, and it’s a correct guess, there was no one except the brothers making the choice for and by themselves.
The picks I made above were about danger, swagger, character, swing, and the kind of frontman who could walk into a room and make Edward’s riffs feel like they were being born in real time. Every name on this list carries a different piece of that DNA; some polished, some ragged, some wild, some soulful, some younger, some older, but all of them alive in the way Van Halen needs to be alive if that unfinished album ever sees daylight. This isn’t fantasy casting, well technically it is, it’s my fantasy. But it’s also a reminder that the right singer for Van Halen was never going to be the one to be expected, after all, that was never a thing in Van Halen. It was always going to be the one with the spark, the scars, the swing, and the soul to make the whole damn thing roar again….
No worries, Alex and Edward shared a brain, they shared a soul, two very different people, but a bond as one. I’m actually Alex uses several singers since he’s not building a new Van Halen, he’s simply gonna take that piece of Edward that lives in him and chose for the right reasons.
