THE BEAST

Former   METALLICA   bassist   Jason Newsted   has told   The Palm Beach Post   in a new interview that he almost joined an all-star   VAN HALEN   tribute project six months ago.   VAN HALEN   drummer   Alex Van Halen   had already tapped   Joe Satriani   to play guitar,   Newsted   said, and the two were searching for a bass player for a possible   VAN HALEN   tour.

Newsted   said he agreed to go to California to jam with the guys and see if it felt right, but he eventually realized that it would be impossible to do justice to   VAN HALEN 's legacy.

"How could you?" he said. "There's nobody that can top it, so how do you show it honor? I didn't want it to be viewed as a money grab. And then it kind of just all fizzled."

Last June,   Eddie Van Halen 's son   Wolfgang Van Halen , who joined his father in   VAN HALEN   for the band's 2007 reunion tour with singer   David Lee Roth , replacing   Michael Anthony , told   SiriusXM 's   "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk"   it would be "great" to eventually organize an   Eddie Van Halen   tribute show. "It's not in the immediate plans, 'cause that's a lot of moving parts that you've gotta corral to get that to happen. But I definitely think it should happen. Absolutely," he said.

Asked how he envisions the tribute concert taking place in terms of which musicians should be involved,   Wolfgang   said: "I have no idea. All I know is that the focus should a hundred percent be on Pop. While it could be a celebration of   VAN HALEN   and the band's history, I think more than anything, it should be focused on him… It's a tall ask and a big thing to figure out. But I do think it should happen at some point."

In November 2020,   Wolfgang   told   Entertainment Tonight   that proceeds from any tribute show in honor of his father will go toward   Eddie 's favorite charity,   Mr. Holland's Opus , which helps underprivileged students access musical instruments. Proceeds from the debut solo single from   Wolfgang 's solo band   MAMMOTH WVH ,   "Distance" , are also benefiting   Mr. Holland's Opus .

In February 2021, former   VAN HALEN   frontman   Sammy Hagar   told   Kyle Meredith   that he will make every effort to take part in the   Eddie Van Halen   tribute concert.

"I have nothing to do with the [ Eddie Van Halen ] legacy," he said. "That's their business — that's   Wolfie ,   Alex Van Halen   [ Eddie 's brother]; they're family members. Whoever wants to call me up and say, 'Here's the date,' I will be there. I don't care where I am. I'll cancel a [solo] show [if I need to]. [ Laughs ] [That's] something   VAN HALEN   would   never   do. I always make that joke — canceling a show was [out of the question with]   VAN HALEN . I went out sick without being able to sing,   Eddie   went out with a crutch,   Alex   went out with a fucking neck brace — we wouldn't cancel shows. But I will cancel   my   show for a tribute to   Eddie   any   day."

Eddie   died in October 2020 at the age of 65. The legendary   VAN HALEN   guitarist passed away at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California.

Eddie   was diagnosed with mouth cancer in 2000 and had tongue surgery. He later battled lung cancer and had been receiving radiation treatment in Germany. Things took a turn for the worse in early 2019 when   Eddie   got in a motorcycle accident. He was subsequently diagnosed with a brain tumor, and received gamma knife radiosurgery to treat the illness.

Joe Satriani   photo credit:   Eduardo Peña Dolhun

Via Blabbermouth