Alex Van Halen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alex Van Halen
|
|
|---|---|
Van Halen performing in 2012
|
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Alexander Arthur van Halen |
| Born | May 8, 1953 Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Origin | Pasadena, California, U.S. |
| Genres |
|
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Drums |
| Years active | 1962–present |
Alexander Arthur Van Halen (born May 8, 1953) is a Dutch musician. He is best known as the drummer and a co-founder of the famous rock band Van Halen. He started the band in 1972 with his younger brother, Eddie.
The band was first called "Mammoth." Later, in 1974, Michael Anthony and David Lee Roth joined. That's when they changed their name to Van Halen. Warner Bros. Records signed the band in 1977. Their first album came out a year later. Alex and Eddie were the only members who stayed in the band from start to finish. The band stopped playing in 2020 after Eddie passed away.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Alex Van Halen was born in Amsterdam, Netherlands. His family moved to Pasadena, California, in 1962. His father, Jan van Halen, was a talented jazz musician. His mother, Eugenia van Beers, was from Indonesia. When they moved to the U.S., the "van" in their last name was changed to a capital "V." Alex and Eddie later became U.S. citizens.
Both brothers learned to play classical piano when they were kids. Alex actually started out wanting to play guitar. His brother Eddie played the drums at first. But Alex spent time practicing on Eddie's drum kit. He soon became a better drummer than Eddie! After Eddie heard Alex play the drum solo from "Wipe Out" perfectly, Eddie decided to switch to electric guitar. Alex was inspired by drummers like Ray Phillips from the band Budgie.
Alex, Eddie, and three friends formed their first band, "The Broken Combs." This was when they were in elementary school. Alex played the saxophone in this band. They even performed at lunchtime at school.
In 1971, Alex finished high school. He then took music classes at Pasadena City College. There, he met Michael Anthony and David Lee Roth. They formed a band called Mammoth. Alex and the others soon left college to focus on their music.
Music Career
Before Van Halen, Alex and Eddie were in several bands. These included The Space Brothers, The Trojan Rubber Company, and Mammoth.
In 1972, the brothers formed Mammoth. Eddie sang lead vocals at first. They rented their sound system from David Lee Roth. Eddie soon got tired of singing, so he asked Roth to join. In 1974, they changed the band's name to Van Halen. This was because another band already had the name Mammoth. Michael Anthony also replaced their bass player, Mark Stone. David Lee Roth has said he suggested naming the band after Alex. Alex also helped manage the band, like booking their shows.
Their first album, Van Halen, came out in 1978. It was a huge hit and inspired many hard rock musicians. The band released eleven more studio albums after that. They officially stopped playing music a month after Eddie's death in October 2020.
The term "brown sound" is often used to describe Eddie's guitar sound. But Alex actually came up with the term. He used it to describe the sound of his snare drum.
Alex never recorded music without his brother Eddie. The only time Alex played outside of the band was on an instrumental song. It was called "Respect the Wind" and was for the Twister movie soundtrack. Alex played keyboards on this song. It earned the Van Halen brothers a Grammy Award nomination.
In June 2024, Alex sold off much of his old drum equipment. This made some people think he might not play music publicly without Eddie. Alex also released a book called Brothers in October 2024. He went on a short tour to promote it.
Equipment
Alex Van Halen uses Ludwig drums, pedals, and hardware. He also uses Paiste cymbals, Remo drumheads, and Regal Tip drumsticks. He has worked with Paiste to create his own special ride cymbal. Alex also had two Ludwig signature snare drums.
In the past, Alex used special drums called Rototoms and octobans. He also used electronic drums. He is known for using very large drum kits. These often include a huge orchestral gong that is set on fire! He also uses four bass drums, though he started with two. Regal Tip created special drumsticks with Alex Van Halen's name on them.
Influences
Alex Van Halen has been influenced by many great drummers. Some of his main influences include Billy Cobham, Ginger Baker, Keith Moon, and John Bonham. He has also said that jazz drummer Buddy Rich had a big impact on him from an early age.
Personal Life
Alex Van Halen has been married three times. He married Valeri Kendall in 1983, but they divorced two months later. In 1984, he married Kelly Carter. They had a son named Aric Van Halen, born in 1989. They divorced in 1996. Their son Aric is a talented runner and photographer.
Alex married his current wife, Stine Schyberg, in 2000. They have a son named Malcolm Van Halen. Malcolm shares a love for fast cars and racing with his father and uncle. Alex is also the uncle of Wolfgang Van Halen.
Alex Van Halen is an ordained minister. He performed the wedding ceremony for his brother Eddie in 2009. He also officiated his son Malcolm's wedding in 2024.
Because of playing loud music for many years, Alex has significant hearing loss. In 1995, he told his sound engineer that he couldn't hear the band well on stage. To help him, the engineer created special in-ear monitors. These helped Alex hear the music better and protect his hearing.
Discography
Solo discography
- "Respect the Wind" for Twister (1996) with Eddie Van Halen
Books
- Brothers (2024)
See also
In Spanish: Alex Van Halen para niños
