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Alex Van Halen‘s new tribute to his late brother Eddie has soared to number one on the bestselling book charts and number one on the audiobook charts, one week ahead of its publication date.
Part-rock and roll memoir and part band biography, “Brothers” is billed as an “intimate and open account” of Alex Van Halen‘s life and career, with the drummer writing candidly about his relationship with brother Eddie, and how the success of their namesake group ultimately solidified their bond.
HARDCOVER VERSION
Brothers
Officially hitting stores October 22, “Brothers” is available to pre-order now on Amazon for $27 — a 16% discount. From publisher Harper Collins, the 240-page hardcover is billed as the most “accurate account” of Alex and Eddie’s time in the band, as well as their struggles with fame, alcoholism, family and fatherhood.
In addition to stories from their childhood and life on tour, “Brothers” also includes never-before-seen photos and memorabilia from Van Halen’s personal collection. The book also marks one of the first times that Alex has spoken about his brother’s death. Eddie Van Halen died in 2020 after a battle with cancer.
AUDIOBOOK VERSION
Brothers (Audiobook)
“Brothers” is also available as an audiobook, narrated by Alex Van Halen himself. In addition to the complete text, the audiobook features an exclusive, never-before-heard piece of music, billed as the last piece written together by the Van Halen brothers. Simply titled, “Unfinished,” the track can be heard throughout the audiobook recording.
From publishers HarperAudio, the “Brothers” audiobook runs six hours and nine minutes in length. You can purchase it for $22 on Amazon or listen to the Van Halen audiobook for free with a free trial to Audible here. You can continue with Audible after that with a limited-time offer that gets you three months for just $0.99/month.
In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Van Halen remembers his brother with fondness but is candid about the band’s success. “To have all that talent was probably the biggest curse he ever carried,” he says. “The fact was, that Ed was an incredible player, but in the end he paid for it with his health, paid for it with his life.”
“I was with him from day one,” Alex writes in the book. “We shared the experience of coming to this country and figuring out how to fit in. We shared a record player, an 800 square foot house, a mom and dad, and a work ethic. Later, we shared the back of a tour bus, alcoholism, the experience of becoming successful, of becoming fathers and uncles, and of spending more hours in the studio than I’ve spent doing anything else in this life. We shared a depth of understanding that most people can only hope to achieve in a lifetime.”
Ultimately, “Brothers” is a love story told through a rock and roll lens. As Van Halen tells Rolling Stone, he often believes the ghost of Eddie is haunting him, albeit pleasantly. “Ed’s been around a couple times,” he says. “I can tell you that.”
Pick up “Brothers” on sale now at Amazon.com. You can also listen to the audiobook, narrated by Van Halen, with a free trial to Audible here.