In an interview recorded this past summer, VAN HALEN singer David Lee Roth spoke to “CBS Sunday Morning” correspondent Tracy Smith about how he is making a name for himself as an artist and social commentator trained in sumi-e, the Japanese art of ink painting, doing what he describes as “graphic therapy.” The segment, which aired this morning (Sunday, October 18), can now be viewed below.
After Eddie Van Halen‘s death was announced on October 6, Roth tweeted out a photo of him and Eddie in what appeared to be a backstage area at an undisclosed venue, and he included the simple caption: “What a Long Great Trip It’s Been..”
This past July, Roth said that he didn’t know if Van Halen would ever tour again. He told The New York Times: “I don’t even want to say I’ve waited — I’ve supported for five years. Because what I do is physical as well as musical and spiritual — you can’t take five years off from the ring. But I did. And I do not regret a second of it. He’s a bandmate. We had a colleague down. And he’s down now for enough time that I don’t know that he’s going to be coming back out on the road. You want to hear the classics? You’re talking to him.”
Eddie passed away at the age of 65. He had been battling throat cancer and died surrounded by friends and family at a Santa Monica, California hospital, according to TMZ. He is survived by his second wife Janie, brother Alex and son Wolfgang.
VAN HALEN had been inactive since it completed its U.S. tour in October 2015 in Los Angeles, California.
In early 2019, rumors were rampant that the classic-era lineup of VAN HALEN would reunite for the first time since 1984. It’s unclear why the tour didn’t happen, though there has been online chatter that a health setback involving Eddie Van Halen might have been responsible.
This past March, Roth postponed the final six shows of his Las Vegas residency due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Roth performed as the opening act for the February/March North American leg of KISS‘s “End Of The Road” farewell tour.
Back in September 2019, Roth said that there were no plans for VAN HALEN to do anything for the foreseeable future. “I think VAN HALEN‘s finished and this is the next phase,” he said, referring to his solo project.
