STEVE LUKATHER Shoots Down Rumor He Will Play Guitar On New VAN HALEN Album

TOTO’s Steve Lukather has shot down reports that he will play guitar on a new VAN HALEN album.De Telegraaf, the largest Dutch daily morning newspaper, reported earlier this week that Alex Van Halen was working on a collection of previously unreleased, unfinished VAN HALEN recordings, with Lukather helping him to complete it. The VAN HALEN drummer has said of the new project in a paywalled article (via Guitar World): “Ed and Steve Lukather were very good friends and they often worked together. There is no one who can do this process with me as well as he can.”Lukather, seemingly surprised about Alex’s comment, is quoted in the same article as responding: “Did Alex say that? Oh, in that case the news is true. Ed, Alex and I were very close for years. It is true that we worked on it together.”On Saturday (March 15),Lukather took to his Instagram to clarify his possible involvement in a new VAN HALEN album, saying: “For the record: Ever since Alex Van Halen dropped some we were gonna work together I think there is a huge misunderstanding.”I will NOT EVER play a guitar note on a VH song ever!.”Al asked me to help him go thru a ton of unfinished recordings of Al and Ed writing and recording that never saw the light of day. As of now thats all I got.”The fact that ANYONE would think for even a second that I would play anything on this is ridiculous. I have too much love and respect for that and … I play nothing like Ed.. more as a co-producer or something. I am honored Al would ask me though.”Lets see …”Alex had previously said that there was enough VAN HALEN material in the vaults for another “three or four records”. Speaking on an episode of Chris Jericho’s “Talk Is Jericho” podcast, Eddie’s brother said: “I’ve talked about it loosely, and I am rather superstitious, but I can say a couple of things that I’ve mentioned before. We’re gonna go through the ‘vault’ and go through some of the musical ideas that were there.”He added: “There was some good stuff in there. And you have to remember, when in the thick of it, sometimes the really great stuff kind of passes you by. And it’s not until you revisit it going, ‘Whoa, I forgot about that. This kicks ass.’ But that takes time. And you wanna do it right. I wanna do it right.”Eddie Van Halen and Steve Lukather had collaborated on several projects in the past, including Michael Jackson’s “Beat It”, on which Lukather played the main riff and Van Halen played the solo. Eddie also played bass on Lukather’s debut solo album and made a guest appearance on Steve’s 2003 Christmas LP “Santamental”.Back in November 2020, a little over a month after Eddie’s death, Lukather reflected on his friend’s passing, telling Metal Master Kingdom: “It’s hard for me, man, ’cause the wound is still very deep. I’m very honored to have been Ed’s friend — really a friend; not just a guitar buddy who had a beer with him once. [There is] 40-plus years with him, Al and I.”I know all the guys [in VAN HALEN]. I love all the guys. I’m Switzerland [when it comes to their relationships with each other]. I was just on Sammy’s [Hagar] show. He was beautiful to me. Mike’s [Anthony] always nice to me. The brothers [Ed and Al] and I have always stayed very close. I’ve been in touch with Al more than anybody. And Janie [Eddie’s widow] sent me some wonderful pictures of Ed and I when we were younger that she found somewhere. And I’ve been in touch — I talked to Wolf [Eddie’s son] once. I’m gonna leave him alone. He’s got his mom.”This is a hole in my heart that won’t go away. He was a real friend of mine, okay? We didn’t get together and talk about guitars and stuff unless we wanted to play each other something new or brag about our kids. And really, we spent the last half of our relationship bragging about each other’s sons, ’cause they both play. We always had that in common — the sons and the guitar. We have a lot in common off the gig that has nothing to do with [music].”I loved the man. There’s nothing to argue about how great he was as a musician. I don’t have to. Who’s gonna argue? He was one of the greats to ever pick up rock and roll guitar — he changed everything. And he was my friend. And I miss my friend more than anything. I miss the roar of one of his vehicles scaring the fuck out of my neighbors. And the way he laughed, and the way he fucking hugged me whenever he came by…”The last thing I have in my phone is just a heart that he sent me.”It’s hard for me to talk about because it’s an open wound. But I imagine how his family [feels]. My heart goes out to everybody in the Van Halen family.”Eddie died on October 6, 2020 at St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica, California at the age of 65.The iconic VAN HALEN axeman died from complications due to cancer, his son confirmed.VAN HALEN was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2007.Rolling Stone magazine ranked Eddie Van Halen No. 8 in its list of the 100 greatest guitarists.Image credit: Rick Beato