It’s not exactly a secret that Van Halen is named after brothers Alex and Eddie Van Halen when they formed the now iconic rock band in 1972—but to some, it might be… Regardless, fans both very familiar with or just getting acquainted with Van Halen will be able to catch up on all things related to the band and the brothers with VAN HALEN.
In November, Genesis Publications will release 1,500 limited edition copies of VAN HALEN by Alex Van Halen. These copies give access to the Van Halen family archive for the first time, featuring a beautiful collection of tour memorabilia, album artwork, press materials, musical equipment, and more. VAN HALEN will also trace the journey of the band, from Alex’s early days learning classical piano and drums to the small first gigs of Van Halen to the release and world tour of their chart-topping album 1984. Fans will also be treated to unpublished photos of Van Halen, along with photos of the band’s early years playing on the Sunset Strip, their first tours to Japan, and major performances in the U.S.
To accompany this wealth of archival material, the book provides an original manuscript from Alex Van Halen. The manuscript is drawn from a series of new interviews that were conducted specifically for this book. Readers will hear from Alex and Eddie Van Halen, with archival texts and detailed reflections on the band’s formative years. Along with the brothers are interviews with their fellow musicians, friends, and artists inspired by the work of Van Halen.
Copies 1 to 350 are Deluxe box sets with exclusive material. Each set contains a copy of the book hand-signed by Alex Van Halen; a frameable archival art print of Van Halen in front of the collapsed Pier 48 on the Hudson River in 1978; and replicas of items from the Van Halen archive such as a vintage pin, keychain, guitar picks, postcards, and vinyl.
These copies are fully bound in black vegan leather with silver edging on the pages and come in a black clamshell box that features the Van Halen emblem surrounded by Alex’s iconic burning ring design. They also feature a patch motif from Van Halen’s 1982 ‘Hide Your Sheep’ tour.
Meanwhile, copies 351 to 1,500 are the Collector box sets which include the signed copy of the book by Alex Van Halen and replicas of the keychain, guitar picks, postcards, and vinyl.
These copies come in the same packaging as the Deluxe box sets, but instead of the ‘Hide Your Sheep’ tour motif, they feature a silver debossed Van Halen logo from the band’s world tour in 1978.
Copies of the Deluxe are sold out, but copies of the Collector edition are still available for pre-order. You can find those here. VAN HALEN is expected to ship in November.
Find out more about Genesis Publications here.
