Report: Van Halen Are on a Hiatus, Dealing With Health Issues
The conversation regarding Van Halen's future has been all over the place the last few months, and even David Lee Roth recently said he thinks it's over. Now, Toto guitarist Steve Lukather has shed some light on the band's possible hiatus, attributing it to health issues.
"I love Ed and Alex [Van Halen], they've been friends of mine for 40 years. I'm still friends with Mike [Anthony]. I love all those guys. I'm Switzerland, man. I don't get in the middle of all that," Lukather told Eddie Trunk on a recent podcast episode. "I've been in contact with Ed. We text all the time. I really can't say much, man. I don't wanna say anything."
The Toto guitarist continues to praise Van Halen as one of the greatest rock bands of all time, and acknowledges that everyone wants them become active again.
"[Eddie] and Alex are sitting there laying back and they're waiting to see what happens next. I think they're on a hiatus," Lukather explains. "There's been some health issues that they're dealing with and stuff like that. We're older guys now, and to go on the road, and stuff like that, it requires a lot of extra effort in terms of as a human being...I'm not the guy to say anything. I love those brothers so much and we've always had a great relationship. I'm a big fan and also adore them as human beings."
Eddie Van Halen was diagnosed with tongue cancer in 2000, and underwent a procedure that removed a third of his tongue to get rid of it. He's been cancer free since 2002.
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