'Ed and I were preparing ourselves for a life in music since we were in our mother’s womb, so it was no mystery how we ended up on stage.' – Alex Van Halen
Written and signed by Alex Van Halen, VAN HALEN is the official chronicle of the band, published in a limited edition of 1,500 signed and numbered copies worldwide. The book traces the brothers’ journey from their childhood in Pasadena, California, and the band’s early days playing backyard parties, to the release and world tour of their chart-topping album 1984.
Featuring a dynamic blend of iconic photography alongside rare and never-before-seen images, and with exclusive access to Alex Van Halen’s private archives, VAN HALEN offers a personally guided tour through the band’s legendary rise.
The VAN HALEN signed limited edition is presented in two bindings: the Deluxe boxed set (copies 1–350, now fully subscribed) and the Collector boxed set (copies 351–1,500).
'We had our tour passes printed with the acronym W.D.F.A on them – which means ‘We Don’t Fuck Around’ – the reason for that was simply that everybody needs a battle cry, and that happened to be ours.' – Alex Van Halen
VAN HALEN opens the Van Halen family archive for the first time. From the brothers’ arrival in California from Holland in 1962 to backyard parties in Pasadena, their 1978 debut album and the chart-topping success of 1984, the band’s story is told through an extraordinary collection of correspondence, tour memorabilia, album artwork, press material, musical equipment, unpublished photographs and much more.
Featuring photography from the band’s early years on the Sunset Strip, their first tours to Japan in 1978, and landmark performances including the US Festival in 1983 and 1984’s Monsters of Rock, VAN HALEN brings together rare archival material alongside the work of celebrated photographers.
'I could write a novel, but briefly, unquestionably, Van Halen is the greatest rock and roll band of all time. There is a void that will never be replaced.' – Steve Lukather
This wealth of archival material is accompanied by an original manuscript from Alex Van Halen, drawn from a series of new interviews conducted especially for this book — his most sustained and detailed reflection on the band’s formative years.
Alongside Alex’s account are archival texts from Eddie Van Halen, together with contributions from fellow musicians, friends and artists inspired by the band.
'Brothers with different superpowers. Eddie revolutionised rock guitar with tone, technique, and attitude, while Alex anchored those innovations with sophisticated rudiment-based grooves, syncopated accents, and a jazz-tinged feel that still feels modern decades later. In that sense, the quip "Alex Van Halen is to drums what Eddie was to guitar" captures how both were virtuosic, stylistically singular, and essential to the band's sound.' – Modern Drummer
Alex Van Halen formed Van Halen with his brother, Eddie Van Halen, in 1972. Alongside David Lee Roth and Michael Anthony, they powered one of history's most successful rock bands.
As the heartbeat of the band, Alex helped drive the band’s breakthrough era from the late 1970s through the mid-1980s – this period produced a run of multi-platinum albums including Van Halen, Fair Warning and 1984, which featured classics such as ‘Runnin’ with the Devil’, ‘Panama’, and ‘Jump’.
Born in Amsterdam and raised in Pasadena, California, Alex began as a classical pianist before switching to drums, this background contributed to his artistry behind the kit. He is known for using large drum kits, and his approach fully utilised these kits while complementing the band’s electric performances.
The backbone of every iteration of Van Halen, the brothers would rise to Californian stardom with five hard years of gigging on and around the Sunset Strip, then go on to tour with Journey, Ronnie Montrose and Black Sabbath before becoming headliners in their own right, finally disbanding in 2020.
Together, Van Halen became one of the best-selling bands in history, selling over 75 million records worldwide and they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007. Cementing their legacy as icons of rock, and Alex a major influence on generations of drummers.
Copies 351 to 1,500 are presented as Collector boxed sets, each containing a copy of VAN HALEN, hand-signed by Alex Van Halen — completing the strictly limited edition of 1,500 copies worldwide.
Each Collector copy is quarter-bound in black vegan leather with silver page edging, and features a silver debossed Van Halen logo from the band’s 1978 World Tour. The book is presented in a black clamshell box featuring the Van Halen emblem, surrounded by Alex’s iconic burning ring design.
The Collector boxed set includes a series of replicas drawn from the Van Halen archive: a 1979 Van Halen Productions keychain, three Eddie Van Halen guitar picks faithfully reproduced from his stage-used designs, six 6" × 4" art postcards, and a 7" vinyl record (track details to be announced).
Collector Copies: 1,150 numbered copies (351–1,500)
Signed by: Alex Van Halen
Binding: Quarter-bound in black vegan leather with silver page edging
Box: Black clamshell featuring silver foiling
Extras: Van Halen Productions keychain, three replica Eddie Van Halen guitar picks, six 6" × 4" art postcards and a 7" vinyl record
Ahead of publication, half of the edition has already been spoken for. The remaining copies are limited to the Collector boxed sets.
In order to make investing in one of our limited edition books or prints easier, we offer an interest-free option to spread the cost.
For purchases over £150, the payments are spread over three months. For example, for a purchase of £360, £122.40 would be paid today, followed by two instalments of £118.80.
Genesis will dispatch your item once the last instalment is paid.
Featuring a dynamic blend of iconic photography alongside rare and never-before-seen images, and with exclusive access to Alex Van Halen’s private archives, VAN HALEN offers a personally guided tour through the band’s legendary rise.
Since 1974 Genesis has created signed limited edition books on behalf of authors and artists ranging from the Beatles to Buckingham Palace.
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