Anthony Surprised to Be Last Touring ‘Original’ Van Halen Member

Michael Anthony is the last member of Van Halen‘s early classic lineup to still be actively touring – a fact that is both shocking and sobering for the bassist

“I don’t really think about it consciously that I’m the only person,” Anthony admitted during a recent conversation with Sirius XM’s Eddie Trunk, noting that he didn’t even realize the situation until a friend pointed it out. “I’m the only one from the original band left out here doing this. And I thought, ‘Whoa, that’s a trip.’ I never thought about it.”

As Anthony noted, Eddie Van Halen’s death in 2020 “closed the whole deal on the original Van Halen or any incarnation of Van Halen.”

“I always thought that it would have been either him and Alex or whatever that would have carried on after everybody was gone or everyone broke up or everyone stopped getting along,” the bassist admitted. “And here I am, I’m the guy.”

READ MORE: The Best Song From Every Van Halen Album

By all accounts, Van Halen’s other surviving original members are done with touring. Singer David Lee Roth last performed in 2020. He announced his retirement in 2022, and a farewell residency in Las Vegas was canceled before ever getting underway. Meanwhile, drummer Alex Van Halen has remained reclusive since his brother’s death, and recently sold the majority of his instruments and gear.

“He was selling everything right down to the last drumstick,” Anthony noted. “Now that really kind of surprised me, but maybe that’s his way of just, that’s going to be his closure on the whole thing with doing that and the book now.”

Michael Anthony Has Tried to Reconnect With Alex Van Halen

Speaking of Alex, Anthony admitted he’s tried to get in contact with his former bandmate, to no avail.

“I tried to get ahold of him on his birthday in May,” the bassist recalled. “I did not hear back from him. So, I don’t know. I didn’t want to push it or keep trying to get ahold of him or whatever.”

READ MORE: Top 10 Van Halen Michael Anthony Songs

Anthony, who is on the road with Sammy Hagar on the Van Halen-focused Best of All Worlds Tour, added that the Red Rocker also tried to reach out to Alex.

“Obviously Sammy and I were, we’re both hoping that Alex at some point might get in touch with us,” the rocker explained. “Sammy’s been trying to get ahold of Alex.”