Former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted recently addressed why a proposed Van Halen tribute event never moved forward, saying the idea fizzled after early discussions and that the window for a properly executed honour show may now be closing.
On Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk, Newsted made the comments while reflecting on a tribute concept that had been floated in recent years, with guitarist Joe Satriani among the names linked to the talks.
Newsted said he recalls having a phone call with Alex Van Halen and then telling Satriani he did not think proceeding was appropriate, adding that he was never contacted again about the project. Describing what a successful tribute would require, Newsted argued it would need to be a concise, special engagement—such as a limited two-night run—rather than a standard rock concert.
“Well, I can’t remember when that was exactly. I just remember having a phone call with Alex (Van Halen), and then just telling Joe (Satriani) that I didn’t think it was appropriate,” Newsted said. “You know, and that was the last I ever heard of it. There was never any other anybody reaching out to me about anything.”
He also questioned whether the logistics and “cohesion” needed to stage an event at that level still exist, suggesting it is “getting kind of a little bit late” to do it correctly.
“And I think I’m in the same camp as most people in the same as you, that if it can be done properly and concisely, you know, like it needs to be just a quick thing, it needs to be a special thing, like two nights at some place, and it’s just that,” he continued. “And if they do it honorably, but it’s getting kind of a little bit late to do it correctly, I think now. It’d be pretty hard. I don’t think there’s enough, maybe not enough cohesion anymore to really make it proper.”
Newsted stressed that any tribute should be framed as an “honor show” and a dedicated event, not simply a lineup playing songs without the right intent or structure.
“You know, it’s got to be, got to be an honor show. It has to be that. It has to be worshiping, whatever you call that, what happened,” he said. “You know, you have to be able, it’s not just gonna be some kind of rock show. It has to be a hybrid dedication kind of event. And I’m not sure if those logistics can be worked out anymore.”
Newsted added that organisers would need to consider how to pay homage not only to Eddie Van Halen but also to Alex and the band’s broader legacy, and he distinguished between an Eddie-focused guitar celebration and a full Van Halen honour.
“No further dialogue, and it would have to be, you know, how are you gonna do that and still pay homage to Alex also, and still pay homage, because you still have to do with the homage as the band,” Newsted explained. “If you’re gonna do an Eddie tribute, then have Nuno Bettencourt and Tom Morello line up a bunch of band motherf*ckers, then you do that thing and everybody takes a shot at one Eddie’s songs, something like that. If that needs to be its own category and its own thing anymore.”
“If you’re gonna have a Van Halen honor, it needs to be for the band. That’s the way I see it anymore,” he said. “You know, as time has gone by. If somebody would be able to coordinate something that was timely, appropriate, like an anniversary of a passing, an anniversary of the beginning of the band, an anniversary of the biggest album of the band, something that made sense to the fans, and they did it as an honor to the music that was made, not just certain guys that played it. That’s the way it has to be looked on, in my opinion now.”
His comments arrive amid ongoing questions about what a reunion or major commemorative event could realistically look like, including the reality that Alex Van Halen has previously indicated he cannot play in a reunion setting.
For Newsted, the key remains intent and timing: if a tribute is to happen, he believes it should be anchored to a meaningful milestone and focused on honouring the music the band created, rather than centring only on individual personalities.
