iHeartRadio’s Premiere Radio Networks reached out to original Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony on Wednesday and shot down rumors started by David Lee Roth and later Eddie Trunk that he is returning to Van Halen.
“The only comment I have is that I haven’t spoken to any of the guys since we last played together back in 2004,” Anthony told Premiere.
He added that while he did speak to Alex Van Halen on the phone “a few years back,” the two didn’t get into anything more than small talk.
Roth hinted to Vulture that the band would “come back through town in the summertime and do the original thing, maybe somewhere sportin’, maybe with somebody famous…. next time my rock band will be playing the same place that the Yankees play.”
Eddie Trunk said on SiriusXM, “Every year there’s some rumor about Van Halen about to do something or announce something, and ultimately it just doesn’t happen. But, a little more so than normal as we close out 2018, I’m starting to hear some rumblings.”
He added, “The rumors from reliable sources — but still rumors that are unconfirmed — is that the band will tour in 2019 with the original band, which would mean the return of Michael, and that it’s gonna be some sort of stadium package.”
