A reunion tour by legendary rock band Van Halen has been canceled because the group’s lead singer David Lee Roth refused to pay tribute to the late Eddie Van Halen, his brother Alex Van Halen revealed in an interview with Rolling Stone.

Alex Van Halen, who co-founded the band with his brother, opened up to the magazine for the first time since his brother’s death and shed light on the power struggles within the band that led to the collapse of their last planned tour.

Eddie Van Halen, the virtuoso and revered guitarist, died in October 2020 after battling cancer at the age of 65.

Alex Van Halen confirmed to the magazine in an article published Tuesday that rumors of a planned tour following Eddie Van Halen’s death were true, saying there were even early rehearsals where he himself played drums with Roth, the original lead singer the band, performed. However, the plans fell through after an explosive dispute over the tribute to the band’s late co-founder.

“The thing that broke the camel’s back, and I can be honest about that now,” Alex Van Halen revealed, “was that I said, ‘Dave, at some point we have to have a full overt – not a bow – but a thank you to Ed for the appearance. If you look at how Queen do it, they’re showing old footage.” And the moment I said we have to acknowledge Ed, Dave fucking blew a fuse. … The nastiness that came out of it was unbelievable.”

Alex Van Halen said he had several phone conversations with Queen’s Brian May about how the band would perform while honoring the group’s late singer Freddie Mercury. But he said Roth simply refused to pay tribute to his brother.

“It’s just like that, my God. It’s like I don’t know him anymore. I have the utmost respect for his work ethic and all that. But, Dave, you have to work as a community, mother. “You’re not alone anymore,” said Alex Van Halen. The magazine noted that Roth declined to comment.

Ultimately, he said that he had no problem canceling the tour and that he would continue to be in contact with Roth.

“On the one hand it’s a shame, on the other hand it’s okay,” he said. “Because in retrospect, playing the old songs isn’t really a tribute to anyone. It’s like a jukebox in my opinion. …To find a replacement for Ed? It’s just not the same.”

Alex Van Halen said his brother’s death left him in “oceanic grief” and he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. On October 22nd, he will release his memoir, Brothers, which traces his childhood with Eddie Van Halen through the band’s original lineup.

“I just miss him,” he said. “I don’t have the arguments. I live with it every day. And I can’t bring him back. I can’t do things right.”

He said he sometimes feels his brother’s spirit.

“Ed has been here a few times,” he told Rolling Stone. “That was him There this morning.”

He said he believes he and his brother “accomplished what we came here to do.” Alex Van Halen said of his brother: “Wherever he is, he’s fine.”