My main goal for 2026 is to have fun. While this may sound easy for some, it is a challenge for me as I tend to turn everything in sort of path to productivity.
So, when I found myself amidst the non-fiction stacks at the library in the middle of two full “Music” shelves, I gave myself permission to follow a curiosity just for the sake of it. As much of a music lover as I am, why hadn’t I read about so many of these iconic artists?
That curiosity led me straight into a full-blown Van Halen rabbit hole.
It started with the book “Runnin’ with the Devil” by Noel Monk, the band’s longtime manager. I picked it up mostly out of curiosity about what life was like behind the scenes of one of the biggest rock bands in the world.
What I didn’t expect was how entertaining it would be. The stories were chaotic, funny, and sometimes unbelievable, but they painted a vivid picture of a band that operated at full volume both on and off the stage.
I enjoyed that book so much that I immediately wanted to know more. When I returned to the library, I picked up “Black Sabbath: Symptom of the Universe” by Mick Wall. Black Sabbath was one of the many bands mentioned in the Van Halen book, as Van Halen served as the opening act for them on tour.
This book was packed with detail and information, and although I felt like any shred of innocence I had prior to reading this book was lost, it really made me appreciate Mick Wall.
After reading so much about the talents of Tony Iommi, I knew I had to return to Van Halen, focusing on the one-and-only Eddie Van Halen.
I was delighted to see the library had a copy of “Eruption,” an oral history centered around Eddie Van Halen. Reading an oral history is a very different experience because the story unfolds through many voices—friends, bandmates, collaborators, and people who were there for different moments of his life. It helped me see Eddie not just as a legendary guitarist but as a complicated, creative person who shaped an entire generation of music.
From this book, I knew I needed to hear from Eddie’s brother and bandmate, Alex. So, I listened to “Brothers” by Alex Van Halen, which he narrates himself.
His perspective was especially powerful because of the unique life they shared. Their story includes immigrating to the United States, learning music together, and eventually building one of the most iconic rock bands in history. But the book is also deeply shaped by grief, as Alex reflects on losing his brother and trying to make sense of a life they shared for decades.
Next, I listened to “Enough Already” by Valerie Bertinelli, Eddie’s wife for twenty years. Her memoir added another layer entirely. Much of the book takes place in 2020, the year Eddie passed away, and it reads almost like a diary of grief and reflection.
She shares stories about their early relationship, their marriage, and how they remained connected even after their divorce. What stood out to me most was how genuinely likable and honest she came across—so open about both the joyful and painful parts of her life.
She talks a lot about her and Eddie’s son, Wolfgang. While he doesn’t have a book, yet, there was an interview he did with Howard Stern. I listened to that, including the song Wolfie made for his dad, and well, I turned into a puddle!
By that point, I had unintentionally assembled a kind of multi-angle portrait of the same story: a manager’s perspective, a collective oral history, a brother’s grief, a former spouse’s memories, and the legacy of a son.
And that’s what made the whole rabbit hole so fascinating.
Each person was describing the same world, but from a completely different vantage point.
More than anything, this deep dive reminded me how much I enjoy learning about people and creative lives. The deeper I went, the less the story was just about a rock band and the more it became about family, ambition, talent, addiction, love, and loss.
In other words: the very human stuff.
But the real reason I’m writing about this isn’t just to talk about Eddie Van Halen or the band he helped build. It’s because the whole experience reminded me how valuable it is to follow your curiosity wherever it leads.
Sometimes we put pressure on ourselves to only spend time on things that feel productive or useful. But every once in a while, it’s worth letting yourself explore something purely because it interests you.
That’s what this Van Halen rabbit hole was for me.
A few books. A few interviews. A lot of great music.
And a reminder that sometimes the most fun you can have as a reader—or a fan—is simply seeing where curiosity takes you.
I’m still reading more about other rock legends, and I’ll keep sharing here along the way. If you’ve taken some good deep-dives, I’d love to hear about them!
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