Alex Van Halen "Brothers" UK Signed First Edition, Limited Slipcased Collector's Edition "BC" w/COA [Sealed]

Personally signed by Alex Van Halen, co-founder of the influential band Van Halen.

Limited to several "BC" (Bookseller Copy) Signed First Edition copies with COA.

HarperCollins Publishers (October 24, 2024). Alex Van Halen "Brothers". Personally signed by Alex Van Halen directly onto the half-title page. No bookplates which were then affixed into the book. UK Signed First Edition, First Printing with the full number line as required on the copyright page. Hardcover book with dust-jacket. Limited to several "BC" slipcased copies with Certificate of Authenticity. The slipcase is produced from high quality materials and design to match the feel and look of the book. The author’s name and book title is printed on the front surface. The books for this edition have been inspected and hand-picked to meet our strict Very Fine condition criteria.

Collector's Note: The Slipcased Signed First Edition of 50 slipcased copies is now SOLD OUT. This is the slipcased signed "BC" or "Bookseller's Copy" that is not in the number sequence.

A Crucial Figure in Rock Music History

Alex Van Halen’s importance stems from his pivotal role in the formation (1972) and success of Van Halen, his groundbreaking drumming techniques, and his lasting impact on rock music. His contributions helped make the band one of the most influential in the history of rock.

Alex Van Halen is considered a crucial figure in rock music, particularly in the hard rock and heavy metal genres, due to his distinctive drumming style, contributions to Van Halen's sound, and his influence on generations of musicians.

Alex Van Halen co-founded the legendary rock band Van Halen with his brother, guitarist Eddie Van Halen, in 1972. The band's eponymous debut album in 1978 helped redefine rock music in the late '70s and early '80s, with the band quickly becoming one of the most successful and influential acts of the era. Alex's drumming, in combination with Eddie’s revolutionary guitar work, helped create the band’s signature sound.

Custom Matching Slipcase

The slipcase for this exclusive signed collector's edition is hand-made here in the United States, using the highest quality craftsmanship and materials. It is produced by an all-by-hand bookbindery and box-making studio that specializes in custom projects and special editions. The slipcase is made with ALLURE®, a luxurious high quality and relatively more expensive material that contains deep, rich vellums and natural linens.

Features Exclusive To This Edition

• Personally signed by Alex Van Halen directly onto the half-title page (no bookplates)
• HarperCollins Publishers (October 24, 2024)
• Limited Slipcased Signed First Edition , "BC" copy that is out of sequence. 
• UK First Edition, First Printing with the full number line
• Very Fine/Very Fine without any discernible flaws.
• Includes individually hand-numbered COA (Certificate of Authenticity)
• The slipcase will be produced from high quality material (sophisticated rich appearance and feel) with the author’s name and book title printed on the front and spine surfaces.
  Archival safe and acid-free materials
• Available on a “first come, first served” basis.
• Free luxury gift wrapping available at check-out.
• The entire package will be SEALED in shrink-wrapping.
• 30 day return policy with free 2-way shipping (within the US) .
• The same quality and attention to detail you have come to expect from VERYFINEBOOKS
• Professional packing & shipping.
• Ship date: January 8, 2025

Lifetime Guarantee of Signature Authenticity

Personally signed by Alex Van Halen directly onto the half-title page of the book and not on a bookplate which was then affixed into the book. The most desirable state in this UK Signed First Edition, First printing. Limited to only 50 slipcased copies with hand-numbered COA. You will receive a legitimate hand-signed first edition. The autograph is genuine and not an auto-pen, stamp, or facsimile copy.

First Edition, First Printing

The most collectible state of the publication by HarperCollins Publishers. You will receive a slip-cased FIRST EDITION, FIRST PRINTING with "First Published by HarperCollins Publishers 2024" as stated on the copyright page with the full number line down "1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2".

Brothers

Alex Van Halen is an American musician who was the original drummer and a co-founder of the rock band Van Halen.

In this intimate and open account—nothing like any rock-and-roll memoir you've ever read—Alex Van Halen shares his personal story of family, friendship, music, and brotherly love in a remarkable tribute to his beloved brother and bandmate.

Told with acclaimed New Yorker writer Ariel Levy, Brothers is seventy-year-old drummer Alex Van Halen's love letter to his younger brother, Edward (Maybe "Ed," but never "Eddie"), written while still mourning his untimely death.

In his rough yet sweet voice, Alex recounts the brothers' childhood, first in the Netherlands and then in working-class Pasadena, California, with an itinerant musician father and a very proper Indonesian-born mother—the kind of mom who admonished her boys to "always wear a suit" no matter how famous they became—a woman who was both proud and practical, nonchalant about taking a doggie bag from a star-studded dinner. He also shares tales of musical politics, infighting, and plenty of bad-boy behavior. But mostly, his is a story of brotherhood, music, and enduring love.

"I was with him from day one," Alex writes. "We shared the experience of coming to this country and figuring out how to fit in. We shared a record player, an 800-square-foot house, a mom and dad, and a work ethic. Later, we shared the back of a tour bus, alcoholism, the experience of becoming famous, of becoming fathers and uncles, and of spending more hours in the studio than I've spent doing anything else in this life. We shared a depth of understanding that most people can only hope to achieve in a lifetime.”

There has never been an accurate account of them or the band, and Alex wants to set the record straight on Edward's life and death.

Brothers includes never-before-seen photos from the author's private archive.

"A chronicle of family and talent and the passion to create ... the definitive take on Edward Van Halen's life and death from the one who knew and loved him best." - Brothers editor, Sara Nelson

• Hardcover
• 256 pages
• Photo Color Insert
• Dimensions‏: ‎ 6 x 0.93 x 9 inches
• Item Weight: ‎ 1.4 pounds
• ISBN-10: 0063265702
• ISBN-13: ‎978-0063265707
• Publisher: ‎ Harper Collins
• Release Date: Oct 22, 2024

About The Author

Alexander Arthur Van Halen (Dutch pronunciation: [born May 8, 1953) is an American retired musician who was the drummer and a co-founder of the rock band Van Halen, which was formed in 1972 by Van Halen and his younger brother Eddie under the name "Mammoth" before adding Michael Anthony and David Lee Roth in 1974 and changing their name to Van Halen.

Warner Bros. signed the band in 1977, and the band's debut album was released a year later. Prior to their disbandment in 2020, following Eddie's death, Van Halen released 12 studio albums, and the brothers were the only two constant members of the band.

Career

Alex and Eddie Van Halen had several early bands before the formation of Van Halen. In addition to The Broken Combs, there were The Space Brothers, The Trojan Rubber Company, and Mammoth.

In 1972, the brothers formed Mammoth with Mark Stone on bass and Eddie on lead vocals. The band rented David Lee Roth's PA system for their shows. Soon after, Eddie became tired of singing lead, and asked Roth to join the band. Later, in 1974, since the name Mammoth was already taken by another band, the name was changed to Van Halen, and Stone was replaced by Michael Anthony. Roth has claimed that it was his idea to rename the band Van Halen, and that he actually named it after Alex. In addition to his musical duties at this time, Alex handled managerial duties, such as booking gigs, and the like for the band. Their 1978 self-titled debut album Van Halen was released to much fanfare, influencing many musicians in hard rock. Van Halen had released eleven more studio albums since then, and officially disbanded a month after Eddie's death on October 6, 2020.

Although the term "brown sound" is generally associated with Eddie's guitar, it was actually coined by Alex to refer to the sound of his snare drum.

Alex never recorded any music without his brother being involved, with Michael Anthony saying that "the only person that he plays with is Ed." The only recording Alex has made outside of the band is playing keyboards on the Eddie Van Halen instrumental "Respect the Wind", done for the Twister soundtrack and earning the Van Halen brothers a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rock Instrumental Performance.

In June of 2024, Alex auctioned off all of his drum gear he had in storage for decades. This led people to believe that he will no longer be involved in music without his brother Edward on stage with him.

Alex is set to release a book called Brothers on October 22, 2024.