David Lee Roth has released a new song that pays homage to his band Van Halen. The track “Nothing Could Have Stopped Us Back Then Anyway” is the latest in a series of new songs the singer recorded with Rob Zombie guitarist John 5 a few years ago but didn’t release until 2020.
In addition to the title “Nothing Could Have Stopped Us Back Then Anyway”, the opening line “We laughed, we cried, we threw the television off that balcony” also suggests that the track is an ode to the legendary hard rock band from the USA is.
The still that graces the YouTube video is an old monochrome photograph of Van Halen – a snapshot of David Lee Roth, Eddie, Wolfgang and Alex Van Halen mid-air jump.
The track “Nothing Could Have Stopped Us Back Then Anyway” was released on Wednesday (July 27th). John 5 wrote on Instagram: “I remember being in the studio with Dave editing this track – it was magical, one of my fondest memories. I’ve loved Van Halen my whole life and that will never change @davidleeroth.”
Unfortunately no tribute concert
Back in 2020, Roth released the song “Somewhere Over the Rainbow Bar & Grill” as a tribute to the late Eddie Van Halen. Metallica bassist Jason Newsted also revealed earlier this year that a Van Halen tribute concert was originally planned but never materialized.
He did not give a reason for the show that never took place. However, Eddie Van Halen’s son, Wolfgang Van Halen, hinted in a recent interview that Roth wanted to stop the event. He explained: “Some people are difficult to handle and made sure that it didn’t happen”.
In 2015, Eddie Van Halen spoke of another record. “We’ll probably sit down together after the tour and record another studio album,” he announced. But it did not get to that. Four years later, Roth declared, “I think Van Halen are through”. Finally, on October 6, 2020, Wolfgang Van Halen announced the official dissolution of the band: “There is no Van Halen without Eddie Van Halen”.