Christmas came early this year for Van Halen fans across the globe with the release of Alex Van Halen's memoir, brethrenin October. The book chronicles his family's emigration from the Netherlands to the United States when he was just 8 years old and follows the band's meteoric rise to fame in the 1980s. More than just a testament to the American dream, the book serves as a heartfelt tribute to his brother his late Eddie, who died of cancer in 2020. As he reflects on their shared passion for music and knowledge of the music industry, Alex gives invaluable lessons for anyone who aspires to success, regardless of their chosen field.
Lesson: You can have the greatest product in the world, but without proper marketing, no one will know to buy it.
At their mother's urging, Alex and Eddie were classically trained pianists (Eddie won first place in the annual piano competition at Long Beach City College from ages 9 to 12, despite the fact that he never learned to read music). They turned their attention to rock and roll after listening to bands like The Dave Clark Five and The Beatles and knew they wanted to dedicate their lives to music. By high school graduation, they were recognized as the top musicians in their hometown of Pasadena, California. But their father, who was also a professional musician, explained to Alex that, “People go to 'see' the band, they don't just go 'hear' the band.” Against Eddie's judgment, Alex knew he had to partner with David Lee Roth, who was a far inferior musician but could bring the Van Halen “show” like no other. “We knew enough to know that a guy like Dave, with his ego and charisma, would give us more room to be who we really were. The audience could watch Dave while listening to us play.”
Lesson: Talent isn't enough—you have to work.
Many believe that based on the amazing talent of the brothers, nothing would stop them from achieving success. But as Alex describes in the book, the bigger your dreams, the harder you have to work. “Look, I thought Dave was an odd duck. But what I respected was that he was willing to do the work, as we were. He realized it's audition, play, practice, audition, play, practice. Go, go, go, twenty-five hours a day.” Van Halen infamously covered Sunset Strip in 1974 and played nonstop until the band's first album in 1978. “You develop timing and expression within the band when you play over and over with the same people. You can't figure it out any other way than by putting in the hours.”
Lesson: Having a backup plan can sometimes keep you from taking advantage of opportunities.
Beyond talent and work ethic, achieving extraordinary goals requires unwavering focus. As Alex said, “Dad taught us: everything you do in this life, you should do it with laser focus. A light shining all over the place is just a blur. But focus a laser beam and it can cut a door.” Mark Stone was Van Halen's bass player in 1972. Alex writes, “He was a really nice, laid-back guy. But Ed and Dave and I had a different attitude about our careers: we were all in. Mark was torn. “I was a straight A student at school and doing the band, I was torn between these two things,” Mark said in a documentary, “and basically I couldn't keep up with them.” He left the group. in 1974, before securing a major record deal. Alex writes: “I went and saw Mark's widow after he died—just ten days after Ed, if you can believe that. She told me that throughout Mark's life, he felt like he missed his golden opportunity.”
Lesson: While it's scary to leave your comfort zone, growing your ambitions can lead to greater opportunities, even in challenging circumstances.
In the book, 10x is easier than 2xDan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy discuss the need to constantly raise one's goals for massive success. Alex and Eddie believed the same. Their first taste of success came when they were routinely packing backyard parties in their neighborhood with 3,000 screaming kids—the police were regularly called to break up these huge parties. However, they aspired to more than local fame, so they caught sight of the Sunset Strip and eventually became the regular house band at a club called Gazzarri's. As Alex writes in the book, “Weeks turned into months. Months turned into years. I felt like my life was passing me by. At the end of the day, we were just the house band in a bar, and that wasn't going to cut it. Music industry people weren't coming to Gazzarri. We knew we had to get on stage somewhere where we could get more exposure, get signed.” The band took a huge chance and said goodbye to their steady paycheck at Gazzarri's, and with the help of local radio DJ Rodney Bingenheimer, they were allowed to play the Starwood on Santa Monica Blvd. The night they were discovered by Warner Bros. record executives, they were playing a high-energy set on a rainy Tuesday night at Starwood, to an audience of five incredible people.
Van Halen's story illustrates that true achievement is not rooted in talent alone, but is also a product of relentless dedication, strategic partnerships and an unwavering focus on one's goals. As we reflect on Van Halen's legacy, let's remember that the road to greatness is often paved with hard work, calculated risks, and the courage to embrace discomfort. The lessons learned from Alex and Eddie's lives serve as a powerful reminder that success isn't just about reaching for the stars, but about the journey that gets you there—one note, one practice, one bold decision at a time. So dare to dream big, work hard and never forget the importance of a little performance along the way.
Matt Sonnen is Chief Operating Officer at Coldstream Wealth Managementas well as the creator of the digital consulting platform COO Societywhich educates RIA owners and operations professionals on how to build more impactful and profitable enterprises. He is also the host of the popular The COO Roundtable Podcast.