Founding Van Halen members David Lee Roth and Alex Van Halen have appeared together at an event organised by the TEDx Program, an initiative that hopes to research and discover “ideas worth spreading.”
The pair appeared alongside contemporary artist and muralist Robert Vargas to talk about how “stepping outside of comfort zones, absorbing foreign cultures, and embracing contrasting creative approaches can enrich your work.”
“It’s a gas to be here,” says Roth. “This is also a step towards world peace! A leap. This is momentous. A mighty time.”
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Talking about his approach to creating art, Van Halen says, “I think that the most important thing in art is that you do your homework and you learn the basics and then you break all the rules.”
“You got to go get your heart broken,” adds Roth. “Then you got to get it broken in a foreign language. And then you have to run away and join the Foreign Legion.”
Roth, who grew up in a multicultural educational environment and lived in Japan between 2012 and 2014, goes on to talk about the importance of absorbing influences from other cultures.
“This is where Happy Trails [the theme to The Roy Rogers Show, covered by Van Halen on their debut album] came from, because music doesn’t really know boundaries,” he says. “It’s only how people perceive it that creates boundaries. And if you put it in the right light or the right context, it can go anywhere.”
Last week, it was announced that Van Halen, a limited edition deluxe anthology of the band, will be published by Genesis Publications later this year. Written by drummer Alex Van Halen, the package will include a 7″ picture disc featuring a previously unreleased 1974 live recording, Glitter.
