Eddie Van Halen’s brother Alex reflected on the musician’s life and the events leading up to his death in 2020 during a recent chat with Rolling Stone. He made some shocking revelations about the depth of Eddie’s drug addiction and how he went down that road.
Eddie reportedly took as much as a bottle of steroids per day because it made him feel like Superman. Alex guessed the containers had up to a thousand pills, and his brother would often jest away his action, saying if two pills were good, then twenty would feel better.
Why did Eddie Van Halen start using steroid pills?
Eddie’s doctor found a tumor in his brain back in 2019, just after he survived a motorcycle accident. He underwent gamma knife surgery and had to take prescribed steroid pills during recovery. Sadly, Eddie became addicted to the drug and began to abuse it instead.
Even while battling cancer, Eddie continued to make music, to Alex’s surprise. Alex admitted he was impressed by Eddie’s relentless nature in his final moments, even if the music he made at the time was below standard. Eddie was confirmed dead in October 2020, leaving Alex devastated.
Eddie Van Halen’s brother is working on a memoir
Four years after Eddie’s passing, his brother is working on a memoir about their relationship, which details their upbringing and exposure to vices. Their father reportedly gave Alex his first alcoholic drink at only 6, and he became an alcoholic until his wife, Stine Schyberg, helped him stop.
Eddie was also an alcoholic and accompanied his with cocaine to stay awake and alert. According to Alex, the late singer’s greatest vice was his obsession with success, as he wanted to become the world’s greatest guitarist alive. Eddie died famous and with multiple accolades earned, but his relationships and health took a hit.