Backstage Auctions, Inc. has announced The Alex Van Halen Collection, the auction house’s most anticipated and historical auction event of the year featuring the personal collection of legendary Van Halen drummer Alex Van Halen.
Backstage Auctions says, “It is an unbelievable honor to represent one of the greatest rock drummers of all time and we could not be any more excited. Alex is the reason why so many people picked up a pair of drumsticks and this auction is a fantastic opportunity to see so many of his instruments and gear go to new homes. All of these pieces have a thick layer of magic ‘Al‘ dust and we can only hope that it will bring boundless joy and thrills to their future owners.”
The collection features over 350 lots, with a wide array of memorabilia, such as drum kits, snare drums, kick drums, road cases, drumheads, cymbals, gongs, sticks and mallets, personal items, record awards, autographed pieces and so much more. The auction is definitely one of those once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for fans and collectors to own a piece of van halen history. Each lot sold will come with a personally signed certificate of authenticity from Alex, which is a collectible in itself.
Alex says, “I always have pursued the best possible sound, which drove me every single day, every single album, and every single tour to be on top of my game. I hope that passing on all these pieces will inspire current and next generations to be the best they can be. Now, let’s have some fun — Van Halen style.”
Each piece featured in the auction is essentially a highlight item, but among the standouts is the legendary 5150 tour kit, the 2015 tour kit (and the last kit Alex ever used in concert),his personal collection of vintage RIAA(Recording Industry Association Of America) record awards, the exceptionally rare rosewood snare drums that helped define his signature sound, the eye-catching and iconic gongs, a kick drum from the early backyard party days, and even a piano from the Van Halen family home.
The auction is a celebration of a 40-year career that saw Van Halen sell nearly 100 million albums worldwide, making them one of the best-selling groups in the history of music. Alex Van Halen‘s place in the pantheon of rock ‘n’ roll drummers is legendary. The incredible body of work that he created alongside his brother Eddie is memorialized in Van Halen‘s historic catalog of genre-defining music.
“I kept all these drums, cymbals, heads, and all other kinds of gear, instruments, and road cases in my warehouse for decades and it will bring me great pleasure to see them end up in the hands of my fans and fellow drummers,” says Alex. “A portion of the proceeds will go to the Ride On Therapeutic Horsemanship charity to further support the services they provide to those in need.”
Alex and his wife have been longtime supporters of Ride On Therapeutic Horsemanship. The organization’s mission is to promote the welfare of at-risk youth and people with any type of physical, intellectual or cognitive disability by means of equine-assisted activities and therapies, and by providing instruction and education for all in equestrian-related social, vocational and recreational activities.
The auction will open up for bidding on June 1st and close on June 9th.