Following Eddie Van Halen’s death in 2020, members of Van Halen considered a memorial tour and approached guitarist Joe Satriani to perform his parts. The proposal underlined Eddie Van Halen’s exceptional influence on rock guitar, while also raising the difficult question of whether any musician could credibly fill his role.

Satriani said Alex Van Halen called him unexpectedly and asked him to join a Van Halen tour, an idea he described as “unimaginable”. Although he initially agreed, he stressed that replacing Eddie was impossible and that Van Halen’s music felt like sacred ground; the proposed shows ultimately did not take place.