Alex Van Halen has been knighted as a member of the Order of the Netherlands Lion. The drummer received the country’s highest civilian honor in Nijmegen, where he and his brother Eddie grew up before moving to Los Angeles in 1962.
During the ceremony, Van Halen said: “My cousin organized most of this, but I’m very grateful.” He added that such institutions add “a dignity and a gravity to what we do.”
Van Halen signed Nijmegen’s Book of the City, a register of notable figures including Bruce Springsteen and King Willem-Alexander. The city praised the musician’s remarkable career and bold sound that has inspired generations.
In October 2024, Van Halen released the memoir Brothers, chronicling his life with Eddie from their childhood to the end of the original Van Halen lineup in 1984.
Source: Rolling Stone Music
