Editing Van Halen (section)

===1996: Temporary reunion with Roth===
Roth called Eddie to discuss what tracks would be included on a planned Van Halen compilation (work on which had actually begun before Hagar's departure). They got along well, and Eddie invited him up to his house/studio. Shortly afterwards, Roth re-entered the studio with the band and producer [[Glen Ballard]]. Two songs from those sessions were added to the band's ''[[Best Of – Volume I (Van Halen album)|Best Of – Volume I]]'' album and released as singles to promote it.

In September, Van Halen was asked to present an award at the [[1996 MTV Video Music Awards]]. They agreed, and on September 4, 1996, the four original members of Van Halen made their first public appearance together in over eleven years. This helped to bring the compilation to No. 1 on the U.S. album charts. However, unknown to Roth, Eddie and Alex were still auditioning other singers, including [[Mitch Malloy]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.melodicrock.com/interviews/mitchmalloy.html|title=Mitch Malloy – Talks Van Halen|website=Melodicrock.com|access-date=September 2, 2007|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304072019/http://www.melodicrock.com/interviews/mitchmalloy.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.vhnd.com/2012/10/18/audio-mitch-malloys-audition-for-van-halen-1996/|title=Audio: Mitch Malloy's Audition for Van Halen (1996)|date=October 18, 2012|website=Vhnd.com}}</ref>

The band's appearance on the 1996 MTV Video Music Awards fueled reunion speculation. But several weeks after the awards show, it was discovered that Roth was out of Van Halen again. Roth released a statement that Van Halen misled him into thinking they were seriously considering bringing him back into the band and that he had made clear to them beforehand that he did not want to do the awards show unless they were actually reuniting.<ref>{{cite web |title=An Open Letter from David Lee Roth |url=https://mflwp.tripod.com/letter.htm |website=My Filthy Little Web Page |access-date=August 31, 2023 |date=October 2, 1996}}</ref> The next day, the Van Halen brothers and Anthony released their own statement, denying they had in any way led Roth to believe they were planning to bring him back into the band.<ref>{{cite web |title=David Lee Roth Not Rejoining Van Halen |url=https://www.spokesman.com/stories/1996/oct/05/david-lee-roth-not-rejoining-van-halen/ |website=[[The Spokesman-Review]] |access-date=August 31, 2023 |date=October 5, 1996}}</ref>

Eddie later recounted that at the MTV Video Music Awards appearance, he was embarrassed and outraged by Roth's antics while on camera behind [[Beck]], who was giving an acceptance speech for the award that Van Halen had presented to him. At a backstage press conference, press queries about a reunion tour were met with Eddie saying that he needed a hip replacement and would have to record an entire new studio album before any tour. Roth told Eddie to avoid talking about negative things like his hip and the two almost came to blows.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Greene |first=Andy |title=Flashback: Watch Van Halen Meltdown Onstage at 1996 VMAs |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/flashback-van-halen-meltdown-onstage-at-1996-vmas-124336/ |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |access-date=August 30, 2023 |date=October 4, 2016}}</ref>