Van Halen 2006–present
 From 2000 to early 2004, no official statements were made by Van Halen and no music released. However, information about members, past and present, trickled in. The Van Halen brothers continued writing at 5150 studios, Gary Cherone recorded an album and toured with new band Tribe of Judah. One of the songs that Cherone had written for the scrapped 2nd album with Van Halen entitled Left For Dead, would see its lyrics set to a completely new musical arrangement with Tribe Of Judah. Hagar and Roth continued their careers.
On July 4, 2004, Roth performed with the Boston Pops at Boston's annual Pops Goes the Fourth celebration. Sammy Hagar remained active, releasing five albums and creating his own merchandising brand Cabo Wabo, which lends its name to his line of tequila, as well as his franchise of cantinas. He reunited with Montrose in 2003 and 2005 for a few performances. Hagar maintained contact with Michael Anthony, often playing with him. Despite quietness within Van Halen, Anthony stayed busy with merchandising projects (such as his signature Yamaha bass) and set up a website. He became involved with the annual music industry NAMM Show.
Eddie Van Halen had hip surgery in 1999 and recovered. In 2000, the band worked with David Lee Roth at 5150, writing new music before falling out again. Eddie kept quiet, but was at the LAPD charity golf tournament during May 2001. He gave an interview with Maximum Golf Magazine in July 2001. Little news followed, and any band progress would have been interrupted on October 15, 2001, when Eddie and his wife of 21 years, actress Valerie Bertinelli, separated (though the couple only filed for divorce on December 8, 2005). In November 2001, Anthony claimed Roth had been working with the band again for a few months, but lawyers had shut it down. Strangely, Anthony later denied this statement. More positively, Eddie underwent successful treatment for cancer and announced his recovery on Van Halen's website in May 2002. In 2002, Warner Bros. dropped Van Halen after working with them since 1978.
Eddie's only live performances during this period were joining Mountain to play Never in My Life in August 2002 and a private audience jam at NAMM January 2003. (This took place at the Peavey booth. At the time, Peavey was authorized to manufacture Eddie's signature Wolfgang model guitar. Word quickly spread through the NAMM show that Eddie was to play at the Peavey booth, and the booth became packed. Eddie showed up late and drunk. When he finally appeared, he was incoherent. Peavey founder and CEO, Hartley Peavey, was furious. Shortly after this, Peavey lost its license to produce the official Van Halen guitar, and Fender, which had purchased Charvel-Jackson, was awarded the license, but the guitar produced was a copy of Eddie's earlier Strat-style guitars, available in three models: white with black stripes, red white and black and yellow on black).
In the summer of 2002, David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar teamed up in the Song For Song, the Heavyweight Champs of Rock and Roll tour (also known as the 'Sans-Halen' or 'Sam & Dave' Tour). The joint tour headlining both former lead singers attracted media and audience fascination because it seemed more improbable than even a Van Halen with Roth or Hagar could be. The tour drew large crowds and featured no opening acts, Roth and Hagar would alternate opening as the first act during the tour. In an interview, Roth contrasted his personality with Hagar's, saying, He's the kind of guy you go out with to split a bottle with a friend. I'm the kind of guy you go out with if you want to split your friend with a bottle. Michael Anthony guested with Hagar's band, The Waboritas, numerous times and sometimes even sang lead vocals. He never played with Roth. Gary Cherone appeared on occasion. Hagar released a live album (Hallelujah), featuring vocals by Mike and Gary, and a documentary DVD, Long Road to Cabo, about touring with Roth. Next, Hagar joined with Journey guitarist Neal Schon to form a side project, Planet Us. Along with Michael Anthony and Deen Castronovo (also of Journey) on drums. The band recorded just two songs and played live a few times before dissolving when Hagar and Anthony rejoined Van Halen.
While the two lead singers promoted the tour and publicly claimed mutual respect, rumours of bitter acrimony and mutual loathing between the two singers swirled. The allegations were later revealed in back stage video showing Roth and Hagar camps maintaining strict separation.
Also in this period, rumours cropped up that Anthony had been fired - despite his name being included in messages 'from the band' on their website. His official website denied the rumours, though it was later revealed that on the Van Halen III album Anthony only recorded three tracks, and subsequently his position became tenuous (it relied entirely on Hagar's demands that he remain in 2004). His departure was confirmed in 2006.
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