Stryper frontman Michael Sweet recently shared the following message via Facebook:

"The best line up of VH - period. The most energy, the most fire, the most 'cool' factor, the best songs, the best playing, the best singing, the best attitude, the best albums, the best response. I don’t care what stats say - this was the version of VH that changed the music world and what made them legends. That’s just the way it is...... Van Halen, David Lee Roth, Eddie Van Halen, Michael Anthony, Alex Van Halen. This line-up inspired more people musically than possibly any other American band. Thank you."

Michael Anthony recently offered more details about the aborted Van Halen reunion tour that was being planned for this summer.

During an appearance on the June 19th episode of SiriusXM's Trunk Nation, the former Van Halen bassist — who spent much of the last few years on the road with Sammy Hagar & The Circle — confirmed that he was approached by Van Halen's management last fall about re-teaming with the group.

"The reason The Circle is taking a break right now is that if things would have worked out as they were starting to go and was planned, we would have been in pre-production rehearsals with Van Halen right now," Michael said (hear audio below).

"I'm sure you know Sammy [Hagar] had made a statement [earlier in the year] saying I was offered [to do a tour with Van Halen]. And I can tell you, I spoke with [Van Halen's manager] Irving Azoff last October — that's when I first heard from him — and he asked if I would be interested in any kind of a reunion, and I told him, I said, 'Yeah.' I was finishing up a couple of shows with Sammy and I said, 'Yeah, I'd be interested to hear what you guys have going on. I've got these few dates left, and give me a call.' And I never heard a call back. And then, right after the first of the year, I got… [Van Halen singer] David Lee Roth's, Dave's business manager or lawyer, or something, got ahold of me about a meeting or something. And so at that point, I gave it over to our manager, because I didn't wanna start getting in this whole thing — I wanted to do it the correct way, especially after the way things went for me in 2004.

"From what I've heard, and I haven't spoken to any of the guys, they were gonna try to plan a thing for this summer," Anthony added. "And for whatever reason… I was never… My people were never… They never got in touch with us about any kind of a contract or any kind of a meeting to discuss or whatever. And the next thing I knew, the plug got pulled on it."