1986 Rock Ballad Linked to an Alien Model Cult Gets New Attention in Hit Docuseries
Heartbreak, politics, triumph, loss: Classic rock's greatest power ballads pull from all kinds of intense emotion. But a certain chart-topping Van Halen anthem found inspiration in something far stranger.
The 1986 hit "Love Walks In" owes its existence, at least in part, to the concepts promoted by Eternal Values, an alien-believing group that recruited aspiring models into its orbit and quietly built a following in the fashion world. The surprising connection is one of many revelations in Bring Me the Beauties: How to Leave a Cult, the HBO Max docuseries currently streaming with a100% Rotten Tomatoes critics score.
In the first of three episodes, viewers learn about the cult, its leader, and their teachings. Led by Manhattan socialite Frederick von Mierers, Eternal Values lured primarily models and wealthy professionals with promises of spiritual enlightenment and self-improvement, eventually gaining notoriety for its extraterrestrial teachings, financial exploitation, and bizarre lifestyle rules.
Among its most famous members was Hoyt Richards, widely regarded as one of the highest-paid male models of the late 1980s and frequently called the world's first male supermodel. According to Richards, Meirers approached him on a beach in Nantucket when he was 16. Mesmerized by the charismatic Mierers, Richards drank the Kool-Aid.
Another surprising admirer, the series claims, was Sammy Hagar.
"People from all over the world started to learn who Frederick was," Dar Dixon, a renowned actor, producer, and director who offers candid insight for the docuseries, says in the first episode. "I mean, we found out even Sammy Hagar from Van Halen had read Aliens Among Usand he loved the idea of walk-ins."
The "walk-ins" Dixon mentions refer to the belief that alien entities or higher spiritual beings can enter and inhabit human bodies. The concept was popularized in the 1979 book Aliens Among Us, written by journalist Ruth Montgomery. Meirers claimed to be a walk-in from the star Arcturus and taught his followers they, too, were "starseeds" destined for higher purpose.
Released in July 1986, "Love Walks In" was the third single from the landmark 5150, the band's first album with Hagar following David Lee Roth's exit. The change also signified a sonic shift toward synthesizer-heavy arrangements and more emotional songwriting, led by Eddie Van Halen's keyboard work.
Whether fans knew the song's backstory or not, its lyrics clearly describe a sci-fi experience of profound love, and they ate it up. The track took on a life of its own, peaking at No. 4 on the Mainstream Rock chart and No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100. Over time, "Love Walks In" evolved into a radio staple and fan-favorite of the Hagar era.
In an interview with Guitar World, via Songfacts, Hagar explained the origin of "Love Walks In," saying, "I'm a firm believer - I've seen, I've felt, I've been contacted. I have received information that's been valuable in my life. They've used me in an experimental fashion. The easiest way to put it is that they downloaded my brain information."
Beyond Van Halen, the docuseries, which streams a new episode every Monday, features a nostalgia-heavy soundtrack including When in Rome's "The Promise," Real Life's "Send Me an Angel," and The Village People's "Macho Man."
Ultimately, the series underscores how strange stories often travel furthest. Plenty of rock songs have crazy origin stories, but few can claim inspo from an alleged secret alien sex cult and its seedy world of models and mysticism. And that's what makes "Love Walks In" an extraordinary power ballad.
Bring Me the Beauties is streaming onHBO Max.
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This story was originally published June 6, 2026 at 1:35 PM.