MICHAEL ANTHONY Says VAN HALEN Was Supposed To Be In 'Pre-Production Rehearsals'

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06-19-2019, 06:24 PM
Seshmeister

MICHAEL ANTHONY Says VAN HALEN Was Supposed To Be In 'Pre-Production Rehearsals'

MICHAEL ANTHONY Says VAN HALEN Was Supposed To Be In 'Pre-Production Rehearsals' For Reunion Tour Right Now

http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/mic...our-right-now/

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Michael Anthony has offered more details about the aborted VAN HALEN reunion tour that was being planned for this summer.

During an appearance on today's (June 19) 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."

A few months ago, a rumor surfaced that the original VAN HALEN lineup — including the bassist, who has not played with the band since 2004 — would reunite in 2019 for a run of stadium shows. This would have been the first time that the four founding members of the band, including Roth, guitarist Eddie Van Halen and drummer Alex Van Halen, performed together since 1984.

The rumors originally started with Roth, who hinted to Vulture that VAN HALEN would be playing stadiums this summer with Anthony back in the lineup.

VAN HALEN and Anthony have not been on good terms for more than a decade, with Anthony not invited to join the reunion with Roth that began in 2007. The subsequent two tours and studio album, "A Different Kind Of Truth", featured Eddie Van Halen's son Wolfgang on bass.

Anthony took a pay cut and signed away all of his rights to the band name and logo in order to participate in VAN HALEN's 2004 tour, which featured Hagar.

Audio at this link - https://soundcloud.com/siriusxmenter...n-weddie-trunk
06-19-2019, 07:22 PM
Jérôme Frenchise

Incredible (how positive Mike is), and not (how the brothers will act).

Anthony was ready to sweep the affront... and he got another one!
06-20-2019, 10:00 AM
Vinnie Velvet

Its possible contractual things got messy and it didn't work out despite what MA says.

Butterball was likely more aggressive in terms of what was good for him, etc. and to make sure he wasn't going to get treated like he did in 2004.

There also seems to be a lot of bad blood between him and Ed. Perhaps Azzoff, Dave, etc tried to make amends with all of it but it didn't work.

I suspect for VH its much easier to just throw Wolf up on to the stage then have to deal with Bassplayer and his manager/lawyers.
06-20-2019, 11:42 AM
twonabomber

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vinnie Velvet

I suspect for VH its much easier to just throw Wolf up on to the stage then have to deal with Bassplayer and Sammy.

fixed... :D
06-20-2019, 01:22 PM
Vinnie Velvet

Quote:

Originally Posted by twonabomber

fixed... :D

LOL nice.

Yes, despite Bassplayer's good intentions and always looking to be the nice guy in all of this - fact is his "marriage" to Spammy has not helped his VH situation at all over the years.
06-20-2019, 06:35 PM
Nickdfresh

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vinnie Velvet

...
Butterball was likely more aggressive in terms of what was good for him, etc. and to make sure he wasn't going to get treated like he did in 2004.

Well fuck, can you really blame him?

Quote:

There also seems to be a lot of bad blood between him and Ed. Perhaps Azzoff, Dave, etc tried to make amends with all of it but it didn't work.

Again, can you blame him when he has to deal with the historical cunts-masters-general?

Quote:

I suspect for VH its much easier to just throw Wolf up on to the stage then have to deal with Bassplayer and his manager/lawyers.

Well yeah, but it's getting a bit more nauseating within their fanbase I suspect...
06-20-2019, 10:14 PM
diamondclaudio

I heard that Eddie is has health issues again. That s the main reason for the actual hyatus...
06-20-2019, 10:26 PM
twonabomber

Quote:

Originally Posted by diamondclaudio

I heard that Eddie is has health issues again. That s the main reason for the actual hyatus...

Source?
06-21-2019, 03:16 AM
Nitro Express

Quote:

Originally Posted by diamondclaudio

I heard that Eddie is has health issues again. That s the main reason for the actual hyatus...

Dude has ingested enough booze, cigarettes and coke to kill a normal human being over several times. I just figure Eddie must have found the pick of destiny or something. He should be dead already but then so should Kieth Richards. Maybe Van Halen should have died in 1984 in a plane crash. We would have avoided a lot of faggotry and just pure lame shit if that would have happened.
06-21-2019, 06:32 PM
ZahZoo

Sounds like the idea was just floated around... but the Van Halen ship wasn't sea-worthy...

https://www.giraffecvs.co.uk/wp-cont...nking-ship.jpg
06-23-2019, 06:49 AM
twonabomber

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZahZoo

Sounds like the idea was just floated around... but the Van Halen ship wasn't sea-worthy...

https://www.giraffecvs.co.uk/wp-cont...nking-ship.jpg

Cover of the next album? Call it Sinking Ship
06-23-2019, 09:14 PM
Terry

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vinnie Velvet

Its possible contractual things got messy and it didn't work out despite what MA says.

Butterball was likely more aggressive in terms of what was good for him, etc. and to make sure he wasn't going to get treated like he did in 2004.

There also seems to be a lot of bad blood between him and Ed. Perhaps Azzoff, Dave, etc tried to make amends with all of it but it didn't work.

I suspect for VH its much easier to just throw Wolf up on to the stage then have to deal with Bassplayer and his manager/lawyers.

Yeah, well, should that be the case then good for Mike Anthony being smart enough to look out for his own interests via his own manager/lawyers. Given Mike's history with both Roth and the Van Halens, it'd be folly for Anthony to trust any of those guys in terms of treating him fairly based on a handshake and a verbal promise. Given that same history and the pay cuts Anthony took and the rights he signed away, why should he do a Van Halen reunion for peanuts? Without Anthony, it'll be just another Van Halen Mach 4 tour: the drawing power is a CVH tour. The Van Halens may not like it (and Roth may well not give a shit one way or another in the end) but no Anthony equals no CVH. I'm not saying Anthony at this point is the sole difference between arenas vs. stadiums, but the ticket sales for the 2015 tour were soft compared to the 2007/2008 and 2012 tours. And even if Van Halen went on tour without Anthony and announced it as a Farewell Tour, who believes such declarations from bands anymore anyway?

Apparently Azoff and Roth's representatives are of a similar mindset in terms of being aware of the value a CVH reunion still has. Otherwise, why even approach Anthony?
06-24-2019, 01:35 PM
Vinnie Velvet

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terry

Yeah, well, should that be the case then good for Mike Anthony being smart enough to look out for his own interests via his own manager/lawyers. Given Mike's history with both Roth and the Van Halens, it'd be folly for Anthony to trust any of those guys in terms of treating him fairly based on a handshake and a verbal promise. Given that same history and the pay cuts Anthony took and the rights he signed away, why should he do a Van Halen reunion for peanuts? Without Anthony, it'll be just another Van Halen Mach 4 tour: the drawing power is a CVH tour. The Van Halens may not like it (and Roth may well not give a shit one way or another in the end) but no Anthony equals no CVH. I'm not saying Anthony at this point is the sole difference between arenas vs. stadiums, but the ticket sales for the 2015 tour were soft compared to the 2007/2008 and 2012 tours. And even if Van Halen went on tour without Anthony and announced it as a Farewell Tour, who believes such declarations from bands anymore anyway?

Apparently Azoff and Roth's representatives are of a similar mindset in terms of being aware of the value a CVH reunion still has. Otherwise, why even approach Anthony?

No doubt a full on CVH reunion will generate more interest. Azzoff and Roth know this.

But, I don't think they believe its a definite show stopper for them.

Seeing as how...

- KISS is currently touring with Stanley and his shot vocals supplemented by miming and of course the two scabs in Ace and Peter's makeup (that they've done for years)

- Judas Priest is touring without the two guitar players that helped make Priest for what they are and created the sound (yeah Tipton may show up for a song or two at some dates but is declining due to his Parkinsons)

- Black Sabbath did their final jaunt without Bill Ward

I'm not saying I agree with all these examples - I don't actually.

But Roth and VH can easily just go out with Wolf again.
06-24-2019, 05:00 PM
Terry

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vinnie Velvet

No doubt a full on CVH reunion will generate more interest. Azzoff and Roth know this.

But, I don't think they believe its a definite show stopper for them.

Seeing as how...

- KISS is currently touring with Stanley and his shot vocals supplemented by miming and of course the two scabs in Ace and Peter's makeup (that they've done for years)

- Judas Priest is touring without the two guitar players that helped make Priest for what they are and created the sound (yeah Tipton may show up for a song or two at some dates but is declining due to his Parkinsons)

- Black Sabbath did their final jaunt without Bill Ward

I'm not saying I agree with all these examples - I don't actually.

But Roth and VH can easily just go out with Wolf again.

Oh, to be sure, inasmuch as I'd be surprised if Van Halen Mach 4 hit the road next year and they weren't able to fill 10,000 + seater venues. I'd have to imagine the Van Halen name still carries enough cache to do that, long as Eddie is playing well and Dave is fronting. I'd tend to think a Van Hagar reunion would be able to do likewise, long as Eddie is playing well.

Long as Eddie is playing well, Wolfgang being in the band is a viable option for touring. Least as far as another tour next year goes.

Van Halen Mach 4, however, obviously isn't as special as a CVH reunion, and one imagines a full-on CVH reunion would have a bit more box office/ticket selling draw and enable the band to play slightly larger venues. Not stadiums, but upwards of 20,000 a night rather than closer to 10,000 (which is what I think another Van Halen Mach 4 tour would be playing in terms of venue size).
06-24-2019, 05:47 PM
Jérôme Frenchise

Little hope for another Wolf Halen tour, very, very little for a CVH reunion, and practically none for a few dates in Europe.
I think I'll fly across the Atlantic when Dave starts jumping from the big bass drums again.
06-24-2019, 06:24 PM
Fairwrning

I think missing the 40th anniversary speaks volumes..How in the fuck does that happen if you plan on playing together again? Even if you dont feel like a full blown tour or album , you would have to acknowledge this milestone at some point. You had plenty of time to line up something. These guys are lazier than I am..