EVH & WOLF: GUITAR WORLD interview

[Matt White]

April 2008 issue of GUITAR WORLD magazine...

EVH & WOLFGANG Van Halen interviewed together for the first time....

well...lets cut right to the good stuff...i.e. the stuff concerning DAVID LEE ROTH....

regarding EVH's asking WOLF to be the bass player in the band...

EVH:"It's like DAVE says, "Three parts original, one part inevitable." And it was inevitable."

later...

EVH:"We rehearsed probably six months before Dave showed up. We were almost over-rehearsed. We got to the point where we were goofing around."

WOLF:"That's when we started playing "Little Dreamer" in double time."

EVH:"When Dave walked in it blew his freakin' mind!"

WOLF:"That night was magical. That was the first time I heard vocals with everything."

EVH:"Dave couldn't believe how good you are."

and so on......

On WOLF discovering the REAL VAN HALEN...

EVH:"It blew my mind that I totally forgot to turn him on to all of the music that I've written. All he knew was what he heard on the radio."

WOLF:"Like "JUMP" and that was it."

EVH:"I'll never forget when we were coming home from Castle Park. "HOT FOR TEACHER" came on the radio and Wolf was going, "Who is that singing?" I said, "that's Dave."

on WHY WOLF digs CLASSIC VAN HALEN....

WOLF:"Yeah, but I'm not sure when I started. I love it for the same reason everybody else loves it. It's awesome. It's just good music. It last. It was made a while ago, and it still lives today."

on the best moment of the tour so far....

EVH:"For me it's the fact that I get to play with my son, my brother, and Dave. Every night is special."

Hmmmmm...not that I put a ton of stock in ANYTHING EVH says....just KEWL to see DAVE mentioned in GUITAR WORLD....

nothing aboot bass player or the Spam....

it has the obligatory bits aboot gear and such...being that it is GUITAR WORLD...but an interesting read for the CLASSIC VAN HALEN fan.....

[jero]

Thanks Matt!

[jhale667]

Cool!

[diamondsgirl]

Originally posted by Matt White

WOLF:"That's when we started playing "Little Dreamer" in double time."

I'd like to hear that! I'll bet its funky as hell.

[ELVIS]

They dont sound like they rehearsed six days...

[bugmenot]

They rehearsed six months before Dave showed up. Either Dave didn't want to be a part of those practice sessions. Or the brothers didn't want him to be a part of those practice sessions. Either way, that's not good news for those of us who want this reunion to last a long time.

[Terry]

Well, how long is one gonna really want this type of reunion to last, anyway?

Sure, it's gonna be cool to go see them playing the older material, but them doing that and only that isn't gonna be something that retains my interest year after year...at some point (not too long from now), they're gonna have to come up with some ass-kicking new material.

Otherwise, they're gonna end up like the Stones for me; a prepetual nostalgia act that I'm only gonna pay big money ticket prices to see once.

Van Halen gets the nod this time around because seeing those CVH songs played live by the original lineup is something I've had an interest in since 1996, when it became possible that it could actually happen. I've already compromised on the fact that MA isn't there and no new material has been forthcoming and the elevated ticket prices based on the youtubes and boots I've seen.

I'm not gonna shell out a c-note per ticket year after year to see them playing nothing but oldies, though. Suspect more than a few share my feelings on that.

[Matt White]

Yup....

NO new material...little interest in shelling out tons 'o' loot.....

This tour is as close as it gets to original VAN HALEN.....

it is a nostalgia act...and a damn good one....

but...Terry hit the nail on the head....how many times are ya gonna pay to see the same movie?!?

still...I'm enjoying it for now....

[bugmenot]

"We were almost over-rehearsed. We got to the point where we were goofing around". It doesn't sound to me like they where too excited about bringing Dave into the situation.

[Matt White]

Originally posted by bugmenot
"We were almost over-rehearsed. We got to the point where we were goofing around". It doesn't sound to me like they where too excited about bringing Dave into the situation.

Sounds to me like you haven't seen them live..........


get back to us when you have............

[Panamark]

I wish Someone would ask Wolf what he thinks about Mike
and Sammy... Now that would take a politicians answer methinks..

[Matt White]

Originally posted by Panamark
I wish Someone would ask Wolf what he thinks about Mike
and Sammy... Now that would take a politicians answer methinks..

Yup...they don't go anywhere near that kind of question Mark......

EVH relates a story of him playing in front of WOLF when the kid was like 2 years old...and seeing the kid tap his foot along to the beat...and thinking to himself that this day would come.....

So it would seem that 'ol "Hot Sauce" was on his way out a Looong time ago...at least in EVH's mind.....

[Panamark]

Matt ! good to read your take on the interview...

I wish we all knew that this was brewing way back then.
May have eased the self inflicted pain during those 20+
years ... lol

[ziggysmalls]

I bought the mag today and the only "dig" at Mike is when they were talking about Eddie asking Wolf to be in the band. Wolf said he would as long as he would not have to do a solo spot. Eddie made a snicker at the comment.

Wolf said he listened to the the songs and while he tried to stay true to the recordings, he also adds his own stuff in.

[113]

In a 2006 interview with Howard Stern, Ed mocked the fat pig, saying, "Mr S can do what he wants now". The comment shocked and outraged Van Halen fans."

[Jérôme Frenchise]

Originally posted by 113
In a 2006 interview with Howard Stern, Ed mocked the fat pig, saying, "Mr S can do what he wants now". The comment shocked and outraged Van Halen fans."

Naaaah... the comment shocked and outraged and pissed and... SHEARED Van Haggis fans.

[Panamark]

These born too late hillbiily's have to get the
plank smacked across their heads and realize
what Van Halen is.

No its not the Sammy version, sorry...
Sammy and Cherone were just fillin in until
the lead singer returned.. Read your history !!!

[Matt White]

DAVID LEE ROTH IS VAN HALEN


I know I've heard that some place before....:confused:

[78/84 guy]

Hey Ed you should have practiced your solo spot in rehearsals !!

[katie]

Originally posted by Matt White

EVH relates a story of him playing in front of WOLF when the kid was like 2 years old...and seeing the kid tap his foot along to the beat...and thinking to himself that this day would come.....

So it would seem that 'ol "Hot Sauce" was on his way out a Looong time ago...at least in EVH's mind.....

Thank the lord Wolfie hasn't got an older brother, as Mr Ed would have pushed hard to have him sing vocals......LOL








.

[Warham]

Thanks for the summary, Matt.

[binnie]

Well, it's good that they're giving Dave props. Seems to me like they're just happy to be doing ANYTHING together at the moment, rather than worrying about new material....

[lafours]

theres probobly too much legalities to go forward with new material..

hence the reason no live discs or dvd's at this point...

there gonna have to hash out a contract with DLR to get that point I would imagine...

I can see Dave wanting an equal billing if/when new album time comes around and that is when it's all gonna fall apart again...

From the article it's almost obvious Eddie considers VH - wolf, al, and himself and Dave is singing for them currently

[Terry]

Originally posted by lafours
theres probobly too much legalities to go forward with new material..

hence the reason no live discs or dvd's at this point...

there gonna have to hash out a contract with DLR to get that point I would imagine...

I can see Dave wanting an equal billing if/when new album time comes around and that is when it's all gonna fall apart again...

From the article it's almost obvious Eddie considers VH - wolf, al, and himself and Dave is singing for them currently

Well, it's almost a non-interview...

There's barely any mention of anyone other than Ed, Wolf or Alex.

The circumstances behind MA's ousting aren't even discussed.

Dave is mentioned maybe twice, pretty much in passing, although Ed does say he's happy to be playing with him.

Pretty much a fluff job.

[lafours]

when he talks about Dave it's just in reference to how awesome dave thinks wolfie is...no mention of how Dave saved there live show , really is the main attraction, and how well he is singing on this tour..

to Ed this tour is the launching of Wolf and nothing more...Wolf just happens to like the Roth stuff and thats why Dave is there...and it pays well...

on the plus side ..Wolf seems like a bright kid and is better off making band decisions than Ed or Al....Musically he's not in the same league as Sauce... whos is a great rock bass player and drives the rhythm section like only a seasoned pro can...

[Terry]

Well, without Dave, the Van Halens really don't have any career or career moves left. Even the Van Halens (finally) realized as much, although it took them a bit longer to admit to themselves what everyone else (including Dave) knew quite some time ago.

It wouldn't be a shock to see the Van Halens jettison Roth after the tour is over, once their coffers are full. Realistically, the only function Van Halen can probably perform with any degree of commercial success IS to tour and bang out the oldies.

Sure, they can try to make some new music with Dave (would totally dig hearing it)...in regards to the longterm, there's just too much unknown about this current setup (Is Dave making as much as everyone else, do all four have an equal input into band decisions, do the Van Halens basically still think and act like it's their show and Dave is lucky to even BE there, etc.).

If Roth and the Van Halens are sharing managers and sharing the responsibilities and profits equally, then maybe the band has a future.

If Dave is just a hired gun for this tour, then Wolfie being the new bass player in Van Halen isn't going to matter much once Dave is let go and the band/brand name slides back into limbo.

[Nitro Express]

Sauce Sobowleski's father was a proffesional musician just like Jan Van Halen was. Mike could sight read music and could play sevral instruments including the trumpet and the piano. Mike played guitar before taking up the bass.

So the guy is a musician. Has been his whole life just like the Van Halens.

[Nitro Express]

Maybe the Van Halens love jamming with Dave but still don't like to hang with them. It sounds like Wolfgang had as much to do with getting them back together as anyone because Wolf is a classic VH fan just like all of us are.

[113]

Dave was never best buddies with Al and Ed, they have their own circle of friends. Mick and Keith don`t seem as friendly as they use to be, but can still get it together for business. I have waited for new material from Dave and Ed since 1996. I will be so dissapointed if they don`t make at least 2 killer albums, before they retire. There is little money to be made from albums now days, however they need new material to promote future tours, and to prove their the greatest.

[ziggysmalls]

Well I think they will put out the 2000 recordings with Wolfgang or Eddie playing the bass. A problem that has prevented them from doing anything previously has been removed from the band. Mike.

In the past they had less of the pie to divy up between Alex, Dave and Eddie. With a minor playing bass, that increases the shares for everybody not named after a classical composer.

[ace diamond]

would somebody please post the full aritcle?

[Matt White]

Originally posted by ace diamond
would somebody please post the full aritcle?

Buy the magazine.......

[katie]

Originally posted by Terry
Well, without Dave, the Van Halens really don't have any career or career moves left. Even the Van Halens (finally) realized as much, although it took them a bit longer to admit to themselves what everyone else (including Dave) knew quite some time ago.

It wouldn't be a shock to see the Van Halens jettison Roth after the tour is over, once their coffers are full. Realistically, the only function Van Halen can probably perform with any degree of commercial success IS to tour and bang out the oldies.

Sure, they can try to make some new music with Dave (would totally dig hearing it)...in regards to the longterm, there's just too much unknown about this current setup (Is Dave making as much as everyone else, do all four have an equal input into band decisions, do the Van Halens basically still think and act like it's their show and Dave is lucky to even BE there, etc.).

If Roth and the Van Halens are sharing managers and sharing the responsibilities and profits equally, then maybe the band has a future.

If Dave is just a hired gun for this tour, then Wolfie being the new bass player in Van Halen isn't going to matter much once Dave is let go and the band/brand name slides back into limbo.

Cool post Terry

5 Stars going your way

[indeedido]

It is an intersting article, in that Ed mentions Dave's name like 8 times. And ends it with "For me it's the fact that Iget to play with my son, by brother and Dave"....when asked about his best personal moment on tour thus far.