Funny VH Tidbits from interview with Autograph member

**Mr Walker** · 04-28-2009, 01:43 PM

FIB Music: What was it like touring with Van Halen? Any cool stories from the road?
Steve: The experience was really good but there were a lot of restrictions. I was told I couldn't use my hammering technique because it was "Eddie's thing", which I was completely turned off by, especially when I had developed the technique years before I had ever heard of him. The other things that we were restricted were we couldn't say the name of the city we were in because that was "David's thing", we were very limited in our volume to a point of being ridiculous, they wouldn't allow us to put our name on the marquee, we had to be out of the backstage hallways before and after their show....and the list went on and on. I thought it all was a big joke, but realized it wasn't when they said if any of the "rules" were broken we would be fired from the tour immediately.

**lesfunk** · 04-28-2009, 01:55 PM

Geez, Van Halen sounds like a bunch of Assholes...

**chefcraig** · 04-28-2009, 02:33 PM

Yep. I recall reading in some magazine in the early eighties that the group had a "No Blond Lead Singers" policy for their opening bands. Dee Snyder even volunteered to die his in order to get Twisted Sister a shot, yet VH turned him down flat.

**WARF** · 04-28-2009, 02:36 PM

Also anyone caught wearing a mullet, will be fired.... that is Mikeys' thing!

**Mr Walker** · 04-28-2009, 02:38 PM

Originally Posted by WARF

Also anyone caught wearing a mullet, will be fired.... that is Mikeys' thing!

LOL!

If the bass player in the opening band rides the open e string for longer than two measures they will be fired... that's Mikey's thing as well!

**GAR** · 04-28-2009, 02:54 PM

Originally Posted by lesfunk

Geez, Van Halen sounds like a bunch of Assholes...

That's a not-nice thing you said right there Lesfunk.

You take that back about those assholes!

**WARF** · 04-28-2009, 02:55 PM

If I was in change of the tour, I would have been a dickhead... and let the bulletboys open for these assholes!

**GAR** · 04-28-2009, 02:56 PM

Anyone caught possesing cocaine, money for cocaine, or a phone number of someone having cocaine must forfeit that, too.

That's Eds thing.

**Mr Walker** · 04-28-2009, 03:07 PM

Any drummer who lets the lead singer fuck his gal will be fired... that's Al's thing!

**WARF** · 04-28-2009, 03:32 PM

Anyone caught playing air guitar during, "When it's Love" will be fired!

That's Mr. Walkers thing!

**Nickdfresh** · 04-28-2009, 03:57 PM

Ha! I recall hearing back in the 80s that Van Halen really liked to find opening bands that they considered to be sort of suck-ass after Talas in 1980 in order to make themselves look great on nights that maybe they weren't so great...

**FORD** · 04-28-2009, 05:46 PM

Originally Posted by Nickdfresh

Ha! I recall hearing back in the 80s that Van Halen really liked to find opening bands that they considered to be sort of suck-ass after Talas in 1980 in order to make themselves look great on nights that maybe they weren't so great...

Well they DID have "After The Fire" opening on the 82 tour, and all those guys were known for was a half-assed Falco cover.

**Antman** · 04-28-2009, 08:30 PM

Originally Posted by GAR

Anyone caught possesing cocaine, money for cocaine, or a phone number of someone having cocaine must forfeit that, too.

That's Eds thing.

That was the one thing they were actually allowed...

**WARF** · 04-28-2009, 10:42 PM

Originally Posted by Antman

That was the one thing they were actually allowed...

I think there was a clause in the contract, "No Washington's"...

Meaning they could only roll bills 5 dollars and higher...

**Terry** · 04-28-2009, 11:07 PM

Originally Posted by Mr Walker

FIB Music: What was it like touring with Van Halen? Any cool stories from the road?
Steve: The experience was really good but there were a lot of restrictions. I was told I couldn't use my hammering technique because it was "Eddie's thing", which I was completely turned off by, especially when I had developed the technique years before I had ever heard of him. The other things that we were restricted were we couldn't say the name of the city we were in because that was "David's thing", we were very limited in our volume to a point of being ridiculous, they wouldn't allow us to put our name on the marquee, we had to be out of the backstage hallways before and after their show....and the list went on and on. I thought it all was a big joke, but realized it wasn't when they said if any of the "rules" were broken we would be fired from the tour immediately.

Oh brother. Steve "I was doing the two-handed technique way before Eddie" Lynch pissing and moaning. I saw one of those shows Autograph opened for Van Halen, and Autograph could have had full use of Van Halens stage, played what they wanted and said what they wanted. Van Halen still would have blown them off the stage because the truth of the matter is Autograph just weren't as good Van Halen.

**WARF** · 04-28-2009, 11:11 PM

I wouldn't even ask Steve Plunkett for his autograph!

**lesfunk** · 04-28-2009, 11:12 PM

Originally Posted by Terry

Oh brother. Steve "I was doing the two-handed technique way before Eddie" Lynch pissing and moaning. I saw one of those shows Autograph opened for Van Halen, and Autograph could have had full use of Van Halens stage, played what they wanted and said what they wanted. Van Halen still would have blown them off the stage because the truth of the matter is Autograph just weren't as good Van Halen.

I agree. It makes me wonder "what was Van Halen so afraid of?"

**WARF** · 04-28-2009, 11:14 PM

Originally Posted by lesfunk

I agree. It makes me wonder "what was Van Halen so afraid of?"

The second single from AFTER THE FIRE??? uhu hu hu hu

**lesfunk** · 04-28-2009, 11:15 PM

well played

**Douglas T.** · 04-28-2009, 11:23 PM

Originally Posted by Nickdfresh

Ha! I recall hearing back in the 80s that Van Halen really liked to find opening bands that they considered to be sort of suck-ass after Talas in 1980 in order to make themselves look great on nights that maybe they weren't so great...

Same with the last tour!

**lesfunk** · 04-28-2009, 11:26 PM

I thought it was just because Dave liked the coloreds...

**Carloscda** · 04-29-2009, 01:44 AM

I heard Dave invited Autograph to tour with them, sort of discovered them?

You can see in the video "Turn up the radio" how the lead singer attempted to do Dave's drum riser jump!

On the real how many bands have outrageous restrictions that we don't know about, I'm pretty sure VH aren't the only ones!

**Diamondjimi** · 04-29-2009, 01:59 AM

Originally Posted by WARF

I wouldn't even ask Steve Plunkett for his autograph!

I don't think he get's much of that ,or much of anything these days!

**Mr Walker** · 04-29-2009, 09:06 AM

Originally Posted by Carloscda

I heard Dave invited Autograph to tour with them, sort of discovered them?

The drummer was a member of Dave's 'Jungle Studs' gang (or so he claims). I always figured that's how they got the gig.

**yomaster** · 04-29-2009, 03:35 PM

Originally Posted by Mr Walker

LOL!

If the bass player in the opening band rides the open e string for longer than two measures they will be fired... that's Mikey's thing as well!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! omg Walker that was great.

**sadaist** · 04-29-2009, 11:50 PM

Originally Posted by Diamondjimi

I don't think he get's much of that ,or much of anything these days!

Damn. Spittin' image of Robert Englund (Freddy Krueger guy).

**GreenBayLA** · 04-30-2009, 04:11 AM

I remember hearing about Kix opening for Van Halen and were given a 45 min. set. Well they went onstage about 5 minutes late and when their time was up the power was cut mid-song and the house lights went up. Needless to say Kix didn't go on late again.

**Antman** · 04-30-2009, 09:06 AM

Originally Posted by Mr Walker

The drummer was a member of Dave's 'Jungle Studs' gang (or so he claims). I always figured that's how they got the gig.

Their drummer Keni Richards was a buddy of Dave's. Legend has it Dave bet him 5 g that Autograph couldn't handle the VH audience. Maybe that's the reason for all the restrictions so Dave could roll this dude. MA actually appeared on backing vocals for Blondes in Black Cars.

**Mr Walker** · 04-30-2009, 10:12 AM

Originally Posted by Diamondjimi

I don't think he get's much of that ,or much of anything these days!

Is it really worth the effort to maintain that little tuft of hair on his face?

**Diamondjimi** · 04-30-2009, 05:03 PM

Originally Posted by Mr Walker

Is it really worth the effort to maintain that little tuft of hair on his face?

It's to create a visual distraction to mask the fact he has no upper lip!

**Diamondjimi** · 04-30-2009, 05:19 PM

Originally Posted by Mr Walker

The drummer was a member of Dave's 'Jungle Studs' gang (or so he claims). I always figured that's how they got the gig.

Somehow I can't picture that chubby ,burrito eatin motherfucker keepin up with Dave trekkin through the Amazon...

**sonrisa salvaje** · 04-30-2009, 05:32 PM

Originally Posted by Diamondjimi

I don't think he get's much of that ,or much of anything these days!

I thought it was the lead singer of Great White.

**Diamondjimi** · 04-30-2009, 05:57 PM

Ya know... The more I look @ that pic. The more he looks like an elf....

**Terry** · 04-30-2009, 09:07 PM

Originally Posted by Diamondjimi

I don't think he get's much of that ,or much of anything these days!

Think the last high profile thing he did was write and perform the theme song to the tv show 7th Heaven

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