John 5 Talks About Working With Dave in Guitar World

[Momshell]

Just got the June 2012 issue of Guitar World and there's an interview with John 5. In it he says some pretty cool stuff about his work with Dave on DLR Band album. Wish I knew how to scan it. Instead I'll just type in the relevant questions and answers.

GW: You've talked often of Van Halen's influence on you as a musician. Given your love for the band's music, what was it like to have the opportunity to play with David Lee Roth on his 1998 album, DLR Band?

J5: It was amazing. I was actually playing with Rob Halford at the time, but I sought Dave out and sent some songs to him through his management. He liked what I did, and his manager at the time invited me up to his house. And for me, meeting Dave - I may as well have been meeting Superman or Spider-Man or something. He's a childhood hero. I remember driving through the front gate of this massive house in Pasadena, and the first thing I see is the car from the "Panama" video - the red convertible. That blew my mind.
And then Dave came out of the house, and he was just as you would expect. [impersonating Roth] "John! Good to see ya! Great songs! Here's what I wanna do. I wanna go into the studio and I wanna cut this record just like the old Van Halen days - just knock it out." And I said, "That's great, Mr. Roth. Only I'm rehearsing for a tour with Rob Halford." And he said, "No problem. But I wanna have you fresh every day, so what we're gonna do is we're gonna start recording at six am. Then afterward you can go do your other thing." [laughs]
So I would get up at five in the morning and go down to Ocean Studios in Burbank to record with Dave, and from there I'd go rehearse with Halford. And I'll never forget being at Ocean that first day: here I am with one of my idols, and right before we start, Dave gets on the mic and he goes, "If you can't do it in two takes, you can't do it. Hit it, boys!" I was like, Oh my god....But we did it. We cut the whole record in two weeks, including mixing.

GW: Do you still keep in touch with Dave?

J5: Ever since then we've been really good friends. And here's something I don't think really anyone knows: Dave and I have about 12 or 13 songs in the can for a future record. And it's all acoustic. But not strummy, campfire stuff - I'm talking lots of cool, crazy jazz chords, and 50 or 60 overdubbed guitar tracks, with all this harmonizing and other weird stuff going on.

GW: When was this recorded?

J5: We just did this recently! We had Gregg Bissonette on drums and Brett Tuggle on keyboards, who both played with Dave back in the Skyscraper days. And Dave's vocals are incredible. He sings his ass off. Dave obviously has his plate full right now with Van Halen, but hopefully this record will get released one of these days.

[Momshell]

Just another little note - also in GW, there's a poll of "Which band or event are you most excited about seeing this summer?"
Van Halen won! Also mentioned in the poll are Iron Maiden, Kiss/Motley Crue, Mayhem Fest, and a bunch of others. GO VH!!!

[vandeleur]

The acoustic stuff sounds interesting ... John 5 is always giving it up for Dave

[neuralfraud]

cue the "You can't be in two bands at the same time" in 5...4...3...2...1...

[SLAUGHTER MAN]

I got a couple of ideas on this whole thing......in the fall on 2011, with A DIFFERENT KIND OF TRUTH in the can for a few months and the band out shopping for a record label to distribute the MASTERPIECE, Dave went into the studio with a handful of songs that the "THREE TWINS" rejected and did a quick "GUERRILLA" collaboration with John 5 (excellent choice DLR) and banged out a record in classic Van Halen fashion...in a couple of weeks. This is the only scenerio that makes sense because the whole first 8 to 9 months of the year, the new Van Halen record HAD to be his focus. Unless, he was doing two records at once. Which, in opinion is not Dave's style. But, for that matter, neither is making a DLR solo record while IN Van Halen. Maybe THIS IS the last go around for VH.....retirement??? And Dave wants to hit the ground running when the ball drops. But, why let John 5 be the guy who drops that bomb??? So, it steers the boat toward a quick..wham bam thank you ma'am (fuck u assholes who thought I was gonna say Wham Bam Amsterdam!!) solo record to get out the tunes that he thought would fit into the VH record and ended up working on the old 70's demos. Maybe Dave thought those VH brothers wouldn't be hip to what he had up his sleeveand couldn't quite get a grasp on what he had wrote..maybe collaboration MUSICALLY ain't what THE THREE TWINS want...just stick to your briliant lyrics and melodies. And maybe a friend of mine is right....JOHN 5 IS AN ASSHOLE SPREADING RUMORS!!!!!!!! Be interesting as hell to see where this trail leads...but to think King Edward, Rev. Al and Wolf don't all ready know about this and JOHN 5 is causing band tumoil by this interview...that's one thing I am sure is NOT the truth. Play VH louder today in tribute to all our friends who passed away over the years and loved the band...my best bud from high school, Jason Courtner, who saw 5 VH shows with me, died 6 years ago today. Heard they played VH at his funeral...I didn't get to go....play loud..if you had a friend.

[Carloscda]

Oh boy here we go...

[VHscraps]

I got a couple of ideas on this whole thing......in the fall on 2011, with A DIFFERENT KIND OF TRUTH in the can for a few months and the band out shopping for a record label to distribute the MASTERPIECE, Dave went into the studio with a handful of songs that the "THREE TWINS" rejected and did a quick "GUERRILLA" collaboration with John 5 (excellent choice DLR) and banged out a record in classic Van Halen fashion...in a couple of weeks. This is the only scenerio that makes sense because the whole first 8 to 9 months of the year, the new Van Halen record HAD to be his focus. Unless, he was doing two records at once. Which, in opinion is not Dave's style. But, for that matter, neither is making a DLR solo record while IN Van Halen. Maybe THIS IS the last go around for VH.....retirement??? And Dave wants to hit the ground running when the ball drops. But, why let John 5 be the guy who drops that bomb??? So, it steers the boat toward a quick..wham bam thank you ma'am (fuck u assholes who thought I was gonna say Wham Bam Amsterdam!!) solo record to get out the tunes that he thought would fit into the VH record and ended up working on the old 70's demos. Maybe Dave thought those VH brothers wouldn't be hip to what he had up his sleeveand couldn't quite get a grasp on what he had wrote..maybe collaboration MUSICALLY ain't what THE THREE TWINS want...just stick to your briliant lyrics and melodies. And maybe a friend of mine is right....JOHN 5 IS AN ASSHOLE SPREADING RUMORS!!!!!!!! Be interesting as hell to see where this trail leads...but to think King Edward, Rev. Al and Wolf don't all ready know about this and JOHN 5 is causing band tumoil by this interview...that's one thing I am sure is NOT the truth. Play VH louder today in tribute to all our friends who passed away over the years and loved the band...my best bud from high school, Jason Courtner, who saw 5 VH shows with me, died 6 years ago today. Heard they played VH at his funeral...I didn't get to go....play loud..if you had a friend.

Or ... it was before recording of ADKOT began.

Recall that interview with John Shanks just recently. He said he 'bumped into Dave' at some studios or other sometime before he was chosen as producer - Shanks was working in one room, and Dave was in one of the other studios recording. Didn't Shanks say, 'Dave's always in the studio, always recording stuff - I don't know what it was'.

Now, that could have been a long time before either of those events - i.e., the ADKOT album or the acoustic thing mentioned by John

[twonabomber]

if Ed were to kick Dave out over the "two bands" rule, i don't think Hagar would be welcomed back. Ed isn't going to get rid of Wolfgang, and Sam likely wouldn't go back to VH without Mike.

[DLR'sCock]

Dave is always in the studio doing something guys........

[sonrisa salvaje]

This is great news. Maybe this will be released on of these days kind of like Iommi released the 96 sessions with Glenn Hughes a decade after the fact. I think everyone would agree that we were lucky to get ADKOT. I don't have a lot of confidence that there will be a follow up and if even if there were how long would it take?

[sadaist]

Hey Slaughterman, you mention these could be tunes the Three Twins rejected or didn't fit into the VH new album vibe to them, or they didn't get what Roth was going for on them. I am positive that happened as it had happened before. But whatever the brothers rejected, or whatever Dave rejected from them I am so happy they did. Because what eventually made the album is 13 tracks of perfection. Thta is why they work so well together. You shufle Daves ideas & VH's ideas together and only the top cards end up being dealt. Equals WIN for us fans. I wouldn't change a thing about ADKOT.

Too much Dave influence and we end up with No Holds BBQ. Too much Eddie and we end up with a porn soundtrack noodling. Those tunes are best left as rarities & oddities to be heard and discovered over the years to come.

[SLAUGHTER MAN]

Hey Slaughterman, you mention these could be tunes the Three Twins rejected or didn't fit into the VH new album vibe to them, or they didn't get what Roth was going for on them. I am positive that happened as it had happened before. But whatever the brothers rejected, or whatever Dave rejected from them I am so happy they did. Because what eventually made the album is 13 tracks of perfection. Thta is why they work so well together. You shufle Daves ideas & VH's ideas together and only the top cards end up being dealt. Equals WIN for us fans. I wouldn't change a thing about ADKOT.

Too much Dave influence and we end up with No Holds BBQ. Too much Eddie and we end up with a porn soundtrack noodling. Those tunes are best left as rarities & oddities to be heard and discovered over the years to come.

I agree....stronger together than apart. And when I hear JOHN 5 say "recent" I think within the last year, not 2010...but everybody is different. I could be way the fuck off...it could have been when Eddie was on the couch watching Law And Order...you know 2009. And Dave kept busy making that album, but you think if that was the case it would have all ready been released. JOHN 5 should have given a timeline...you gonna drop a bomb like that..give us a few more specifics so we don't think Roth is in the studio in between legs of this tour (which some asshole suggested on another site...I wasn't the nicer guy in the world to him...I went all LEAPS on his ass). But I remember thinking what an asshole Hagar was releasing a record while on tour with VH in 2004 (the Red Collection). I thought that fucker can't even concentrate on the task at hand and show respect to VH (had no idea what was going on behind the scenes). To have DLR pull something similar is WAY outta character...but maybe we got some major fucking landmines to step on when this tour ends.

[sadaist]

.it could have been when Eddie was on the couch watching Law And Order...you know 2009. And Dave kept busy making that album, but you think if that was the case it would have all ready been released.

Not a chance Dave would release anything while still in Van halen. Took him a quarter century to get back his rightful throne. He now knows exactly what NOT to do to retain that throne. Wisdom. That is exactly why rather than 1 tour from 07/08 we got a full album and another tour. Had Dave released something after the last tour that would have been it for Van Halen. He is just keeping busy and hopefully will let stuff out when/if VH finally ends. So I kinda hope we never hear it.

[sadaist]

. But I remember thinking what an asshole Hagar was releasing a record while on tour with VH in 2004 (the Red Collection). I thought that fucker can't even concentrate on the task at hand and show respect to VH .

Sammy sees Van Halen as his gravy train. Not his legacy. If he doesn't think he can get any more money from it why not piss all over it? Man I hate that dude.

[twonabomber]

But I remember thinking what an asshole Hagar was releasing a record while on tour with VH in 2004 (the Red Collection). I thought that fucker can't even concentrate on the task at hand and show respect to VH (had no idea what was going on behind the scenes).

not sticking up for Hagar, but releasing that was most likely the record company's decision, without any input from Hagar. cashing in on the tour with minimal work on their part.

[SLAUGHTER MAN]

not sticking up for Hagar, but releasing that was most likely the record company's decision, without any input from Hagar. cashing in on the tour with minimal work on their part.

Maybe so...but those assholes released the SAME FUCKING DAY as THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS double CD came out...Hagar could have had threatened a lawsuit and it had material from MARCHING TO MARS and RED VOODOO as well as the 70's Captiol era shit,,,,,which makes me believe Hagar and Azoff piggy backed it on VH. I won't get into what I think of Hagar or Hagar era VH, but it seemed shitty to me. Once again, I had no idea how fucked up January thru May had been...and the bad fucking blood that flowed on that tour.

[twonabomber]

Maybe so...but those assholes released the SAME FUCKING DAY as THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS double CD came out...

Wiki says different.

BOBW released 7/20/04.

Essential Red Collection released 8/10/04.

i think it's funny that there were 22 tour dates before BOBW came out. the '04 abortion tour started June 11th.

[sadaist]

I had no idea how fucked up January thru May had been...and the bad fucking blood that flowed on that tour.

I didn't know either.....until I saw it live with my own eyes. Mandalay Bay, Las vegas, NV was the show I went to. I swear the entire show you could tell Sam & Eddie HATED each other. I was very sad leaving that arena. I felt in my gut that I would never see EVH play again ever.

Eddie was beyond saving. Beyond redemption. Until......





Thanks JJ!

http://www.rotharmy.com/forums/showt...and-be-awesome....

[VAiN]

I didn't know either.....until I saw it live with my own eyes. Mandalay Bay, Las vegas, NV was the show I went to. I swear the entire show you could tell Sam & Eddie HATED each other. I was very sad leaving that arena. I felt in my gut that I would never see EVH play again ever.

Eddie was beyond saving. Beyond redemption. Until......





Thanks JJ!

http://www.rotharmy.com/forums/showt...and-be-awesome....

No shit man, I caught the first and last shows of that 04 nightmare trainwreck and was certain Eddie was going to be dead within a few years.. What a difference a few years makes!

[Mushroom]

Great interview but some people are thinking way too hard.

[SLAUGHTER MAN]

Wiki says different.

BOBW released 7/20/04.

Essential Red Collection released 8/10/04.

i think it's funny that there were 22 tour dates before BOBW came out. the '04 abortion tour started June 11th.

WIKI is wrong...bought them both at midnight when they hit...not the first time WIKI has got things wrong....

[Cato]

this video has been posted a few years ago... now watch again.

[Momshell]

this video has been posted a few years ago... now watch again.

Holy shit! Great find - that is spot on the same interview. That video was posted in 2009, but in Guitar World the interview was done this past March. I guess we don't have to worry - all of the recording definitely happened before 2009, and the boys still made an album with Dave after that, so I think we are ok.
Now, it would be nice to hear those tunes one of these days......

[Hardrock69]

Even as it is....when Dave is not doing something with Van Halen...when he has time to do whatever he wants....then whats to stop him from recording with other people?

Sounds interesting. Dave surely has a multi-faceted artistic muse....

[katina]

I didn't know either.....until I saw it live with my own eyes. Mandalay Bay, Las vegas, NV was the show I went to. I swear the entire show you could tell Sam & Eddie HATED each other. I was very sad leaving that arena. I felt in my gut that I would never see EVH play again ever.

Eddie was beyond saving. Beyond redemption. Until......





Thanks JJ!

http://www.rotharmy.com/forums/showt...and-be-awesome....

Oh, it´s St. Dave again!!! He is everywhere......
I wil rise my Gin Fizz to Dave Roth=Party God.

And as DLR´sCock said.... Dave is always in the studio doing something...

[SunisinuS]

Oh, it´s St. Dave again!!! He is everywhere......
I wil rise my Gin Fizz to Dave Roth=Party God.

And as DLR´sCock said.... Dave is always in the studio doing something...

Yea, but he probably has insurance when he does.

[twonabomber]

WIKI is wrong...bought them both at midnight when they hit...not the first time WIKI has got things wrong....

make a note of this. this is something i rarely do, admit that i was wrong.

here's a link to an old VHND article on the release of the Red Collection http://vhnd.com/old/articles/040709-01.shtml

note that they say the release is August 10 of 2004. four times, in fact.

and here's where i was wrong....Hagar comments on how this package was put together, and that he was involved in it.

you don't have to admit you were wrong like i did. i knew you were wrong, and i knew i could prove it. that's all that mattered to me.

[SLAUGHTER MAN]

make a note of this. this is something i rarely do, admit that i was wrong.

here's a link to an old VHND article on the release of the Red Collection http://vhnd.com/old/articles/040709-01.shtml

note that they say the release is August 10 of 2004. four times, in fact.

and here's where i was wrong....Hagar comments on how this package was put together, and that he was involved in it.

you don't have to admit you were wrong like i did. i knew you were wrong, and i knew i could prove it. that's all that mattered to me.

Yes...you are right..checked several sources and Hagar's CD was released on 8/10/2004...a couple of weeks afterward. I could have swore that it did come out the same day, not unless the store released on accident early...which is highly unlikely. I was wrong....appreciate your fact finding. You remember your album release dates pretty well...hats off to you. But, WIKI has been wrong before. No doubts there...

[Zing!]

I thought it had been established that Dave records his song ideas and brings in his demos to Van Halen? Whether they use them or not is a different story - plus I'm sure there are strict confidentiality agreements with the musicians - but who knows if a kernel of an idea by John 5 actually made it onto ADKOT?

[DavidLeeNatra]

but who knows if a kernel of an idea by John 5 actually made it onto ADKOT?

no fucking way!!!

[Zing!]

no fucking way!!!

I tend to agree - I'm just saying that I like to think DLR brought something to the table when the ADKOT sessions started and it wasn't all EVH's ten album's worth of material.

[BumBahDeeDah]

I wouldnt be surprised if the Van Halens are more mature about outside stuff but Dave has no interest in outside stuff unless its totally away from anything Van Halen-like. Like Polkas or Salsa or Aboriginal symphonies.

When Crazy From the Heat came out, Eddie said it was good, it rocked, but it wasnt Van Halen music and it was ok. Probably was lyin. We didnt know Dave was gonna leave then either.

[fwacf]

In the new issue of Guitar World magazine (June issue), guitarist John 5 talks of an album he has recorded with David Lee Roth, that is as yet, unreleased. To quote John 5:
"Ever since then we've been really good friends. And here's something I don't think really anyone knows: Dave and I have about 12 or 13 songs in the can for a future record. And it's all acoustic. But not strummy, campfire stuff - I'm talking lots of cool, crazy jazz chords, and 50 or 60 overdubbed guitar tracks, with all this harmonizing and other weird stuff going on. We just did this recently! We had Gregg Bissonette on drums and Brett Tuggle on keyboards, who both played with Dave back in the Skyscraper days. And Dave's vocals are incredible. He sings his ass off. Dave obviously has his plate full right now with Van Halen, but hopefully this record will get released one of these days."

[Matt White]

Yup................I'll buy 2 copies....just becuz!

[ELVIS]

I'll buy three just to piss off cunts like dumbassjimi...

[jero]

I hope Ed likes it

[ZahZoo]

There was a thread on here a couple of weeks ago on this... determined whatever they recorded was before VH started work on ADKOT. Old interview and old news...

[ELVIS]

Interesting, nonetheless...

[scott b]

Check out melodicrock.com for the story.Sounds interesting!

[ELVIS]

NO FUCKING WAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I better tell your mommy...