Recent MA interview

[vandeleur]

http://www.americanrockscene.com/2012/05/23/michael-anthony-on-chickenfoot-hot-sauce-black-sabbath-and-of-course-van-halen/

Probs a dup but hey ho

The American Rock Scene got a chance to talk via phone today with the hot-sauce makin’, hot-rod buildin’, hot-bass playin’ Michael Anthony from Chickenfoot and once upon a time, Van Halen. Most of the interview is about Chickenfoot and some of his passions away from the music. We’ve got the little bit of Van Halen talk transcribed right here:

Compare playing with Joe [Satriani] vs. playing with Eddie [Van Halen]:
They’re both amazing guitar players in their own right but the styles are different so I wouldn’t do a direct comparison. There’s a big difference between the two. Joe doesn’t do the hammer-ons that Eddie does for the most part. I guess if I had to compare them; Ed’s more of a fly by the seat of your pants type of guitar player. Ed’s had some formal training but a lot how he feels whereas Joe explains the whole theory behind it, the chord structure, everything you know. They are both amazing guitar players.

Did you see the last video that David Lee Roth put out?
The black and white video in the woods with his dog, talking about the postponements? Yeah, I watched itand yeah, that’s Dave. He hasn’t changed a bit. Who Knows? Only the band really knows what is going on. I don’t really care to comment on that. I have my own theories on it. To me it sounds kinda interesting that if you are tired and need to re-charge your batteries, you don’t go put 30 shows on sale. [VHND notes that the 30 shows were announced, but most weren't on sale yet]. If I were a fan, I would think that a little odd, to pull the plug on it. It could be the sales, you just don’t know.
I wish them well. They put out a great album, and they’re a great live band… always have been.
Absolutely. Edward looks healthy now.
I heard Eddie’s sober and that’s great.

Would you ever share the stage with Van Halen again?
I don’t know. As time goes on, less and less. Ed’s got his son up there with him now. He’s having a great time with that. I don’t know. I really couldn’t say.The circumstances would really have to be right. I was always the”never say never” guy in the band. As time goes on, I don’t think about it any more. If it’s gonna happen, it’ll happen. I’m not going to be the one to instigate anything. I’m having a great time in my life doing what I’m doing right now.

[Dave's Bitch]

Anyone else skip straight to the Van Halen question?

[mohican]

The Desk did:

The American Rock Scene got a chance to talk via phone today with the hot-sauce makin’, hot-rod buildin’, hot-bass playin’ Michael Anthony from Chickenfoot and once upon a time, Van Halen. Most of the interview is about Chickenfoot and some of his passions away from the music. We’ve got the little bit of Van Halen talk transcribed right here:

Compare playing with Joe [Satriani] vs. playing with Eddie [Van Halen]:

They’re both amazing guitar players in their own right but the styles are different so I wouldn’t do a direct comparison. There’s a big difference between the two. Joe doesn’t do the hammer-ons that Eddie does for the most part. I guess if I had to compare them; Ed’s more of a fly by the seat of your pants type of guitar player. Ed’s had some formal training but a lot how he feels whereas Joe explains the whole theory behind it, the chord structure, everything you know. They are both amazing guitar players.

Did you see the last video that David Lee Roth put out?

The black and white video in the woods with his dog, talking about the postponements? Yeah, I watched it and yeah, that’s Dave. He hasn’t changed a bit. Who Knows? Only the band really knows what is going on. I don’t really care to comment on that. I have my own theories on it. To me it sounds kinda interesting that if you are tired and need to re-charge your batteries, you don’t go put 30 shows on sale. [VHND notes that the 30 shows were announced, but most weren't on sale yet]. If I were a fan, I would think that a little odd, to pull the plug on it. It could be the sales, you just don’t know.

I wish them well. They put out a great album, and they’re a great live band… always have been.

Absolutely. Edward looks healthy now.

I heard Eddie’s sober and that’s great.

Would you ever share the stage with Van Halen again?

I don’t know. As time goes on, less and less. Ed’s got his son up there with him now. He’s having a great time with that. I don’t know. I really couldn’t say. The circumstances would really have to be right. I was always the”never say never” guy in the band. As time goes on, I don’t think about it any more. If it’s gonna happen, it’ll happen. I’m not going to be the one to instigate anything. I’m having a great time in my life doing what I’m doing right now.

[vandeleur]

Cheers dude , mare to do this with iPhone and Stella on board

[mohican]

Didn't mean to post a duplicate. Using my Subway sandwich sized netbook with wi-fi. Takes a while for content to show.

What to make of MA's comments or leading questions about the postponement??

[Northern Girl]

He was decent enough, but really who gives a fuck? Nice to know Sam and Mike follow Van Halen's every little move. Do you think any of them give a rats ass or even know what Sam and Mike are doing? Kind of like an old girlfriend who can't let go while the guy has moved on to six other women since. Just makes me chuckle.

[Matt White]

Glad to actually hear that Mike "...is moving on."

He's always going to be the guy who played BASS on the 6-pack...the GREATEST body of work by any AMERICAN hard rock band..............

Wish he wasn't hanging with the Spamman........

ah well..............maybe they'll pull him on stage at some point.......close that chapter with some class & style

[VHscraps]

Mike plays a pretty straight bat, to use the cricketing parlance - a diplomatic guy.

I tend to believe that he really does think ADKOT was a great album, as he says - even if the way he feels is probably tinged with a bit of regret for what might've been. He was in that band, and he knows when they are cookin'. He must know it betters anything he did with Hagar in the band.

As for the Eddie vs. Joe comparisons ... I've never, ever, ever, thought that technical ability and knowing the 'theory' behind everything you are doing, or really over thinking it in advance, was what rock'n'roll was about. It's about FEEL, for me, and Ed - unlike most who he opened doors for, including Satch and Vai - lack that essential rock'n'roll feel thing.

Aside from that, Ed's best work is just way more memorable.

[VHscraps]

Cheers dude , mare to do this with iPhone and Stella on board

Hey, man - do you mean the "Stella" that the sneaky brewers have recently watered down - from 5.2% to 5.0% abv, then to 4.8%abv??

[Northern Girl]

Glad to actually hear that Mike "...is moving on."

Saying it and actually doing it are two different things. Seems he and Sam follow all the band's moves. Even if it is shoved in their face for reaction, they make a choice...

[VHscraps]

Mike mentions the Dave vid with Russel the Dog in the woods, so he obviously checks up on the VHND, and maybe other fan sites. He must pick up on how Hagar's inability to shut-up are coming across to the fans. You gotta think at some point he'd be thinking - why don't you just STFU, Sammy. 'Cos his association with the Crimson Clown will, by and by, diminish Mike's standing amongst the fans as well.

The way I see it is that I think Hagar is always gleefully shooting his mouth off about Van Halen, but MA is more likely to be just kinda responding to the questions he always gets asked.

[Yount]

The way I see it is that I think Hagar is always gleefully shooting his mouth off about Van Halen, but MA is more likely to be just kinda responding to the questions he always gets asked.

Right on man!

[Guitar Shark]

I love the contrast between these two statements:

Who Knows? Only the band really knows what is going on. I don’t really care to comment on that.

followed immediately by:

I have my own theories on it. To me it sounds kinda interesting that if you are tired and need to re-charge your batteries, you don’t go put 30 shows on sale. [VHND notes that the 30 shows were announced, but most weren't on sale yet]. If I were a fan, I would think that a little odd, to pull the plug on it. It could be the sales, you just don’t know.

[SNIPER]

How could it be sales Mike? Tickets were not on sale for most of it. Same old Dave he says? I am not sure where he was going with that.

[hambon4lif]

I don't care what he may say, and I could give a shit less about the theories of which of the six albums he actually played on. He is the original bass player of my all-time favorite band, so I'm always going to take the high road and refuse to take a swipe at him.
When I saw CVH live back in the day, Mike was always there. and if it wasn't for the brothers blind anger, Sam wouldn't have manipulated them with it by walking away with a hostage.

To me, a band has always been a brotherhood, thick as thieves, and against the entire rest of the motherfucking world, and whether anyone wants to admit it to themselves or not, Mike was a part of that.

Nothing against Wolfie at all (over the last two tours, he's made a believer out of me), but Classic Van Halen is Dave, Eddie, Mike , and Alex. Anyone that tries to say anything otherwise is just rationalizing. If they brought Mike onstage as a surprise for a song or two, I would freak the fuck out, and all would be right with the world. Sammy would no longer have any leverage, and his meal ticket would be stripped from him....which is as it should be.

Ultimately, Mike gets a pass. After 22 long motherfucking years, we never thought they'd come to their senses and get their rightful singer back either, so who's to say what the hell can happen with this band?