Did Michael Anthony play bass on every classic Van Halen song?

[VHscraps]

There's no telling, ultimately, unless Donn Landee or Ted Templeman come out and say it, but I think it was Mike Anthony on all that stuff.

Yeah, I agree, that when Ed was tinkering around in the studio after hours on the Fair Warning sessions it might have given him an opportunity to do some bass. The funky bass on 'Push Comes to Shove' - for some folks that probably sounds like un-Mike bass playing, but I do remember at the time Mike saying that Ed was getting him to listen to Percy Jones of Brand X, and saying 'try playing a bit like that for this tune'.

C'mon - MA had been a bass player for a long time by the time VH came to record the six-pack. He subordinated himself to the needs of the band. He's probably got way more chops than he was ever allowed to show in VH.

I've said it before and I say it again now - one of the first things we KNOW for sure that Ed played bass on was that Hagar solo album around 1986. For me, the guy was simply not a bass player on the evidence of that - the bass playing on that album stood out to me as a guitar player trying to play bass.

[ELVIS]

Yeah me too. Like that one time somebody tried to rewrite the bass playing credits to ADKOT before the cd even came out over a 9 page thread.


I know that took me all day, but this is a characteristically crazy Friday.

You can't blame me for not putting anything past Edward Van Heineken...

[DLR Bridge]

You can't blame me for not putting anything past Edward Van Heineken...

Mmm hmm.

[fourthcoming]

Whenever I call someone a name an angel gets its wings...

That explains why there are no wing-less angels.

[fourthcoming]

I dunno. On one hand, you have the admission by Billy Sheehan that he was approached by Ed and Dave to join the band sometime in 1980 or 1981.

I always enjoyed Mike's vocals, but damn....Sheehan would have been great with VH.

[SNIPER]

That's your imagination getting the better of you...

I don't think so bro. I read this from an interview from the band. Don't forget there is NO bass in Jump anyway so that one is a given.

[SNIPER]

There's no telling, ultimately, unless Donn Landee or Ted Templeman come out and say it, but I think it was Mike Anthony on all that stuff.

Yeah, I agree, that when Ed was tinkering around in the studio after hours on the Fair Warning sessions it might have given him an opportunity to do some bass. The funky bass on 'Push Comes to Shove' - for some folks that probably sounds like un-Mike bass playing, but I do remember at the time Mike saying that Ed was getting him to listen to Percy Jones of Brand X, and saying 'try playing a bit like that for this tune'.


C'mon - MA had been a bass player for a long time by the time VH came to record the six-pack. He subordinated himself to the needs of the band. He's probably got way more chops than he was ever allowed to show in VH.

I've said it before and I say it again now - one of the first things we KNOW for sure that Ed played bass on was that Hagar solo album around 1986. For me, the guy was simply not a bass player on the evidence of that - the bass playing on that album stood out to me as a guitar player trying to play bass.

Agreed. However Dirty Movies sounds like the Hagar bass to me the most.

[SNIPER]

The Van Hagar chapter in the Spam book does claim that Ed played a lot of the bass in the studio. But then again that guy is also a fucking two faced full of shit liar so it is hard to say.

[Satan]

I've said it before and I say it again now - one of the first things we KNOW for sure that Ed played bass on was that Hagar solo album around 1986. For me, the guy was simply not a bass player on the evidence of that - the bass playing on that album stood out to me as a guitar player trying to play bass.

Which isn't always a bad thing in and of itself. Not necessarily on the Hagar album, but when it comes to folks like Geezer Butler, Ronnie Lane, John Entwistle, Ronnie Wood, etc. All guitarists who took a back seat to another guitar player and ended up playing something that might be called "lead bass" on occasion.

Problem is, when Eddie played bass behind Hagar, it was the polar opposite of this.... a crap guitarist with a bass player who was better than him.

[Terry]

There's no telling, ultimately, unless Donn Landee or Ted Templeman come out and say it, but I think it was Mike Anthony on all that stuff.

Yeah, I agree, that when Ed was tinkering around in the studio after hours on the Fair Warning sessions it might have given him an opportunity to do some bass. The funky bass on 'Push Comes to Shove' - for some folks that probably sounds like un-Mike bass playing, but I do remember at the time Mike saying that Ed was getting him to listen to Percy Jones of Brand X, and saying 'try playing a bit like that for this tune'.

C'mon - MA had been a bass player for a long time by the time VH came to record the six-pack. He subordinated himself to the needs of the band. He's probably got way more chops than he was ever allowed to show in VH.

I've said it before and I say it again now - one of the first things we KNOW for sure that Ed played bass on was that Hagar solo album around 1986. For me, the guy was simply not a bass player on the evidence of that - the bass playing on that album stood out to me as a guitar player trying to play bass.

When I listen to parts of Fair Warning, some of it does sound a bit unlike anything Anthony had played on previous records...

However, when I listen to what Anthony is doing on those 3 Oakland 1981 live tracks (particularly on So This Is Love?), it's clear what was played on Fair Warning was easily within Anthony's capabilities.

I suppose the counter-claim would be that Eddie obviously went back and redubbed the bass tracks to the Oakland audio as well

[Yount]

Do you think Sheehan would have helped VH avoid the late 80's fade into parody, and move towards the styles of ADKOT but obviously years earlier? The move could have pleased all members if you consider, but who knows about the personalities?

[VHscraps]

When I listen to parts of Fair Warning, some of it does sound a bit unlike anything Anthony had played on previous records...

However, when I listen to what Anthony is doing on those 3 Oakland 1981 live tracks (particularly on So This Is Love?), it's clear what was played on Fair Warning was easily within Anthony's capabilities.

I suppose the counter-claim would be that Eddie obviously went back and redubbed the bass tracks to the Oakland audio as well

Agree on that.

On the albums, I can think of the bass on 'Romeo Delight' - when Ed hits the solo, listen to that right there. MA also takes off at the same time, and plays some hot shit right there.

I hate to admit it, but I saw some Chickensh!t in the studio video clip when the band, minus Hagar, were jamming / in rehearsal - it might have just been MA and the Chad the drummer dude. MA was definitely showing some chops on that.

I don't have a link ...

[CROWBAR]

I always enjoyed Mike's vocals, but damn....Sheehan would have been great with VH.

I don't. I saw Sheehan on the EEAS tour with Dave along with Steve Vai attempt VH songs and it just did not sound right. Understandably, it wasn't their music and they did what they could with it, and, as good of players as they both are, it came off phony. Sheehan's aggressiveness just couldn't fit in with EVH's style as well. I don't think Sheehan would have wanted to be "restrained" just to appease the Master. His creative differences with Dave during Skyscraper is evidence of that too. Dave had the final word and Sheehan bailed.

C'mon - MA had been a bass player for a long time by the time VH came to record the six-pack. He subordinated himself to the needs of the band. He's probably got way more chops than he was ever allowed to show in VH.

Agree

I've said it before and I say it again now - one of the first things we KNOW for sure that Ed played bass on was that Hagar solo album around 1986. For me, the guy was simply not a bass player on the evidence of that - the bass playing on that album stood out to me as a guitar player trying to play bass.

Absolutely it did. I've heard it too. It was Hagar's final obligation to then Geffen Records I think, and Ed stepped in and played bass to help out.

Do you think Sheehan would have helped VH avoid the late 80's fade into parody, and move towards the styles of ADKOT but obviously years earlier? The move could have pleased all members if you consider, but who knows about the personalities?

No

[Romeo Delight]

I like Mike, but can you really say you liked his balls-in-a-vice screams that were part and parcel of every live show before 1981-82?

He may have been restrained in the studio, but Mike didn't seem to have any governor in the live show until later.

[SNIPER]

I am glad Sheehan never got in. It would have not been the same FW DD and 84 as we know it. Plus I don't think he would have stayed long term and VH would have had many other bass players over the years. As I think Billy is more of a band hopper and likes to do many projects. Not to mention we would also not have EEAS as we know it as Dave most likely would have picked up another player. History would have been all fucked up. ..Just my 2 cents. But I have felt this way for a couple decades now. Boy I need to get a life.