(This is a cool interview I transcribed with Jimmy Barnes - He talks about Eddie asking him to replace Roth around 1985.)
JB: And then Van Halen, I was actually… it must be 1987 or something, or 85 when David Lee Roth left Van Halen. Um, Eddie Van Halen came right over to my apartment and asked me to join Van Halen. The band--
RADIO: Did he?
JB: Yeah, so, not trying to be funny
RADIO: Do you ever give any thought as to how your life would've changed had you accepted that offer?
JB: Yeah, well, I don't know? That's really... at the time, I'll tell you what happened, I just left Culture Zone, that was 84 or 85, just left Culture Zone. I was in America finishing off Working-Class Men album. And it's funny, because I had been in the studio little bit, Jane was at home with Mahalia who's a baby at the time. She was waiting at home to do some shopping or something. So I came home, and she said I got to go do some shopping, um, you stay here with Mahalia, you stay here and watch the baby. I said yeah, no worries. As she's walking out the door. She said by the way, Eddie Van Halen rang for you. And I went yeah yeah sure. So she gives me this number to call. and I ring, and it's uh, and I get Valerie Bertinelli. Hi it's Jimmy Barnes, oh hi Jimmy, you know? Um, I said can I speak to Eddie? So he goes, “um, hey Jimmy, we want to talk to you. We want you to come round the house, and um have a chat to you.” And I said, “Well Eddie, I just got back from the studio, my wife's gone out, I'm babysitting, I really can't go anywhere.” He said, “We'll be right over.” So, I gave them the address, and him and the Ted Templemann I think it was, the producer, turned up. And… and you know they sort of laid it out to me, and I sat and thought about it, I thought… you know, I really like your band Eddie. I think they were obviously going through a bit of a gun shy reaction to David Lee leaving, who is a great front man, and they said uh, “well, it's not going to be like Van Halen, we're going to be playing lots of ballads.” And I said, “ah mate, I'm not your singer then. I'm a rock 'n roll singer.” And I said, “but I really love your band, anytime you want to play in my band, you're welcome.”
Reply With Quote
