Just release the John 5 LP already...

[Jetstream]

Damn thing is completed from all reports. It is not a hard rock LP but more of a Blues/Rock thing and that is cool from what's understood... well, fuck this Van Halen thing and just release it Dave because you should if you by some odd chance looked at this site by accident while searching the net. for dogs, tattoos, or wrestling

[VHscraps]

Or, could it be that DLR is staging a Bowie-like retreat from public life (the vanishing website, videos, etc), only to slap the last album on us a few days before he bags it.

Whether that is in two years or ten years, who is to say ...

[FORD]

Whether Van Halen ever does anything again remains to be seen. But I would say it's a safe bet that they will NOT be doing anything in 2016. So there's really no reason for Dave to NOT put that album out now. And even tour with John "5" Lowery and/or the EEAS band, if he feels like it.

I think he should have taken a page from Keith Richards and released the first single from that record a day or two after the VH tour ended, with the full album following a month or two later. Seemed to work out fine for Keith. He didn't break up the Stones in the process - they're apparently ready to go back in the studio shortly..

And given all the musicians of their generation dropping dead lately, who the Hell could blame them for working while they still can??

[DONNIEP]

Whether Van Halen ever does anything again remains to be seen. But I would say it's a safe bet that they will NOT be doing anything in 2016.

First off, that ain't Van Halen. I don't care how nice of a fat fucking kid Wolfie is. He ain't a member of Van Halen. I don't care if he apes Mike's bass lines and his vocals are "good enough" for all yall. It ain't Van Fucking Halen.

All it is is Ed's newest version of Van Halen. And Ed can go fuck himself, right after his husband drills him. I don't care if Wolfie can cure cancer. He's not a member of Van Halen and he never was. I know, I can hear it now, "Wolfie gave us back Dave and Eddie!!" If you believe that you are retarded. Ed would have played with me singing if he thought he could sell tickets. Fuck him and his Savior Son.

Van Halen died on April 1st, 1985. I enjoyed the two VH tours I went to, with Dave out front. But it is in no way, shape, form, or whatever Van Halen.

[Anonymous]

Damn thing is completed from all reports. It is not a hard rock LP but more of a Blues/Rock thing and that is cool from what's understood... well, fuck this Van Halen thing and just release it Dave because you should if you by some odd chance looked at this site by accident while searching the net. for dogs, tattoos, or wrestling

All reports? What "all" reports?

The ONLY report we had was from a senile, half-demented guy that drives around in a striped buggy & believes that he's in 1983.

Now, I'm not calling Von a liar - sometimes, the most unlikely sources are the ones which come up with the truth - but until I listen to that thing myself, it doesn't exist.

[Jetstream]

All reports? What "all" reports?

The ONLY report we had was from a senile, half-demented guy that drives around in a striped buggy & believes that he's in 1983.

Now, I'm not calling Von a liar - sometimes, the most unlikely sources are the ones which come up with the truth - but until I listen to that thing myself, it doesn't exist.

I did not know John 5 owned such a buggy... since he has stated himself personally this exists, it is complete and to him it sounds great but what musician would say their music is not lol

[vandeleur]

I think when "van halen" get back with Mike and Sam wolf should tour with Dave and john5 what the hell, he saved ed's career maybe he can do some Wolfe magic for Dave

[cadaverdog]

I did not know John 5 owned such a buggy...l

He has several. They're very chic nowdays.

[DONNIEP]

I think when "van halen" get back with Mike and Sam wolf should tour with Dave and john5 what the hell, he saved ed's career maybe he can do some Wolfe magic for Dave

I can see it now......

Sunset in Pasadena. Wolfie walks up to the gates of Rothwood, a large duffle bag slung over his shoulder. Kinda like Santy Claus, only fatter and less loved.

He steps up to the intercom but somebody buzzes the gate open. Wolfie takes one last look around, hitches his sack up a little higher on his shoulder and slowly walks up the drive, wondering if he'll ever see another sun rise.

The door to the mansion is open so he walks in. It's dark and quiet inside. Too quiet. From one of the rooms off the left of the entrance he hears the flick of an old gold brass zippo.

"You're late", says an all too familiar voice from the room.

"I had to make a beer run for dad", Wolf says.

"So he's back on the sauce?"

"He's working on the set list for the new tour with Sam. Wouldn't you be?"

Wolf's eyes adjust to the dark and he sees Dave, all alone in an empty room, sitting in an old plastic chair that looks like it belongs in a trailer park.

"Did you find what you needed in the storage units?", Dave ask, his voice raspy from too many smokes that day. He looks nervous, fidgeting with that old zippo.

"Yeah, I got what we need," says Wolf. He unslings his sack and gets down on one knee and opens it up. Dave leans forward, peering in the dark to see just what the kid's brought with him. Wolf rummages around in the bottom of the sack and pulls out a fifth of Jack and hands it to Dave. "You're gonna need this," he says.

"Kid, I rarely drink the stuff anymore," Dave says, cracking open the top and taking a long pull off the bottle.

Wolf doesn't say anything. He just keeps digging in his bag. Then he pulls out a pair of electric blue spandex pants and a sequined teddy, hands them to Dave.

"Kid, this is never gonna work. I haven't worn these in almost 30 years. You're wasting my time here."

Wolf reaches into his sack and starts to pull out something large. Dave sits up a little straighter, his mouth slightly ajar.

"You found it," Dave says in a hoarse whisper.

Wolf lays the Davesicle at the old guy's feet, like a Shao Lin priest making an offering to some long forgotten god.

"There's just one more thing," Wolf says as he reaches into his bag for the last time. He pulls out an old Sony Walkman, one of the first ones ever made. It's old, beat up, the battery cover held closed with duct tape older than him. Attached to it by an old and knotted cord is the original set of headphones, the foam mostly gone from each ear.

"You got the tape?" Wolf asks. Dave shuffles his foot and kicks an old cassette over to Wolf. EEAS Demos is scrawled on a piece of tape on one side. Wolf picks it up, turns it over in his hand and shoves it in the old Walkman. Dave slowly stands up, his hands shaking slightly. He'd been drinking and suddenly Wolf could smell the booze laced sweat coming off the old guy.

"Go get dressed, Dave. It's show time"....

[ZahZoo]

Or, could it be that DLR is staging a Bowie-like retreat from public life (the vanishing website, videos, etc), only to slap the last album on us a few days before he bags it.

Whether that is in two years or ten years, who is to say ...

That just seems like way too much planning, forethought, moving parts and execution for Dave's attention span...

[Von Halen]

Sorry Donnie, I made it to the 4th sentence, and then bailed. ADD, ADHD, whatever.

[vandeleur]

Sorry Donnie, I made it to the 4th sentence, and then bailed. ADD, ADHD, whatever.

Pity , it was funny and there isn't a lot of that about at the moment

[PETE'S BROTHER]

Sorry Donnie, I made it to the 4th sentence, and then bailed. ADD, ADHD, whatever.

it was a nice story

[DONNIEP]

It was an awesome story!! I even managed to insert some Dave solo song references. And honestly, as poorly written as it was - it's gonna be the most interesting thing you read about Dave all year.

[VHscraps]

That just seems like way too much planning, forethought, moving parts and execution for Dave's attention span...

This is true ...

[vandeleur]

I was listening to skyscraper today and thought about his climbing and then thought what happened to his dog and sheepdog trials. Maybe he is off doing this weeks new obsession , knitting , scuba diving or origami.

[PETE'S BROTHER]

scuba!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[VHscraps]

I was listening to skyscraper today .

Are you feeling okay, dude?

[vandeleur]

Are you feeling okay, dude?

Yeah , it was for a change. Probably won't do it again

[DONNIEP]

I was listening to skyscraper today and thought about his climbing and then thought what happened to his dog and sheepdog trials. Maybe he is off doing this weeks new obsession , knitting , scuba diving or origami.

It's called Sitting At Home Moping. It's all the rage these days.

And I liked most of Skyscraper. Seems like it was the Tower Record where he repelled down the billboard for the release. Ahh...the good old days. Back when we were all young. Except for Von. I think he turned 50 that year.

[vandeleur]

It's called Sitting At Home Moping. It's all the rage these days.

And I liked most of Skyscraper. Seems like it was the Tower Record where he repelled down the billboard for the release. Ahh...the good old days. Back when we were all young. Except for Von. I think he turned 50 that year.

Sounds a lot more poppy now than it did at the time , hina is still a great song .
Von at the time had a striped penny farthing.

[VHscraps]

Skyscraper is a strange kind of time travel.

[vandeleur]

88 donnington

[DONNIEP]

Scraps - when was EEAS recorded, what months? You're the only person I can think of who might know. I seem to remember it was late 85 and perhaps into early 86.

[VHscraps]

88 donnington

that was a weird gig. Too many peeps. I was miles from the stage. Was Megadeth and Guns N' Roses on the bill? All I remember is my hangover and wanting to find a bed to lie down in ...

[vandeleur]

Yeah both plus kiss and maiden , great gig , well I had a great time

[VHscraps]

Scraps - when was EEAS recorded, what months? You're the only person I can think of who might know. I seem to remember it was late 85 and perhaps into early 86.

Jeez, I really don't know, man! Honestly. I think sometime after the movie fell apart -- up until then, he was still working with Nile Rodgers, who was scoring / co-ordinating the soundtrack to the CFTH movie.

I'd guess it was done quickly, and it came out when? Weekend of July 4th 1986?. With Ted Templeman producing, etc., I doubt they'd have spent a long time in the studio. I think Ted only worked about three days a week on producing, because he was V-P of Warners as well.

I ditched most of my paper archives, but maybe I have something on the laptop ...

last indication that the film was still in progress was an interview with Nile Rodgers in New York magazine, published February 24, 1986. It could have been based on an interview done some time before that, but in that interview what he was doing at the moment was working on the instrumental music for Dave's movie.

So, what would you say? EEAS recorded in Spring 86, round about then?

[DONNIEP]

Jeez, I really don't know, man! Honestly. I think sometime after the movie fell apart -- up until then, he was still working with Nile Rodgers, who was scoring / co-ordinating the soundtrack to the CFTH movie.

I'd guess it was done quickly, and it came out when? Weekend of July 4th 1986?. With Ted Templeman producing, etc., I doubt they'd have spent a long time in the studio. I think Ted only worked about three days a week on producing, because he was V-P of Warners as well.

I ditched most of my paper archives, but maybe I have something on the laptop ...

last indication that the film was still in progress was an interview with Nile Rodgers in New York magazine, published February 24, 1986. It could have been based on an interview done some time before that, but in that interview what he was doing at the moment was working on the instrumental music for Dave's movie.

So, what would you say? EEAS recorded in Spring 86, round about then?

The movie studio folded in October of 85. So I'm thinking you're right - sometime after October 85. Apparently he recorded it in NY and California.

I just wish I could remember when he auditioned Gregg cause that would narrow it down.

[VHscraps]

Yeah both plus kiss and maiden , great gig , well I had a great time

I think I was lying next to our travelling bus by the time Maiden came on. Pretty certain I never saw them.

The problem with travelling from Scotland to Donnington back then was we always had to ride down on a bus the night before, so that meant that everyone got wrecked on the bus and were totally hungover the next day. Don't think I ever saw the headliners.

[Von Halen]

I was listening to skyscraper today and thought about his climbing

Yeah, back when you could present yourself as anything, and people believed you. Seems there's a lot of people that still believe all that stuff about this guy. Vandy, haven't you read the photographers account of the Dave "climbing" photo shoot? If not, it's gotta be posted somewhere around here. It's fucking hilarious.

[VHscraps]

The movie studio folded in October of 85. So I'm thinking you're right - sometime after October 85. Apparently he recorded it in NY and California.

I just wish I could remember when he auditioned Gregg cause that would narrow it down.

Funnily enough, I am sort of interested in something related (sort of related). Aside from how crap Dave's movie might have been, CBS Pictures was embattled by early 1985 due to corporate re-organisation following some sort of legal shenanigans. They were mostly known for making straight-to-TV fare, and had recently decided to go into theatrical film production -- Dave's movie being one of the movies that was not just a TV movie.

Not long after they signed up Dave's movie, they appointed as a creative director ... Malcolm McLaren, former Sex Pistols manager. When the company fell apart, Dave lost his movie, and McLaren was out of a job.



I'm intrigued by the idea that the two of them bumped into each other in the CBS Pictures canteen ... if so, it would be just one of a few Sex Pistols / Van Halen connections.

[Seshmeister]

I think there were breathtaking amounts of Scarface style cocaine mounds involved in all of this.

Reading the Dave movie script nowadays in the cold light of day it doesn't seem to me at least, the greatest thing ever however context is everything and also it would have been rewritten and improved before it was ever made.

[VHscraps]

you mean a lot of icing sugar around the mouth and nose - all those donuts!

[DONNIEP]

I think there were breathtaking amounts of Scarface style cocaine mounds involved in all of this.

Reading the Dave movie script nowadays in the cold light of day it doesn't seem to me at least, the greatest thing ever however context is everything and also it would have been rewritten and improved before it was ever made.

Yeah the script is...it's crap. I mean really stupid. But I agree it would have went through a lot of changes before filming started. I'm sure it would have been at least as good as the Picasso Bros videos. My teenage daughter loves those videos, watches the Cato DVD a lot. Usually I go in her room and watch them when they come up on the DVD and they're still great to watch.

[DONNIEP]

Yeah, back when you could present yourself as anything, and people believed you. Seems there's a lot of people that still believe all that stuff about this guy. Vandy, haven't you read the photographers account of the Dave "climbing" photo shoot? If not, it's gotta be posted somewhere around here. It's fucking hilarious.

Yeah that's a great article.

Sucks that it turns out Dave really was and is nothing like his image from back then. The guy's been the biggest rock star on the planet, can do anything he wants, have whatever he wants, and he's a miserable hermit. What a waste.

[Jetstream]

We will not see the John 5 lp for one reason, that is because shimmy Dave I recall mentioned it was made for some kind of Broadway musical... hence, he will hold on to the dream of bringing that slippy slide floor out one more time for the music to be released lol

[VHscraps]

hence, he will hold on to the dream of bringing that slippy slide floor out one more time

Oh lawd ...

[Von Halen]

We will not see the John 5 lp for one reason, that is because shimmy Dave I recall mentioned it was made for some kind of Broadway musical... hence, he will hold on to the dream of bringing that slippy slide floor out one more time for the music to be released lol

I don't think you're thinking of the same album I spoke to John 5 about.

[DONNIEP]

I don't think you're thinking of the same album I spoke to John 5 about.

No, he's right - that's exactly how Dave described it. Then again, this is the same Dave that said every song on EEAS was written for the movie.

"And in the interim I've written and recorded an entire album of material with a fellow named John 5. It's called Somewhere Over the Rainbow Bar & Grill, and it was designed as a jukebox musical after seeing what the South Park fellows did. Those fellows are ardent Van Halen fans – they're been to Vegas and L.A. variously on the last tour. I saw the play [Book Of Mormon] and went home and we started putting together what I guess is called a jukebox musical, but it's not particular to Van Halen. Indeed we can create Van Halen material as the interstitials, but we have 15 songs ready to go, and it's my story. Indiana kid goes to the big city, sells his soul to the devil. Whatever Lola wants, Lola gets Dave. It's knockout stuff."

[Von Halen]

Ok. Well nothing in that description says "Broadway musical", to me.