Noel Monk book out 13th June

[Va Beach VH Fan]

Again, why is it that seemingly I give more of a shit about this than anyone in Van Halen does?

Well, two reasons....

1. As we've all known for many moons now, they (but really, IMO it's just EVH) could care less about their legacy....

2. They've never done anything that I can recall strictly for the money, but more importantly...

3. They're all still quite financially secure....

[Terry]

Well, two reasons....

1. As we've all known for many moons now, they (but really, IMO it's just EVH) could care less about their legacy....

2. They've never done anything that I can recall strictly for the money, but more importantly...

3. They're all still quite financially secure....

Well, I certainly can't accuse Eddie of taking the path of least resistance/greatest ROI since Hagar left in 1996, that path being a CVH reunion tour. Ed did stick to his guns (poorly aimed as they were) even though that eventually resulted in his band getting dropped from their record label.

To be sure, they are all financially secure.

However, does it never occur to Eddie that putting out all that CVH stuff on dvd would generate a profit mostly because people want to see it? That he could make a few bucks making longtime fans of the band happy?

I think possibly the problem with Eddie is he hasn't quite grappled with the fact that his band have become what he said he didn't want them to become in 1996: a nostalgia band.

So, why not go all the way with that ball, get Anthony back in the group, do a CVH tour and put all that old CVH stuff out on dvd?

It's the half-assedness of Eddie's "fuck what the fans want, they're going to get whatever I feel like giving them" approach that, in part, prevents the full-on CVH reunion from happening and old CVH material from being released. Somewhere in his mindset, I assume Ed must feel as long as he throws some kind of caveat in there (Mike's out, my kid's in), he can still pretend what he has been doing with Van Halen for the last 10 years is something other than it is. And as long as people still pay to see it, Ed can keep on getting away with it.

I found it a bit telling that Ed sobered up in 2007 (for several months, anyway) only because without a public display of sobriety even Azoff would have had problems selling a pitch for another Van Halen tour (even one including David Lee Roth) to promoters after the 2004 business.

In some ways, it was shame Van Halen had commercial success right out of the gate with Hagar: had 5150 tanked, perhaps Roth could have rejoined the band in a meaningful way much sooner, when a reunion could have actually produced something worthwhile. In some ways, it's a shame Warner Brothers even let Eddie go forward with the Cherone version of the band, rather than saying, "If you want Cherone in your band, fine: find another record label to release whatever you do with him on."

Because of the strength of what Eddie and the band did from 1978 to 1984, Eddie has managed to keep earning. However, he never had a real career reckoning via a fan revolt (the closest was Van Halen III, but, I mean, people were still willing to see Van Hagar in 2004...and Van Halen III did sell 1/2 million copies), so he has been able to busk by at times on his past reputation and excuses. People are still willing to see Van Halen without all four CVH members being there, so there's no incentive on Eddie's part to make such a reunion happen.

At this point, sadly it's more likely that one of the CVH members will pass away before Eddie tries to make a CVH reunion happen. Just as sadly, it's more likely that Eddie will have to pass away first before any CVH vault material gets released.

Dunno 'bout anyone else, but I think that's a bummer of a situation.

[Full Bug]

As far as the new book goes, a few people who have read it so far are saying Noel puts the band down a lot, more Dave then the others, with his ego and such, then in the next breath goes on about how VH was the greatest thing since sliced bread, seems to be a 'love the book / hate the book' vibe for people reading it.....

More on the logo from the book-

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[Seshmeister]

I've just noticed that there is a simultaneous unabridged release of this book on Audible.

Also "Van Halen Rising: How a Southern California Backyard Party Band Saved Heavy Metal By Greg Renoff" is now available as an audiobook as well.

[Terry]

As far as the new book goes, a few people who have read it so far are saying Noel puts the band down a lot, more Dave then the others, with his ego and such, then in the next breath goes on about how VH was the greatest thing since sliced bread, seems to be a 'love the book / hate the book' vibe for people reading it.....

More on the logo from the book-

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I think the anticipation I have for this book has more to do with a relative lack of decent books about the band out there, and Monk's participation, than any real expectations that it will be a great book. When you have as little published material on the band in book form out there to begin with, I would have thought that any book on the subject wouldn't necessarily have to be great to be just what the doctor ordered. The EVERYBODY WANTS SOME book proved me way, way wrong on that count: I've read far more insightful things about Van Halen (that weren't nearly as often wrong on strictly a factual basis - who/what/where/when) on this site over the years, and I didn't need to pay $29.99 to read them, either.

If Monk has some good insider stories, and the book is well-written, that combination would reach the threshold of my limited expectations.

On the whole, far as rock star bios/books go...shit, when I think of how many books have been produced about, say, The Rolling Stones over the years...the total must be in the low hundreds by now...I can think of perhaps 5 out of that total that were REALLY exceptional, and most of those came out decades ago now. And that lack of proportionality of quality is something I feel is pretty much across the board far as rock bands go.

For every really entertaining rock book like, say, John Lydon's No Irish/No Blacks/No Dogs... there must be at least a thousand across all genres of music that are just the same old recycled tales coupled with atrocious sentence structure and rife with grammatical mistakes.

Kind of like what Frank Zappa had to say about rock journalism in general: people who can't write, interviewing people who can't talk for people who can't read.

[Romeo Delight]

I have the audible version and started listening and I can't help but think of the Seinfeld episode where George relies on the audio book, but can't stand the voice...

[Kristy]

Them saying anything, would require them to remove their heads from the sand.

Why so negtiive, Von? Appears this book has some new homoerotica you can read.

Oh right, you can't read.

[Full Bug]

10 Crazy Tales From the New Van Halen Book ‘Runnin’ With the Devil

http://ultimateclassicrock.com/van-halen-book-runnin-with-the-devil/

Book review- http://www.immusicmag.com/2017/06/bo...ith-the-devil/

[Seshmeister]

Why so negtiive, Von? Appears this book has some new homoerotica you can read.

Oh right, you can't read.

Why so NEGTIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE?

[Nickdfresh]

Negtiive niinniies!!

[Va Beach VH Fan]

http://www.laweekly.com/music/former-van-halen-manager-noel-e-monks-new-book-describes-life-with-the-band-8316250

What Was It Like to Spend Months on the Road With Van Halen?

In less than a year, Van Halen went from making $750 a show while touring as support for bands like Journey and Black Sabbath to a $75,000 payday co-headlining the California World Music Festival at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Former Van Halen manager Noel E. Monk writes about this steep ascension in his new book, Runnin’ with the Devil. Although Monk hadn’t heard a note of Van Halen’s music when he agreed to come on board in 1978, initially as a tour manager, it was soon apparent to him the band was special. And Monk had been around special before. He’d helped stage-manage Woodstock, was San Francisco concert impresario Bill Graham' right-hand man, befriended artists like Janis Joplin and Grateful Dead, worked with the Rolling Stones, and had most recently been tour manager for the Sex Pistols. He chronicled his time with the latter punk legends in his 1990 book, 12 Days on the Road: The Sex Pistols and America.

In Runnin’ with the Devil — which was co-written with Joe Layden and was published June 13 by Dey St. — Monk tells with a raconteur’s tone the kind of juicy stories (ketchup-fetish groupies, booze-and-coke fueled hotel-trashing, ridiculous rock star requests) that fans want to read. He also has plenty of more soulful memories about a young, hungry Van Halen seeing the world for the first time — and of singer/sexpot David Lee Roth, guitar genius Eddie Van Halen, bassist/nice guy Michael Anthony and drummer/hell-raiser Alex Van Halen beginning to realize their collective musical powers.

The son of a New York garment rep, Monk saw untapped vast earnings and led Van Halen to establish their own merchandising company, including manufacturing, which became a massive revenue source for the band. He’s also quick to credit former Van Halen production/art director Pete Angelus and Roth for their creativity on Van Halen music videos like “Panama,” “Hot for Teacher” and “Jump” that helped make the band early-MTV darlings.

Runnin’ with the Devil deals much more with the band's business and inner workings than their music. But with Van Halen, that's still page-turning stuff.

Monk was Van Halen's manager from 1978 to 1985, when he was dismissed by the band. On a recent afternoon, he called in for a phone interview from his Colorado Spring home. (I didn’t notice until later that the last four digits of his phone number are 5150, which happens to be the name of Eddie Van Halen’s recording studio, so I didn't get the chance to ask if this was a coincidence.) In the spirit of Van Halen, who embodied good times perhaps more than any other mega band, the interview got off to a freewheeling start; the first thing Monk said on the phone was, “Ah yeah, is this Pam’s Whorehouse?” He soon added, “So we should have a little fun with this.” And that’s what we did. Below are excerpts from our conversation.

In your book you write about the acrimony that developed between Eddie Van Halen and David Lee Roth. Was there ever a time early on when those two guys would hang out as friends away from the band, that you can remember?

How could they? We were on the road on that first tour, eight, nine months. We got three, four days off maybe. So basically we were with each other all the time. How were you getting away? You do a show, hang out at the bar until five in the morning, you get up and get on the bus you drive to the next show, you get laid. [Laughs] It’s difficult. And I tried to show how it evolved and how it degenerated and the why.

You write how after Van Halen’s 1978 self-titled debut LP, the next four albums were quickly recorded and often rushed, and when you finally got them more time, they made this amazing album, 1984. But all that time together in the studio helped drive the band apart, specifically Eddie and Dave.

You’re talking about the other side [of making music], and that’s egos, drugs and “I’m a superstar.” Time does not melt that away, it enhances it. You come off the road, you gotta do an album, you do it in three weeks, it’s not your best album. I tried to explain that. The first album is the best first album I’ve ever heard a band do and 1984 was equally as brilliant. But the ones in between didn’t live up to it but we had such a fan base and they were such a brilliant [live] band.

For a few years, there’s been a story going around [originated by Gene Simmons] about Eddie Van Halen asking to join Kiss in the early 80s. Are you aware of anything like that ever happening?

No. I don’t think it happened. The one thing about the fans is they live off any innuendo or hearsay.

So you don’t think the band came close to breaking up earlier, like in ’81 or anything like that?

No. That was all fan gossip and writer bullshit.

When Dave made his first solo EP, did he ever hint he decided to do that at least partly because he didn’t think Eddie was in condition to make another Van Halen album at that time?

No. I think he wanted his own career. I don’t know. I never spoke to them again after we broke up in '85, so I can’t talk to that. Who can say why he did it? David’s an anomaly. I think he made a mistake, a big mistake. But that’s me thinking and not me knowing.

If you had to be roommates with either [Sex Pistols singer] Johnny Rotten or David Lee Roth, who’d you pick?

Do you mean what hotel would I jump off the roof of? I loved rooming with Sid [Vicious, Sex Pistols bassist]. Sid and I got a long really well. He was to me the nicest guy in the band. But that question is a moot point. I would have slashed my wrists after a week.

In your book, you wonder if subliminally one of the reasons Eddie Van Halen married actress Valerie Bertinelli was to spite David Lee Roth, who you write about being more fame-driven than Eddie was. Did Dave ever date any famous people that you’re aware of?

David was the first one who said said, “I’m gonna marry a star.” But you’ve got to understand, I never saw him go out with anyone for more than a week or two.

You write about the rest of the band in 1984 moving to get Michael Anthony’s quarter split of the royalties taken away retroactive to the 1984 album, and him signing that addendum. Why do you think Michael agreed to that? Do you think he saw huge potential in future touring earnings or was worried about getting ousted from the band if he didn’t sign?

I don’t understand it, never will. I really liked Michael. He never gave me a problem, ever. I didn’t understand why they did it to him, what he allowed to be done to him. Basically, what I would have said [to him] was, “Leave tonight and say goodbye and keep your $20 million. And they can’t do a show tonight. What are they going to have? No bass player and no [backing] vocal?” I couldn’t believe what they did to him. Usually, David and Edward and Al would have come to me and said, “What should I do”? Michael never came to me and said, “What should I do?” Because I would have told him what to do.

I thought they were the most brilliant stage show. Period. Watching David and Edward and Michael was just extraordinary every night.

Did working on the book and looking back on your time with Van Halen change your opinion about that band in any way?

No, it never changed. I thought they were the most brilliant stage show. Period. Watching David and Edward and Michael was just extraordinary every night. Someone once asked me, “What is the best show you ever saw them do?” And I said, “No that’s not the question. The question is what is the worst show they ever did?” Because they never did a bad show except once …

The US Festival [in 1983].

Right. The US Festival. They never did a bad show. They could be fucked up out of their minds, and they were brilliant. So that to me was amazing. Remember, I saw hundreds of their shows. The first year I saw every one, and usually I saw 90 percent of them.

If Van Halen and David Lee Roth hadn’t split in 1985, what kind of music can you picture that version of the band making next?

My feeling was, in ’84, that I saw the next five or six years of them becoming the biggest band in the world. We didn’t make it. We could’ve been playing stadiums in ’85. We didn’t get to where we could’ve gotten.

Did any rock bands after Van Halen really impress you, like Guns N’ Roses?

I thought they were good. They weren’t Van Halen. I looked.

Did you retire after parting ways with Van Halen?

I took on a band called Prophet. They were good, but they weren’t brilliant. But right off the bat they wouldn’t listen. They screwed up their career. And at that point, after 25, 30 years in the business, I was disillusioned.

What was the most challenging thing about writing a book about a band that fired you all those years ago?

We couldn’t come to a contract. I had done seven years [on a 30-day contract], and they decided they could do better without me. When you read the book you’ll see their reason, which I don’t quite agree with. [Laughs] They lost their merchandising company. They really lost Van Halen. They lost a lot, and so did I. People say they fired me — yeah, they did, because I had a month-to-month contract. But by that time I wanted rid of them as bad as they wanted rid of me.

[Nickdfresh]

Here's another article with some tidbits:

Van Halen's former manager tells all in 'Runnin' with the Devil'

Alex Van Halen, David Lee Roth, Michael Anthony and Eddie Van Halen lived the rock star lifestyle. (FIN COSTELLO/REDFERNS)
Confidential
CONFIDENTIAL
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Saturday, May 27, 2017, 6:00 PM
Eddie Van Halen is one of the best guitarists of his generation, but he might have trouble passing a sixth grade health test. Former Van Halen manager Noel Monk recounts the time Eddie was hit with a paternity suit while engaged to Valerie Bertinelli.

The fretboard whiz tearfully acknowledged he'd had encounters with the woman — but they were limited to oral sex, mostly administered in his car. Do you think, he asked Monk, I could have gotten her pregnant?

Monk shares the tale in "Runnin' With the Devil," a forthcoming new book about his years with the band, from 1978 to 1985. You might figure there'd be some sex, drugs and trashed hotel rooms involved, and Monk doesn’t fail to deliver.

There are groupies aplenty — including the "Ketchup Queens," a pair of beauties with a condiment fetish, and another pair who serviced the entire road crew in order to get backstage.

Eddie was a prodigy at substance abuse as well as the guitar. Monk says that on the band's 1984 tour, Eddie had a personal dealer who flew around the world to supply him with drugs, mostly coke.

He was a prodigious drinker as well — which came into play at his wedding to Bertinelli, whose family were devout Catholics. The newlyweds disappeared after the ceremony, and Monk writes that he found them in a bathroom, Eddie throwing up in the toilet while Bertinelli, in her wedding gown with tears streaming down her cheeks, cradled his head.

Meanwhile, his drummer brother Alex was a serious alcoholic, according to Monk. And David Lee Roth could go off the rails: Monk writes that on a 1981 tour he got so drunk, nasty and out of control, tearing up a hotel room, that the crew had to put him in a straitjacket.

Roth was a complex figure, whose behavior reflected that he was "at heart an entitled rich kid," Monk writes. He once took a shine to a woman he'd had a few encounters with — he thought things could go further, but according to Monk, Roth had VD at the time and had likely given it to her. Feeling bad, the chivalrous front man asked Monk to call the woman and apologize on his behalf. (Monk says he refused, and told him to send flowers.)

Monk was ultimately fired by the band, as it was imploding from Roth’s ego and the brothers’ addictions. His book is out June 13.

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/confidential/van-halen-manager-tells-all-new-bio-article-1.3198999

[Full Bug]

I have the audible version and started listening and I can't help but think of the Seinfeld episode where George relies on the audio book, but can't stand the voice...

Did you buy it online? If so, from what site?

[Romeo Delight]

Amazon has an "audible" website:

http://www.audible.com/

[Carmine]

I just finished it. DEA was an appropriate summation to the very end of VH...drugs, ego and alcohol. Enjoy, for those of you that aren't through it yet