The DLR Cast

[Nickdfresh]

biya

[twonabomber]

old and decrypted.

wait...what?

[DFVH5150]

Hardly. There are already too many podcast out there that stand as being nothing more than fronts for corporate advertisements with most being more depressing than an family funeral. As for Roth himself...I have zero respect for the guy but am fascinated how he has maintained strange currency of popularity when he has pissed away career more than once. Maybe in the classic Van Halen heyday he modernized the whole rock star personification of sex, drugs and alcohol living the wanton dream of self-indulgence until it became a parody for him. Roth to me is nothing more than a Midwestern kid who moved to California and found himself at the right place at the right time. Eddie made Roth's success for it was Eddie's wizkid phenomenal guitar playing that attracted so many to be VH fans, not Roth. The whole "Diamond Dave" shtick was clever marketing on Roth's part simply because he possessed little talent to his own. He was never a strong vocalist often noted for going off key due to having a lack of register, a mediocre songwriter who yelped and screamed between lyrical breaks in the songs.

Roth sold himself on being Diamond Dave. He was an attractive guy in the early 80's and women fawned over him and every repressed male (like Von) had homoerotic fantasies about being him. Roth saturated Van Halen with so much self-gloss to the point the rest of band grew tired off his ridiculous antics. I can see why Eddie fired him out of disgust then creative difference and direction. Roth didn't even know he had it so good until he well ran dry. Yes, you can make for arguments there there are plenty of frontman who soiled their career for the sake of egotism but nobody fucked it up like Roth. Now look out the guy. He's a pitiable wreckage of a human being. He can no longer hit any high notes without his bronchial pipe cracking like Rosanne on thin ice his stage athletics are like a nursing home arthritic yoga shuffle and wardrobe is an obvious cry for help.

So here's my question to you: why the obsession with this guy? He surely stopped being relevant back in what what I can guess is mid-1988. Can't be that is a poor man's nostalgia traveling act or that even his reunion with Eddie resurrected his sad career. Whatever Roth's alleged health issues I'll give him credit for choosing to hang for good although it stands as a decision he made to be entirely about himself and not for his most devoted followers. Roth's last hurrah to milk his fans for every red cent hew can get and then fuck off into the sunset of regret is shameful. Fans such as yourself deserve better.

Well it's a good thing I guess that you don't type up novels about him on a website forum dedicated to him.

[Terry]

In defense of the "false" rumor, I'm sure Ed's health issues contributed to that ultimately not coming to fruition.

I have a couple of buddies going to the last Dave shows. I was invited, and politely declined. Yes, I can be polite at times. My first Van Halen show was in 1978. My last show was 2015. Even though Mike wasn't with VH in 2015, it was Ed and Dave. I prefer my last live memory of my favorite band, to be as Van Halen. I have zero interest in a VH cover band, even if it is being fronted by Dave, and even if the guitarists are phenomenal. I am very comfortable with this decision.

You CAN be polite? Well, please...don't. I can't handle a polite Von...nor do I particularly want to ; )

I'd have to agree with that decision in terms of live stuff to, as a fan, call it a day if Dave wasn't playing with the Van Halens. Caught Dave live, what...4 times between 1999 and 2006 fronting various solo bands essentially doing The Classic Van Halen Experience Featuring David Lee Roth. I accepted that because at the time it looked like Roth and the Van Halens weren't going to get together.

Once they did, those first two reunion tours had moments where even without Michael Anthony the band was able to conjure up the excellence that attracted me to them in the first place. By the second tour, it was clear Dave wasn't up to it anymore. I was comfortable with not bothering with the 2015 tour because of [Dave], but I do have a slight regret in not just going anyway, because the Van Halens in 2015 were still knocking it out of the park live, and I kinda think going to a 2015 gig would have been worth it just for that.

But, yeah, after the activities of 2007-2015, going to see Roth return to fronting a group of nobodies churning out the CVH catalog...a step backward I'm not interested in investing any effort toward. I will say that the backing group Roth had with him in 2020 sounded fine and played well, and I assume that'd be the case for the gigs this month as well, but...forget about it, Dave!

[Seshmeister]

Glad the show is on your radar at the very least.

Totally open to guest ideas. Pitch away.

And I'll be at 7 of the Vegas shows -- hope to see some of you there.

-Darren

I've enjoyed the recent interview with Melissa Reiner. After you both trying to date the filming of the BBQ video it started me thinking about it because I remember there was a story here at the time about deliveries of truckloads of sand to his house over a two day period which I think was to make the tennis court into a beach so the actual filming dates were known to the day at one point but that thread was lost in the great server disaster of the early 2000s.

Maybe someone reading this will remember more.

If you are chasing Animal I guess you will obviously have already thought of 'Big' Ed Anderson and Pete Angelus who would probably be the two who know the most and have spoken the least.

[Von Halen]

Three letter Sesh. NDA

Non
Disclosure
Agreement

[Kristy]

It's a really good and surprising musical podcast. Only problemo I have with it is not so much the podcast itself as I am being thoroughly burnt-out on classic rock. So sick of spoiled, obnoxious frat boys going over and over and over on shit like Dark Side of the Moon, Who's Next, some Bowie, Stones, and then think they are hip by reviewing something like London Calling. The DLR guys keep the ads to a minimum, do not talk over each other, and do honestly know about the subject matter and never condescend that they know better than their audience. I even listened to the John 5 interview. Twice. And I cannot stand that guy.

[twonabomber]

II even listened to the John 5 interview. Twice. And I cannot stand that guy.

Why? Is he a Jimmy Page fan?

[Kristy]

Politely fuck off. That is not funny.

[Nitro Express]

Gee. Steve Vai. Billy Sheehan and even the amp tech guy Lee Jackson were sharing fond memories of working with Mr. Roth. Sounded like good times to me.

[Nitro Express]

John 5. Good player. Seems like a nice enough guy. How do you stand out in a sea of fantastic guitar players? Make yourself look fucking weird and keep changing the weirdness so it's fresh. The man knows what he's doing but he did go to Miles Copeland's song writing getaway in France to learn some new tricks. Miles says the first step to fame is to get attention. You have to have something to keep the attention but you have to get it. John understands the concept.

[Seshmeister]

Three letter Sesh. NDA

Non
Disclosure
Agreement

I think many places (I just googled it California definitely does and extended it recently), have exemptions to NDAs in that you can breach them to talk about bad behavior especially stuff like any harassment, bullying, anything illegal and especially anything racist or sexual harassment. I don't know if that means that they could only say bad things in an interview or if bad things have happened they are freed from the NDA entirely. I guess you pay lawyers to check that when writing a tell all book but since a podcast interview isn't generating you any cash then why get it checked out?

Not that I'm saying that Roth has done anything wrong at any point around or to those guys...

[Seshmeister]

John 5. Good player. Seems like a nice enough guy. How do you stand out in a sea of fantastic guitar players? Make yourself look fucking weird and keep changing the weirdness so it's fresh.

Admittedly he goes for a 'strong' look but it's not like he's done anything really dumb like stuck a fucking bucket on his head.

[Nitro Express]

Admittedly he goes for a 'strong' look but it's not like he's done anything really dumb like stuck a fucking bucket on his head.

There's an art to it. Buckethead is too one dimensional. John 5 is a better painter.

[Nitro Express]

too much obvious weirdness these days.

[Nitro Express]

Assuming being Diamond Dave wasn't a lot of work and required little talent is a very ignorant.

[twonabomber]

Politely fuck off. That is not funny.

My first guess was you offered to blow him but he turned you down. Should I have gone with that?

[Kristy]

Knock it off. Jimmy Page does not qualify as a human being.

[ZahZoo]

Admittedly he goes for a 'strong' look but it's not like he's done anything really dumb like stuck a fucking bucket on his head.

Good point. But, given John 5 has established himself musically... I wonder is the whacky makeup crap necessary or is that his branding forever?

[twonabomber]

Good point. But, given John 5 has established himself musically... I wonder is the whacky makeup crap necessary or is that his branding forever?

Branding.

Last time I saw him the stage was full of inflatable Halloween decorations. He's got LCD screens running old horror movie scenes too.

[Von Halen]

Yeah, I think J5 lives it, lol. Have you seen those fucking creatures that inhabit his home? Fuck that. Very cool and down to earth dude though. Remember, he's a HUGE Kiss fan, as well as a HUGE Munsters fan.

[ZahZoo]

Makes sense for branding and being a huge Ki$$ and Munsters fan I suppose... That is a key element of "Show Biz" and artistry.

At least with J5... the quality of his music stands taller than his fucking make-up cabinet...

[paltrowitz]

It's a really good and surprising musical podcast. Only problemo I have with it is not so much the podcast itself as I am being thoroughly burnt-out on classic rock. So sick of spoiled, obnoxious frat boys going over and over and over on shit like Dark Side of the Moon, Who's Next, some Bowie, Stones, and then think they are hip by reviewing something like London Calling. The DLR guys keep the ads to a minimum, do not talk over each other, and do honestly know about the subject matter and never condescend that they know better than their audience. I even listened to the John 5 interview. Twice. And I cannot stand that guy.

Thanks Kristy!! Such nice, welcomed feedback.

[paltrowitz]

I've enjoyed the recent interview with Melissa Reiner. After you both trying to date the filming of the BBQ video it started me thinking about it because I remember there was a story here at the time about deliveries of truckloads of sand to his house over a two day period which I think was to make the tennis court into a beach so the actual filming dates were known to the day at one point but that thread was lost in the great server disaster of the early 2000s.

Maybe someone reading this will remember more.

If you are chasing Animal I guess you will obviously have already thought of 'Big' Ed Anderson and Pete Angelus who would probably be the two who know the most and have spoken the least.

Duly noted, thanks Sesh. The more people I speak with -- not all it goes to "The DLR Cast" -- the more I see that not everyone is under an NDA. And some of the NDA people tell you what they can/can't talk about. While some of the people aren't under an NDA yet just have no interest in talking to DLR.

[Kristy]

Thanks Kristy!! Such nice, welcomed feedback.

Hey, just as a suggestion since you guys do terrific interviews have you ever thought about interviewing Inara George of Bird and the Bee? She is the daughter of former Little Feat guitarist Lowell George and apparently she's a humongous die-hard David Lee Roth/Van Halen fan unlike the cretins and the posers on this forum.



They did a Van Halen tribute album a few years back Interpreting the Masters, Volume 2: A Tribute to Van Halen that is quite an interesting listen and not just another lame-ass tribute album. I tried posting songs from it but all the cretins and posers here rejected it because it's wasn't "kewl" enough for their banal suburban lifestyles. They thought "Diamond Dave" was an insult to their already low-bar intelligence.



And to be truthful here for a seccy, I have lost some faith in the Bird and the Bee when they started hanging with the media whore asshole Dave Grohl. I'm hoping that was just a fluke. Anyway, just a suggestion. Inara is the real deal Diamond Dave fan.

[Nitro Express]

Good point. But, given John 5 has established himself musically... I wonder is the whacky makeup crap necessary or is that his branding forever?

He could phase it out if he wanted to. He must enjoy being a freak.

[twonabomber]

I tried posting songs from it but all the cretins and posers here rejected it because it's wasn't "kewl" enough for their banal suburban lifestyles. They thought "Diamond Dave" was an insult to their already low-bar intelligence.

um...I went to the show...

http://www.rotharmy.com/forums/showt...=1#post1940405

[Kristy]

Oh dear, I may have to rethink this. I mean Dave Ghrol is one thing but to go to the nearabouts of Lake Erie is quite another.

[twonabomber]

The show was at the Beachland Ballroom, which is just blocks from the lake. Not as close as I am. but close.

[Kristy]

Well, that just ruined it for me.

[Von Halen]

Love the Beachland Ballroom.

[twonabomber]

Love the Beachland Ballroom.

They've done a lot of remodeling during their 'rona downtime. Haven't been back yet though, most of the shows lately is stuff I doubt even Kristy would attend.

[Kristy]

Love the Beachland Ballroom.

OMFG You've been to Lake Erieville, too?

Gross.

[Kristy]

They've done a lot of remodeling during their 'rona downtime. Haven't been back yet though, most of the shows lately is stuff I doubt even Kristy would attend.

Let's see:

Lily Hiatt, Son Volt, Joe Purdy, The Dollyrots. All good acts unlike those government-controlled pussy placebo bands Vonny digs like Derek "Lice-Infested" Trucks and Joe Bonafartssa.

[paltrowitz]

Hey Kristy - EXCELLENT idea. I've emailed Inara directly twice (had her contact info from a mutual friend) and 2 different publicists who've worked with her over the past few years. Zero response. So, uh, giving up on that one. Unfortunately.

Hey, just as a suggestion since you guys do terrific interviews have you ever thought about interviewing Inara George of Bird and the Bee? She is the daughter of former Little Feat guitarist Lowell George and apparently she's a humongous die-hard David Lee Roth/Van Halen fan unlike the cretins and the posers on this forum.



They did a Van Halen tribute album a few years back Interpreting the Masters, Volume 2: A Tribute to Van Halen that is quite an interesting listen and not just another lame-ass tribute album. I tried posting songs from it but all the cretins and posers here rejected it because it's wasn't "kewl" enough for their banal suburban lifestyles. They thought "Diamond Dave" was an insult to their already low-bar intelligence.



And to be truthful here for a seccy, I have lost some faith in the Bird and the Bee when they started hanging with the media whore asshole Dave Grohl. I'm hoping that was just a fluke. Anyway, just a suggestion. Inara is the real deal Diamond Dave fan.

[Kristy]

Thank you for considering this. This rock stars, once they get famous they no longer have the time for us little people.

[Von Halen]

Is anybody else shocked Kristy is being nice to this guy? I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, and something ignorant to get said.

[Kristy]

The DLR Podcast is better than other music podcast I've listened to. Great to listen to when walking the dog. No question, the people they interview are old, decrypted drug addicts (such as Steven Percy) but I do like a good interview no matter who the person is and that the interview is conducted with some intelligence. As I have said, most of what's out there is smug frat-boy types who believe they are the only ones who ever listened to Pink Floyd, fuck-awful Dire Straights, boring Clapton and Tom Petty. Then they play 10 minutes of shitty apps for shittier products, talk over each other, laugh like baby hyenas and brow beat you down with their condescending shit like:

"Dude, Gilmour is the best."

"No, Eddie Van Halen is the best."

"No way, dude. Gilmour is the best"

And this shit goes on and on. Eventually, the subject of Jimmy Page comes up and I start punching holes in the wall.


Steven Percy? Never heard of him but he seems like a decent guy, an aging troubadour with a great spirit for music and being over 60 and still writing new material. Have to admire a man like that when your buddy Roth just shit all over his most devoted fans without an apology. That's fucked up, Von. It's time let Roth go. Move on. This DLR Podcast will always have plenty of people to talk to even if Irana George is a asshole, people who still genuinely care about their fans, give them their money's worth when they go to see them and grow old(er) gracefully unlike Roth himself.

David Lee Roth is now the American version of Jimmy Page. Okay, maybe not. That's a stretch. At least Roth wrote his own material and Irana George calls him a "poet" and Roth did belt out some great performances on the first two Van Halen records. I still crank Little Dreamer, D.O.A. and Ice Cream Man but like all successful bloated rocks stars, Roth become too rich and didn't care anymore. He doesn't care about his fans, that's for sure. So I do admire a podcast that sees what I fail to see in that Roth meant a lot to a lot of people. My personal belief is that Roth needs to hang it up for good like he said he would. We shall see if that happens.

But if these guys ever interview someone like Tom Scholz, Jimmy Page or any surviving member of Britny Fox I'm unsubscribing in a heartbeat.


Don't worry, Von. I'm going to start taking a lot of drugs again. It's just that Biden's runaway inflation makes it difficult to afford them.

[Kristy]

Correction: "Stephen" Percy.

[Nitro Express]

Is anybody else shocked Kristy is being nice to this guy? I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, and something ignorant to get said.

All it means is the cannabis dispensary had better edibles this month.