"Tribute" Tour with Dave, Al and Satch

[Nitro Express]

Who remodeled an existing building into 5150 was Drew Bertinelli. Ed playing music in the main house was driving Valerie nuts because she had to be at shoots early in the morning and Ed is a night owl. I had a chat with David Bertinelli and he told me some great stories about 5150. It was supposed to just be a practice space for Ed but Ed bought a bunch of used studio equipment and Donn Landee hooked it all up.

[Nitro Express]

Seems Wolfgang Van Halen and Alex Van Halen may have differing opinions on whether there is Van Halen without EVH.

I wonder if Al even has access to 5150, or the "vault".

Well Wolfgang made his opinion public. I assume Wolfgang got the Cold Water Creek property where 5150 is located. Ed owned three adjoining lots. The property tax has to be killer. There’s the big house, a guest house, 5150 and another house.

[Nitro Express]

My understanding is that Al still has control over anything Van Halen related. As in the band and their music - which includes previous recordings or unreleased.

Wolf took over the EVH gear brand and thats it.

Wolf got half of EVH Gear. Matt Bruck got the other half.

[Von Halen]

Not really a vault. It’s a storage room with shelves on one wall and it’s full of tapes. You can access it from the studio, there isn’t even a door on it.

Everybody has always called it a "vault". You know this.

[ZahZoo]

All this talk of a possible tour with various performers is a nice idea... a tribute to Edward... another nice idea.

To include anyone that wasn't a member of Van Halen other than guitar... would be a total lame-ass idea. If you are going to do it... do it right. Al, Mike and Dave... if you must, Hagar and/or Cherone. No need for anyone else on drums or bass. Maybe Wolfgang...

For the guitar aspect... while a good player, Satriani just doesn't fit all that well. Frankly no one does... even if they tapped into former tribute/DLR band 6-Stringers it just falls flat compared to Eddie. Brian Young was the best IMO... the rest were adequate.

No one... I mean no one... could reach the bar Ed set for guitar playing. For that fact alone... I lose interest in any of this crap...

[FORD]

I always thought there might be a single tribute concert at some point (like the Queen concert after Freddie died) but a tour definitely seems like a bit much. And yeah, if it happens at all, Sobolewski should be playing bass. If Al still has a problem with him, then I guess the rumors are true that the bad blood between Mikey & the band started when Ed & Al's mom passed away, and Mikey didn't contact them at all. Dave, Hagar, and Cherone all paid their respects, though none of them were in the band at the time, and Ed & Al took it very personally. That story certainly holds up better in the current context than the one about Eddie being mad about Mikey getting 1/4 of the publishing credits & royalties while not actually being involved in songwriting. Because Alex wouldn't have a leg to stand on in that case, as he didn't write much either.

[Nitro Express]

All this talk of a possible tour with various performers is a nice idea... a tribute to Edward... another nice idea.

To include anyone that wasn't a member of Van Halen other than guitar... would be a total lame-ass idea. If you are going to do it... do it right. Al, Mike and Dave... if you must, Hagar and/or Cherone. No need for anyone else on drums or bass. Maybe Wolfgang...

For the guitar aspect... while a good player, Satriani just doesn't fit all that well. Frankly no one does... even if they tapped into former tribute/DLR band 6-Stringers it just falls flat compared to Eddie. Brian Young was the best IMO... the rest were adequate.

No one... I mean no one... could reach the bar Ed set for guitar playing. For that fact alone... I lose interest in any of this crap...

Van Halen died with Eddie. People need to get over it. Did I see the last Van Halen tour because I wanted to see Dave dance around? Nope. I saw it because I wanted to see Eddie play which he did really well and instead of some sad drink and chemical abused sad character, he looked great and he was having the time of his life. Glad I saw it. Rest In Peace Ed.

[Nickdfresh]

Van Halen died with Eddie. People need to get over it.

I agree and in no way would this really be Van Halen. But it might also be better than 90% of the shit out there...

Did I see the last Van Halen tour because I wanted to see Dave dance around? Nope. I saw it because I wanted to see Eddie play which he did really well and instead of some sad drink and chemical abused sad character, he looked great and he was having the time of his life. Glad I saw it. Rest In Peace Ed.

I also wanted to see Ed and he was by far the best thing to watch/hear in 2015. But I sure as fuck would have stayed away if Hagar had been the sole singer. I wanted to hear CVH which Davie is essentially part of!

[Nickdfresh]

All this talk of a possible tour with various performers is a nice idea... a tribute to Edward... another nice idea.

To include anyone that wasn't a member of Van Halen other than guitar... would be a total lame-ass idea. If you are going to do it... do it right. Al, Mike and Dave... if you must, Hagar and/or Cherone. No need for anyone else on drums or bass. Maybe Wolfgang...

For the guitar aspect... while a good player, Satriani just doesn't fit all that well. Frankly no one does... even if they tapped into former tribute/DLR band 6-Stringers it just falls flat compared to Eddie. Brian Young was the best IMO... the rest were adequate.

No one... I mean no one... could reach the bar Ed set for guitar playing. For that fact alone... I lose interest in any of this crap...

Steve Vai showed that even an elite, extremely talented guitar player can lose the plot when trying to emulate Ed. For one, Irregardless of technical ability or "feeling" or "soul", your fingertips are your fingertips and not Ed's and that's where the sound comes from. That being said I think Satch might be a bit better suited and less awkward...

[Seshmeister]

All this talk of a possible tour with various performers is a nice idea... a tribute to Edward... another nice idea.

To include anyone that wasn't a member of Van Halen other than guitar... would be a total lame-ass idea. If you are going to do it... do it right. Al, Mike and Dave... if you must, Hagar and/or Cherone. No need for anyone else on drums or bass. Maybe Wolfgang...

For the guitar aspect... while a good player, Satriani just doesn't fit all that well. Frankly no one does... even if they tapped into former tribute/DLR band 6-Stringers it just falls flat compared to Eddie. Brian Young was the best IMO... the rest were adequate.

No one... I mean no one... could reach the bar Ed set for guitar playing. For that fact alone... I lose interest in any of this crap...

To me it's back to Roth solo I don't see the difference unless it's Michael Antony and Alex Van Halen, that would maybe make it Dave solo+

At least part of the problem is always that Ed has permission to change his own solos a bit live, he would stick to the theme sometimes he would play note for note but he can do that. Anyone else doesn't have that luxury definitely not if they are not an artist in their own right so Brian Young would feel he had to try and play as close to the album as possible. Maybe the audience would give Satriani some leeway it's difficult to judge also would he choose to use it? I liked what Jake E Lee used to do with Randy Rhoads stuff back in the day a lot but usually it doesn't work out well - you are damned if you do damned if you don't. If Satriani plays a set of CVH Eddie note for note then I'm not sure how that is any better than Brian Young or whoever doing a facsimile.

[Seshmeister]

Steve Vai showed that even an elite, extremely talented guitar player can lose the plot when trying to emulate Ed. For one, Irregardless of technical ability or "feeling" or "soul", your fingertips are your fingertips and not Ed's and that's where the sound comes from. That being said I think Satch might be a bit better suited and less awkward...

In defence of Vai we are judging live bootlegs and think was the late 80s peak of guitar wankery and he had taken on the biggest rock guitarist gig on the planet in his 20s it's not surprising in any way he maybe sometimes overplayed CVH especially on that first tour. Vai has plenty of feeling in his playing in fact he even did in the 80s in For The Love of God.

The worst example that I've ever heard ever though was Yngwie during that strange time in the late 90s when there were a lot of cover albums done by famous 80s musicians that almost always were not good but for interesting reasons. You would get Sebastian Bach singing a Rush song with George Lynch on guitar - in theory wow in practice not so good but you didn't know that until you bought the CD. I bought about 3 or 4 until I learned my lesson.

I just looked and it's got over a million listens on YouTube and lots of +ve comments but I still think it's fucking comical mess.

[FORD]

Yikes! Never heard that before. Now I know why. Dio actually sounded pretty good there, but YingYang is unleashing the fucking ego as usual, and sounds completely out of place. Now I'm trying to imagine what Iommi would have sounded like on that song.

Ronnie was always good with cover songs, of course. Like this one from his Elf days, which was somewhat ironic, given his future career path....

[Terry]

Not sure about more unseen concert footage but I believe there are live recordings from the 1984 tour and even from the Hide your Sheep tour so who knows.

Dave suggested back in '85 they release a live album as he himself back then said "we have tapes" but the Van Halens didnt want to.

I'd tend to agree, but then 15 or so years ago the 1981 Memphis show surfaced. Appeared to have been a show the band videotaped with a single video camera on a fixed tripod at the mixing board, for what I'd assume was the band's own use...dunno how it got leaked out - if it was one of Eddie's assistants who pirated the thing or whatever - but it made me wonder how many other shows the band filmed back in the day in that manner (videotape on a single stationary videocamera obviously being cheaper than multiple cameras using actual film).

[silverfish]

Michael Anthony Says He's Been in Van Halen Tribute Tour Talks
https://ultimateclassicrock.com/mich...-tribute-tour/

[Kristy]

Which means S P A M M Y will be involved. Fuck that.

[Vinnie Velvet]

Agreed. FUCK Spammy.

I dont want Alex resurrecting any Van Hagar material.

Glad its been dead and buried since 2004.

[FORD]

Ironically, Van Hagar sometimes used an inferior scab guitar player on their own tours.....

[Nitro Express]

Van Halen ended in 1984. Everything since was a fagfest. People who enjoy cheese from a can and really love gay shit seem to enjoy it. I’m just amazed Sammy hasn’t come out with agave and lime flavored anal lube with aloe to sell to his disgusting base of fans.

[Nitro Express]

If Alex becomes the new drummer in The Circle he’s come out of the closet. He can ride a unicorn naked with Sammy covered in rainbow body paint. Thank God Ed never lived long enough to see it.

[Nitro Express]

Both Sam and Mike are famous for being able to hit very high notes. Of course. If you have no balls and like things shoved up your ass you tend to hit high notes pretty well.

[Nitro Express]

Most rockers in the 80’s lived in LA. The place was full of hot pussy then. Sam preffered San Francisco and lived up there. May I say more?

[Vinnie Velvet]

Stellar posts Nitro.

[Vinnie Velvet]

Van Halen ended in 1984. Everything since was a fagfest. People who enjoy cheese from a can and really love gay shit seem to enjoy it. I’m just amazed Sammy hasn’t come out with agave and lime flavored anal lube with aloe to sell to his disgusting base of fans.

Its amazing to me how many still actually love Van Hagar.

A band that had more in common with Wham and other gay shit than Van HALEN.

Look, not everything Ed produced was fit for public consumption. He of course didn't care. Hence we got garbage like Anal Walks In. But to have it under the band name "Van Halen" was so wrong.

[Nitro Express]

I might clarify I have nothing against gays. I apologize for comparing them to Sammy Hagar.

[Nitro Express]

I get tired of seeing Sammy pop up on all these cooking shows with celebrity chefs selling him as some kind of great food expert. Sammy understands salad. He’s an expert on tossing salad. That dude’s face has been between more buns than all the beef at McDonald’s.

[Nitro Express]

Its amazing to me how many still actually love Van Hagar.

A band that had more in common with Wham and other gay shit than Van HALEN.

Look, not everything Ed produced was fit for public consumption. He of course didn't care. Hence we got garbage like Anal Walks In. But to have it under the band name "Van Halen" was so wrong.

Oh hell. The 5150 walk? George Michael and Boy George would be all over that gay train wobbling to the backstage area.

[Nitro Express]

The Van Hagar rider had more lube required than a fucking steam engine and the Tin Man.

[Nitro Express]

Of course you follow the yellow brick road you will run into some scarecrow looking fuck named Sammy Hagar singing “If I only had a brain”.

[Vinnie Velvet]

Oh hell. The 5150 walk? George Michael and Boy George would be all over that gay train wobbling to the backstage area.

Oh geez...the 5150 walk.

WTF was that. I remember seeing ads for the MTV awards show 1986 and seeing clips of them doing that shit.

[Nitro Express]

It’s not hands on your hips, stick out your tush and give out a push. It’s equally as gay and even more dorky. You line up a train and each member waddles with a stiff walk like you are still hurting from the previous night’s ass fucking. While the train moves across the stage you move your arms up and down in an alternating motion like a robot. Van Halen never did shit like this before Hagar showed up.

[Mushroom]

What a bunch of relationship experts and... this is as exhausting as watching prognosticators and proctologists talk about NFL Draft Day.

Since we are all experts, this is the best lineup for a show:

Van Halen Era as the Closer
DLR
Dweezil Zappa
Alex
Michael

Van Hagar Era as the Opener
Sammy
Joe Satriani
Alex
Michael

My hot takes:
1. Yes, I included Van Hagar, suck it. If it is about the money, then you cannot deny adding Hagar will bring in more people.
2. Musicians like to play music until they can no longer play their instrument. Sometimes it's just about the music, not $.
3. If you're Phil Collins, you sit in a wheelchair and sing, but you are boring.
4. Steve Vai has no business in participating, he's too processed. Write some damn good music.
5. Nitro, you picked up your jokes from the elementary school playground, pick up your game.
6. It's the Vault.
7. If I see one more cry for Video from Oakland 1981, etc. I'm sending in the nanobots.

[Vinnie Velvet]

It’s not hands on your hips, stick out your tush and give out a push. It’s equally as gay and even more dorky. You line up a train and each member waddles with a stiff walk like you are still hurting from the previous night’s ass fucking. While the train moves across the stage you move your arms up and down in an alternating motion like a robot. Van Halen never did shit like this before Hagar showed up.

Agreed.

Your description of the stupid "walk" is spot on though. Lol

[Vinnie Velvet]

What a bunch of relationship experts and... this is as exhausting as watching prognosticators and proctologists talk about NFL Draft Day.

Since we are all experts, this is the best lineup for a show:

Van Halen Era as the Closer
DLR
Dweezil Zappa
Alex
Michael

Van Hagar Era as the Opener
Sammy
Joe Satriani
Alex
Michael

My hot takes:
1. Yes, I included Van Hagar, suck it. If it is about the money, then you cannot deny adding Hagar will bring in more people.
2. Musicians like to play music until they can no longer play their instrument. Sometimes it's just about the music, not $.
3. If you're Phil Collins, you sit in a wheelchair and sing, but you are boring.
4. Steve Vai has no business in participating, he's too processed. Write some damn good music.
5. Nitro, you picked up your jokes from the elementary school playground, pick up your game.
6. It's the Vault.
7. If I see one more cry for Video from Oakland 1981, etc. I'm sending in the nanobots.

We don't need Van Hagar at an Eddie tribute show/tour.

Same reason why you won't hear Ed's glorious music he made for that porno some years ago. IT SUCKS.

The Van Hagar period began what was to be Ed's eventual downfall (until Wolf saved him and Dave rejoined).

The music became just as Dave described it in his book; "morose".

Sure there may have been some highlights of classic Ed brilliance but largely the fire that produced the six pack on Van Hagar was gone. So why have that represented?

[FORD]

I could see a situation where you might have Al, Mikey, and whatever guitar player doing some of the "better" Van Hagar songs instrumentally... without the Ched Rocker needing to be there at all.

Sort of like Ed, Al, and Mikey did, even when they were touring with Spam himself.....



Some of that music was alright, as long as Hagar's screeching & shitty lyrics were removed from it.

[Mushroom]

I could see a situation where you might have Al, Mikey, and whatever guitar player doing some of the "better" Van Hagar songs instrumentally... without the Ched Rocker needing to be there at all.

Sort of like Ed, Al, and Mikey did, even when they were touring with Spam himself.....



Some of that music was alright, as long as Hagar's screeching & shitty lyrics were removed from it.

I've never seen that before but it sounds badass as an instrumental

[Mushroom]

We don't need Van Hagar at an Eddie tribute show/tour.
... So why have that represented?

It's not just for you Vinnie. Yes Van Halen reigned supreme but Van Hagar did include Eddie Van Halen.

[Nitro Express]

What a bunch of relationship experts and... this is as exhausting as watching prognosticators and proctologists talk about NFL Draft Day.

Since we are all experts, this is the best lineup for a show:

Van Halen Era as the Closer
DLR
Dweezil Zappa
Alex
Michael

Van Hagar Era as the Opener
Sammy
Joe Satriani
Alex
Michael

My hot takes:
1. Yes, I included Van Hagar, suck it. If it is about the money, then you cannot deny adding Hagar will bring in more people.
2. Musicians like to play music until they can no longer play their instrument. Sometimes it's just about the music, not $.
3. If you're Phil Collins, you sit in a wheelchair and sing, but you are boring.
4. Steve Vai has no business in participating, he's too processed. Write some damn good music.
5. Nitro, you picked up your jokes from the elementary school playground, pick up your game.
6. It's the Vault.
7. If I see one more cry for Video from Oakland 1981, etc. I'm sending in the nanobots.

You can’t describe Van Hagar and be above elementary school playground level.

[ZahZoo]

New Michael Anthony interview confirming discussions on the tribute tour...

https://www.guitarworld.com/news/mic...-halen-tribute

Notable quotes:

Mike... In the interview, which you can see below, Anthony says that he had been on "a conference call with [Van Halen manager] Irving Azoff, Alex [Van Halen] and Dave [Lee Roth] last year."

Dave... Roth said that, in his view, any kind of tribute tour would require two musicians for every position, before offering up Steve Lukather and Tommy Lee as additional potential participants, along with Satriani, Anthony and Alex Van Halen.

Wolfgang... “I can confidently say I will NEVER replace my father in Van Halen and tour around the world disrespecting my father’s memory. “No EVH = No VH. Get the fuck over it, but if you can’t, just quit bothering me about it and demanding I do it when I’ve made it very clear how I feel.”

ZahZoo... I like and respect The Kid's™ attitude...

[Seshmeister]

I think the 2 people for each position was just a joke by Roth that's now being repeated everywhere as a statement.

I also think it's very possible the idea was abandoned a while ago after they mentioned it to Wolfgang and he reacted poorly.

[Terry]

I think the 2 people for each position was just a joke by Roth that's now being repeated everywhere as a statement.

I also think it's very possible the idea was abandoned a while ago after they mentioned it to Wolfgang and he reacted poorly.

I mean, if whatever remnants of the band want to launch a tribute tour - regardless of whatever lineup configuration - who really gives a shit at this point?

"Wah, wah, wah...fuck Sammy!" Hey, fuck it. So what if Alex, Dave, Wolfgang, Sammy, Mike Anthony AND Gary Cherone go on the road billed as 'Van Halen'?

Whatever. Get Brian Young (or some other Van Halen tribute band Eddie clone) up there onstage with them.

Shit, go the Dio route and have Eddie's hologram playing onstage with 'em.

You know what is REALLY gay? Even gayer than Sammy? Even gayer than Roth's closeted offstage lifestyle, complete with a live-in Asian houseboy masseuse?

Contemplating who should be fronting Van Halen circa 2022 tribute band tour.

Beyond any minute sense of disgust I have as a fan over the possibility over 'Van Halen' continuing after Eddie died, I must say the fact that Anthony was approached AFTER Eddie died re: rejoining the group...it gave me a hearty chuckle. Mostly because it just made sense, because after 1984, Van Halen became the band that couldn't get anything right. Even in 1996, when the four members of CVH were still vertical and in a reasonable condition to reunite, all they could manage was a couple of tracks for a greatest hits album. No new full-length album. No tour. Ten years on, they bring Roth back in the fold but now Anthony's out. Do they replace Anthony with a killer bass player? Nope. Ed's kid. First full-length album with Roth in nearly thirty years. All new material? Nope. Half leftovers. They finally consider bringing Anthony back, but by the time an offer is made Ed has become too sick to perform, and even if Ed hadn't been too sick to perform Roth's performing abilities gave up the ghost back in 2008.

Van Halen wasted too much time and countless opportunities between 1996 and 2008 to reunite the classic lineup. In terms of the really stellar reunion fans wanted to see - where the principals were in a condition to do such a reunion justice - it never happened. Even before Ed passed away, it was clear that it never would happen, because Roth was shot in terms of being anything other than a strained yelp of his former self. Dave can't even front a full-length solo set with a faceless group of unknowns in front of a theater-sized crowd anymore. Ed is in his grave.

It's over.

Let Sammy, Dave, Alex, Mike, Wolfgang or whoever pick at the carcass for the scraps if they want. Myself? I don't even want to see/hear clips of it online for free should that come to pass: it's at the point where I couldn't even derive a sense of sardonic pleasure watching such a proposed train wreck. We've all been gawking at said wreck since 1996. These days, I would prefer remembering the band when they couldn't do any wrong.