Rolling Stone - Wolf & Ed

[Nitro Express]

In commercial terms, it seemed like there was nowhere to go but up for Van Halen in early 1985. Especially after the success of the 1984 album and the Jump single, which broadened the audience in popular terms. All those CFTH videos catapulted Roth into probably his biggest limelight moment of pop culture stardom. 1984-1985 was the year Van Halen/Roth crested the wave.

I'm not sure the band even then were quite at the point where they could have sold out stadiums across the US solely on the strength of their name alone along the lines of Zeppelin in 1977 or the Stones in 1981. Maybe. Maybe not. If not, they were close. Perhaps more likely in 1985 would have been a tour part large arenas, part stadiums (same as Zep '77 / Stones '81), with the stadium gigs having a name opening act.

Yeah, probably ego, ambition and various pills, powders and potions all combined to halt Van Halen's ascent to even greater commercial heights. I don't really consider the failure of that coming to pass as much of a shame as the music ending.

Van Halen were talented enough that they could have taken a year or two off and get their shit straightened out. Roth could have done some solo stuff. Ed and Al were always too anal about band members doing side projects. When you saw Dave you always thought Van Halen whether it was just him or the band. They should have taken two years off and then hit us with a great new album and tour. VH was big enough the grunge thing was no threat to them. VH got burned out and tired of each other and fell apart from the stinky vibes all that bullshit causes.

[Nitro Express]

Many bands break up because of health related reasons. The get sick of each other.

[Vinnie Velvet]

Van Halen were talented enough that they could have taken a year or two off and get their shit straightened out. Roth could have done some solo stuff. Ed and Al were always too anal about band members doing side projects. When you saw Dave you always thought Van Halen whether it was just him or the band. They should have taken two years off and then hit us with a great new album and tour. VH was big enough the grunge thing was no threat to them. VH got burned out and tired of each other and fell apart from the stinky vibes all that bullshit causes.

In an alternate universe I can see VH reform after that hiatus with a kick ass new album in 1988 and with a monstrous world tour laying waste to everything and everyone in their path.

[Nitro Express]

In an alternate universe I can see VH reform after that hiatus with a kick ass new album in 1988 and with a monstrous world tour laying waste to everything and everyone in their path.

Cocaine is a hell of a drug. VH were burnt. They needed some R&R. The problem is record labels don’t see things that way and artists needed fuck you! money to have any freedom. I’m not sure how much fuck you! money VH had in 1984. It sounds like their overhead and substance abuse were eating a lot of the profits.

[Vinnie Velvet]

Cocaine is a hell of a drug. VH were burnt. They needed some R&R. The problem is record labels don’t see things that way and artists needed fuck you! money to have any freedom. I’m not sure how much fuck you! money VH had in 1984. It sounds like their overhead and substance abuse were eating a lot of the profits.

Yeah true. Good point.

I believe it was an interview Pete Angelus did not that long ago where he said that they really needed a break after consistent touring and recording. So yeah VH was burnt out but could they afford to stay away for three years? We will never know for sure.

It was two years anyway by the time 5150 was released. Whats another two years?

[Terry]

Another thing that crosses my mind is that had Roth stayed in the band in 1985, it'd be hard for me to imagine that Warner Brothers would have been encouraging about the band taking 2 years (or more) to release a follow-up album to 1984. After Roth left, obviously WB had to give the band some slack time wise because they had just changed lead singers.

I say that because while I don't know the specifics of Van Halen's record deal back then I'm assuming it was along the general lines of a lot of other bands at the time, where the record companies got their biggest cut of the profits off album sales vs. then-typically a comparatively much smaller percentage of tour revenues.

When reading about the pressure WB exerted on the band and their producer over the nearly two-year gap between Diver Down and 1984 - pressure that intensified as 1983 wore on - it'd be reasonable to assume WB would be even more anxious to have a follow up to 1984, which sold far better than Diver Down did. Because what do record companies know beyond striking when a band is hot?

[Terry]

I'll give some credence to the F A T little Wolf Man defending his family name. At the same time it's his family name that got him to where he is today without much in the way of paying any doooos. Because paying doooos is what the music biz is all about. The F A T Wolf Boy has some talent but there nothing original or groundbreaking about it like was the case with his daddy. The dude plays tiresome trad rock with a pinch of pseudo-metal here and there. He will not carry on any legacy of the family name but live off his percentage of Eddie's royalties become another F A T southern Californian trust fund shithead once his record contract runs day.

Look for him to go on his mother's food show as the F A T kid who "eats healthy"

He didn't pay ANY dues, never mind 'much in the way of'. He never had to. He was Ed's kid and got a pass.

It'd be inaccurate to say he has zero ability musically, but nothing he has done to my ears warrants the use of the word prodigy.

[Terry]

Wolfe doesn’t drink or smoke but he’s been obese his whole life. He was even fat when he was little. He probably already has signs of heart disease. Type 2 diabetes isn’t far off. I’ve seen people like Wolf drop dead in their early 50’s from both.

Wolf is just there. Sure he might beat the drums better than his dad did and he might construct whole songs, write lyrics and sing but there’s no magic or wow factor to it. Like many schmucks Wolf seems to use social media for both a psychiatrist and a punching bag. Not smart. Anyways will he be around in ten years? If he is nobody will care. *yawn*

To me, there was a freak show element when the news that he was the band's bass player was initially made public. Especially because in the fall of 2006 'Van Halen' and Eddie were a mess, so the news that Ed's 15-year-old kid was now in the band was a WTF reaction. A reaction I had when that first publicity photo was released in early 2007 through the 2007 press conference and even the show I saw a year later. WTF in that it was just more than slightly bizarre, but by then more than slightly bizarre had been Van Halen's modus operandi since Hagar left in 1996 anyway.

Once the first Roth reunion tour had concluded, it was as you said for me, in that Wolf was just...there. Unlike the first Roth reunion tour where when I did look at him onstage it was that weird freak show vibe, by the ADKOT album/tour I paid little to no attention to what he was doing.

Overall, I still think his being in the band was a positive thing in that I imagine it helped motivate Eddie to pull himself together. In that aspect, him being in the band was helpful. Outside of that, him being in the band isn't something I think made the band sound any better on a musical level than any other competent bass player would have.

[Vinnie Velvet]

Another thing that crosses my mind is that had Roth stayed in the band in 1985, it'd be hard for me to imagine that Warner Brothers would have been encouraging about the band taking 2 years (or more) to release a follow-up album to 1984. After Roth left, obviously WB had to give the band some slack time wise because they had just changed lead singers.

I say that because while I don't know the specifics of Van Halen's record deal back then I'm assuming it was along the general lines of a lot of other bands at the time, where the record companies got their biggest cut of the profits off album sales vs. then-typically a comparatively much smaller percentage of tour revenues.

When reading about the pressure WB exerted on the band and their producer over the nearly two-year gap between Diver Down and 1984 - pressure that intensified as 1983 wore on - it'd be reasonable to assume WB would be even more anxious to have a follow up to 1984, which sold far better than Diver Down did. Because what do record companies know beyond striking when a band is hot?

There were certainly other ways to fill the time gap that would've made some money for WB.

Dave suggested a live album I believe - as he said "we have tapes" - along with maybe working up one or two new songs ( not that hard to do - something like She's the Woman could've been done back then). A live release from VH in '85 would've sold big in addition to them even doing one video for said "new song".

But the Van Halens didn't want to do a live album.

Nothing was working communication wise between Roth and VH at the time. By the time Monk was let go - there was no one to even try to mediate the situation. The band was in a freefall.

[Kristy]

Ok I agree with ya but just the instrumentation of Dreams seemed even more sappier than say I'll Wait. I'm just saying its possible Dave didn't like the music.

Dreams is by far the worst S P A M M Y song ever.

[Nitro Express]

Yeah true. Good point.

I believe it was an interview Pete Angelus did not that long ago where he said that they really needed a break after consistent touring and recording. So yeah VH was burnt out but could they afford to stay away for three years? We will never know for sure.

It was two years anyway by the time 5150 was released. Whats another two years?

Van Halen was not your ordinary band. They were a legendary act with one of the top five guitar players in the world. They could stay out of it for three years easy and when they came back it would be HUGE! Think about it. No VH for three years and then a new album, new videos on MTV and a world tour. What would you do in 1988? It would beat the hell out of that gay 0U812 poodle puff garbage.

[Nitro Express]

To me, there was a freak show element when the news that he was the band's bass player was initially made public. Especially because in the fall of 2006 'Van Halen' and Eddie were a mess, so the news that Ed's 15-year-old kid was now in the band was a WTF reaction. A reaction I had when that first publicity photo was released in early 2007 through the 2007 press conference and even the show I saw a year later. WTF in that it was just more than slightly bizarre, but by then more than slightly bizarre had been Van Halen's modus operandi since Hagar left in 1996 anyway.

Once the first Roth reunion tour had concluded, it was as you said for me, in that Wolf was just...there. Unlike the first Roth reunion tour where when I did look at him onstage it was that weird freak show vibe, by the ADKOT album/tour I paid little to no attention to what he was doing.

Overall, I still think his being in the band was a positive thing in that I imagine it helped motivate Eddie to pull himself together. In that aspect, him being in the band was helpful. Outside of that, him being in the band isn't something I think made the band sound any better on a musical level than any other competent bass player would have.

Yeah it was curiosity. Wolfgang has no stage presence though. That drove me nuts. But it’s not his personality and it’s just not there. His dad not only was a great player but he looked great on stage. You have to have some excitement up there.

[Nitro Express]

There were certainly other ways to fill the time gap that would've made some money for WB.

Dave suggested a live album I believe - as he said "we have tapes" - along with maybe working up one or two new songs ( not that hard to do - something like She's the Woman could've been done back then). A live release from VH in '85 would've sold big in addition to them even doing one video for said "new song".

But the Van Halens didn't want to do a live album.

Nothing was working communication wise between Roth and VH at the time. By the time Monk was let go - there was no one to even try to mediate the situation. The band was in a freefall.

Yeah the Van Halen’s were difficult to deal with. I think they created a situation that frustrated Dave so much he basically said fuck it. Crazy from the Heat was well received. MTV loves me. The hell with you guys. Ego is a hell of a thing too but with the Van Halen’s anyone without that last name was less. There was some nepotism and that later became very apparent.

[Terry]

Yeah it was curiosity. Wolfgang has no stage presence though. That drove me nuts. But it’s not his personality and it’s just not there. His dad not only was a great player but he looked great on stage. You have to have some excitement up there.

He stood there at that 2007 press conference like a chubby schlub.

He slowly wandered around onstage in 2007 like a chubby schlub.

Zero stage presence, as you said. I honestly can't even recall being aware in 2012 that he was performing onstage with the band, because it literally didn't occur to me to look his way.

[Von Halen]

All of the members of the original VH had stage presence. They were hungry (Not for twinkies). They truly enjoyed their craft and it showed onstage. Ed was probably the happiest guitar player ever. I don't think anyone smiled as much while playing onstage as Ed did.

Wolf is too brooding. He almost seems like he's doing it because he's a Van Halen, not because of any sort of hunger for it. But he never had to work for it like the rest of the band did. He's like the spoiled rich kid that takes over daddy's company just because he's the son. While I am grateful he helped get Ed and Dave back together, in hindsight, Ed should have kept Mike and made Wolfgang form his own band and be the opening act. They'd have still gotten preferential treatment, but at least he'd have had to somewhat earn his place on that stage. He had no stage presence with VH. He has no stage presence now. He's a fine musician, but there is no chemistry in his band, because they aren't really a band. They are live, session musicians.