Wolfgang van halen says sammy hagar era "doesn't get any respect"

[Rikk]

WOLFGANG VAN HALEN SAYS SAMMY HAGAR ERA "DOESN'T GET ANY RESPECT"
Ultimate Classic Rock
March 16, 2013

https://ultimateclassicrock.com/wolfgang-van-halen-sammy-hagar-era/

Wolfgang Van Halen has bemoaned what he sees as a lack of respect for the Sammy Hagar era of Van Halen. The topic came up during a conversation with Oklahoma City radio station KATT.

He was asked about his level of involvement with Van Halen band reissues, specifically the upcoming limited vinyl release of the Live: Right Here, Right Now album, scheduled for a Record Store Day release in April.

"[Alex Van Halen] is, obviously, he's the head honcho when it comes to making the decisions," he explained. "Obviously, I default to him on anything that he thinks is the right thing to do. But when it comes to decision-making or at least just kind of helping out, yeah, I am that sort of what would have been my dad's vote for stuff there with Al. So Al and I are kind of that team."

Live: Right Here, Right Now marks the first Van Halen reissue focusing on the band’s Van Hagar era, a fact that didn't seem lost on Wolfgang.

"That era [of Van Halen] doesn't get any respect, I don't think," he noted. "And there's a lot of amazing songs and just obviously brilliant guitar playing on a lot of that - on all of that stuff - and I think people don't give it a chance 'cause they fall into that just exhausting 'this singer is better, this singer is better' crap, when it's, like, just give it a chance. There's some really good stuff in there."

The youngest Van Halen is currently on the road with his band, Mammoth WVH. After completing their run of headlining dates, the group will open for Metallica and Pantera later this year.

[Rikk]

This entitled little brat needs to really shut his mouth. He continues to pretend nepotism isn't the only reason he has a touring band that is being given crucial opening slots for bigger bands who have earned their status through popularity and hard work.

Rock music is (sadly) not a prime contender for the music that is spoken about and lauded in various corners of the industry. Not any more. I don't care what the Grammys and other industry showcases think. I could care less about Rolling Stone magazine, which pretty much ignores rock music at this point, instead writing long articles about the "brilliance" of Taylor Swift and Nicki Minaj.

I do know, however, that if all rock music sounded like MAMMOTH WVH, I would not be a fan of rock music. The guy (he's not a kid, so people need to stop calling him that) is free to make whatever music he wants. His music does not sound remotely like the previous music that rolled out of 5150 Studios. I do know, however, that just because he's Eddie's son does not mean that I have to show him some sort of musical respect. I cannot stand his really generic, boring songs. He has no charisma as a singer. His playing (drums, bass, guitars) is very workmanlike, with nothing unique to bring attention to it. But, worst of all, his songs are just...dull. They're just there.

Even Van Hagar's music had a spark to it that MAMMOTH WVH does not. The singing on Van Hagar records was very workmanlike and uninteresting...but Eddie had occasional flashes of brilliance that made him continue to stand out from the pack...even if he allowed said music to be watered down by unimaginative vocal melodies, half-assed lyrics and rooms full of yes-men.

Wolfgang is constantly attacking and insulting fans for having opinions. He seems to not understand that the supply of Van Halen fans willing to give his stuff a chance is not an endless supply. The more he insults them and calls them "losers," the less of them will stick around for his music. I would venture to guess that the lion's share of people who bought his debut LP were curious Van Halen fans. If he makes it his mission in life to insult them every time it's been more than an hour since he had his last 24-inch hero sandwich, he will alienate the majority of curious fans who try to stick around.

And while he continues to attack fans for having opinions that don't align with his, "My dad was a God, my music is now and fans had better not say anything not in-line with my views on Van Halen or I will attack them" viewpoints, he then throws out his own opinions that many fans don't agree with...like his claiming that "I think people don't give it a chance 'cause they fall into that just exhausting 'this singer is better, this singer is better' crap."

What this walrus does not seem to understand is that many years ago, when Van Hagar released music, fans DID give it a chance. They listened. And they said, "I don't like this." I was 10 when 5150 was released. I was a small kid, basically. 1984 had been my favorite album. When I heard the new stuff, I didn't like it. So I didn't listen to any new Van Halen music for years. Later in the 1990s, I did eventually get the rest of the Van Halen albums and gave them a chance. I liked certain tracks (BLACK 'N' BLUE, "5150," PLEASURE DOME, AFTERSHOCK), but for the most part, I was biding my time, waiting for Dave to return. ME WISE MAGIC and CAN'T GET THIS STUFF NO MORE were the two best Van Halen songs I'd heard since I bought 1984 as a child.

This wasn't just angry fans blindly refusing to give the band a chance because Dave was gone. People listened and tried it. Van Hagar sold well when it existed. But history has (rightfully) not been kind to it. I have Sirius XM. They play tons of Van Halen material (even album cuts). I cannot remember the last time I heard a Van Hagar cut (except hearing WHY CAN'T THIS BE LOVE once a couple months back). People simply do not remember that stuff with much reverence. Yes, there is good guitar-playing in parts. But the stuff was dated by the band hiring a very 80s singer. It doesn't stand out.

Now, after whining about Van Halen fans for three solid years, he's attacking them because they never gave the Sammy stuff a chance? Shut up, Wolfgang. We don't all look up to you. We don't think your word is gold. Yes, you are biologically your dad's son. But this music has been in our lives longer than it's been in yours. We know what we like.

I'm not going to even claim that I never listen to Eddie without Dave. I do. But it's A LOT LESS OFTEN.

And I'm not going to listen to some overweight rich kid tell me off about my musical opinions.

Rikk

P.S. I'm planning on seeing Metallica this summer. The only reason I might be at a MAMMOTH WVH show is because I want to go to Soldier Field on the night that Pantera opens for Metallica (now Pantera IS an awesome band). And I care SO LITTLE about Wolfgang and his stupid band that I plan on arriving with my daughter right before Pantera goes on because I don't want to sit through a set of painfully-boring MAMMOTH WVH music.

[twonabomber]

Wolfgang has his mother's attitude toward VH fans and social media.

[So this is love]

Ouch!

[Kristy]

Rock music is (sadly) not a prime contender for the music that is spoken about and lauded in various corners of the industry. Not any more. I don't care what the Grammys and other industry showcases think. I could care less about Rolling Stone magazine, which pretty much ignores rock music at this point, instead writing long articles about the "brilliance" of Taylor Swift and Nicki Minaj.

My favorite Republican poster is back!

Anyway, I have talked in great detail on this forum about the brilliance of Taylor Swift only to find slave FORD deleting my post.

Even Van Hagar's music had a spark to it...

Really? When was this? By "spark" I assume corporate influence. S P A M M Y is the definition of wrought corporate mush. His lyrics are inane, cheesy and like Ms. Swift written on a notebook in their sophomore year of high school.

Wolfgang is constantly attacking and insulting fans for having opinions. He seems to not understand that the supply of Van Halen fans willing to give his stuff a chance is not an endless supply. The more he insults them and calls them "losers," the less of them will stick around for his music. I would venture to guess that the lion's share of people who bought his debut LP were curious Van Halen fans. If he makes it his mission in life to insult them every time it's been more than an hour since he had his last 24-inch hero sandwich, he will alienate the majority of curious fans who try to stick around.

As for the F A T Wolf Man Child there is no spark to his music. I find a lot of it recycled 90s metal with a tincture of grunge. Not much original and not only that, he never paid a "due" in his entitled life. There is no...no...how can I say this...um, wisdom in his playing. Repetitive riffs are fine if you have a great middle eight part and fellow musicians to back up your talent. The F A T Wold Man Child seemed to have played all the instruments on his Woolly Mammoth debut so there's no chemistry among other players - this was manifest on his live performances. So he can finger tap and play 'Hawt for Teacher' like his daddy. Big deal. A lot of guitar players can do that. He can win over the hearts of that hack (p)Rick somebody that slave SESH likes. He can stand there with thousands of dollars of equipment that he never had to work for and dump his poop into the eyes of Classic Van Halen fans that since he came from his daddy's balls so he just a chip off the block and thus deserves to be where he is today.

I can see the F A T Wolf Man Child and S P A M M Y hooking up even they haven't already on their Grinder app in order to create a cash cow for the shit tards who to this day still believe that OUI82 was a great album. Perhaps they can write another corporate anthem together for Pepsi, you know, to recreate that spark you're talking about.

[Rikk]

He can stand there with thousands of dollars of equipment that he never had to work for and dump his poop into the eyes of Classic Van Halen fans that since he came from his daddy's balls so he just a chip off the block and thus deserves to be where he is today.

You've managed to say in one sentence what I said in too many... That's exactly it.

Sorry to break your heart in wishing I were one of those warm-hearted Republicans. I'm afraid not.

But yes...you summed it up pretty well.

By the way, when I say "spark," I mean a relative term. I mean there are "sparks" of musical brilliance in some of the music...again, all watered-down by bad lyrics and lame singing.

If Van Hagar is a spark, Van Halen is a fire.

Wolfgang is a wet gasp of flatulence.

[Rikk]

Wolfgang has his mother's attitude toward VH fans and social media.

Yeah, they're both pretty sad.

[Seshmeister]

Wolfgang has his mother's attitude toward VH fans and social media.

And cake.

[ZahZoo]

"That era [of Van Halen] doesn't get any respect, I don't think,"

That's an odd and ironic statement coming from a Van Halen with a controlling vote in how that part of the catalog is managed today, plus how it was managed previously by his father and uncle Al...

At the time of its release... the material got the respect it deserved from the sales and touring support the fan base who were drawn to it paid out. But, most of the material didn't stand up over time in comparison to the original Van Halen line-up with Roth.

After that miserable 2004 tour, best forgotten... Ed and Al parked that whole portion of the catalog in the back yard and treated it like a gawd damned embarrassment that never happened. 18+ years later whining about it not getting respect...

You're damn right Skippy... it doesn't deserve it. This is akin to claiming a 90's Saturn S-Series was an engineering marvel of the automotive industry...

[Vinnie Velvet]

Fatty needs to STFU.

He's sounding more and more like his mom and a disciple of Sam.

What could be worse.

[Vinnie Velvet]

Also Fatty doesn't realize that its not just because of the singers that separate Van Hagar from the original, its also the music.

Ed came out with some really forgetful wankery during the Hagar years. A lot of lazy, uninspired playing.
Ed's increased alcoholism didn't help but he was also not challenged on anything and didn't have the that 'tug a war', competitive aspect that he had with Dave. Which made both shine through and come out with some blistering music.

With Hagar it was the opposite. Ed was too laid back and it showed.

[Silexxx]

And it's not like those Hagar albums haven't been available this whole time. They're not like Tony Martin era of Black Sabbath that's not available for streaming. Or those early Pantera albums that didn't even get cd releases back in the day.

[Von Halen]

I recently went to see Alter Bridge. MammothWhaleboy opened. I made sure I got to the venue after his set was over. I have no desire to see this dude perform his shitty music. Especially with his sorry ass attitude toward VH fan.

I'm a little surprised Al is releasing this. Given his obvious disdain for Clichegar.

I hate to break it to fat boy, but his "vote" doesn't count. Al will do whatever the fuck he wants to do. If fat boy wants to make himself feel better by claiming to have a vote, fine. But he obviously had zero input in this release.

[twonabomber]

LOL on the front page of Ultimate Classic Rock

[Vinnie Velvet]

And it's not like those Hagar albums haven't been available this whole time. They're not like Tony Martin era of Black Sabbath that's not available for streaming. Or those early Pantera albums that didn't even get cd releases back in the day.

Speaking of Tony Martin era Sabbath, Iommi has been working on a box set for those albums expected this year. So I imagine they will be back on streaming formats as well.