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Article from a Classic Rock and Metal Hammer mag titled The 1980's. It's kinda long. Will throw my own comments in as I type it...
Diamond's Aren't Forever
By Malcolm Dome
To many rock fans, 'Diamond' David Lee Roth was the ultimate frontman. With a larger-than-life stage presence, he was an integral part of Van Halen's rise to fame from 1978 to 1984. But by then the ego had landed [Roth's or Eddie's? - T]
David Lee Roth rarely talks in straight lines; he throws curve-balls and uses convoluted metaphors as ways of disarming anyone who dares to interview him in any meanigful sense. He's a Rock Star - and expects you to play his game, by his rules. And it usually works. But every so often he's distracted, and gives away more than he planned.
It happened backstage in Vancouver on May 1, 1984 at a sold-out Coliseum. At the time, Van Halen were the biggest band in the world and their 1984 album was white-hot. But even on stage it was obvious there were cracks in the varnished image. In reality, this was a Diamond Dave solo show: the high jumps, the wisecracks; it was all done with his inimitable eye for the absurd. But the rest of the band seemed to sink in the background. There was no rapport between Roth and guitarist Eddie Van Halen, drummer Alex Van Halen and bassist Michael Anthony [have to disagree here, as I saw that tour and each band member got plenty of spotlight time - Dave wasn't hogging the show, although it was clear he was the primary focus of many in the audience, including me who was a die-hard EVH fanatic at the time]
Backstage at the post-gig party it was even worse. "Hey, pull up a bottle and join the fun," Dave bellowed as a few of us ambled into the Van Halen party room. Surrounded by girls, shaking two virtually empty bottles of champagne, Roth even shouted down the massive stereo system he'd installed. This was his playground.
The Diamond was shining bright, but the rest of the band looked miserable. They didn't want to be there - it was obvious from the body language. In different corners, they displayed indifference to the antics of their vocalist.
All of us not directly connected to the band - or female an connected to Dave's torso - felt more than a little uneasy.
Outside, four limos were parked up - one for each member of the band. Oddly, the distance between the one at the front and the others was symbolic.
As previously mentioned, Roth does sometimes give away too much without realising it. There was a competitive edge to his performance backstage that made you believe he was trying to overshadow everything else for a purpose. Three years later, I suggested this to him.
"Competitive? Yeah, that's what I do, compete. With my father. With my bandmates. Maybe even with myself."
Perhaps even a control freak? "If you're not piloting, you've given someone else control of your life. Someone big will kick you, then you kick someone smaller, and so it goes. I'm in control because I'm the biggest bully in the class. I've got the tactical nuclear weapon; they've got catapults. Game over."
There was something wistful about these comments. Stripping away the bluster and bull, it struck straight to the core of what makes David Lee Roth, well, David Lee Roth.
Part two to be continued.
Diamond's Aren't Forever
By Malcolm Dome
To many rock fans, 'Diamond' David Lee Roth was the ultimate frontman. With a larger-than-life stage presence, he was an integral part of Van Halen's rise to fame from 1978 to 1984. But by then the ego had landed [Roth's or Eddie's? - T]
David Lee Roth rarely talks in straight lines; he throws curve-balls and uses convoluted metaphors as ways of disarming anyone who dares to interview him in any meanigful sense. He's a Rock Star - and expects you to play his game, by his rules. And it usually works. But every so often he's distracted, and gives away more than he planned.
It happened backstage in Vancouver on May 1, 1984 at a sold-out Coliseum. At the time, Van Halen were the biggest band in the world and their 1984 album was white-hot. But even on stage it was obvious there were cracks in the varnished image. In reality, this was a Diamond Dave solo show: the high jumps, the wisecracks; it was all done with his inimitable eye for the absurd. But the rest of the band seemed to sink in the background. There was no rapport between Roth and guitarist Eddie Van Halen, drummer Alex Van Halen and bassist Michael Anthony [have to disagree here, as I saw that tour and each band member got plenty of spotlight time - Dave wasn't hogging the show, although it was clear he was the primary focus of many in the audience, including me who was a die-hard EVH fanatic at the time]
Backstage at the post-gig party it was even worse. "Hey, pull up a bottle and join the fun," Dave bellowed as a few of us ambled into the Van Halen party room. Surrounded by girls, shaking two virtually empty bottles of champagne, Roth even shouted down the massive stereo system he'd installed. This was his playground.
The Diamond was shining bright, but the rest of the band looked miserable. They didn't want to be there - it was obvious from the body language. In different corners, they displayed indifference to the antics of their vocalist.
All of us not directly connected to the band - or female an connected to Dave's torso - felt more than a little uneasy.
Outside, four limos were parked up - one for each member of the band. Oddly, the distance between the one at the front and the others was symbolic.
As previously mentioned, Roth does sometimes give away too much without realising it. There was a competitive edge to his performance backstage that made you believe he was trying to overshadow everything else for a purpose. Three years later, I suggested this to him.
"Competitive? Yeah, that's what I do, compete. With my father. With my bandmates. Maybe even with myself."
Perhaps even a control freak? "If you're not piloting, you've given someone else control of your life. Someone big will kick you, then you kick someone smaller, and so it goes. I'm in control because I'm the biggest bully in the class. I've got the tactical nuclear weapon; they've got catapults. Game over."
There was something wistful about these comments. Stripping away the bluster and bull, it struck straight to the core of what makes David Lee Roth, well, David Lee Roth.
Part two to be continued.
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