As a Fan of "VAN HALEN"

[Ole No. 1]

First off, let me just say that Dave CAN sing, Dave IS the greatest frontman ever and that he gives you EVERY dollar worth of performance in concert.

However, the two things Dave IS missing is appreciation for his fans and the ability to swallow his ego for 5 minutes to accomplish something for us... THE FANS. Dave has rarely acknowledged the FANS. He acknowledges himself. At first, attitude and ego are kinda cool, until they get in the way of FANS being able to see a show.

I enjoy both Dave and Sammy era tunes. Of course, Van Halen became famous with Dave and Eddie wrote most of his best stuff in the early days. However, if Sammy is going to give the fans of VAN HALEN some appreciation, put aside stupid SH*T and do a tour and some new music, then I have no problem with it.

Both of these guys bring something different to the table. I don't compare record sales between Dave and Sam because they made music in different eras. Van Halen in 1978 was the only truly great rock band around. REO??? Journey??? Styx??? Even Aerosmith... Come on.
In 1991, Van Hagar was the only truly great rock band around and frankly the only one left. Both incarnations of Van Halen (no reason to even talk about Gary) put out Great stuff and some absolute SH*T.

All I'm saying is, Van Halen of any type (Dave or Sammy) still kicks the hell out of all the other CRAP made by the 20 something kids with two guitars, a turn table and a one record deal put out in the last 8 years.

[Hollywood Jesus]

Yes, Dave can sing. Agreed, his ego gets in the way some times.

A little harsh though on no love for the fans. He's been giving us tours and classic live tunes for years now. Hell, even your screen name comes from one of his tour shirts.

Hey some of my favorite CDs come outta the early '90s and they sure weren't Van Hagar. Metallica, Badlands, Lynch Mob, Skid Row, Firehouse, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden... even Motley Crue.

As far as music now, there are some gems out there. I dig Jet, Hoobastank, The Darkness, Nickelback... even the new Aerosmith.

Maybe Dave said it best: "I'm just not that angry anymore."


Hollywood Jesus... "I didn't ask for a dime. Two dollars!"

[guwapo_rocker]

Both incarnations of Van Halen (no reason to even talk about Gary) put out Great stuff and some absolute SH*T.

Ummmm....okay lets see....I understand the part about Van Hagar
putting out absolute shit as in.... it was all absolute shit!! But Van
Halen????
As for Dave not caring about the fans?? All Dave has done for the past 2 decades is put out records, write a great book, and constantly hit
the road to come out and entertain the fans.
Meanwhile Sammy destroys the best rock band in the world and
Eddie locks himself in 5150 for six years with his head stuck in a
bottle.
Your head newbie is obviously stuck in your ass!!

Oh...and hey...welcome to the ARMY bro!!!

[Warham]

The Dave era never put out absolute shit. Where the fuck do you get that from??

[Ole No. 1]

Let me clarify...

I saw Dave in 2000 on his solo tour. Put on a great show. 19 of 20 tunes were classic VH. Problem 1... NO EDDIE, ALEX OR MICHAEL. Problem 2... he didn't even sell out a casino (less than 2000 seats).

I dig Skid Row, Motley, Metallica and most of the other bands of the early nineties. But these guys were no where close to VH.

Read the book. Not bad, but again, little acknowledgement of fans.
And let us be honest... Dave put out a book for the dough... not the fans. He was looking for a medium to vent, and radio and TV weren't listening.

As a fan (some may say I'm not), I really don't want to see Bart Walsh on guitar... No offense to Bart, he did the riffs justice. Hell, close your eyes and at times it sounded a little EVHish.

HOWEVER, point still stands. SAMMY is on stage with EDDIE, ALEX and MICHAEL, not Dave. Don't blame Sammy for this, blame Dave. A tour with Dave would be unbelievable in response from fans, media, etc. However, if Sammy is going to at least give what he can, than I am going to take it. I'll tap my foot to RunAround just as easy as to RWTD. It's sad cause these guys aren't 30 anymore, and time to make ammends is all but gone.

[guwapo_rocker]

Oooooohhhhh Sammy will give it to you alright!!!
Don't reach for the soap bro!!!

[Warham]

You went to see Dave SOLO. Ed, Al or Mike is not going to be there. It's your fault if you went in thinking like that. It's like going to a Van Hagar show and saying, well Ed, Al, and Mike are here, but no Dave. It makes no sense.I saw Dave in '99 in Chicago, when he opened for Bad Company. I didn't go under any false pretenses of who was going to be there. If you don't want to see Dave's back up band behind him, don't go!

Dave's gotta have somebody to play the guitar: Vai, Becker, Walsh, whoever! He has every right to play those classic tracks on his tours. He co-wrote them with Ed, so they are his as well. Van Hagar can play the classics, Dave can play the classics.

Dave wrote the book because fans wanted an autobiography, and Dave wanted to tell his stories. Nothing more than than.

Why all this blame on Dave? I put the blame on everybody involved to some extent. But if you really want to point a big finger somewhere, look no further than 5150. That 1996 fiasco to sell a Best Of album, cutting tracks with Dave while they got Cherone waiting was despicable. Dave should've probably left when he found out through a rumor, but he stayed on like a good trooper. That's Dave for ya. Always an optimist.

Van Halen really made my blood boil after the 2000 rumors of sessions with Roth again, where Ed said something about lawyers getting involved. Probably because he owes Roth so much in back royalties, he doesn't want to pay! So Roth says 'No money, no tour with Diamond Dave!'. So Ed says 'Damn, I think I'll give Sam a call.' It's like throwing scraps to the dog instead of the sirloin steak on the table. That's what I think they are doing to the fanbase and it sucks.

Van Hagar can bite me.

Dave was the only one who I knew wouldn't try to secretly screw the fans over for a cash grab. Yeah, he may put out a stinker album like Diamond Dave, but what you see is what you get. An album full of covers. There's no secret money grab there.

I'm rambled on long enough. Back to DAVE TV!!

[Sarge]

Ole No. 1
Nice username.

The difference between Sammy Hagar and Dave...
Is that Dave is a RockStar.
Sammy isn't.

Think about it.
If you don't get it now.,,,
You willl never get it.

Breasts,
Sarge

[FORD]

Van HALEN never put out absolute shit.

"I'll Wait" was kinda shitty, but that's the closest they ever got.

[Guitar Shark]

Originally posted by FORD
Van HALEN never put out absolute shit.

"I'll Wait" was kinda shitty, but that's the closest they ever got.

"Loss of Control" was shit.

"Tora! Tora!" was shit.

"Dancing in the Street" was shit.

and apart from a killer guitar solo, "One Foot Out The Door" is shit.

[Warham]

Puh-lease.

The word shitty is totally misused sometimes.

[Warham]

You saying 'Dancing In The Street' is a shitty song is the same as me saying the Beatles were an average band.

[Bill Lumbergh]

And Sam has NO fucking ego The difference is Sam does everything in hateful way........it's ALWAYS about how he's better than someone else, he sold 100 million records solo, he's played 5,000 gigs since 96, his VH era outsold Daves 3-1.........Is Dave egotistical? Fuck Yeah, but the motherfucker backs it up.........HE'S THE REAL FUCKING DEAL HAGARITA!

[lms]

In Dave's defense...he admits in his personal life he is a complete failure, and interpersonal realtions are just not his thing. What he is is a showman. It is not disrespect for his fans. Its that people that don't love him at least love to hate him.

[Mezro]

Re: As a Fan of "VAN HALEN"

Originally posted by Ole No. 1
[B]
Both of these guys (Dave & Sam) bring something different to the table. B]

Quite different indeed: Dave is inspiration and Sam is desperation.

Mezro...Roth has swagger and Hagar is just a double bagger