I Figured Out A Way To Get Mike Back In The Band

[devildawg]

Okay, Im either going to get bashed for this or a "Hey, that could work" .

We all know now that Eddie is only putting up with this version of Van Halen because it allows him to play music with his son Wolfie. Valerie has said this. Its the truth whether we as fans like it or not.

But I think I have figured out a doable way to appease us (original lineup)fans by getting Mikey back in the band while still keeping Wolfie to keep Eddie happy.

Why not just move Wolfie over to a backup guitar role playing all of the overdubbed parts that are on the records that Eddie could never play live by himself???

We'd have Mikey right back where he belongs and Wolfie standing right next to his dad ADDING to the live music.

A Win-Win in my book & MY two cents.

-Don

[Sensible Shoes]

It's not the first time it's been suggested. I doubt it will ever happen, but it would really make some of those overdubbed songs pretty damned special in concert.

[DONNIEP]

The only move that Wolfie's gonna make is to his left...

[Satan]

In theory it could work, but the last time Eddie had another alleged guitar player in the band, the results were disastrous......

[Terry]

Not a case of bashing, but just to look at what is known about the situation:

Mike only participated in the 2004 tour because Hagar insisted. Mike had to sign away future rights to the Van Halen name and got a reduced rate for those performances.

Ed wouldn't allow Mike to play on the new tracks for the 2004 BOBW release.

Ed most likely played all the bass parts on Van Halen 3.

When Dave and Hagar were touring together, Dave wouldn't play onstage with Mike. According to Mike, Roth wouldn't even talk to him backstage until Mike confronted him.

Dave rejoined the band, despite Mike no longer being in it (and in spite of his previous "all or nothing" stance in interviews when asked about the possibility of a Van Halen reunion re: lineups/member participation).

The Van Halens didn't show up to the RnRHoF awards, and were content to let Anthony and Hagar turn up and make fools of themselves. If there was ever a chance for a one-off with Anthony and Roth with no future strings attached, THAT was it.

Wolf is a driving force in the band now. He has a lot of input in terms of what tunes the band plays onstage, and knocked it out of the park on the ADKOT album. There's nobody in the band at the moment to advocate for Anthony rejoining, unlike the 2004 tour re: Hagar.

Clearly, Ed doesn't want Mike in the band, and nobody else in the band disagrees.

Also, it just wouldn't be RIGHT to have a second guitar player onstage at a Van Halen gig...unless it's Dave strumming on an acoustic during the Ice Cream Man intro. There was something fundamentally wrong about it when Hagar used to play electric onstage when he was in the band, and Ed covers more than enough of the sonic spectrum alone to the point where a second guitar player just isn't needed.

[78/84 guy]

Well Ed could play the few keyboard songs live on stage if that was the case. But it wouldn't look right. I remember in a old issue of Guitar Player from 1977 I have, they interview Jimmy Page and he brings up the idea with all his overdubs, but desides after 9 years on a stage it wouldn't look right to the fans. I couldn't have agree with him more.

[78/84 guy]

In theory it could work, but the last time Eddie had another alleged guitar player in the band, the results were disastrous......

A little more feedback Johnny !!! He He !

[VanHalenI]

It COULD work if Mike makes some sort of SPECIAL appearance for a couple of shows... but that is it, man.
Can you imagine the awkwardness of the situation if ever takes place with Mike as a current bass player?

[DONNIEP]

Ed would never in a million years allow Mike to step back on the stage with VH. Never. Wolfie is the bass player now, just like Sammy was the singer when he was in the band.

[Satan]

Ed would never in a million years allow Mike to step back on the stage with VH. Never. Wolfie is the bass player now, just like Sammy was the singer when he was in the band.

Sammy was a singer. He was never the singer.

[DONNIEP]

Sammy was a singer. He was never the singer.

Obviously - but tell that to Ed.

[78/84 guy]

Obviously - but tell that to Ed.

Oh I think he has it fiqured out at this point. Finally !

[DONNIEP]

Oh I think he has it fiqured out at this point. Finally !

Yeah, well, we'll see. I hope Ed finally figured it out. But I don't put too much faith in it. Van Halen is what ever Ed decides it is, when he decides it. One year it's Sammy (who was so fucking great they had houses next to each other). Then it's back to Dave. Then Dave's out because he's Dave. And guess what? VH had a new singer who is so great that that version of VH was the best ever!

My point is that we'll never see a VH with Mikey in the band because Ed won't allow it. Not that I'm hoping for it. But for those of you that are - you can forget about it. Van Halen is Ed, Wolfie, Al, and Dave - for now.

[TwoFoolsAMinute]

There's always an outside chance that Wolfie will want to branch out on his own and do his own musical thing. He's obviously very talented and will want to make his mark. That might mean the end of touring for Ed, but anything can happen. We'll see.

[Hardrock69]

Mikey made his bed with Spambot The Flatulent.

I do not want Mikey back in the band anymore.

Wolfy is a monster bassist, and in a strange sort of way, I feel that with 3/4 Van Halen in the band, it is going to be a much superior entity. I have noticed that Wolfy plays really cool stuff compared to what Mikey used to play back in the day.

Not knocking Mikey, but it is best to let the water go under the bridge, and let the Mighty Van Halen continue on as it is....

My 2 cents...