Wolfie or Mike? And Why?

[if6was9]

It took you some time to make all this google research. Well done!

And do you still believe Van Halen (minus Dave) used to play funk, Mr Plexi Head?

[Plexi Head]

Originally posted by if6was9
It took you some time to make all this google research. Well done!

And do you still believe Van Halen (minus Dave) used to play funk, Mr Plexi Head?

Van Halen are generally regarded as one of the first funk- heavy rock bands preceeding the likes of the Peppers and friends by years. In many songs Dave raps rather than sings.

You got me. I googled Marcus Miller and it told me how sterile and predictable his playing is.

You should run for congress because you have a knack at avoiding questions and a habit of trying to divert your studidity with inane statements and dumb accusations that have nigh on nothing to add to the thread at hand.

Don't worry, I will tire of you quickly.

[if6was9]

Before you tire completely, I'll add my 2 cents. "Push Comes To Shove" was the worst example you could give. This track lacks groove, mostly because Alex plays Charlie Watts-like gloomy beat. Mike's octave pattern with hammered on 7-8 is not sufficient to call it funk. Even Eddie's sixteenth-note riff couldn't save the groove. IMHO "Mean Streat" is much closer to funk than "Push" or any other VH's song.

[FORD]

Originally posted by if6was9


I love "Unchained" and "Hear About It Later", but IMHO "Fair Warning" is inauthentic Van Halen, if you prefer.

Uh, that would be a BIG No.

Fair Warning is different from the records that preceded it because it was the first album Van HALEN had to write from scratch (excepting the music for Mean Street, which was a combination of two older songs, "Voodoo Queen" and "She's the Woman")

In other words, almost everything on the previous three albums had been written and performed live in the clubs for literally years before it was put on an album. Indeed, Women and Children First contained 2 of Van HALEN's oldest songs, "In a Simple Rhyme" and "Take Your Whiskey Home" which were on the Cherokee Studios demo they did way back in the days before Sobolewski even joined the band. So you had songs on the radio in 1980 which were seven fucking years old by the time they were released.

You think a band might change how they write songs in seven years? How about comparing the Rolling Stones "19th Nervous Breakdown" (1965) to "All Down The Line" (1972)? Bit of a difference there, isn't it? Same band (less one guitar player anyway) but a different approach to writing.

Take Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" (1971) and compare it to "Fool In The Rain" (1979). Again, there's a huge difference.

Nothing wrong with musicians expanding their vision a little, which is what Van HALEN did with Fair Warning. And in my not so humble opinion, it's the best thing they ever did.

But then, the first four albums are basically perfect anyway.......

[if6was9]

Originally posted by FORD
You think a band might change how they write songs in seven years? How about comparing the Rolling Stones "19th Nervous Breakdown" (1965) to "All Down The Line" (1972)? Bit of a difference there, isn't it? Same band (less one guitar player anyway) but a different approach to writing.

This is some theory, but I'm not buying it. "Fair Warning" was different than the previous albums, but it was also different than the following albums. So I'm afraid it wasn't a result of band's gradual progress, but a single extravagance. Next year they were playing their usual stuff again - covers, tomfoolery, nice songs. The aggression came back on "1984", but only in couple of tracks. The rest was tainted by Eddie's pop shit and it became quite clear that the band - as we knew it - was doomed.

[ZahZoo]

Originally posted by FORD
I'd consider Mike an "average" bass player.

He's obviously not on the level of Billy Sheehan, John Entwistle, or Geddy Lee but on the other hand, he's not Sid Vicious or Stuart Sutcliffe either.

It's no secret that Mike's harmonies were his primary contribution to the Van HALEN sound, more than his bass playing.

I think average sells him short... you can't make a real comparison with Sheehan or Geddy unless you took the original CVH recordings and rerecorded them with those guys and turned them loose.

I look at some of the legendary power trios over the years and I put Mike right up there with his bass playing as I would with a few other legends... teamed up with a legendary guitar player. For example:

Noel Redding and especially Billy Cox behind Hendrix.

Tommy Shannon behind SRV.

James Dewar behind Robin Trower.

Dusty Hill behind Billy Gibbons.

None of those guys on bass are considered huge creative geniuses but on the other hand they laid down one hell of a lot of solid bottom-end in the history of rock music.

I strongly believe that if you took any one of them including Michael Anthony on the CVH 6 pack out of the mix and replaced them it would NOT be what it is today.

All the classic Van Halen hits were made with MA... is there a single VH hit song that really should be changed? Some damn good shit as it is... If it ain't broke... why fix it?

[DavidLeeNatra]

Originally posted by ZahZoo
I think average sells him short... you can't make a real comparison with Sheehan or Geddy unless you took the original CVH recordings and rerecorded them with those guys and turned them loose.

I look at some of the legendary power trios over the years and I put Mike right up there with his bass playing as I would with a few other legends... teamed up with a legendary guitar player. For example:

Noel Redding and especially Billy Cox behind Hendrix.

Tommy Shannon behind SRV.

James Dewar behind Robin Trower.

Dusty Hill behind Billy Gibbons.

None of those guys on bass are considered huge creative geniuses but on the other hand they laid down one hell of a lot of solid bottom-end in the history of rock music.

I strongly believe that if you took any one of them including Michael Anthony on the CVH 6 pack out of the mix and replaced them it would NOT be what it is today.

All the classic Van Halen hits were made with MA... is there a single VH hit song that really should be changed? Some damn good shit as it is... If it ain't broke... why fix it?

yeah...

[ELVIS]

Awesome post FORD and 100% on the money...

Same goes for ZahZoo...

I think Michael Anthony is a great bass player...

Judging his playing from his crazy live bass solos is ignorant...

His playing on the CVH albums is pretty much perfect for every song and his performances on every boot I have or have heard is great...

No, his live solo was not technically impressive, but I will say again, it sounded really cool when witnessing it live...

[lonnieg5]

I'm not sure if6was9 is even a Van Halen fan... Seems all he wants to do is bash them.

[if6was9]

Originally posted by lonnieg5
I'm not sure if6was9 is even a Van Halen fan... Seems all he wants to do is bash them.

I beg your pardon! Can you think for yourself, you zealot? It doesn't hurt.

[ZahZoo]

Originally posted by ELVIS
I think Michael Anthony is a great bass player...

Judging his playing from his crazy live bass solos is ignorant...

His playing on the CVH albums is pretty much perfect for every song and his performances on every boot I have or have heard is great...

No, his live solo was not technically impressive, but I will say again, it sounded really cool when witnessing it live...

That pretty much sums it up. To me it's all solid bass playing and it really takes talent even for what most perceive as "simple" bass lines. It ain't as easy as it looks and technically it takes cajones to make it work especially live.

Judging MA by his solo is plain ignorant... who the fuck critiques bass solos anyways?

A good portion of the Sappy Headed Ho's here weren't even around to witness a CVH concert. NO you can't get the real vibe watching boots either... traditionally known as the "Lou Syndrom"...

[if6was9]

Originally posted by ZahZoo
A good portion of the Sappy Headed Ho's here weren't even around to witness a CVH concert. NO you can't get the real vibe watching boots either... traditionally known as the "Lou Syndrom"...

It's not my fault I was born and had to live behind the fucking Iron Courtain, without a chance to see them live when they were still together. It was impossible even to buy their albums, buy I meneged to get them somehow. Think twice before you write something like this again, Mr. Arrogant.

[if6was9]

Originally posted by ELVIS
Judging his playing from his crazy live bass solos is ignorant...

If he could have played any better, he certainly would have. We would hear it sooner or later (but we didn't). You claim to be a musician, so you should know it. If I were him, I'd blush for shame after playing shit like that. But no, he used to play the same crap for so many years, like he wasn't able to learn anything else. So maybe he wasn't. Do you think making fool of himself has been the part of his contract?

You say he was a GREAT bass player. So where is his greatness, 'cos I can't see it? You don't even know wether his bass lines were really his. Maybe they were composed by Eddie and Mike only played them. I can't see anything special in his music, nothing revealing, nothing inspiring, nothing I could remember, admire, or just say "wow!". Simple rhythmic patterns, simple harmonies (too simple). Everyone could make them up and play, probably even you and me. He was efficient and solid, but this is the best I can say about him. Maybe it was enough for Van Halen, however it's not the reason to call him GREAT.

BTW, If Mike was so great, why Eddie & Dave wanted to replace him with Billy Sheehan or Jeff Berlin in the early 80s? AFAIK it was Alex who opposed.

[Little Lamont]

Man, this dude is out there for sure. Say you managed to get the "impossible to get" records then talk all this shit about Mike. I'm with g5 on this one. You ain't no fan. What you are is an argumentative little motherfucker trying to stir up some shit.

I say we all ingore him and let him go away. Not one more post on this thread. And I'm starting right... now.

[if6was9]

Dude, you scared the shit out of me. I'll do anything, just don't put me on ignore!!!

Just kidding.