EDDIE VAN HALEN Says Reunion Tour 'wasn't Just A One-Off Thing'

[chefcraig]

Rick Rubin would do a great job producing the album but that's probably not going to happen. From what I've read, Rubin's ego is bigger than Dave and Ed's put together. I've also hear Rubin doesn't really care how well the band gets along as long as he is getting paid.

I dunno about Rubin, as he tends to go for a dry, almost seventies style sound which results in the drums sounding like poorly amplified cardboard boxes. This would be fitting if the band wished to remake a bunch of VHII-inspired boogie tunes, yet would clash with anything even remotely atmospheric. Particularly if he decides to take his hands off of the mastering, which lead to that last Metallica album sounding like an AM radio blasting out of a taxi, parked under a bridge.

[WARF]

More steam blowin' out of Ed's ass again...

I'll believe it when I see it...

[GAR]

Do you have another 22 years? Cuz I don't..

[FORD]

The question becomes.......who's gonna produce this. God, I hope they don't try to produce this themselves.......Teddy T may be too old, whatever became of Waldo?.......Rick Rubin.....he's resurrected many careers or made some decent "comeback" albums.......they need someone who can manage the tension between the two camps....The Van Halen's and Dave.........that's going to be as important as actually producing the music......keeping harmony in the studio.....or better yet.....even finishing the fucking thing.

Outside of Ted Templeman, Rick Rubin is the only logical choice. He can work with anybody.

[halenrox1]

Fuck YA!!!!!! They better do this thing thanks for posting!!!!!!!

YA!!!!!!!! BITCHS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[FORD]

Cool! Maybe Wolfie can play Triangle and help Mike Anthony sing backups.. do NOT talk shit about the Triangle - that helped me get thru 3 years of Kindergarten at a tough time in my life.. it's all about the striker and it's not easy to master because they only come with one ..

Yeah, GAR is all about the Triangle........

[Vinnie Velvet]

Do you have another 22 years? Cuz I don't..

Sure. Why not?

Seriously, if there is a new VH album with Dave, great. I'm all over it.

If not, well then who gives a flying fuck? I don't.

[bueno bob]

To be completely honest? I really don't want it to happen and would just as soon they break up, permanently.

I was always a 50/50 fencesitter about the whole concept of another 75% version of Van Halen. Or, considering they had the gall to choose Eddie's brat kid to replace Mike, 64% version. When they came around to my neck of the woods, I didn't buckle in and get super excited and rush out and buy a ticket. I stayed home and played XBOX and considered myself to have gotten the better part of the deal.

Greatest Hits tours are blah to me. Very disinteresting, to say the absolute least. Especially greatest hits tours in the middle of winter, playing indoors and forcing you to go out into the cold and snow to wade your way there, plop down $50.00 and all for the fun of seeing a bunch of old dinosaurs meander their way through material they used to actually have convinction about.

In other words, it was Van Halen's way of saying "Fuck you, give us your money. Here, here, here's David, yeah, yeah...whatever..." and frankly, I've put up with that kind of dismissive money-grubbing fuck the fans attitude out of Van Halen since 1986 and I was damned if I was going to put up with it some more.

They didn't reunite with David because they wanted to. They did it because they had to and Ed's control-freak demeanor reached out far enough to STILL demand control over "his band" by getting rid of Michael Anthony for absolutely NO good reason and putting his SON (of all fucking people) in the band to replace him.

I mean, Christ, I'm amazed they didn't end every show with Ed walking up to the mic and saying "GOOD NIGHT! GOOD NIGHT! THANKS FOR YOUR CASH AND FUCK YOU, MOTHERFUCKERS!" while dropping his guitar onto the stage and mooning the audience.

Van Halen's not riding into the sunset with a bang after saving the town, they're crawling off into the desert hoping to get to shelter before night falls.

BUT - all that aside, I was OK with the fact that, yes, people wanted to see David Lee Roth and a 40% capacity Eddie Van Halen troddle through the best of like Styx and Kansas and REO Speedwagon continue to do every night. If that's cool with folks, trust me, it's cool with me because I didn't have to witness it and that's all fine and dandy.

Mostly because the STUDIO MATERIAL WITH ROTH WAS WITHOUT BLEMISH.

But...the more I think of new studio material with the Van Halen Family Band featuring David Lee Roth, the more apprehensive I get. Hungry 20 somethings are going to do far, FAR better material in the studio than burned out millionaires just looking to pad their pockets. Wolf's just looking to pay his way through college and Dave's going to be a man without a country inside 5150, no reasonable doubt of that exists in my mind.

End result is that the new material (IF it happens, which is big fucking IF) is going to leave David's studio output with Van Halen subject to the failings of any supergroup trying to recapture the magic at this stage in the game. The internet's fucked everything as far as music stores and album sales are concerned, anyway, and that'll open the door for Ed or Al to shout at David "See? It's not selling! You shouldn't be here! The people don't want new Van Roth material!"

It's a very slippery slope and frankly I think it's a bad, bad idea all ways around.

I would be MORE than satisfied with a final greatest hits tour with ALL of Van Halen there, that being Roth, Ed, Mike and Al, during the summer, outdoors, as a final farewell to the fans. That, to my mind, is the ONLY proper step forward for them at this stage in the game. As for Wolf, either he plays keyboards offstage during Jump or MAYBE comes out with Dad and plays rhythm for one song, but quite frankly, I don't want him there. AT ALL. Because he's not a member of Van Halen, he never has been a member of Van Halen and he never will be a member of Van Halen, not as far as I'm concerned.

There it is. Fear me, if you dare.

[rocknrolldork]

eh...... I saw VH in 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 07 & 08 sometimes multiple shows in the same year. I saw the Hagar era in 88 (I think) and again in 04 just to hear Ed play. I have heard plenty of boots of the Cherone-era. Them not having Mike just doesn't affect me the way it does some of the peeps on here. I have kids and would probably get rid of some of the guys in my own band if my kids were good enough to handle the task. Dave said it best, "3 parts original and 1 part inevitable." The most recent tour was a good show. It would have been nice to have Mike in the show, but ultimately he wasn't missed. This is more VH than the Hagar years.

I'm looking forward to new tunes, if it happens. I'm hoping Wolfie can kick his old man's ass into playing some stuff that doesn't sound like Hagar-era rejects/leftovers (MWM, CGTSNM). While those tunes are great because Dave and Ed are working together again, the tunes really aren't that great overall. For me....... and I'm fairly certain at least 1 person is going to flame me for this...... 1984 is the weakest of the classic 6. There are some good tunes on there (Top Jimmy, DDL, GGB) but Jump and I'll Wait suck just as much now as they did back when they came out. 1984 is also when Ed's tone started to sour into what became the Hagar-era sound. I knew the worst was yet to come.

All in all... If a new album happens, I hope it's good and they tour w/Dave again. If a new album doesn't happen, I hope they tour w/Dave again.

[bueno bob]

Dave said it best, "3 parts original and 1 part inevitable."

I'm glad this was mentioned.

Does anybody REALLY know what that's supposed to mean? How is Wolfgang being the (HAHAHAHAHA) "bass player" in Van Halen "inevitable"? Was that Dave's way of saying "Yes, folks, Eddie really IS this much of a fucking asshole?" I'm inclined to think so. The phrase itself makes no other logical sense to me.

The most recent tour was a good show. It would have been nice to have Mike in the show, but ultimately he wasn't missed. This is more VH than the Hagar years.

I absolutely disagree. This isn't "more VH" than the Hagar years. At least Hagar was legitimately hired after David's handlers convinced him he was the show. And they did what they did with Hagar, for better or (much) worse.

Wolfgang was not legitimately hired into the band, he was propped up as a stand-in for a reformulated lineup after Mike was casually dismissed after 30 years without any real cause, other than the fact that Ed wanted to keep the money in the family. Even so, Mike aside, Van Halen wasn't ANYTHING at the point that Roth and Wolf stepped in, other than Ed and Al. This is very much a new band doing covers, to my mind.

Likewise, this is not the same David Lee Roth that I remember stressing for YEARS that the only way he'd ever do anything with anybody from Van Halen again was if it included the ORIGINAL CAST. This is a milder, more timid, more easily controlled David Lee Roth fronting the band.

Ed walked up to him and said "Listen up, rabbit - remember that big carrot we tossed you in '96?". David said "Yeah." Ed said "Alright, well, here's another but we're doing it on MY terms and you WILL get on the boat 100% or it's never going to happen. We ain't done shit in almost a decade and we can go for another decade, doesn't matter a fuck to me, rabbit. Make your choice."

And David did. Sadly, as a result, I lost a SHITLOAD of respect I once held for the guy. Sad but unfortunately true.

I'm looking forward to new tunes, if it happens. I'm hoping Wolfie can kick his old man's ass into playing some stuff that doesn't sound like Hagar-era rejects/leftovers (MWM, CGTSNM).

Frankly, those were the best songs I'd heard out of Van Halen for quite a while at the time, along with Humans Being. I think Ed's playing was in a very good place at that time (and also evidenced sporadically throughout the Van Halen III album, once you get past the song doctoring and butchered production values).

Ed's not in that same zone anymore, and he probably never again will be, thus, my hopes are much more jaded in those regards....

[rocknrolldork]

I'm glad this was mentioned.

Does anybody REALLY know what that's supposed to mean? How is Wolfgang being the (HAHAHAHAHA) "bass player" in Van Halen "inevitable"? Was that Dave's way of saying "Yes, folks, Eddie really IS this much of a fucking asshole?" I'm inclined to think so. The phrase itself makes no other logical sense to me.



I absolutely disagree. This isn't "more VH" than the Hagar years. At least Hagar was legitimately hired after David's handlers convinced him he was the show. And they did what they did with Hagar, for better or (much) worse.

Wolfgang was not legitimately hired into the band, he was propped up as a stand-in for a reformulated lineup after Mike was casually dismissed after 30 years without any real cause, other than the fact that Ed wanted to keep the money in the family. Even so, Mike aside, Van Halen wasn't ANYTHING at the point that Roth and Wolf stepped in, other than Ed and Al. This is very much a new band doing covers, to my mind.

Likewise, this is not the same David Lee Roth that I remember stressing for YEARS that the only way he'd ever do anything with anybody from Van Halen again was if it included the ORIGINAL CAST. This is a milder, more timid, more easily controlled David Lee Roth fronting the band.

Ed walked up to him and said "Listen up, rabbit - remember that big carrot we tossed you in '96?". David said "Yeah." Ed said "Alright, well, here's another but we're doing it on MY terms and you WILL get on the boat 100% or it's never going to happen. We ain't done shit in almost a decade and we can go for another decade, doesn't matter a fuck to me, rabbit. Make your choice."

And David did. Sadly, as a result, I lost a SHITLOAD of respect I once held for the guy. Sad but unfortunately true.



Frankly, those were the best songs I'd heard out of Van Halen for quite a while at the time, along with Humans Being. I think Ed's playing was in a very good place at that time (and also evidenced sporadically throughout the Van Halen III album, once you get past the song doctoring and butchered production values).

Ed's not in that same zone anymore, and he probably never again will be, thus, my hopes are much more jaded in those regards....

I understand where you are coming from. Just calling it how I see it. Ed has been trying to dump Mike from the band since the early/mid-80's. If Sheehan would have said yes back in the day then Wolfie being in the band would never be questioned. I'm fairly certain they would have had several bass players by now if that were the case. As far as Wolfgang being hired into the band goes, it's Ed and Al's band. They said Wolfie is the bass player for VH and that the VH lineup is Dave, Ed, Wolf and Al and there are no hired guns, they are a band. That means Wolfie was hired in some way shape or form.

I think what Dave meant by the 3/4 - 1/4 part was that it was inevitible Ed's son would someday be in the band in some form. It seems Dave truly likes the kid. I also think Dave is kind of on a gag order from the sisters, so I agree with you there. I'm betting Dave needed the cash and even an almost full VH lineup would be a big cash cow for him. We all know Dave has always wanted this reunion to happen. Especially when his solo career started to tank a bit.

I still hold true that this is more VH than the Hagar years. Would I like to see Mike back? Sure. Did I really miss him at the 07 & 08 shows. Nope. I was actually kind of thankful I got an extra song instead of hearing a shitty Mike solo. Mike's bass solo spot was every bit as bad as a Mick Mars guitar solo spot. When Mike sat back and grooved, he was great, but his solos..... Hoooweee......

The reason MWM and CTSNM are some of the better tunes VH put out in years is because Dave is on them. They really don't stand out otherwise. If you listen to the phrasings and melody of the tunes you could just as easily hear Hagar singing those tunes.

The only way I could lose any more respect for VH and Dave over the years is if they started doing the Hagar tunes again. Hopefully Dave would quit before that happened.

[sadaist]

...and I never want to see Roth humping an inflatable microphone blimp. Even Freddie Mercury didn't do that!

It's all fun & games. Dave did that same exact thing on the Eat Em And Smile Tour. Although I would prefer to see a comeback of the giant surfboard over the crowd.

[113]

You right, Ed and Al, have been out to humiliate Dave for years. First, it was the 1996 sessions, where Dave was told to, fuck off, by Ed and All on many occassions, Ed even said to Dave, "we don`t want any of your fucking strange lyrics".
Ed said to Dave, "we are not to record any new tracks that sound anything remotely like the old tunes. We`re doin a fucking set of songs, that any singer can sing.
Then in the 2007 rehearsals, Dave was pissed on by Ed and Al, when he was forced to suck their cocks, by singing, Hagar`s finish what ya started. Ed was drooling with pleasure at the sight!

[Jack68]

Anyone but Bob Rock gets my vote.

Fuck that guy.

DLR7884
He ruined Metallica, almost all by himself.

I agree.How about Brendan O"Brien?His records sound "fresh' and he has produced some real great bands.He could handle the Vanhalen brothers .I didnt realise he produced black ice.





[edit] Albums produced
Call of the Wild - The Swinging Richards (1985)
Doug - The Coolies (1988)
You - Uncle Green (1990)
The Big House of Time - Anne Richmond Boston (1990)
Undertown - Right as Rain (1990)
What an Experiment His Head Was - Uncle Green (1991)
Love Songs for the Hearing Impaired - Dan Baird (1991)
Stop! Look & Listen - Right as Rain (1991)
Follow for Now - Follow for Now (1991)
Johnny Law - Johnny Law (1991)
Core - Stone Temple Pilots (1992)
Book of Bad Thoughts - Uncle Green (1992)
Jackyl - Jackyl (1992)
Let It Rock: The Best of the Georgia Satellites - The Georgia Satellites (1993)
Vs. - Pearl Jam (1993)
Dynamite Monster Boogie Concert - Raging Slab (1993)
Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Volume 3 - Bob Dylan (1993)
Dogman - King's X (1994)
Necktie Second - Pete Droge (1994)
Purple - Stone Temple Pilots (1994)
Vulture - 3 lb. thrill (1994)
Vitalogy - Pearl Jam (1994)
100% Fun - Matthew Sweet (1995)
Vulture - 3 lb. Thrill (1995)
Deadly Nightshade - The Deadly Nightshades (1995)
Mirror Ball - Neil Young with Pearl Jam (1995)
Point - Ernie Dale (1995)
Unshaven: Live at Smith's Olde Bar - Billy Joe Shaver (1995)
Buffalo Nickel - Dan Baird (1996)
Eventually - Paul Westerberg (1996)
Evil Empire - Rage Against the Machine (1996)
Find a Door - Pete Droge and the Sinners (1996)
No Code - Pearl Jam (1996)
Tiny Music... Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop - Stone Temple Pilots (1996)
Blue Sky on Mars - Matthew Sweet (1997)
Resigned - Michael Penn (1997)
Spacey & Shakin' - Pete Droge (1997)
Yield - Pearl Jam (1998)
Dangerman - Dangerman (1998)
No. 4 - Stone Temple Pilots (1999)
Issues - KoЯn (1999)
The Battle of Los Angeles - Rage Against the Machine (1999)
Bachelor No. 2 - Aimee Mann (2000)
Conspiracy Of One - The Offspring (2000)
Shangri-La Dee Da - Stone Temple Pilots (2001)
Drops of Jupiter - Train (2001)
Tragic Show - Brand New Immortals (2001)
Waste of Skin - Spike 1000 (2001)
The Flying Tigers - Flying Tigers (2002)
Future Shock - Sinisstar (2002)
Jinx - Quarashi (2002)
Great Ocean Road - Ether (2002)
lovehatetragedy - Papa Roach (2002)
The Rising - Bruce Springsteen (2002)
My Private Nation - Train (2003)
Splinter - The Offspring (2003)
The Thorns - The Thorns (2003)
A Crow Left of the Murder - Incubus (2004)
Alive at Red Rocks - Incubus (2004)
Drive - Graham Colton Band (2004)
Welcome to the North - The Music (2004)
Devils and Dust - Bruce Springsteen (2005)
Rebel, Sweetheart - The Wallflowers (2005)
All the Stars and Boulevards - Augustana (2005)
Shine - Trey Anastasio (2005)
For Me, It's You - Train (2006)
Revelations - Audioslave (2006)
Light Grenades - Incubus (2006)
One Man Revolution - The Nightwatchman (2007)
The Sun and the Moon - The Bravery (2007)
Libertad - Velvet Revolver (2007)
Magic - Bruce Springsteen (2007)
The Fabled City - Tom Morello: The Nightwatchman (2008)
Sweat It Out - The Pink Spiders (2008)
No Regrets - Set it Off (2008)
Too Human - Lounge fly (2008)
Black Ice - AC/DC (2008)
Working on a Dream - Bruce Springsteen (2009)
Crack the Skye - Mastodon (2009)
TBA - Billy Talent (2009)
The Grave - Killswitch Engage (2009)
TBA - Pearl Jam[1] (2009)

[rocknrolldork]

Then in the 2007 rehearsals, Dave was pissed on by Ed and Al, when he was forced to suck their cocks, by singing, Hagar`s finish what ya started. Ed was drooling with pleasure at the sight!

I've read where Spammy said he heard Dave sing part of that song at some point during the tour they did together. Not onstage, but at some point.