Mike Anthony / VH in MOJO

[VHscraps]

This is from the latest issue of MOJO magazine (194, cover date January 2010). Don't know if it comes out anywhere apart from the UK. Every month the inside back page is the tale of someone quitting or being fired from a band.

I like the '78 pic of VH, by Robert Ellis, taken backstage at Lewisham Odeon.

David Lee Roth was lampooned for screaming at the audience - 'Leeeoowiishaaam - you are the rock'n'roll capital of the world'. But, as Dave reasonably argued afterwards - for those 90 mins when VH were onstage, it WAS the rock'nroll capital of the feckin' world. Apologies for the minor Hagar infringement on the bottom left - if it's not RED, its YELLOW. Ugh. The ruin of VH.

Mike says he was 22 when he joined VH in '74. I think all of these guys have dodgy memories, and keep misplacing a year or two here and there. If Mike joined in April '74 it was right when they started at Gazzari's, which was the first week of that month, I think.

Who knows the correct dates?

Did he join in April '73?

If you have difficulty reading the above, chums, see the full size scan here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25850089@N03/

[Cato]

I think Hagar was wearing sandals when that picture was taken.

[Terry]

Sort of reconfirms what Roth had already stated in his 2002 press release about having worked with the Van Halens the previous year...and confirms the speculation that Anthony did sign off on his percentage of rights to the Van Halen name and trademark in order to play with the band in 2004. Rest of it isn't much of anything new, substance-wise.

Seems like an easygoing type of guy...either totally spineless (like a chocolate eclair), or just didn't give a shit by 2004 what happened with Van Halen beyond the tour and wanted (what he thought at the time was) one last hurrah with the band. The 2004 tour seemed like a pretty lame way for the band to go out, but in some ways I suppose I have some empathy for the guy; if the Van Halens in real life are half the pricks offstage that they come off as in their interviews, maybe Anthony just plain got tired of dealing with their bullshit, realized they didn't even want him around anymore, weren't gonna do anything new anyway, are a bit lazy and decided to actually hook up with a band that was gonna make some new music.

Hey, even if it is shit, at least Chickenfoot put together a new release and toured it.

Sad to say, but Van Halen Mark 4 has been together for essentially three years and all they have to show for it is a ten-month tour showcasing oldies the band should have been able to play in their sleep.

[chefcraig]

...Sad to say, but Van Halen Mark 4 has been together for essentially three years and all they have to show for it is a ten-month tour showcasing oldies the band should have been able to play in their sleep.

Based solely on the visual evidence from some of those shows, I'm not altogether certain Ed did not. The chaotic Vegas show (with him stumbling about and banging on his guitar with a drum stick) readily comes to mind.

[VAiN]

Based solely on the visual evidence from some of those shows, I'm not altogether certain Ed did not. The chaotic Vegas show (with him stumbling about and banging on his guitar with a drum stick) readily comes to mind.

I agree... but there were some gems too... the 2 MSG shows come to mind... basically the entire last leg, April 08-Jun 08 was pretty fan-fucking-tastic. Whatever Eddie did in late Feb-March worked for the end of the tour...

[lesfunk]

Unfortunately for Hagar Dickface Hotsauce boy, The last time Van Halen was on stage was 1984 not 2004.

[JOEThasreturnen]

"mikey" is simply the most overratted bass player in music history and its really not even that close. I sang a lot of the backround vocals that he gets credit for. He is a below average at best bass player. He was just lucky he met dave and ed when they need a bass player. Bottom line....He sucks!

[lesfunk]

I think Hagar was wearing sandals when that picture was taken.

I think Hagar was wearing a tampon when that picture was taken.

[VAiN]

I think Hagar was wearing a tampon when that picture was taken.

Bravo, sir!