Rare Dave TV interview 1982

[secrets]

Part ten - Money

That's All folks. This is the final part of the interview with the Diamond one. Hope you've all enjoyed it.

DP: Do you ever feel guilty about how much money you have and how little other people have?

DLR: Alot of people would say you should do it with the money you make from your music. You should reprocess it into your art and make more functional art and everything like that. And I've given this great consideration and there's been alot of timitry (sic) on my part when being involved with questions along this kinda line and appropo of an answer to this sort of indigent philosophy, I would just have to invariably say on behalf of Van Halen and most particularly myself, FUCK YOU! :D (LOL) So it's like if you don't like it, punch the channel.

(clip of Pretty Woman promo)

DP: You've been totally constricted and constrained by my questions.

DLR: Get serious.

DP: Why don't you say a last word on any topic you so choose.

DLR: (voice in style of Twighlight Zone narrator) Ladies and gentleman you have just witnessed what has been subtitled an interview. Infact, it was a trip into David Lee Roth's private little world, a prisoner of the 4th dimension. Both this young interviewer and this dazzling young urbanite myself in the prime of condition. Both this interviewer and the rock star determined to find and finish this interview.:D

DP: Great!

(end credits: Pretty Woman)

[secrets]

This is from a UK TV show called "Profiles in Rock".


This is part 1 of a transcription of an ultra rare interview back in 1982. Dave's stoned and pretty funny causing the interviewer to laugh almost throughout. The visual quality is bad and I wouldn't know how to up load it so hope you enjoy reading it anyway.

Seated on a sofa Dave is wearing a baseball cap and very large shades.


Doug Pringle: OK Dave why don't you set the scene for us, where are we?

David Lee Roth: Good afternoon. I'm David lee Roth live in Hollywood California (mimics PA echo) Land of 1000 dances. Today the interview live infront of your naked steaming eyes. ( lifts cap) No shit!

DP: LOL

DLR: We're in Hollywood and this is where it all comes from. This is ground zero in Van halen terminology. This is the "office" man, this is the 7th floor, high in the basement of Hollywood California. This is the land of 1000 dreams here. This is where it all unfolds: the hopes, the dreams, the misery, the fantasies...it's all here.

DP: Is it as much fun as you thought it would be?

DLR: Oh absolutely! Absolutely......It's everything you've heard is true. And I know you're getting a bad impression of me right now. Do me a favour and spread it around. LOL. Yeah, everything that you've heard is true. As a matter of fact, the people who are the quietest out there in the music business are the ones who do the most :D Now I ain't saying anything....It's true you know (mumbled) hey the Osmans are getting down. Anyways....we're having a ball! And it's like I get paid for what comes naturally ya know? I love bull shitting, I love to sit around and talk. And it's like adult Tinker Toys. Hey let's make something really big and then it'll come down and blow up and I'll jump out wearing my Zoro outfit and then you'll wiz by and we'll segue into Running With the Devil and that'll be the intro. Then we'll announce the group.

( clip of Unchained Live Oakland CA )

DP: OK tell us something about David Lee Roth.

DLR: Dazling young urbanite by day. Mild-mannered stock broker by night. kicky, blonde, mini-skirted habituare. Hollywood star sparked sun set strip. Hopping and bobbing and popping with the best bet for the bast beat of the top of the pop smash gold. For those of you with the timely taste. (???)

( Unchained resumed)

DP: Give me a run down of each member of the band one by one.

DLR: Crazy, crazy or out of this world. LOL You can match them. Everybody has very different personalities I've found in Van Halen. Alex, you have to understand, drummers by and large, make their livings hitting things with sticks. Ya know? So this is a personality deficit. This is a drawback. I think Al would tell you that. Edward is a recluse. Edward spent the longest time looking for a cave and was forced to settle for a house LOL. He is your traditional purist musician and he kind of hides out and he's off on his own thing. Michael just hot rodded his jet ski and now I believe it does 60mph. So with any luck at all we'll see him come rehearsal time.

DP: What part do you play in the VH empire?

DLR: I'm hesitant to use the word "guru" Doug, but it's something that's been kinda bestowed upon me. I'm the only one who understands Zen in the "office" here, in the band itself. As a matter of fact I'm the only one who can spell the word quite frankly...and that's why I guess how I found my niche...and of course that's all based on what occurred the night before in terms of merriment and what have you. I had a good night last night. Man, I woke up this morning and was out with Al and James Scott , the guitar player for the Pretenders, and we were out till quite late. I woke up this morning and I felt bad. I mean real bad. And I was aching and everything. So, I called up Al and says "Al what happened last night? I mean I feel bad." and Al says " Oh man! Don't you remember?' He says "We were out at the hotel, you know the marquee and everybody was drinking and partying and at about 4 o'clock you bet everybody that you could fly, man." And I says "Oh wow what happened?" and he says "Oh man luckily it was close to the ground, 'cause you jumped out of the window man." And I says "Wow dude! Why didn't you stop me?" and he says "STOP YOU? I bet him a hundred bucks you could do it!"

DP: What's the best thing about Rock and Roll for you?

DLR: The best thing about Rock and Roll and fame and everything like that is that every now and then I turn around and I look and I feel like I finally made it. I am a magazine. I am page 63 in 6 colour laser die print out man, with a funny caption you know. sometimes I look around and I feel it's more comic book ya know? You ever get that feeling?

DP: LOL

( view of various magazines w/ DLR quotes like this : "The reason so many critics hate Van Halen and like Elvis Costello so much is because they all look like Elvis Costello")

DLR: Anyways, with the band you can just continue on, you make music you do anything you want. There are no parameters here, there are no boundaries. there should be no over-ritualization you know. You can get into alot of difficulties with that you know. You can just spread out and do whatever you want.

DP: OK, what are your top 3 vices?

DLR: Oh come on man. :D One of the best things about vices is that they're so God damn secret man. You really feel covert ya know... a little dirty even when you do things. Don't you like that feeling sometimes?

DP: Who me?

DLR: Hey man I know...you're interviewing me.

DP: LOL

DLR: Now I've been on the road for a few years. I've been through all the vices 4 or 5....some 8 times you know. and I've tested every single one of them out. Even ones that I didn't want to do but read about. And I've personally picked the 3 or 4 that I like best and I just do those all the time.


DP: What's the least fun thing in your life?

DLR: Alot of people don't like to do interviews ya know. Alot of people refuse to do interviews because they think they're being taken advantage of and they think they're being put upon and they're gonna be mistranslated and re-edited and stuff. And most of them should because they're so God damn boring.

DP: LOL

DLR: But it's like you know I have fun at this. And it's not a least fun thing for me. This a major fun. We're having very fun here ladies and gentlemen... Are we having fun Doug?

DP: LOL

DLR: And what it is, it's like you have 3 answers that you give to any question you're gonna ask me see, which the 1st one is, and you can paraphrase these, you don't use these exact words but the 1st answer is " I think what you're trying to ask me is this Doug" and I talk about whatever the fuck I want. And the 2nd one is "Before I answer that let me say this Doug" and I talk about whatever the fuck I want. And the 3rd one is, you know "Let me answer that this way Doug" and I talk about whatever I want man. And it's like open forum ya know.

DP: LOL

DP: Tell me, how do you like being rich?

DLR: Well being rich is....It's basically a matter of money LOL. It's not like I'm so materialistic. I have a car or two and I just bought a place to live having put that off for 4 or 5 years ya know. And I haven't spend it on farm land ya know. Alot of people these days they really trying to get back to the land they use their money to get back to nature to the country. They eat alot of dried fruits and sprouts 'cause they think it makes the drugs work better. Ya know they get back to the land. I personally can't wait to get back to the hotel man.

(clip of So This Is Love, Oakland CA)

DP: Which heavy metal bands do you like?

DLR: (Sarcastic tone) Well, since they all sound the same, I like 'em all Doug. Ya know it's like starting with Deep Purple who they all ripped off. I LOVE Deep Purple! LOL So it's like, ya know since they all sound like that: (counts on fingers) Judas Priest, Michael Shenker Band, Iron Maiden, Def Leppard....Shall I go on? Black Sabbath, Rainbow...

DP: Where do Van Halen fit in there?

DLR: Van Halen...I figure is more like a more of a religious concept. More of a heart felt thing. Van Halen is like a family oriented band. VH...eh I'm laughing 'cause you laughing you know, but it is I've personally started 3 or 4 since January.
You know our stuff's for kids. Our stuff's for adults and our stuff's for everybody in between. It is The music of 80's Doug.

DP: What do your parents think of what you're doing?

DLR: I wouldn't use the word "highly" Doug...

DP: LOL

DLR: but (LOL) I wouldn't use the word shitty either....
There's a little bit of Van halen in everybody and we're just kinda going around trying to shove a little bit more down your throat.
And that's why I'm here in your room on your television. Go ahead change the channel (leans forward) I'm on all the rest too. LOL

DP: LOL

DLR: Wouldn't that be cool? Noticed what I'm doing with my hands in this second half? It's the drugs Doug, I'm sorry.

DP: You used to have a drug problem?

DLR: But now I have enough money. LOL

DP: OK. If you were in charge of the world what would you change?

DLR: Ticket prices LOL. NA.. I don't know what I'd change. Nuke the whale Doug. LOL

DP: LOL

DLR: He asked me.


DP: What has been the highest point in your life so far?

DLR: I think the highest point in my life, was the first time I made love. It was with a Tahitian girl, no shit, on the beach outside of Papeete. I was 13 years old. It was a full moon. Her name was Elaine and she spoke absolutely no English. And at that time I spoke absolutely no French...and even less Tahitian. The whole time she was going "Oh David, Oh David. I like you, I like you, I like you". And I know, she meant she loved me. And I knew she just didn't know how to say it. But I've had a complex ever since Doug. LOL

DP: Do you ever get down?

DLR: (black voice) Hey brother!

DP: Do you want to live a long time?

DLR: Well some people take a candle and they burn it on both ends. You've heard that one. Other people they take a candle and they burn it in the middle. And I take a flame thrower to my candle LOL. It's like 7 times the light in one third the time you know. Rock and Rollers by tradition are rather like dogs who chase cars. They make alot of noise, get alot of attention but we don't last long. And realising this both mortally and professionally you know, when I go I know what it's going to say on my grave stone. It's gonna say "Here folks, have one on me dot dot dot I told 'em I didn't feel well." LOL. And I'll go out just like I came in..screaming. LOL Ain't going back to no ashes.


DP: How long can you keep rocking and rolling and can you see yourself doing this age 40?

DLR: Who can tell what's gonna happen in the years to come. We take it day by 'cause in the music buisness you know what they say "here today gone (snaps fingers) later today".

LOL And you're pushing broom. So what are ya gonna do? Ya take it day by day and you don't worry. Don't stop and look in the rear view mirror and go Oh did I do this right? Oh did I calculate this right? Oh am I setting this up right? Am I laying enough background? I'm not burning any bridges am I? People always looking in the rear view mirror...I'm sorry I'm stoned....the rear view mirror... hey why do you think the fucking sun glasses?


DP: Do you ever feel guilty about how much money you have and how little other people have?

DLR: Alot of people would say you should do it with the money you make from your music. You should reprocess it into your art and make more functional art and everything like that. And I've given this great consideration and there's been alot of timitry (sic) on my part when being involved with questions along this kinda line and appropo of an answer to this sort of indigent philosophy, I would just have to invariably say on behalf of Van Halen and most particularly myself, FUCK YOU! :D (LOL) So it's like if you don't like it, punch the channel.

(clip of Pretty Woman promo)

DP: You've been totally constricted and constrained by my questions.

DLR: Get serious.

DP: Why don't you say a last word on any topic you so choose.

DLR: (voice in style of Twighlight Zone narrator) Ladies and gentleman you have just witnessed what has been subtitled an interview. Infact, it was a trip into David Lee Roth's private little world, a prisoner of the 4th dimension. Both this young interviewer and this dazzling young urbanite myself in the prime of condition. Both this interviewer and the rock star determined to find and finish this interview.:D

DP: Great!

(end credits: Pretty Woman)