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Ok, so Im watching "So This Is Love" video again and here is the MIGHTY Van Halen.
Fuck, Dave is taking no prisoners on this song and proving to the world why Van Halen is the shit. Ther's no smiling , no "victory" dance, just good old fashioned in your face rock n roll. Ive always liked the way Dave talked back then, kinda like a stoned surfer.
Nothing different that Dave couldnt do between today and back then except for the flying splits off the drumkit and a high jump/leg kick.
The difference that I think Wolfsbane is referring to is the lack of Dave's old attitude (clearly seen in this video) on the current tour & that can be easily fixed by only Dave himself.
Last edited by devildawg; 06-02-2012, 11:44 PM.Comment
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The upshot is that Roth is gettin' old, and some concessions have been made to counter this.
In terms of his vocal and physical stage presentation, certain aspects have diminished with age. As well they would be expected to.
However, as those aspects are essentially now no longer present (kung fu acrobatics and high-end banshee screams) in any meaningful capacity, this just serves to place a greater emphasis on what is left, which in Dave's case is the singing. This makes it all the more noticeable when the lead vocal approach is subpar, because there aren't any splits off the drum riser or barefoot-on-hot-coals yelps to refocus attention to.
Agreed 100% that Van Halen ain't worth a damn without Roth in it. I'm probably a little too critical in some respects, but I honestly think I'd be hard-pressed to find many who would disagree that the current incarnation of Van Halen live would benefit from Roth just singing the tunes as they were written. At $100 a pop per ticket and this being the second go-around at the reunion, I don't give the band 100% credit for simply existing now the way I did in 2007/2008 (THAT tour was a miracle considering the state of things in the years 2003-2006), and the idea that because they are onstage at this age somehow by default innoculates them from any criticism...the belief that someone is less of a fan if they have a critical opinion on ANY aspect of the band is patently ridiculous. As much as anything else, Van Halen are a commodity putting out product. Consumer opinion on how that product could potentially be made better is par for the course.Scramby eggs and bacon.Comment
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If you want to hear some grade A musicianship go see Van Halen. If you want the blow you away overall experience of the late 70's to mid 80's stay home. It's not there. VH is tame compared to what it was. Just look at how Ed dresses now and his guitars look boring. Roth tries to jazz it up. It's clear they focuse on the music and that's fabulous. If you like music more than a show, go see them.No! You can't have the keys to the wine cellar!Comment
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I'm perfectly happy with the way Dave is on stage at this point of the tour with him being as old as he is, however the higher register, all over the map singing should be much better.Comment
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As I mentioned somewhere else once or more, in the late-70s early 80s, Uncle Dave was a youthful, swaggering, macho bad-ass hell-bent on conquering the Earth, and laying as many women as possible, while have the party of a lifetime along the way....
Now...30 years on down the road, since he DID accomplish all that....he is now a middle-aged song and dance man.
He is, now more than he ever was before, a rock version of Al Jolsen mixed with some Cab Calloway.
His "jam" with Ed during "Unchained" is a complete example of Al Jolsen/Ella Fitzgerald scat-singing in a hard rock context.
That is what has always made him unique....he took the Great American Songbook as an INFLUENCE, mixed it with a molotov cocktail, turned it inside out, added a dash of Otis Redding, Al Jolsen and Cab Calloway, strained it through a Muddy Waters electrified grill-cloth, and the result is 100-proof Uncle Dave's Medicinal Mixture in a 120-minute-long whiskey bottle performance!Comment
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I have that.Well, if you are ever feeling adventurous or merely wish to have a large set of balls slapped against your chin, seek out the deluxe version that came wrapped in the equivalent of a sardine can and offered the ultimate bonus of a fucking guitar pick for the effort. No, I am not kidding.
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I am still trying to figure out what the cards are for.
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Kicks your freakin' ass THANKS FOR GETTING IT!!Ok, so Im watching "So This Is Love" video again and here is the MIGHTY Van Halen.
Fuck, Dave is taking no prisoners on this song and proving to the world why Van Halen is the shit. Ther's no smiling , no "victory" dance, just good old fashioned in your face rock n roll. Ive always liked the way Dave talked back then, kinda like a stoned surfer.
Nothing different that Dave couldnt do between today and back then except for the flying splits off the drumkit and a high jump/leg kick.
The difference that I think Wolfsbane is referring to is the lack of Dave's old attitude (clearly seen in this video) on the current tour & that can be easily fixed by only Dave himself.
Now who`s that babe with the fab-u-lous shad-ow?Comment
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It's been talked up every angle before... the odd part in this thread is folks who previously dismissed III as a total piece of shit now mentioning parts that had some redeeming quality... It is a Van Halen record.
The amazing thing is... the transformation from III to ADKOT. In a blind listen test you wouldn't think it's from the same band with different singers or even from the same galaxy.
Clearly Dave brings an old familiar dimension. But I'm starting to think musically Wolfgang is more responsible for the kick your ass youthful qualities that ADKOT comes packing... with both barrels loaded!!"If you want to be a monk... you gotta cook a lot of rice...”Comment
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I would like to thank all of you who supported my comments and were sympathetic to my point of view.
Just watched the LA and Oakland videos. I read that the volume is turned up! Wow. VH is kicking ass.
If Maiden, Purple, AC/DC, Megadeth, Ozzy, Motorhead can all still kickass, why can't VH.
We want VH 1, 2, WACF, FW, DD, 1984, ADKOT. .
VH is back. Long live Rock and Roll.
BTW, Sniper, I never bought or listened to VH 3. Kiss my ass.Last edited by wolfsbane; 06-04-2012, 08:43 PM.Comment
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I re-read your first post in this thread but I'm not going back through the other 4 pages...are you saying you'd prefer Dave solo - OR was it just that you'd prefer a little of the old Dave magic? And no, I'm not knockin' your POV either way.American by birth. Southern by the grace of God.
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