Eddie Enthusiastic About Current Van Halen Lineup

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  • Grit
    Roadie
    • Oct 2011
    • 109

    Eddie Enthusiastic About Current Van Halen Lineup

    Eddie Van Halen says the current lineup of the band is here to stay – and the only arguments they have today are connected with making their music as good as it can be.

    He believes they’re in it for the long haul now, after having got rid of people he believes should not have been part of the band.

    Van Halen released A Different Kind of Truth earlier this year after reuniting with singer David Lee Roth and replacing bassist Michael Anthony with Eddie’s son Wolfgang.

    Ultimate Classic Rock reports that the axeman has told Guitar World: “It feels more like a band and a family than it ever has – and not just because three quarters of it is family.

    “Working with Dave has been very productive. We’re all very opinionated about things, but it’s all for the benefit of the music.”

    The band have been through the wars in their 40-year career. Roth is in his third stint as frontman while Sammy Hagar has taken the mic twice while Gary Cherone was singer for three years in the 1990s.

    In 2009 they ousted original member Anthony, and even tried to airbrush him off their album covers, replacing him with then-teenager Wolfgang, who hadn’t been born when some of the records were made.

    Looking back at their chequered past, Eddie reflects: “It wasn’t really us – it was people around us. When you’re doing drugs, drinking and partying you start believing the shit people tell you.

    “Those days are gone. We’ve gotten rid of people who don’t belong here.”

    Van Halen completed the first leg of their current tour this week after postponing 30 dates, admitting: “As usual we bit off more than we could chew.”

    But when the full cycle is complete, Eddie believes they’ll get to work on another album. “That’s what I hope to do,” he says. “I’m pretty sure that’s what our intention is.”

    Awesome News!
    Last edited by Grit; 06-28-2012, 10:29 AM.
  • ELVIS
    Banned
    • Dec 2003
    • 44120

    #2
    Say it ain't so !!!

    Comment

    • fourthcoming

      #3
      Wow.....remember the days when Ed didn't seem to want to make or release ANY new music unless it was on porn soundtracks? Good to see he is hungry again. I would love another album. I would go see them live anytime they come to my part of town....would never pass that up but I would love more albums first and foremost.

      Comment

      • DONNIEP
        DIAMOND STATUS
        • Mar 2004
        • 13373

        #4
        I cannot believe Ed actually said those words...I mean, I could see Al maybe saying that...but Ed? It's
        un-fucking-real. And it's about time.
        American by birth. Southern by the grace of God.

        Comment

        • ELVIS
          Banned
          • Dec 2003
          • 44120

          #5
          Originally posted by DONNIEP
          I cannot believe Ed actually said those words...I mean, I could see Al maybe saying that...but Ed? It's
          un-fucking-real. And it's about time.
          Alex ??

          He never liked Dave and he still doesn't...

          If anyone in the band ever liked Dave, it's Edward...

          Comment

          • DONNIEP
            DIAMOND STATUS
            • Mar 2004
            • 13373

            #6
            Originally posted by ELVIS
            Alex ??

            He never liked Dave and he still doesn't...

            If anyone in the band ever liked Dave, it's Edward...
            Nah, I meant the part about them having the wrong people in the band. If that's what he actually meant.
            American by birth. Southern by the grace of God.

            Comment

            • fourthcoming

              #7
              I think Ed realized a long time ago how lousy Sam's song writing and lyrics were....and I think he truly digs Dave's. They have probably learned how to finally deal with each other like human beings who aren't coked up or boozed up all the time.

              Comment

              • ZahZoo
                ROTH ARMY WEBMASTER

                • Jan 2004
                • 9208

                #8
                I have to wonder who exactly those "people around us" were..?

                It's easy to assume Hagar but beyond the BOBW 3 songs and 04 tour... his asshat antics weren't involved in the VH camp from 96-present.

                How could it be Michael Anthony... He and The Brothers™ never even spoke between 99-04 and after the 04 tour Mike learned of his being replaced by Wolfgang in 2007 via the internet. Was Mike ever even a vocal member of the internal VH camp??

                So who was left around within Camp Howdy Doody from 1999-2012?
                "If you want to be a monk... you gotta cook a lot of rice...”

                Comment

                • jpage78
                  Groupie
                  • Sep 2011
                  • 54

                  #9
                  As I've said before, the "important" relationship in Van Halen is between Dave and Ed. People can talk about Wolfie's importance all they want (and he is integral) but if Dave and Ed ain't getting along, then there's no band. Period.

                  I think Al and Dave are ok with each other. Sobriety helps.

                  Comment

                  • DLR Bridge
                    ROCKSTAR

                    • Mar 2011
                    • 5479

                    #10
                    My only problem with this quote is that it comes off a little bit like he blames others for decisions he backed or made while he was busy impairing his own judgement. “It wasn’t really us – it was people around us. When you’re doing drugs, drinking and partying you start believing the shit people tell you." This shows zero accountability for what went on during what was ultimately his own mental unhinging.

                    I also don't think it was a stab at Sammy, as much as it was one at Ray Danniels and the like.

                    Comment

                    • ELVIS
                      Banned
                      • Dec 2003
                      • 44120

                      #11
                      Originally posted by DONNIEP
                      Nah, I meant the part about them having the wrong people in the band. If that's what he actually meant.
                      He didn't say in the band. He said the people around us...

                      Comment

                      • jpage78
                        Groupie
                        • Sep 2011
                        • 54

                        #12
                        I'd say it was a backhanded slap at Sam as well from 2004. I think the great thing is Ed remembered how creative his partnership is with Dave. I think he was playing that generic AOR stuff with Hagar for so long that he forgot how exciting the music was with Dave.

                        Comment

                        • DLR Bridge
                          ROCKSTAR

                          • Mar 2011
                          • 5479

                          #13
                          Originally posted by ELVIS
                          He didn't say in the band. He said the people around us...
                          That is correct. I also think that there are some enablers still around who didn't help his cause, but that's a whole other ball o' wax.

                          Comment

                          • ZahZoo
                            ROTH ARMY WEBMASTER

                            • Jan 2004
                            • 9208

                            #14
                            Originally posted by DLR Bridge
                            That is correct. I also think that there are some enablers still around who didn't help his cause, but that's a whole other ball o' wax.
                            Actually I disagree and think the statement is exactly this ball of wax... Spammy and Mike weren't in Ed's camp for any significant time period from 1996 - present. There's a lot of years and bullshit that went on starting 1996 and wasn't many "band members" camped in Ed's cave...
                            "If you want to be a monk... you gotta cook a lot of rice...”

                            Comment

                            • DLR Bridge
                              ROCKSTAR

                              • Mar 2011
                              • 5479

                              #15
                              Originally posted by ZahZoo
                              Actually I disagree and think the statement is exactly this ball of wax... Spammy and Mike weren't in Ed's camp for any significant time period from 1996 - present. There's a lot of years and bullshit that went on starting 1996 and wasn't many "band members" camped in Ed's cave...
                              I agree with that. I do think that of the people Ed is blaming, he's omitting some who are still around. There are enablers in the fold. But hey, ya can't scrape off everyone, can ya?

                              Comment

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