VH at Rock USA festival in Oshkosh

[Northern Girl]

Bret Michaels has backed out, leaving the headlining spot for Day 3 open.

Here's the bad news! Maybe Chickenfoot will get that spot!

[Dave's Bitch]

Here's the bad news! Maybe Chickenfoot will get that spot!

They may get bottled off the stage though.Every cloud has a silver lining

[jhale667]

Sadist Juancito is actually back in the fold with Ratt and really was never too far away from Warren and Bobby. The joy he plays with is just infectous, such an amazing guy, everything Pearcy isn't.

He is a genuinely nice guy, too... think I've told this story here before, but was at a party in the early/mid-90s talking to some friends and Ratt came up - pretty sure someone was bagging on them. Anyway, I mentioned that Warren was a guitar influence and had (has) some of the coolest guitars ever seen, and that I'd thought Juan was a solid player with killer stage presence I'd been aware of and thought was cool since he was in Dokken (pre-Jeff Pilson, "Paris is Burning" era ). And that I remembered looking at the back cover of "Out of the Cellar" in the record store the day I bought it and going "Isn't this the dude from Dokken?" A little later some (seemingly) random dude walks up to me and says "Hey, btw - that really meant a lot, what you said. Thanks, dude." and walked away... I looked a my friend puzzled, and he whispers "Yeah, that was Juan Croucier..." totally didn't recognize him! Told my friend "Well, at least I wasn't talking shit..."

[hambon4lif]

Here's the bad news! Maybe Chickenfoot will get that spot!

I've heard that a few times too, but the latest buzz is that the spot might actually go to Rammstein.

Whoever ends up getting it, it doesn't really matter to me. Even though we'll be there for the full four days, I'm only there to see Van Halen. While bands like Chickenshit and Cheeseryche are on, I'll be spending that time hanging out with the crowd and making some brand new friends.

There's some rule they have that there can only be 6 people to a campground. Personally, I think it's fucking ridiculous, and it will most likely be the first rule we end up breaking. Are you fucking kidding me?

It's the only U.S. date Van Halen will be playing this year.
It's Van Halen with 3 and a half days worth of opening acts.
It's going to be one of the biggest parties of the summer!

I'm already starting to get a bit psyched!

[Terry]

He is a genuinely nice guy, too... think I've told this story here before, but was at a party in the early/mid-90s talking to some friends and Ratt came up - pretty sure someone was bagging on them. Anyway, I mentioned that Warren was a guitar influence and had (has) some of the coolest guitars ever seen, and that I'd thought Juan was a solid player with killer stage presence I'd been aware of and thought was cool since he was in Dokken (pre-Jeff Pilson, "Paris is Burning" era ). And that I remembered looking at the back cover of "Out of the Cellar" in the record store the day I bought it and going "Isn't this the dude from Dokken?" A little later some (seemingly) random dude walks up to me and says "Hey, btw - that really meant a lot, what you said. Thanks, dude." and walked away... I looked a my friend puzzled, and he whispers "Yeah, that was Juan Croucier..." totally didn't recognize him! Told my friend "Well, at least I wasn't talking shit..."

Kind of surprising that Croucier has rejoined Ratt...is this a fairly recent thing, or has he been back for a couple years already? The last time I really paid attention to Ratt was when their VH1 Behind The Music episode aired several years back, and the only member of the band that didn't come off like a half-witted, burnt-out aging rocker was Croucier, who came off as quite intelligent and clearly had a lot of ill-will toward the rest of the band. I have seen several youtubes of the band playing with Cavazo, and from what I heard, Cavazo seems to fit in well with what the band is doing now. Cavazo, from the interviews I've seen, also comes off as a decent, humble guy.

I can't say that beyond Van Halen much of the lineup before them means much to me these days. I mean, a Lynchless-Dokken? The idea of seeing that is about as exciting as looking at a picture of a naked woman after just having had an orgasm. From the youtubes I'd seen a couple of years back of Ratt when Cavazo first joined, Pearcy's voice sounded really, really fucking shot. These were videos from a few different shows, as well, so it wasn't as if it was just one off-night, either. Like, shot to the point where the voice was barely recognizable as Pearcy's...so, if that's the way he sounds now, I'm unsure what is so great about having him there beyond "symbolic classic Ratt lineup authenticity". I mean, I liked Ratt way back in the day, actually saw 'em twice in the 1980s and still enjoy a fair amount of their music, but even thinking about it now Pearcy's voice wasn't so great live in the 1980s, either. And Jackyl, to me, is just a one-off novelty act. I know more than a few people who dig that band, but...not so much.

I'm not gonna say every band that emerged from LA in the wake of Van Halen's success were 100% useless jag-offs propped up solely by radio-friendly fodder and the ability to look good on MTV, but as much as I like some of what Dokken and Ratt did, Van Halen is just in another league. To me, Van Halen is up there with the greatest rock bands of all time. Always has been, always will be.

[DLR Bridge]

I thought Pearcy's voice was ok when I saw them last. It was a little froggier than normal, but I went in with low expectations.

[jhale667]

Kind of surprising that Croucier has rejoined Ratt...is this a fairly recent thing, or has he been back for a couple years already? The last time I really paid attention to Ratt was when their VH1 Behind The Music episode aired several years back, and the only member of the band that didn't come off like a half-witted, burnt-out aging rocker was Croucier, who came off as quite intelligent and clearly had a lot of ill-will toward the rest of the band. I have seen several youtubes of the band playing with Cavazo, and from what I heard, Cavazo seems to fit in well with what the band is doing now. Cavazo, from the interviews I've seen, also comes off as a decent, humble guy.

That he is. Carlos is an awesome guy to tech for, or just to hang with. I was totally stoked to hear he'd taken the Ratt gig. I haven't seen the behind the music episode, will try to check it out.

[Terry]

That he is. Carlos is an awesome guy to tech for, or just to hang with. I was totally stoked to hear he'd taken the Ratt gig. I haven't seen the behind the music episode, will try to check it out.

It was actually delayed a couple of years from being aired then it was originally slotted to, in part because of Crosby's death and in part because the series stopped airing new episodes for a period.

It actually turned out to be one of the better one's I'd seen, which was surprising because just hearing about a 'Ratt Behind The Music' one wouldn't (at least I didn't) think it was gonna be any good. It had interviews from everyone in the band, including Crosby was was very bloated from medications he was taking (he was only a year or two away from dying when the interviews were filmed) and Croucier who was on the outs with the band at the time and not very sparing in his feelings toward the other band members. It also had interviews with Ratt producer Beau Hill and some home videos of 1980s recording sessions. In some ways, it was the most interesting thing involving the band I'd encountered since the release of Dancing Undercover. ; )

[Northern Girl]

Wolf just tweeted asking what songs we'd like to hear at future VH shows, and some idiots are suggesting Van Hagar tunes!

Others suggesting Jump and Hot For Teacher! Seriously, who are these people? Do they even have a clue what's what?

[Northern Girl]

I suggested Blood and Fire!

[DLR Bridge]

Wolf just tweeted asking what songs we'd like to hear at future VH shows, and some idiots are suggesting Van Hagar tunes!

Others suggesting Jump and Hot For Teacher! Seriously, who are these people? Do they even have a clue what's what?

Lot of blistering idiots out there. I just hope they play Pretty Woman and You Really Got Me. (...not really)

Since Dave is doing little or nothing to preserve his pipes, they'd be smart to pull out more tunes like So This Is Love?. As much as I want to hear Blood And Fire, As Is & Light Up The Sky, I just don't see our guy pulling them off. Truly hate ta say it.

[vandeleur]

Hate to harp on about it but with ed laid up dave could have had an check up on his vocals . Dont think he did though.

[Zing!]

It would appear that DLR has effectively given up on his voice. I get the impression that what we heard on the 2012 tour is the new norm for him. I still think he could change his approach and adjust his mechanics for a better performance. The next few weeks and months will go a long way toward showing us if Dave is the singer in the band or just a cool old dude in the center spotlight shouting off-key lyrics.

[DONNIEP]

It would appear that DLR has effectively given up on his voice. I get the impression that what we heard on the 2012 tour is the new norm for him. I still think he could change his approach and adjust his mechanics for a better performance. The next few weeks and months will go a long way toward showing us if Dave is the singer in the band or just a cool old dude in the center spotlight shouting off-key lyrics.

Gotta agree with Zing on this one. I'm still hanging on to the hope that he's been working on his voice but it sure doesn't look or sound like it.

[Northern Girl]

but it sure doesn't look or sound like it.

And how would we know?