AVH Autobiography 'Brothers' Due In October

[Vinnie Velvet]

I think Alex is right about Dave. Dave bought into his own bullshit. He thought he was off to make a movie and blew the band off. Blew it off right when they were at the top. Then you have Ed who’s got no common sense and has anxiety issues. He’s hitting up everyone to be the singer. Unfortunately Sam got the gig. Van Halen boosted Sam and he got rich off of Cabo Wabo and that motherfucker just won’t go away. He’s fucking 80 and he’s everywhere.

We all know CVH imploding was both Dave and Ed's doing.

But again I don't blame Dave for wanting do some outside projects. CFTH album was intended as just a one-off, hence an EP. Of course he did go back to working on the next VH album after completing the videos and press for CFTH. But then he got the movie offer.
And I truly believe Dave didn't want to leave VH but he didn't want to ignore the project offers as well. It was a tough situation that escalated because the band didnt have a real manager. And Monk was let go by March anyway.

[Von Halen]

Al seems to blame both Ed and Dave. Actually he seems to blame Ed more. He's still pissed about the Beat It solo. They had an agreement as a band to not do that stuff. And anything done previous to Beat It, was not acknowledged legally. No named credit. So when Ed did Beat It, that gave Dave the essential permission to go do that fucking Crazy From The Heat EP. I still say if that EP had been a colossal failure, I do not believe Van Halen would have broken up. Dave would never have quit had he not believed he could continue the success of the EP with a movie. We all know they were working on 5150 prior to Clichegar joining the band. But, CFTH blows up and Dave head blows up with it.

I'd recommend reading Al's book. You get some family dynamic and a few stories that weren't previously talked about. Plus, you get everything from Al's perspective. Of course, I read all the VH books.

[Silexxx]

[Vinnie Velvet]

Al seems to blame both Ed and Dave. Actually he seems to blame Ed more. He's still pissed about the Beat It solo. They had an agreement as a band to not do that stuff. And anything done previous to Beat It, was not acknowledged legally. No named credit. So when Ed did Beat It, that gave Dave the essential permission to go do that fucking Crazy From The Heat EP. I still say if that EP had been a colossal failure, I do not believe Van Halen would have broken up. Dave would never have quit had he not believed he could continue the success of the EP with a movie. We all know they were working on 5150 prior to Clichegar joining the band. But, CFTH blows up and Dave head blows up with it.

I'd recommend reading Al's book. You get some family dynamic and a few stories that weren't previously talked about. Plus, you get everything from Al's perspective. Of course, I read all the VH books.

CFTH doesn't happen if Ed didn't do the Beat It solo or any of the other non-VH things he was doing from 1982-84 (Brian May Starfleet album, music for one of Val's TV movies, music for the Wild Life movie).

Dave followed the band rule, Ed didn't.

[DLR Bridge]

Al reminds me of Dave. They’re both smart, philosophical and laugh at their own remarks. Them going to martial arts events together was new to me. They really worked well together on the early radio interviews, too. Between the book and these current interviews, one would almost think they might still be buds and on good terms, with the exception of that one remark.

I still have trouble with Al’s take that Dave “popped a fuse” over paying tribute to Ed. It just doesn’t add up. He also alludes to Dave not bothering to show up at Ed’s wedding reception. Perhaps Al used a different bathroom than the one Ed was in yacking into the toilet while Dave held his hair back. I feel like Al must figure he’s in complete control of the narrative of what went down since, in his mind, who’d doubt the brother of King Ed?

Knowing that Al is well versed in Dave’s book, I wonder what he thinks about the “reunion blues” chapter. Dave mentions Al suggesting he get the crowd all worked up, to which he obliged. I suppose ending the book in ‘85 relieved him of explaining away an awful lot.

[Jérôme Frenchise]

I listened to it this afternoon in a few times. Very interesting.
I was surprised with Al's physical state, his walking stick, and his ease with expression.
He mentioned Dave quite a few times from halfway, and he clearly did with pleasure.
No mention of post-1984, safe about his wish to release stuff he did with Ed, that was finished
without him in the studio in a manner he (supposedly) would.
Not a word about he long-awaited official release of Oakland 1981 or any other live footage that
could be gloriously released at last, either.
I spent a very good moment watching this interview, and listening to Al.

[Von Halen]

CFTH doesn't happen if Ed didn't do the Beat It solo or any of the other non-VH things he was doing from 1982-84 (Brian May Starfleet album, music for one of Val's TV movies, music for the Wild Life movie).

Dave followed the band rule, Ed didn't.

Uh, isn’t that what I said?

[Vinnie Velvet]

Uh, isn’t that what I said?

That's right you did.

I'm old, man. Gimmie a break LOL

[Von Halen]

That's right you did.

I'm old, man. Gimmie a break LOL

Ha ha! Me too.

[silverfish]

Lefsetz chimes in:

lefsetz.com/wordpress/2024/11/03/the-alex-van-halen-book/

[Never was]

Al wrote little about the Bertinelli's, Sam, or the weeks around Edward's passing.

Sometimes what you do not say can say more.

[Seshmeister]

Yeah all three were probably pretty horrendous.

[Seshmeister]

From AlternativeNation.net


VAN HALEN roadie claims ALEX VAN HALEN LIED in his new book, calls him a “COWARD.”
Van Halen’s former roadie John Watkins recently took to Facebook to post about inaccuracies in Alex Van Halen’s new book “Brothers.” Out of the many claims Watkins makes in his lengthy post, one of the biggest is that Alex lied about his reasons for firing his longtime drum tech and childhood friend Gregg Emerson.
Watkins shared a portion of Alex’s new memoir in which he wrote about Gregg. In the excerpt, Alex revealed the reason he claims to have let Gregg go: “We had to let him go after I got sober in ‘87, I couldn’t have someone around me all the time doing shots and pounding Schlitz, and Gregg wasn’t willing or able to stop.”
But Watkins alleges that Alex’s reasons for firing Gregg are a complete lie. “Alex Van Halen is lying when he says, ‘We had to let him go in 87.’ Gregg Emerson left Van Halen’s crew in 1986 halfway through the 5150 tour, and a year before Al got sober! He was replaced by an excellent drum tech named Rob Kern and the band and the crew all know this is true,” Watkins wrote on Facebook.
“Al continued drinking long after Gregg left, and Rob was now responsible for stocking the daily tray of Shiltz. I never once, not once ever saw Gregg drunk or high enough to not do his job/ He was always in control, and I cannot say the same thing about Al. That whole passage about Gregg being a bad influence is bullsh*t. If Alex was so vulnerable he could not be around anyone drinking, how did he manage to play in a band with Michel, Sammy, and his brother who did certainly did not stop drinking? But Al wants to justify his horrendous behavior making it out to be Gregg’s fault…bullsh*t!”
“... It takes a real big coward to disparage the dead when they are not here to defend themselves. I do not care if Alex Van Halen is the second greatest rock drummer of all time (he never will be Keith Moon) he didn’t need to try and make himself look better at Gregg’s expense.
“... He was a horrible human being when I worked for him and the way he lies about his onetime friend and employee Gregg Emerson shows he is still a horrible human being! I would never have posted this story if he had been honest or at least kept his big mouth shut but he didn’t, so I hope Gregg’s kids sue him and take all the profits from his book for libeling their father’s memory.”

[Seshmeister]

Looks like Watkins was a pyro guy and did most of the Van Hagar tours and lots of other bands in the 80s and 90s.

[Silexxx]