Van Hagar: Runnin' With The Devil, Philadelphia 6/17/04

[Andertime]

UGh! That was horseshit. They are definitely making a mockery of Dave’s songs. MA can't sing, they're pissing on the DLR fans. I do not want to see Dave back with this band in it's current state. I'm just glad that I get to see DLR with his kick ass band in mpls on Nov 7th.

[bueno bob]

Yes, just for the record, to get it clear....

Mike Anthony is a ROTTEN lead singer. Even his backups, IMO, aren't that great, but he's definately a better backup singer than he is a lead. His register is WAAAAY too high for anything other than backup.

Wanna laugh?

Go over to the links and ask about Mike...see what kind of pedestal they put him on...Christ, you'd think his name was Michael Van Halen or something with the amount of ridiculous idol worship they place upon him...

It's disgusting...

[spanishfly48]

now i know that definately sucked, but ya gotta love eddies part at the ende where he goes "thats right Michael and Anthony"

[bueno bob]

"YESH! *BURP*, THATSH MY BASSHISHT, *BURP*, ANSHONY MICHAEL HALL!"

[John Holmes]

Originally posted by spanishfly48
now i know that definately sucked, but ya gotta love eddies part at the ende where he goes "thats right Michael and Anthony"

He was punch drunk. I can't see any other explanation to him being so slurred in his speech and done guitarwise.

[DavidLeeNatra]

they really play this song as ney have never rehearsed it since 1985...sounds like some spontaneous idea...wow...have you ever seen such professionals...now you know why dave never jams...he does anything he does 100%...

and to the sheep always defending ed's playing...this is what I mean...you stand in the crowd and think "wow...it's RWTD!!! never heard this song for years...wow...they have some fun...what's going on...EDDIE EDDIE...FUCK! YEAH!...MIKE...SAM...WOOOOOW"

and then suddenly the song is over and you wasn't REALLY paying attention on what was played right or which note was hit from whom...then you go home with some...let's say..."enthusiastic memories" and think it was great and want to piss us true soldiers and defenders of the fate off and write all your lovely "ed was on fire, great show"-reviews...

and suddenly there is an evidence that your second choice band is just a piece of shit...

[Lou]

This may be a minor point in comparison to all the other terrific points being brought up about this disgrace, but does anyone find it a little disconcerting that Eddie decided to talk at the beginning and end of that? It's not so much that his speech was slurred, but the idea of him talking at all...he never did that 1974-1985. There's something about that that rubs me the wrong way. Probably because he's not a leader and never was, so it's jarring to hear him try to lead something.

[ELVIS]

Originally posted by John Holmes
I started playing guitar when I was 14, but the first stringed instrument I put my hands on was a Bass guitar, when I was 10. And I have been taking piano lessons since I was 5. I can say I have a musical background.

As a youngster, Van Halen I & II were my favourite albums and everything I wanted to be as a guitarist. I couldn't quit listening and stare at Eruption and the powerful drive it had. It was amazing.

Eddie was spectacular in those classic albums.

So, when I picked up the guitar and left behind the bass - actually I still play bass today, but I do funky/fusion stuff - one of the first songs I learned to play, after a while of practicing the instrument was, indeed, Running With The Devil.

The song is very easy to play. There's also no real solo, but more on that later.

The bass lines are so simple when I managed to put together a band, the bass player, whom I was helping to learn the instrument, didn't have any problem nailing it.

Young guitarists like me were always scared by solos, but those two outros were so simple even I, as an experienced guitarist, was able to nail it perfectly after an afternoon practicing with the metronome.

I played that song at high school with my buddies and I still remember the people at school going crazy. Most of them had never heard that song, in Italy the average people rather listen to Eros Ramazzotti or shit like that, but the song was so powerful and we managed to play it so good everybody were in awe.

Of course, needless to say, it's a pity nobody understood the words Diamond Dave put together for the song. Another song of the set was "Ain't talking 'bout love". Another simple tune. Amazing, one of my best memories. The last year of high school I was ready to play eruption and I did it quite good. Still have my VHS tape somewhere. I was very happy mimicking my guitar idol.

Now I see this video Lou has linked us to. It's disgusting. I can't believe professional musicians can't handle to sing a song in tune. For the past 4 years I've heard that Diamond Dave was shot. And, well, I was unimpressed when I saw some shows of him, but still the quality was very high. Dave is in his forties, he's a smoker, he drinks - and what do you pretend from his throat, to be as fresh as in 1978? Still Dave pulled good performances, he surely put his heart and best in them.

But Michael Anthony. Please. Come on. Unbelievable. He's completely out of tune on some notes. It makes me shiver. And what about Sammy? Is that a singer? Is Sammy supposed to be a singer? He was shouting, not even singing, shouting like Max Cavalera from Sepultura, unintelligible words...The chorus was completely, absolutely out of tune. The two voices were clashing, the harmony Dave's voice did with Mike's counterpoint was completely lost; Mike's and Spam's two voices were just clashing so bad it's like scratching nails on a
chalkboard.

But, the worst part of that was Eddie. Eddie was able to play decently ONLY the power chords of the tune. Only those two stupid power chords everybody, everybody and his sister starting playing guitar TODAY are able to play, with no real effort, after a week. After a month of rock guitar you'll surely find yourself playing Running with the Devil a whole lot better than Eddie does today...

But Eddie, probably punch drunk or something, completely and utterly screwed up the lead outros. He didn't nail the first and didn't even nail the second. He just couldn't play it! And ask any guitarist how difficult is to play those, it's so easy any exprienced guitarist is supposed to nail it blindfolded.

It's unbelievable this buffoon, who can't nail his own songs, is out there saying Diamond Dave is shot. What about him? He's just embarassing. He's unprepared. He's spoiling his own reputation and, rather than cleaning his act, he brings that fat whale of a kid with him to give us "316" - or whatever the fuck that song's called.

I am very happy Diamond Dave is not with these guys at the moment. It would be embarassing. Because Dave's current band is a thousand times better than these buffoons. Brian Young can play a whole lot better than Eddie. Sure, those are not Brian's song, but what the hell.

Do You prefer paying 100$ to listen to high school rookies trying to pull out a three chords song with a one bass note and still failing misearbly?

It's disgusting. I am really, really disappointed. I don't think we'll ever see the classic Van Halen together but, at this point, I don't know if we would ever want to see them together, given this performance. The best days are far behind.

PROBABLY THE BEST POST YOU EVER MADE!

This is the worst performance I have ever witnessed by ANYBODY!

Including any local cover band...

I am as well, very disappointed...

The worst and most disturbing part is Edward...

He reinforces my comments on him being "washed up"

This bullshit really makes me sad...

I will give Sammy props for wearing pants and shoes...

Fuck this bullshit!

This is VAN HALEN ????

No fucking WAY!

[Calderone]

H O R R I B L E
THEY ARE A BUNCH OF SUCKERS !
THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE IS ALEX ...
EDWARD SOUNDED TERRIBLE ...
MICHAEL CANT SING OR SCREAM
NEITHER HAGAR !

[Terry]

Music sounded ok, 'till Eddie started botching the main riff towards the end of the song. The solos were passable.

The vocals sounded like shit.

Fuckin' disgraceful.

[guwapo_rocker]

The sheep at that show got pissed on by their hero's.

[manwiththedogs]

Honestly, how does EVH sleep at night? Cant he see that he is killing his legacy with this shit? Is he really that far-gone?

[guwapo_rocker]

Originally posted by manwiththedogs
Honestly, how does EVH sleep at night? Cant he see that he is killing his legacy with this shit? Is he really that far-gone?

Yes!

[ELVIS]

Yes, he is really that far gone...

But, can he see what is happening ??

No way!

[bueno bob]

I think he probably DOES see it happening, myself.

I just don't think he cares.