Fan Halen vs. The Atomic Punks

[TheAtomicPunks]

Here's a direct quote below from the Fan Halen MySpace page.

""Sure there's other Van Halen tribute bands out there but NONE that are more authentic and true to the original band than FAN HALEN...just take a look and listen...in most cases those other Van Halen tributes have only two members that resemble the original band...would you really want to go see a Beatles tribute and only the John and Paul look and sound like members of the Beatles and the George and Ringo look like two ordinary guys that just strolled in off the street? Well this is what you get with those other guys!

No other tribute to Van Halen more closely captures the live Van Halen show and experience than FAN HALEN! From the look of the band, the outfits, the choreography, the note-for-note reproduction of some of the greatest rock songs ever performed to the sonic energy of the performance nothing is overlooked...in other words, for those 60-minutes while FAN HALEN is on stage they are Van Halen!""

OK, so let's take a look and listen!!!!
I would much rather hear a band that could play the material as "dead on close" to the original than see guys that were average musically, but dressed in a proper costume & had no life and cut their hair to look like a cheesy version of somebody. What do you think?? Which VH Tribute would you guys rather see?? Atomic Punks or Fan Halen?? Claims like this need to be adressed by the real VH fans....ok, take a look and listen, Fan Halen 2009 & Atomic Punks 2009, YOU GUYS be the judges!!
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[chefcraig]

Who needs any VH Tribute band at this point? Kinda silly to be talking about "authenticity" when the real band recently toured and is supposedly preparing new material, ya know?

And by the way, if you really are involved with the Punks other than appropriating the name, you are engaging in an interesting theory of public relations. In the first place, cover bands make their living performing not only the tunes, yet by using the actions and personae of another act rather than creating their own. In other words, they are no different than some band playing Top 40 cover tunes in a pub someplace, except they dress up in costumes. To take shots at another group that is plying the same trade is not only unprofessional, it's simply dumb.

Believe it or not, there are ways in which to pimp your favored band other than at the expense of the so-called competition. The "had no life" line (along with your other commentary) was completely uncalled for.

[sadaist]

I'm surprised one of these tribute bands hasn't ponied up a little extra scratch and gotten the real Michael Anthony yet. Sure he may have to sign away all future Chickenfoot rights, but really...how hard is it to sign away $10? At least with a tribute band playing in clubs that usually serve food, he would finally have a market for his hot sauce.

[Anonymous]

I'll be brutally honest. I always am.

This is pointless, and you're making yourselves look bad. Arseholes, even.

Yeah, a little war/cuntflict is always good and is to be encouraged, but to walk around arseking people "Do you like me better?" just reeks of suckiness.

At least you're taking it a step further and asking whether we'd like to see lookalikes or musicians, but the offensive remarks about the other guys having no life warrants the above reply.

See, if this was all about the dissected question - What do fans prefer? Seeing lookalikes who aren't much good at playing your favorite band's music, or musicians who play really well, but don't much look like your favorite band? - I would answer. And the answer would be something like:

Well, if I really had to choose, I'd go for the musicians. I prefer to LISTEN to the music than to LOOK at the guys playing. But if I didn't had to choose, I'd go to both.

Cheers! :bottle:

[TheAtomicPunks]

I would much rather hear a band that could play the material as "dead on close" to the original than see guys that were average musically, but dressed in a proper costume & had no life and cut their hair to look like a cheesy version of somebody.

Don't take that in the wrong way. My statement was not about Fan Halen, it was about any "tribute" type act. I would much rather hear guys that can play. And "have a life" referring to the fact that, if you are a working musician, your life involves much more other work that just your particular tribute band. Some guys can't afford to make their whole existence a carbon copy of someone else's character.
The real statements in question here were the one's off of Fan Halen's MySpace page.

[Va Beach VH Fan]

As Don Corleone said, "it doesn't make any difference to me what a man does for a living"...

In my opinion, if any CVH tribute band wants to praise the word of early Roth-led Van Halen and play that music as close to perfection as they can, more fucking power to them... And in the process, make enough bucks to make it a living, fuckin' A......

Personally, I've only went to one VH tribute band show here in VA Beach, probably about 10 years ago... I don't even remember who the fuck it was (wasn't the Punks, I'm sure of that).... But just standing around in a bar, watching a band, drinking a few cold brews, watching the honeys, and listening to old Van Halen, is definition of a good time in my book....

[POJO_Risin]

The Atomic Punks...with or without Ralph...are...and have always been the best Roth-era Van Halen coverband....not only do they sound better...but have the attitude.

Not only that...but they were essentially Roth's feeder band in the late 90's and early 2000's. That alone is enough for me. If you've become the minor league feeder band for the guy you are emulating...well...

done deal.

[Nickdfresh]

Who needs any VH Tribute band at this point? Kinda silly to be talking about "authenticity" when the real band recently toured and is supposedly preparing new material, ya know?

And by the way, if you really are involved with the Punks other than appropriating the name, you are engaging in an interesting theory of public relations. In the first place, cover bands make their living performing not only the tunes, yet by using the actions and personae of another act rather than creating their own. In other words, they are no different than some band playing Top 40 cover tunes in a pub someplace, except they dress up in costumes. To take shots at another group that is plying the same trade is not only unprofessional, it's simply dumb.

Believe it or not, there are ways in which to pimp your favored band other than at the expense of the so-called competition. The "had no life" line (along with your other commentary) was completely uncalled for.

Great post. Yeah, nothing gives me more of a "I could give a fuck" attitude than a cover band in a bar. It's like live karaoke or something....

[speedtruckermf]

Since you're asking. In the clips you put up to judge, Fan Halen is better. It's a tribute band. Both bands sound like Van Halen, but that's only half of it. The new punks singer has a vibrato that ruins the "Dave" thing. Fan Halen looks more like the band. And since the point is to do a "tribute" to them, sounding like them isn't enough. You asked.

[VAiN]

The Atomic Punks...with or without Ralph...are...and have always been the best Roth-era Van Halen coverband....not only do they sound better...but have the attitude.

Not only that...but they were essentially Roth's feeder band in the late 90's and early 2000's. That alone is enough for me. If you've become the minor league feeder band for the guy you are emulating...well...

done deal.

Bam! Nailed it...

[VanHalener]

I'm bored with both,

but not these two..

[chefcraig]

Don't take that in the wrong way. My statement was not about Fan Halen, it was about any "tribute" type act. I would much rather hear guys that can play. And "have a life" referring to the fact that, if you are a working musician, your life involves much more other work that just your particular tribute band. Some guys can't afford to make their whole existence a carbon copy of someone else's character.
The real statements in question here were the one's off of Fan Halen's MySpace page.

Ummm...no. The "real statements in question" here are how you took it upon yourself to present them outside of where they were initially posted.

Let's review, shall we?

You started this thread, using some random clips to prove a somewhat nebulous point about quality. You went on to ask people to make a choice between the group you are "supposedly" representing and another out there on the circuit. In order to support whatever point you were attempting to make, you made statements that you needed to qualify in a later post after you were called on for offering, leading to you actually needing to quote yourself !

And you are the current spokesman for the APunks? If that is the case, you certainly have shown a certain ineptitude so far in your new position. Perhaps it isn't too late to get your old job back at KFC, where dealing with the public was a far simpler task.

[Douglas T.]

Funny this thread appears! I just got home from the Fan Halen show! Derek and Brian have it going n! I have never seen the Atomic Punks but Fan Halen damn sure put on a great show in Orlando tonight!

[Douglas T.]

At the begining of the Fan Halen show tonight thay ran a video ... a remake of the backstage video with DAVE shaggin' with the gal on piano! They had all the props and all and it looked exactly like the Van Halen skit but it was the Fan Halen members instead! I have seen the Punks videos and seen Ralph here in Orlando ... he sang with the LA GUNS! They did some van Halen tunes! Ralphis a lil sawed off but does a good DAVE! After seeing Brian tonight I think he is the frontrunner appearance wise and sound wise! He's got the screams down too! The whole band kicks ass! All in all I give Fan Halen all thumbs up! I challenge the Atomic Punks to come to Orlando and prove me wrong! Looks like "1984" will be here on Sept. 5th!

Check out these guys, kinda funny ... their name:
FIRE WARNING VAN HALEN Tribute Band on MySpace Music - Free Streaming MP3s, Pictures & Music Downloads

All the van halen cover bands can be found here(cough cough insert shameless plug):
MySpace - WALDO♪ - 33 - Male - Beverly Hills, CALIFORNIA - myspace.com/sitdownwaldo

[EVH_316]

Yes, tribute wars! Chef, you made me reread this post twice, thought I missed what it was about. I don't see the Punks bagging on anyone one here. It's more like Fan Halen taking a backhanded jab at AP. Looks like Fan Halen said take a Look and Listen, then the Punks said ok, let's take a look and listen. What's wrong with that? The fact that they wanted to make sure you understood their view is cool too. They could have left it as is and said who cares. 
I have seen the AP's many times and they always nail it, super cool dudes, don't really need to say much about them. As for FH, only seen their stuff on YouTube. The video posted from Universal was pretty clear, easy to hear everything and I'm still not a fan. Surprising that they would actually take jabs at the AP's. Oh well, kinda like Coke vs Pepsi. I would never pay my hard earned money to go see FH based off of the videos I have seen. That's just my 2 cents.
VH Forever