Wow JD, I couldn't disagree more. MA has a very unique bass sound that was the backbone of the group. I think his bass was a major component of the classic VH sound. And that's not even talking about his background vocals...

As EVH sounding like crap on the last tour, I thought he was absolutely amazing. His guitar technique is much raunchier now which gave them a very contemporary and harder edge live. The ones who sounded like poo were Diamond Dave and Wolfie. Still, it was an amazing show.

I have no faith in a new VH album because I really don't think EVH has any idea why they were actually popular in the first place. I'm imaging the new album to be like Balance musically with crap like Me Wise Magic lyrically.I'm also concerned because the songwriting deal the struck is for EVH and AVH, not Dave. Does this mean the Van Halen brothers are going to be writing all of the lyrics now too? Ouch. Hopefully it just means Dave is already signed to a publishing deal seperately.


New news. It looks like they're aiming for a quarter one 2011 release:

"And news is all over Australian media about a first quarter album release and tour: "Van Halen are hotly tipped to be doing a tour of Australia next year. And we're talking the 'real' Van Halen including the jumping David Lee Roth on vocals and six-string god Eddie Van Halen. Our music reporter Nui Te Koha gave us the rocking news this morning. "Big, big rumour. Van Halen with David Lee Roth, early next year." The band's new album due out in March next year is their first with singer David Lee Roth in 25 years and "the tour will follow shortly after that".
Eddie Van Halen told US Rolling Stone last year that his band's reunion tour through America in 2008 was a massive success. They played 74 shows and the tour ended up making $US93 million. "We are a band,î said Eddie Van Halen. ìWe had a lot of fun ñ Dave was a blast. I'm looking forward to getting on it."

I disagree a bit here, but yes, Anthony's "bass solo" was a joke, but it was supposed to be. For God's sake, the guy drank Jack Daniels while doing it and played a Jack Daniels bass. Was that supposed to be musical genius?
As for his bass playing-I like what he did on all the classic albums. He had a nice, fat bottom sound that still sounds fresh to me. Tracks like "Romeo Delight", "You're No Good", "In A Simple Rhyme", "So This Is Love?", etc. really have nice bass playing.
Is he Geddy Lee, Les Claypool or Stanley Clarke? Hell no. But I always thought he was a good player and his backing vocals were key. Without him in VH it just feels empty to me.
The numerous clips I saw on You Tube from the 07-08 tour sucked horribly. DLR sounds bad, EVH's playing left a lot to be desired, and the kid did nothing at all but look like a kid. I'll listen to the album but I expect no better than VH III. As for seeing them live-no way.

Dear God, could anything be worse then VH 3??!

Yes, a whole album of the last song on VH3 (that Eddie sang) would be worse.

IP: I have absolutely zero doubt (even with their shortcomings) you would've loved them live on their last tour. As sloppy as it was, as bad as DLR and Wolfie were, it was still completely magical (and I'm someone who believes their 1984 concert was the most horrendous thing I've ever seen live)..

No.

I agree, their 1984 show in Houston at The Summit was the worst concert I've been to outside of Elton John in 1985. DLR kept forgetting the lyrics, somebody tossed a beer on EVH and he basically said fuck you then the rest of the show, and the aforementioned Anthony solo. Oddly enough, when saw them open their world tour at Cynthia Mitchell Woods Pavillion in 1998 with Gary Cherrone they were outstanding, EVH was as good as I've ever heard him and when they busted out Mean Streets, I was in.

Don't forget the "amazing" 10 minute DLR samari routine. Yipes.

Funny how bad they were on the 1984 tour but how great they were on the 5150 tour. It was like a completely different band.

I've always thought the 1981 Fair Warning Tour was their best tour. That was my first time seeing VH live...The Garden 7/17/81. I thought DLR spoke more than he sang, and then realized that was what he does live. When the lighting rig came down to show the VH logo, that was incredible. The recent tour was great, but both Eddie and Dave need to keep their shirts on. At their age, playing shirtless is really showing their age.

I saw the first DLR solo tour with Steve Vai on guitar. It was pretty good.

5150 tour was my first VH concert. Great times. The Boston Celtics had just won the championship over the Lakers and for the encores, Michael Anthony came out in a Boston Celtics uniform. Needless to say, the crowd at the Worcester Centrum approved. I saw them on the last of four nights there.

And James Dean, I agree with you on the merits VH with Gary Cherone live. The only reason I went to that show was because I knew they were going to do some Dave-era stuff. I figured it might be my only chance to ever hear VH play that stuff live, given what had happened prior to that.

After reading the Van Halen biopic "Everybody Wants Some" this past summer, I've come to the conclusion that EVH as talented as he still is, is just not a people person. By that I mean that he'd rather spend most his time by himself composing & recording music with as few people around as possible. Nothing wrong with that fact, after all he's earned the right to so. But because the name of the band is "Van Halen", he feels that he & he alone calls the shots & makes all the decisions concerning the band. In short Eddie or has become an introvert by nature. Problem is when it comes to a band, all members feel like they have a say to some degree as to what goes on. EVH knows he is talented but he also knows that he doesn't have to prove anything to anyone. His musical accomplishments stand for themselves and he knows it. In this regard he is considered "low profile" in terms of drawing unnecessary attention toward himself. David Lee Roth is the complete opposite, he's the consummate "showman". He's P.T. Barnum on steroids. Flamboyancy is his middle name. He comes at you "loud, proud, and incredibly full of himself". Nothing against him, that's just his way. Trouble is when you have two such polar opposites trying to get the last word in edgewise problems result, and innocent bandmates such as Sammy Hagar & Michael Anthony tend to get caught in the crossfire and find themselves summarily fired. A friend of mine who himself was in a band once told me that being in a band is like being married to all the other members of the band. In short that means a lot of compromising is imperative if you want the marriage (band) to last. With EVH & his subsequent bouts of alcoholism plus his narcissistic personality leading the charge its hard to get any type agreement on anything band related. I had a chance to see VH & son Wolfgang in tow the last time they toured and all I can say is there's still a lot of talent in their gas tank. I still think however much optimistically that VH still has some new creative talent & song left in them. The problem is getting all the parties to see that "the sum of the parts are equal to the whole" in this instance. If they can't/won't do this then VH is for all practical purposes, history. The clock is ticking boys and we (your fans) aren't getting any younger or more patient waiting for you all to get your collective act together here. Its time to check your ego's at the door and do what's best for all of you and not just the chosen few. Bury the hatchet, mend fences, blow in each other's ears, I don't care, just do whatever it takes & get back in the studio. By doing so successfully VH "could" have the most successful "comeback" in the history of Rock and Roll and we Americans absolutely love a great comeback story. Gentleman, make it so!

Yeah, but they just won't be Van Halen without Steve Perry. They are just a VH tribute band. Oh wait! Wrong thread. Sorry! I preferred Sammy Hagar anyway. Long Live Chickenfoot! Heard Sammy, Mike, and Satch are looking for a possible replacement drummer for Chad Smith since he is busy with the Red Hot Chili Peppers right now. Wonder if Steve Smith or Alex Van Halen are busy? Naaaaah!

I hear Peter Criss is available.

Just was watching VH's Us Festival '83 DVD and after seeing it, it really makes me wish Eddie would pull his head out of his ass, bring Mikey back and make it a real reunion. I know the ship has sailed in regards to Mikey coming back (and he's probably better off not having to deal with The Brothers VH anymore), but seeing the original VH in all their glory just took me back and makes me regard VH with Dave now as just the semi-original band.

I hear you. Its tough having grown up listening to all these bands while they played, seeing them perform in their "prime", thinking they'd be around forever in that form only to learn of there end and fracture. The respective band line up is etched into your subconscious forever. Heck it'd be nice if they could see the big picture but most chose the "its my way or the highway" response to anything resembling a compromise. One thing for sure, it doesn't matter whose side your on, Perry vs band, EVH vs band, EVH vs DLR, EVH vs SH, etc, we the fans end up the losers. Bands such as The Doors, Led Zeppelin, knew when to leave well enough alone and retire after the unexpected deaths of prominent band members while others such as the The Who, INXS, The Cars continue to soldier on with various degrees of success. I can't blame present band members who aren't ready to retire for wanting to "go on", I wish they would go about it in a more professional way. With Van Halen I remain cautiously optimistic that they'll get the proverbial s@#t together. Trust me, any day a classic rock artist releases an album is a day to celebrate due to appalling lack of anything even remotely resembling rock music in my opinion. I want the original front men back where they belong as well but if I may quote Mick Jagger on this; "you can't always get what you want but if you try sometimes, you get what you need". Such is the case here!

Well, a VH album with Dave and the right producer (one of the many failings of the Van Halen III album) can't be any worse than their last album 12 years ago with Cherone.

Mikey not being a part of it sucks, but if the music is good and Dave and Eddie can stand each other long enough to tour and support the album, then it will have to do.

Hey, ya think they'll get Chickenfoot Featuring Bill Bruford to tour with them...?

Not trying to go off topic here but I haven't heard anything from Chickenfoot. Am I missing something here? I will say their line up looks "rock solid" but these days you never know. I loved Hagar & Shon's mid 80's super group H.S.A.S. & The Power Station just to name a few. Is Chickenfoot the real deal or is it a "one off" project?

I think I read that Chickenfoot is doing a second album. Obviously, with the Chili Peppers regrouping for a new album, they'll have to get another drummer.

I liked the Chickenfoot album. Probably would have liked it better 20 years ago, but it's good old-fashioned hard rock. And it's good to have Michael Anthony back on an album, playing and singing backups.

So let's start nominating ridiculous replacement drummers. I would ask Bill Bruford to come out of retirement and add a progressive edge to things....!

[quote="Duzzle"].
Bands such as The Doors, Led Zeppelin, knew when to leave well enough alone and retire after the unexpected deaths of prominent band members while others such as the The Who, INXS, The Cars continue to soldier on with various degrees of success.

The Doors reformed with Ian Astbury and then had to change the name after touring.

Yes, & LZ were awful at the 1st 2 reunions, though the last reunion was ok.

The Chickenfoot CD was fantastic. It's where Van Halen shoud have been years ago. I read that they are actually considering trying to get Jason Bonham to fill in for Chad Smith.

Jason Bonham? I guess. He's done with "Foreigner," right? And I guess he's probably in-between his homage to Dad project, so why not. Bud I'd rather have a more flexible, funky drummer like Chad.

You realize the Doors recorded 2 albums after Morrison died, right?



Depends on whether Black Country Communion is going to do any touring I suppose.