Van Halen has reunited with David Lee Roth and announced their fall tour only this time they have replaced bassist Michael Anthony who is the third member of the band to be ousted by Eddie with his son Wolfgang.

Now we are once again left with 3/4 of the original lineup, the core group which gave us the music we’ve been fans of for so many years has been re-aligned by Ed. Most will agree that Michael’s hard hitting style and background vocals were key to the groups sound. Will Wolfgang be able to pull this off? It’s hard to say but one thing is for certain, he’s not Michael and the sound and style will not be the same.

It’s one thing to replace your bass player and it’s another to attempt to erase him from the past. As seen on the official site www.van-halen.com (http://www.van-halen.com) they have effectively removed his picture from the Van Halen album cover.

Original
http://www.guitarblast.com/media/vh.jpg

Doctored
http://www.guitarblast.com/media/vh_no_mike.jpg

How about WACF? Guess it was to hard to photoshop this one so they said fuck it and removed the whole image just to make sure Mike's not in it.

Original
http://www.guitarblast.com/media/wacf.jpg

Doctored
http://www.guitarblast.com/media/wacf_no_mike.jpg

What do the fans think of this? Not much as you can imagine. See vhlinks (http://www.vhlinks.com) and rotharmy (http://www.rotharmy.com), two of the largest fan sites on the net to see what the VH community is saying.

What has Michael done to deserve getting booted and having his existence erased from the band? Why is he so hated by Ed? Was it the class he’s shown in all the interviews he’s done over the years? Was it the wonderful things he said to and about Ed at the RRHOF induction where only He and Sammy showed up? Maybe it was the fact that he was ready to play for VH at the drop of the hat at any moments notice?

Whatever the reason it’s clear that it’s in Ed’s delusional mind. Not only has he alienated Michael but he’s turned on the fans as well.

Pathetic!!!! :mad:

a sad,pathetic and spiteful act from the brothers grimm. :dunno:

regards,
jim.

yuck..this is just a total slimy act & utter lack of class. No matter how much hot sauce Mike Anthony has sold on the side to Ed’s and Alex’s horror, or how much side gigging MA’s done with Hagar, he has never deserved this. I’m happy to see Dave back, and to see young Wolfie getting some exposure, but not this way. In spite of not having heard Wolf sing yet, I’m gonna go out on a limb and say they won’t be able to pull off the backing vox at all (also consider Ed’s declining health) and will use pre-taped, synched vox. Roth’s band did this when I saw them on Skyscraper so it’s a real and likely option. Between this and the boycott of the Hall of Fame induction the VH bros have really tarnished their legacy here imo.

Wow, that's pretty bad, actually.

It's so shi##y what they did to Mike. Not only is he a killer bass player but was responsible for a lot of background vox. And he has huge stage presence. It's beyond a slap in the face. I'm still pissed about Ed being a no show for the induction cerimony. Hey one good thing is this tour is going to be a trainwreck of epic proportions and Mike should be glad to be nowhere near it when it happens. We'll see a couple weeks into the tour how much Ed has been rehabilitated.

well At least Michael Anthony has still got a bit of class. He hasn't removed the VH link from his website yet.

well At least Michael Anthony has still got a bit of class. He hasn't removed the VH link from his website yet.
He would never do that, he's got a good nature about him.

I just checked the site and Mike is back on the VHI cover :thumb:

They should have never removed him in the first place. I have zero respect for them after this, I never liked the idea of Wolfie, that's one thing and though I woudn't have supported it anyway I would have left it alone. But this is above and beyond slapping him in the face, the thing is Mike is such a cool guy it's like walking up to the cool kid in school and just bitch slapping them for no reason. It just shows what little class Ed has, he's become the worst of himself and has reached a new low which is saying something.

They should have never removed him in the first place. I have zero respect for them after this, I never liked the idea of Wolfie, that's one thing and though I woudn't have supported it anyway I would have left it alone. But this is above and beyond slapping him in the face, the thing is Mike is such a cool guy it's like walking up to the cool kid in school and just bitch slapping them for no reason. It just shows what little class Ed has, he's become the worst of himself and has reached a new low which is saying something.

Could'nt have said it better man. It's the truth.

I just checked the site and Mike is back on the VHI cover :thumb:Wow, I wonder if they read a lot of bad feedback on that or something, and decided to put the original back up.:dunno:

Wow, I wonder if they read a lot of bad feedback on that or something, and decided to put the original back up.:dunno:

Maybe Eddie is a member of GBlast and read this thread. I've heard he is Strat78:)

Maybe Eddie is a member of GBlast and read this thread. I've heard he is Strat78:)
I new that's how he beat me in my guitar battle with him on Aint talkin bout love! :D

They have also put back the original WACF album cover so what's done is done.

Ed, way to show your true colors with this whole thing.

You see, while I understand his importance in the istory of guiatr, and admit he infuenced me early on, I always said on a personal level he's a prick, and got jabbed for it. The guys a jerk and hasn't done anything of measurable value in years. Alex is an equal prick wise, that's why they probably get along.

I just checked the site and Mike is back on the VHI cover :thumb:

Well the doctored VH1 didn’t really even look like Wolfie anyways when you zoomed in a bit:

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l46/eglassman/VanHalenIDoctoredcover.jpg

Well the doctored VH1 didn’t really even look like Wolfie anyways when you zoomed in a bit:

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l46/eglassman/VanHalenIDoctoredcover.jpg
LOL

I was never a huge Van Halen fan, I appreciate the skills, but just don't like most of the songs. This nonsense has done nothing to change my mind. Pathetic!

Sad indeed. Even sadder is visiting those forums you posted and seeing what a train wreck they have become. Still, monkey see, monkey do I guess. The band is such a train wreck, I guess the fans of those sites follow suit !

:lol:

I didn't liked to be reminded of why I don't go near those sites anymore.

:lol:

I'm surprised they didn't do this and then realize, "oh wait, Wolfie wasn't born yet when this picture was taken". I hope Mike comes back, no disrespect to Wolfie.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v150/JacksonConcept/vh.jpg

Does anyone know the real deal as to why Eddie has a beef with Mike?

Does anyone know the real deal as to why Eddie has a beef with Mike?
None that make sense and if someone could explain it to me I would love to hear it.

There is rumor that Ed doesn't like his selling hot sauce and his playing with Sammy. You can totally see why that bothers Ed though it's not like Ed would ever do anything like start new guitar lines, new amp lines, picks, stripes, porn movie themes or jam with others.

To be in VH and not get kicked out you have to do as Ed says, not as Ed does. Oh yeah and you have to be family or your departure during a drunken bender is guaranteed, forgot to mention that but seemed important.

Thanks, Eric. I haven't followed Van Halen since high school - well, maybe up until the 5150 album which was after HS. As a kid I was amazed as shit by Eddie's playing. I even got to meet him ever so briefly while at the Kramer factory in Neptune, NJ. If I said he didn't motivate me to play guitar I'd be lying to you. I dunno why really but I just stopped listening to them a few years after Dave's departure. I haven't had the desire to see them live again after that either. Maybe The Beatles had it right - always leave on a high note at the top of your game. All the money in the world could have been dangled in front of them and they still just let it be. I didn't understand that rationale as a child.

No kidding, they were a standup band with many greats in it. Sort of like a football team with two start quarter backs and I agree, they left at the top of their game and went down in history as arguably the best band in the world. Even today.

I also met Ed once in the early 90's and he was extremely cool and friendly at that time.

Here we go again!........I'm willing to bet the tour doesnt take the 1st stage. I too lost interest in Van Halen long ago. I stopped listening after the 1st post Roth album. I think this is gonna get real ugly.

I would have thought it would be better for Wolfie to gain experience in his own band exploring his own style with peers his own age. Its very sad when Mike was so courteous at the HOF awards.

It may not all be Ed's fault though...Im sure Ive read that Dave Lee Roth and Mike used to argue a lot too so Roth may be enjoying Wolfie in the band.

I personally think Mike is a great bass player, particularly listening to early albums and bootlegs.

Eitherway compared with other bands, Van Halen have actually held a relatively secure lineup through the years. If Deep purple can still be popular without Blackmore, Van Halen could even be popular without Ed!

quote by Paulscape:

If Deep purple can still be popular without Blackmore, Van Halen could even be popular without Ed!

no I disagree, Eddie(even with his issues)is integral to Van Halen, no one could replace him, nor should they.

He has created some great music and inspired many musicians/guitarists.

Deep Purple had a tall order they had to fill. Having someone come in their band that would follow Blackmore.

not easily done, and they have succeeded quite well with their decision.

Fortunately they are also a smart band as they chose as their guitarist Steve Morse, one of the most respected, most reliable, most capable, most creative, a truely "monster musician", and to top it off one of the nicest professional musicians ever.

I wish Wolfie would have played in a band project of his creation, I would have supported him very much.

Van Halen is a fun band. I LOVE alot of their songs, and I always will.

But the unfortunate reality is some of the members of Van Halen right now have serious issues that will come out when touring, and it unfortunately looks like they have never been truely dealt with(especially the alcoholism issue). and on the road every vice known is abundantly available.

time will tell, but I will not be surprised that this will be the last tour of Van Halen.

quote by Paulscape:
no I disagree, Eddie(even with his issues)is integral to Van Halen, no one could replace him, nor should they.


I was saying it tongue in cheek, dont worry I dont think he should be replaced! Its quite obvious how integral Ed is to VH otherwise we would have several more albums or music projects out by now and Michael would be on the 07 tour.

'Nothing lasts forever but nothing is forgotten'

My question is, does Eddie get along with anyone besides his brother?
The fact is Sammy has been at work with Mike/touring/making records.
David Lee even has been trying, and making records.
Van Halen -the Eddie and Alex have grown old drunk and lazy.
We are talking about a band that made spectacular records every year up until 1982.
Since the dismal failure of VHIII with Gary Cherone, they haven't done anything new, that was what 1995?
Sheer pathetic laziness. Being that making music is their occupation, what have they done the past 12 years.
Nothing.
A little tour here-a new guitar-a re-packaged greatest hits CD with a lame tune (up for breakfust?)
I am pulling for Dave. it's intresting that the 2 that were at the awards (sammy and mike) are no longer in Van Halen.
ED-just get sober, retire, produce a CD for your son.

I have given up on them fullstop. If you want to think of Michael as an 'employee' (as Ed does) then he should have a gold clock for his commitment and service. Fuck the VH brothers IMO. They are becoming a laughing stock. BTW, I read in 'Classic Rock' that Deep Purple had removed Ritchie from the 'Machine head' cover for the tour shirts.

They are going to end up like Spinal Tap...HELLO CLEAVLAND!!!!:rock:

Or worse the comic strips 'bad news'!

'i learnt stairway to heaven at 14...jimmy page didnt write it until he was 21'

I just heard on the radio on my way to work that there is "rumor" of the tour being off, they didn't give details. Of course it's just another radio rumor but it wouldn't surprise anyone I'm sure.

I'd like to know what the story really is all about in the first place.

Keep in mind that Sammy and Mike played around the country billing themselves as the other half of Van Halen. I'm sure this wouldn't go over too well with any of us if we had founded a band with our name in it.

Ed isn't probably the most elegant, diplomatic guy, but also remember that this is Rock N' Roll. These guys are pros at mud slinging and somehow many of us keep watching this stuff like it's pro wrestling. We know it's for show, but it's hard not to look the other way, cuz it's so much fun!

True, there's certainly enough drama to keep everyone talking that's for sure.

As for the other half thing, technically they and they weren't falsly advertising anything. They didn't use VH in their name technically at any point besides that's a weak arguement when it comes to dropping Mike. While Ed is pimping everything under the sun, nobody else (outside of the family) is allowed to, period. He's turned into a selfish asshole IMO. Oh well, wish them well on their tour anyway. :)

Heh heh heh. We all say we're done with them or we ain't interested in them anymore. But CC's got a point. It's always us same old suspects who end up in threads with Van Halen in the title !!!

:lol:

It would make a kick ass reality show, I would totally watch it!

It would make a kick ass reality show, I would totally watch it!

Fuck me. Even I would be scratching my head going :headscratch: that can't be for real if someone actually documented all the happenings and put it in a rockumentary, wheeling out a bunch of z-list celbrities and rockers to give their whitty opinions on the demise of the band.

:lol:

Even going through it all, I'd still find half of it unbelievable !

:toothless:

I'd like to know what the story really is all about in the first place.

Keep in mind that Sammy and Mike played around the country billing themselves as the other half of Van Halen. I'm sure this wouldn't go over too well with any of us if we had founded a band with our name in it.

Ed isn't probably the most elegant, diplomatic guy, but also remember that this is Rock N' Roll. These guys are pros at mud slinging and somehow many of us keep watching this stuff like it's pro wrestling. We know it's for show, but it's hard not to look the other way, cuz it's so much fun!

excellent post

Here is a new post from Mike's blog here


First of all, I hope all of you are having a great Summer!! I want to thank everyone for all the support you're shown me during the past months. I'ts all been pretty crazy, and I just wanted to bring you all up to speed. Alot of you have been asking about the upcoming Van Halen tour and my response to it. It's not that I'm not touring with Van Halen because I'm going out with Sammy, I'm going out with Sammy because I was not invited to do the VH tour.
Sammy told me that if I was asked to be part of the VH tour and decided to do it, it would be totally cool, and it would not tarnish our friendship in the least!! Well it's not to be, and life goes on. I'll still be out there with Sam, and I can't wait to do some partying with all of you. One last note from myself to all the Van Halen fans out there who will be attending their shows...Wolfgang is a great kid, so don't judge him too harshly. I'm sure he'll do just fine!!....See you all soon, Mike


Nothing but class, a true example that nobody else in VH has ever been able to live up to.

Here is a new post from Mike's blog here



Nothing but class, a true example that nobody else in VH has ever been able to live up to.

I quite agree...

:thumb:

Nothing but class, a true example that nobody else in VH has ever been able to live up to.Yeah, that was pretty classy, especially the part about not giving Wolfgang a hard time. That was a very professional and respectable speech. Nothing negative was said at all, nor did I catch any negative vibes from his language. He stated the facts without being emotional about it. It is really weird though that there doesn't appear to be any kind of main conflict or argument that took place that lead to eliminating him from the line-up. They simply decided not to ask him back.

That's always been his nature, I hope he does well on whatever he decides to do next and he will always have my full support. For him just jamming around with Sammy or whoever has always been good enough, just for the sake of playing and it really comes across with him I don't think "big" money has ever meen motivation for him to play or not.

I bought my ILAA tickets 5 star for the Chicago show that I will fly to from Miami. I really hope it is worth the $4500 (4 5star tickets plus air fare). I've been waiting to see Dave and Ed for 25 years together again. Everyone else is secondary. EVH is the reason for my season!!! I hope to get my camera in and get some cool pictures.

Right on man, share what you get! :thumb:

It would make a kick ass reality show, I would totally watch it!

That would be really cool. With the sucess of the Osbournes and Gene Simmons Family Jewels, you know it would be a huge hit. But the VH brothers have got to be the most secretive family in music. They never open up to the public. Shit, I think they're the only rock stars on the planet who haven't done an episode of cribs, lol.

Van Halen fans were ecstatic when the band announced that they will be returning to the stage this fall with their original frontman David Lee Roth. Many fans are disappointed that original bassist Michael Anthony will not be a part of the reunion with Eddie Van Halen's son Wolfgang taking his place. That disappointment happened again, when Anthony's image was replaced with Wolfgang on album artwork posted on the band's website. Although, the original images were quickly reinstated, now Anthony is being written out of the band's songwriting history.

"On every single Van Halen song (with exception to the three new songs on the Best of Both Worlds compilation, ) credits have always gone to Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, Michael Anthony, and the lead singer who is featured on the song (Roth/Hagar/Cherone). However, during the credits of the film 'Superbad', which features the song 'Panama', the song is only credited to the two Van Halens and Roth! Michael Anthony continues to get snubbed by his former band as they attempt to erase him from the history of the band."

Michael Anthony has been removed from the credits for all of the songs from the band's Diamond Award winning album 1984 in the ASCAP database. The All Music Guide credits for the songs on the album include Anthony, Eddie, Alex, and Roth. However, Michael McDonald is missing from the credits for the track "I'll Wait". A check of other Van Halen releases still list Anthony as a co-writer.

Anthony was reportedly forced to sign a reduced royalty contract in order to take part in the 2004 reunion tour with Sammy Hagar. His Wikipedia entry states " For the band's reunion in 2004, Anthony was not allowed to write/record the three new songs for The Best of Both Worlds. This time however, he was [correctly] not credited for songwriting involvement. The album's credits don't mention his non-involvement in the actual performance however. On a separate reduced royalties contract he performed on the tour however, at Sammy Hagar's insistence. The contract drawn up was for the duration of the tour only, with his role within the band resting in the hands of the Van Halen brothers there after". This gave the VH brothers all the power in their arrangment with Anthony, and it is a shame...Mike was an important part in the "growth" of Van Halen over the years.......

maybe michael is a dickhead. i don't know. we know eddy and alex are dickheads and roth admits to being a dickhead so maybe michael is a dickhead too? i guessing he's not but who knows. he might be hard to work with or doesn't play well with others. just a thought. as long as it isn't the 4 origional members i guss i just won't care about the tour. i think its a crappy thing to do to wolfgang that even if he does a wonderfull job people will always look at him as the one who replaced michael and he won't ever get any respect if he has any coming. i agree that wolfgang should be in his own band and his father and uncle can help him out and support him.

Bottom line is he's out and looking at his recent statement, he's out with class. Simply put, they didn't ask him to be a part of the tour and he seems cool with it. He didn't bitch about any one of them, didn't cry about it, didn't name call and said nothing but nice things about Wolf. Doesn't sound to me like something a dickhead would say.

Bottom line is he's out and looking at his recent statement, he's out with class. Simply put, they didn't ask him to be a part of the tour and he seems cool with it. He didn't bitch about any one of them, didn't cry about it, didn't name call and said nothing but nice things about Wolf. Doesn't sound to me like something a dickhead would say.


Maybe in a way deep down he is relieved they didn't ask, I mean I know he would have loved to be a part of it for the fans(and we sure would have loved it as well) but I mean he is out there with Sammy and he can do any song he wants, he doesn't really have to put up with any drama, I have an interview he did with Drew and Mike here in Detroit on WRIF where he talks about it a little bit and mentioned how when he was younger bring on the drama but now that he is older he would like to be drama-free or something to that effect, lmk and I will post the interview up :thumb:

Wolfie is going to get heat he does not deserve in my opinion. Responsibilty for all the drama falls back on Ed once again.

I can see people waving "bring back Mike" banners at VH concerts this fall! LOL

Wolfie is going to get heat he does not deserve in my opinion. Responsibilty for all the drama falls back on Ed once again.
I would hate to see that, none of this is his doing. I thought it was very cool of Mike to make a preemptive statement as he did regarding him. Chances are he's a pretty good kid, he'll just be caught up in a situation surrounded by a lot of drama. Regardless of how things turn out I hope the best for Wolfie.

I've got the new VH tracks with Wolfie and DLR and trust me you can't even tell Mike is missing...as much as I would rather see him than Wolfie but give the kid a chance. All of this has been coming for a long time and Mike knew it thats why he made that statement. If the whole thing blows up Ed only has himself to blame and regardless the kid gets exposure thats all Ed really wants and to do some shows with his kid. If I was in his position I'd consider it too if you have a son you'd understand. The only difference for this whole thing is the visual appearance the playing is just as good with Wolfie. Consider who his teacher is and how much jam time this kid has had with his Dad and Uncle, Ed ain't throwin words when he said the kid rocks....I heard it and he does vocals and all....and recent ticket sales have clearly stated the facts people want to see it...

Very interesting post. Would be curious to know more. Thanks for sharing your info. :thumb:

I've got the new VH tracks with Wolfie and DLR and trust me you can't even tell Mike is missing...

We would love to hear those tracks if you could post em:thumb:

I've got the new VH tracks with Wolfie and DLR and trust me you can't even tell Mike is missing...as much as I would rather see him than Wolfie but give the kid a chance. All of this has been coming for a long time and Mike knew it thats why he made that statement. If the whole thing blows up Ed only has himself to blame and regardless the kid gets exposure thats all Ed really wants and to do some shows with his kid. If I was in his position I'd consider it too if you have a son you'd understand. The only difference for this whole thing is the visual appearance the playing is just as good with Wolfie. Consider who his teacher is and how much jam time this kid has had with his Dad and Uncle, Ed ain't throwin words when he said the kid rocks....I heard it and he does vocals and all....and recent ticket sales have clearly stated the facts people want to see it...



Are these the clips that play on the EVHgear site or are they new ?

I would also love to hear this. BTW I do have a 16 year old son who has taken up guitar, in fact to the point where he is soon (if not already) passing me up in playing, he spends every waking moment with the guitar. I couldn't be more proud of him. I am still certain I would never replace a 30 year member of my band with him though.

We would love to hear those tracks if you could post em:thumb:Check your messages dude!;)

Here is a quote from Lonnie, Ed's guitar tech posted today http://www.hugeracksinc.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=36966

Guys,

Changes to rig are new head/cab/speakers, new guitar (still in proto phase), original whammy pedal, and new EVH dunlop wah (still in proto phase).
Removed are the Demeter trem and Line 6 rack delay (never used anyway).

As for his flanger and phaser sound there is simply no secret. His settings are nothing unusual. Its all in his right hand. He hits very hard and that drives the pedals hard. Thats it.

Peter, not sure about Denver. Keep an eye on website. An early itinerary I have says Denver is possible early next year.

As for me, I'm done for good with EVH as of a couple days ago.
I have never spoken publicly about who EVH really is and what his behavior is really like. Plain and simple, I have absolutely nothing nice to say about the man. I could easily lay the truth down but I'll take the high road, like the very class act Michael Anthony and wish him best of luck with his tour and issues.

As for me, I'm done for good with EVH as of a couple days ago. I have never spoken publicly about who EVH really is and what his behavior is really like. Plain and simple, I have absolutely nothing nice to say about the man.

Wow, don’t usually care about this stuff but I’d really like to see DLR with VH once. You’d think Lonnie was used to Ed’s antics by now, guess the dude has slipped even further to push him over the edge like that. I’m sure Ed will be able to slide someone else in there for the tour but..wow. This tour is going to be a traveling stick of dynamite if it gets on the road. For Wolfie's sake, I hope he has sense enough to know Pop's off his rocker and doesn't let that side of him influence him much.

Well, all personalities aside, if Ed stays sober I would think it will probably be a pretty decent show for those attending. From the looks of it ticket prices are through the roof though, hope all the 80's fans have good paying jobs now.

Well, all personalities aside, if Ed stays sober I would think it will probably be a pretty decent show for those attending. From the looks of it ticket prices are through the roof though, hope all the 80's fans have good paying jobs now.

The show here in LA may go on sale as soon as next week, just talked to my buddy who runs a ticket agency and is a massive VH fan, the show here will be real pricy as it's a home gig too they have $700VIP packages in the first 10rows, $75-$150 is the face value on reg seats, which will of course sell for much much more.

The show here in LA may go on sale as soon as next week, just talked to my buddy who runs a ticket agency and is a massive VH fan, the show here will be real pricy as it's a home gig too they have $700VIP packages in the first 10rows, $75-$150 is the face value on reg seats, which will of course sell for much much more.
Me! mee! I want one of those 700$ tickets! :lol:

Yeah, that’d be great. $700 is actually face value though (what VH is selling them for) they will retail for $1500-$1800 :eek:

I'd pay $40 but no more :)

I'd pay $40 but no more :)

Come on, haggle properly. This isn't worth forty.


http://www.visiting-uganda.com/skills/images/brian.jpg

What do you mean it isn't worth $40? You just said $40!!!


Oooohhh haggle.....


.... errrmmmm I'll give you $10?

Now you're getting it... Ten? Are you trying to insult me? Me, with a poor dying grandmother? Ten?!?!

Ok Ok !!! 30!!!!!!

Hey I got 2 euros and forty cents in my pocket, would that be enough for starting out a lay away for some ticket? But please, no third class airlines to get over there, as I always need dramamine pills. Hey, maybe you can ask your grandmother and see if she can fit me with Mr.T´s pills for the flight.

Hey I got 2 euros and forty cents in my pocket, would that be enough for starting out a lay away for some ticket? But please, no third class airlines to get over there, as I always need dramamine pills. Hey, maybe you can ask your grandmother and see if she can fit me with Mr.T´s pills for the flight.

Burt!

This bloke won't haggle.

Here is a quote from Lonnie, Ed's guitar tech posted today http://www.hugeracksinc.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=36966

That seems to speak volumes...more harm done by saying nothing more than he did but maintained his credibility...good for him. It#s not nice to find out someone you worshipped for a long time may be a dickhead.

double post... :tumbleweed:

That seems to speak volumes...more harm done by saying nothing more than he did but maintained his credibility...good for him. It#s not nice to find out someone you worshipped for a long time may be a dickhead.
That is pretty much exactly how I now feel too. It's a bummer because I used to worship him like a god.

As for ticket prices, how much will someone pay me to go? Because I sure as hell am not shelling out a penny it.

Burt!

This bloke won't haggle.
Earnie! oh cmmon pal, uh-uh-uhhhh, would be fun! he-he-heheee

Burt!

This bloke won't haggle.

FAF!!!!!!

I'm confused. I always thought Matt Bruck was Ed's guitar tech:headscratch: Guess I'm a bit behind.

FAF!!!!!!
:lol: This is starting to sound like school boys friends hidden treats, :lol:

Sorry Tony!!! its a Monty Python thing :D Ender is an ex leper.

Sorry Tony!!! its a Monty Python thing :D Ender is an ex leper.
LOL! no prob man, thing is I saw a bunch of them Monty Python films in spanish a few years back, :wtf:, hahahaha! Go figure. Kinda like watching one of those Hong Kong Karate movies dubbed where you see the lips going one way and the voice all the other way. Imagine: lips tell: iray! in hito! voice says: I have came here because you killed my father, so it´s time for you to meet death! :lol:

oooh the only time the police academy films were funny " .... You want to fight me??? ... I fight you!!!!" :)

oooh the only time the police academy films were funny " .... You want to fight me??? ... I fight you!!!!" :)
Duh? :notme: I guess so.....

you had to be there tony. and have the jacket with the rolled up sleeves and the collar. Oh you definately had to have the collar !!!

I'm confused. I always thought Matt Bruck was Ed's guitar tech:headscratch: Guess I'm a bit behind.


Matt is Ed's guitar Tech and everything else in studio mostly, he actually helped him design the new 5150 III amps and worked with him on the Recent Frankie replicas, Lonnie was Ed's guitar tech on the last leg of the 04 tour.

Yeah, Sucka did an interview with him back when we ran G101. He's been his tech for quite a while and he's always seemed like a pretty cool guy.

Matt is Ed's guitar Tech and everything else in studio mostly, he actually helped him design the new 5150 III amps and worked with him on the Recent Frankie replicas, Lonnie was Ed's guitar tech on the last leg of the 04 tour.

Thanx Jimmy. I read Matts column in Guitar World alot. The guy knows his shit:rock:

Yeah, Sucka did an interview with him back when we ran G101. He's been his tech for quite a while and he's always seemed like a pretty cool guy.

I have a very short memory, lol. Can't believe I forgot that already:wtf:

I have a very short memory, lol. Can't believe I forgot that already:wtf:
Grandpa! http://www.gaownersclub.com/forum/images/smilies/icon_old.gif

Grandpa! http://www.gaownersclub.com/forum/images/smilies/icon_old.gif

If I'm grandpa, you must be moses:toothless:
http://joedale.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/moses_kneel_praising_god_hg_wht_2142.gif

If I'm grandpa, you must be moses:toothless:
http://joedale.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/moses_kneel_praising_god_hg_wht_2142.gif
There were 11 commandments but it was me who dropped and broke one :notme:

There were 11 commandments but it was me who dropped and broke one :notme:

That doesn't surprise me. I suppose you're the guy who cracked the Liberty Bell too :D

I never liked VH that much. But it was an unrespectfull thing to do in the 1st place..... that was cheap....no class at all. What a low thing to do.

Ill rather listen to Andy Timmons anytime than his music......

Each to their own. No matter how bad he's got at the moment, I'm glad that music stays the same way for ever. And I'm glad that Fair Warning and VHI were documented in this way when he was at the height of his playing and creativity.

I'm not knocking any other guitarists, and I'm not saying Eddie's the greatest either. But the whole package of songs like Mean Street, Unchained, Ice Cream Man and Atomic Punk just do it for me. Nothing else comes close for me.

That's not to say I can get by listening to Van Halen non stop either (despite what you may think of me). But I always come back to these albums regularly.

I just wish they hadn't lost their way and were still capable of this sort of stuff today.

But then again, would that make these two albums a little less great for me if that were so ?

:dunno:

Eddie certainly was a genius back then. He was the next logical evolutionary chain after Hendrix. There were of course others such as Blackmore, Page, Clapton, Beck...but they were using blues as a medium. Believe it or not, so was Ed BUT he mutated it beyond a lot of what could be thought of as the blues...in the end, Clapton was and still is Ed's God.

At this point (76-78), I'd say maybe Tom Verlaine, Alan Holdsworth (another of Ed's heroes) and Jan Akkerman were doing anything that could be classed as left of centre but Ed just had it in droves. Killer rythm player as well...that's sometimes overlooked. But try playing the intro to 'I'm The One' or maybe 'Hang 'Em High' and you'll soon get it.

As for now...well, when I saw the thing he did at the trade fair in LA for Fender, I thought he was just pulling the trem and trying to hit harmonics. I know he wasn't very well but he seemed in total terror of being up there. The Michael Anthony thing is the last straw for me. The UK has always been sadly overlooked by VH so now he can stay in the US as far as I'm concerned. Sad but true.

From Rolling Stone:

Fired Van Halen Bassist: “I Found Out on the Internet” (http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2007/09/04/fired-van-halen-bassist-i-found-out-on-the-internet/)

As you’ve almost certainly heard, later this month the reunited Van Halen is hitting the road for an extensive tour with David Lee Roth out front. But something is missing. Original bassist Michael Anthony — whose distinctive backing vocals are crucial to classics like “Running With the Devil” and “Panama” — has been fired and replaced by Eddie Van Halen’s sixteen-year-old son Wolfgang. Many outraged fans are pledging to stay home, while others will be showing up with “Where Is Michael Anthony?” T-shirts. Last week Anthony got on the phone with RS to explain what happened.

When was the last time you saw Eddie Van Halen?
The last time I actually spoke or saw him in person was right after we walked offstage in 2004, the last show of the tour.

How were things then?
It really didn’t end in total peace and harmony within the band, for whatever reasons. I’m not going to finger-point at anyone, but the tour, after eighty shows, just couldn’t go on at that point.

How did you find out they were going to do this upcoming tour without you?
Probably like everybody else, I found out on the Internet and through word of mouth. I can understand that he wants his kid to play with him. If I had a kid like that, I’d like to have him perform with me, too. It was kind of funny when I first heard about it being a Van Halen “reunion.”

(Keep reading for Anthony’s take on the 2004 tour, the doctored album covers that appeared online after the band’s recent reunion announcement, his sixteen-year-old replacement and more.)

So they never called you?
No, nobody ever contacted me about anything. I just kind of found out with everyone else.

Is it true they tried to keep you off the 2004 tour?
Yeah. Ed didn’t really want me on that tour.

Do you know why?
He was always put off that I was going out and playing with Sammy [Hagar] when we weren’t doing anything. It wasn’t like I was doing it to spite anybody. I was just tired of sitting at home and doing nothing. Sammy asked me one day if I would like to come out and maybe make an appearance at one or two of [his] shows and have some fun, and I said, “Yeah, great.” It kind of snowballed into me coming out and doing a few songs with him here and there.

Didn’t they make you sign something to participate in the last tour?
You’re putting all the dirt in this one, huh? I gave up a lot to do [the last Van Halen] tour, as far as my percentage of what everyone was being paid. I did have to sign something at the end of the tour, that I was relinquishing any rights or claims that I had to anything that had to do with Van Halen. The reason I did the tour was: I didn’t need the money, but I kind of figured if it was the last time Van Halen ever went out, I’d be kicking myself if I didn’t go out onstage one last time for the fans. So I kind of sucked it up a bit.

But that didn’t affect your royalties or anything?
No.

Do you regret doing that?
There’s always things that you look at in hindsight that you could have done differently or whatever, or tried to make it better. I don’t regret going out, because I did enjoy going out and playing for the fans. I kind of regret the way that it turned out, because it should have been a tour that possibly went on for at least a year, and toured all over the world, and it just wasn’t meant to be. And that’s pretty sad, in my eyes.

Some fans are saying that this current tour is not the real Van Halen. How do you respond to that?
I had a post on my blog the other week stating that it is what it is, and I’m not going to sit here and go, “Hey, those a-holes, going out and doing this without me.” I even told the fans, “Don’t judge his son, Wolfgang, too hard, because he’s the innocent guy in this whole thing.” I’m sure he’ll do fine. But as far as it being a full reunion, well, it’s not. There’s no reason for me to sit there and cry over it or whine over it. Life goes on.

Do you think Wolfgang is too young to be taking on such a huge task?
I really can’t say, because I’m not around the guy a lot. He came out and did some shows in 2004, came out onstage when his dad was playing a solo, and played a little bit. Being thrown right out into big arenas, a sixteen-year-old kid, I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of possible overwhelming things that are thrown at him in that kind of a situation, plus, when they get onstage, who knows how the fans are going to react to him? Hopefully, he’ll be able to work through all that.

Your backing vocals were an important part of the sound.
Mm-hmm. I guess it will be interesting. I don’t know, I’m not to say how they’re going to pull that one off, but I’m sure they’ve thought of something.

Dave and Ed were smiling and shaking hands at the press conference — do you think it’s genuine?
[Laughs] There again, I really can’t tell you, because I’m not around them or know what’s going on. I can speculate, but that wouldn’t really mean anything here or there. I guess the proof will be once they get out and start playing. Because once Dave gets onstage, he becomes Diamond Dave.

Did you see that they removed your image from Van Halen’s first album on their Web site?
Yes, I did. And that was the one thing that kind of saddened me a bit, when I was pointed to that, to see that my pictures were removed off of the first album. With Women and Children First, they took the picture off completely. I couldn’t figure out what they were trying to do except for brainwash the fans into thinking I was never in the band. That bummed me out quite a bit. I’m proud of all my history with Van Halen, and maybe they feel otherwise.
You seem to be taking the high road with all this.
I’m not a spiteful person. At this point in my life, I don’t need the drama. I went through that when I was in my twenties, and I don’t feel like going through it again in my fifties. I just want to have fun, be able to go out onstage and play and have a good time.

Are you touring with Sammy Hagar this summer?
Yeah, we’re actually going out late October, and we’ll be touring on and off until next summer. It stems from around March, when Sammy Hagar did this cruise thing with Carnival Cruise lines, where they cruise down to Cabo San Lucas. His fans pay an extra premium and his band goes on the ship, and they asked me if I wanted to come and perform one night. I didn’t want to just get up with his band and do Hagar stuff, so I put this thing together and I said, “Let’s just do some old Van Halen stuff and have some fun with it and do maybe a couple other covers that we all grew up to, like some Zep or Cream.” So we call it the Mad Anthony Express, and we did about two hours on this ship, and the fans loved it. I said, “Hey, this is pretty cool.”

Do you see a day in the future where the four original Van Halen members could possibly share a stage again?
At this point, I really don’t know, because I think they’ve chosen their path. They would be the ones to really ask. As far as myself, I think if the situation was right and everything was on the up and up I’d be interested in doing it. It would definitely have to be on those terms.

Mike seems so calm about everything. He's so well grounded for a "rock star". No ego at all. I think most people would be ecstatic to have this guy in their band!:thumb:

After reading that interview I am even more convinced that deep down Mike is kinda relieved they didn't ask, I mean I know he would have like do do it for the fans and it would have been cool to be onstage with Dave again but man the drama that would have been goin on. He is a class act takin the high road like that, they could all learn from his example there :thumb: , a little off topic has anyone tried any of his Hot Sauces, I heard great things about them and was thinking of getting a bottle :thumb:

Yeah, he is a class act indeed. As ever, I'm not really comfortable with how Wolfie has been targeted in all of this as it is not his fault. Hope he doesn't become all fecked up as well as a result of what happens on the tour.

Lets hope the music is as good as they promise it is for those that have shed out the dollars to go and see.

:thumb:

$50 bucks the kid is going to end the first show crying :toothless:

Fans are Fans.

Dont forget that.

If you dont beliebe me, you can ask the Metallica new bass man;)