Van Halen, Band Healin’
As I sure many of you know, Van Halen is reforming, sort of, for another tour. By ’sort of’ I mean the lineup may not be the original lineup. Obviously, its going to be Eddie and Alex, the singer will be Diamond Dave, but the bass player is going to be Eddie’s son Wolfgang, instead of original member Michael Anthony. (Really, how integral was Michael. He comes across to me as one of those guys who was just, for lack of a better term, there.)
Most people are saying this won’t last. We all heard this earlier this year only to find out a week or so later that Eddie was headed back to rehab. I doubt even the most die hard fans aren’t a bit hesitant.
I’m not a die hard fan, I’m a casual Van Halen fan. I’ve got a few of their albums. I’ve got Diver Down and 1984 and their debut record. I am surprisingly optimistic about this reformation though. The last time Diamond Dave re-united with Van Halen was in the mid-90s. It was only for a short period but the band managed to squeak out two new tracks. Those two tracks (Can’t Get This Stuff No More and Me Wise Magic) are pretty good tunes.
There is just something special about the chemistry between the brothers and the flamboyant vocalist. DLR’s attitude comes across so well when teamed with Eddie’s playing. I can’t really explain how or why they work so well together, they just do.
Would I go to the concert when they come to town? No. Would I buy a new CD (should they stay together long enough to record one)? No, but I would download a couple tracks on iTunes after a sample listen or two.
This is the way I see it, when Diamond Dave’s upfront, there’s this aura of coolness around the band. When Sammy Hagar’s upfront, the aura gets cheesy and when Gary Cherone was there… Oh, did you forget about that one. Van Halen’s last studio album with ex-Extreme lead singer Gary Cherone on vocals. I don’t think the phrase ‘get the funk out’ was more appropriate than it was the day Van Halen III saw the light of day.
Recommended Listening: Can’t Get This Stuff No More.
August 17, 2007 at 11:22 am
I think most guys of our generation enjoy Van Halen to some degree, but the majority of us could care less if they get back together. Still I’m kind of happy that this kind of non pretentious rock still has a market.
August 17, 2007 at 11:34 am
Hmmm I don’t really have anything to say….Van Halen. meh I could take em or leave em.
August 17, 2007 at 12:45 pm
As a guitar player, there will always be a place in my heart for the VH. But the on again/off again/new singer/old singer/new bassist/old bassist crap is just old and boring — and with Dave’s voice starting to slip, Eddie’s sobriety clearly affecting his playing, and the lack of Michael Anthony’s harmony vocals to help cover up DLR’s mistakes, it’s not worth what it once was.
I have a pet conspiracy theory that would take FAR too long to explain, but essentially 3 things killed Van Halen, despite the fact that it refuses to completely stop twitching and die, and those are
1) Ted Templeton
2) Valerie Bertanelli
3) Dweezil Zappa
Back, and to the left. ..Back, and to the left.
August 17, 2007 at 10:11 pm
I’m not a Van Halen fan. A couple good tunes but they can stay apart.
August 20, 2007 at 6:47 am
wiwille - every once in a while we need music that speaks to our dicks.
Miss Ash - Admit it, you wanna see DLR in his assless chaps.
Dan - How’s Dweezil involved?
Big Ben - Admit it, you wanna see Miss Ash’s reaction to seeing DLR in his assless chaps.
August 20, 2007 at 2:00 pm
Dweezil Zappa grew up being (like many of us) a huge Eddie Van Halen fan. The difference of course is that with such a favorite dad it wasn’t hard for the two to eventually meet and become friends (Eddie produced Dweezil’s first solo effort when he was just a teenager).
Over the years as Dweezil gained noteriety as a player in his own right, he became a big part of the LA music scene, making several friends among up and coming guitar heroes of the time — among them Nuno Bettencourt, (who sang on and produced a number of tracks on Dweezil’s 1991 album “Confessions”).
Nuno Bettencourt at the time was the guitar player for a band called Extreme.
Extreme’s lead singer?
..Gary Cherone.
August 20, 2007 at 2:13 pm
Dan - ooooooh, makes sense, horrible horrible sense. But some day, if you have the time, no pressure, I would be very interested to hear your ‘3 things that killed VH’
August 20, 2007 at 6:35 pm
Like you I’m only a sometimes fan of theirs. I only have one album And I didn’t like them after Diamond Dave left the band.