The Van Halen Thread

[metaldad]

QUOTE (Presto-digitation @ Feb 23 2012, 12:14 PM)

Gary's a class act too, very much in that MA line. He's always talked about his time in VH and being let go with class and dignity. No buses under which to throw anyone. He gets a LOT of blame for that album and he takes it all in great stride and seems to harbor no outward resentments. He did say, and I did find this funny, that he WISHED he'd heard some of the new album's riffs when they were making 3....(and I'm left to conclude that he wishes 3 had more punch in that direction). Basically he said he wished he'd had that material to work with...

I also heard on Eddie Trunk when asked if he would write a book and he said No, he said it's nobody's business but his the bands .

[danielmclark]

QUOTE (Presto-digitation @ Feb 23 2012, 12:26 PM)

QUOTE (metaldad @ Feb 23 2012, 01:22 PM) QUOTE (danielmclark @ Feb 23 2012, 01:14 PM) I've said it before and I'll say it again (and again and again and again because some people just don't F'ing listen) - Sam will stop talking about VH as soon as interviewers stop asking him about VH. Sam is a big enough artist that he can lay down the law as far as interviews go. Any major celebrity can lay ground rules as to what they will/won't talk about , Maybe he should try it . He has been with Mike long enough that he can talk about his bass playing without having bring up VH and mention Ed's drinking. It's lame . This is exactly right. You're not ENSLAVED by an interviewer. I'll chalk it up to Sammy not knowing how to control an interview if so. But the TRUTH is he loves getting asked the question as much as a "journalist" might enjoy asking it.   I'll say it again and again and again (because people don't f@ckin' listen)...he should look at his own bandmate Mike on how to take the high road. Why is it that one of them can address the same question professionally and one cannot? If anyone has a right to be bitter or critical or dismissive, it's Mikey. And yet...he's above that.   Michael Anthony remains the gold standard for BOTH bands when it comes to conduct. Well, we just heard from Satch about his thoughts on the new VH album... are we going to start bashing him now, too? Or is it just Sam and Mike that should gag themselves when it comes to the band that they were a part of for two decades (or more)?

[Xanadoood]

QUOTE (danielmclark @ Feb 23 2012, 01:33 PM)

QUOTE (Presto-digitation @ Feb 23 2012, 12:26 PM) QUOTE (metaldad @ Feb 23 2012, 01:22 PM) QUOTE (danielmclark @ Feb 23 2012, 01:14 PM) I've said it before and I'll say it again (and again and again and again because some people just don't F'ing listen) - Sam will stop talking about VH as soon as interviewers stop asking him about VH. Sam is a big enough artist that he can lay down the law as far as interviews go. Any major celebrity can lay ground rules as to what they will/won't talk about , Maybe he should try it . He has been with Mike long enough that he can talk about his bass playing without having bring up VH and mention Ed's drinking. It's lame . This is exactly right. You're not ENSLAVED by an interviewer. I'll chalk it up to Sammy not knowing how to control an interview if so. But the TRUTH is he loves getting asked the question as much as a "journalist" might enjoy asking it.   I'll say it again and again and again (because people don't f@ckin' listen)...he should look at his own bandmate Mike on how to take the high road. Why is it that one of them can address the same question professionally and one cannot? If anyone has a right to be bitter or critical or dismissive, it's Mikey. And yet...he's above that.   Michael Anthony remains the gold standard for BOTH bands when it comes to conduct. Well, we just heard from Satch about his thoughts on the new VH album... are we going to start bashing him now, too? Or is it just Sam and Mike that should gag themselves when it comes to the band that they were a part of for two decades (or more)? I'm not commenting any further till i hear what Chad Smith and Kenny Aranoff think

[metaldad]

QUOTE (danielmclark @ Feb 23 2012, 01:33 PM)

QUOTE (Presto-digitation @ Feb 23 2012, 12:26 PM) QUOTE (metaldad @ Feb 23 2012, 01:22 PM) QUOTE (danielmclark @ Feb 23 2012, 01:14 PM) I've said it before and I'll say it again (and again and again and again because some people just don't F'ing listen) - Sam will stop talking about VH as soon as interviewers stop asking him about VH. Sam is a big enough artist that he can lay down the law as far as interviews go. Any major celebrity can lay ground rules as to what they will/won't talk about , Maybe he should try it . He has been with Mike long enough that he can talk about his bass playing without having bring up VH and mention Ed's drinking. It's lame . This is exactly right. You're not ENSLAVED by an interviewer. I'll chalk it up to Sammy not knowing how to control an interview if so. But the TRUTH is he loves getting asked the question as much as a "journalist" might enjoy asking it.   I'll say it again and again and again (because people don't f@ckin' listen)...he should look at his own bandmate Mike on how to take the high road. Why is it that one of them can address the same question professionally and one cannot? If anyone has a right to be bitter or critical or dismissive, it's Mikey. And yet...he's above that.   Michael Anthony remains the gold standard for BOTH bands when it comes to conduct. Well, we just heard from Satch about his thoughts on the new VH album... are we going to start bashing him now, too? Or is it just Sam and Mike that should gag themselves when it comes to the band that they were a part of for two decades (or more)? Can you imagine if he said something like " This is much better than the shit they put out with Sammy "

[danielmclark]

QUOTE (metaldad @ Feb 23 2012, 12:37 PM)

QUOTE (danielmclark @ Feb 23 2012, 01:33 PM) QUOTE (Presto-digitation @ Feb 23 2012, 12:26 PM) QUOTE (metaldad @ Feb 23 2012, 01:22 PM) QUOTE (danielmclark @ Feb 23 2012, 01:14 PM) I've said it before and I'll say it again (and again and again and again because some people just don't F'ing listen) - Sam will stop talking about VH as soon as interviewers stop asking him about VH. Sam is a big enough artist that he can lay down the law as far as interviews go. Any major celebrity can lay ground rules as to what they will/won't talk about , Maybe he should try it . He has been with Mike long enough that he can talk about his bass playing without having bring up VH and mention Ed's drinking. It's lame . This is exactly right. You're not ENSLAVED by an interviewer. I'll chalk it up to Sammy not knowing how to control an interview if so. But the TRUTH is he loves getting asked the question as much as a "journalist" might enjoy asking it.   I'll say it again and again and again (because people don't f@ckin' listen)...he should look at his own bandmate Mike on how to take the high road. Why is it that one of them can address the same question professionally and one cannot? If anyone has a right to be bitter or critical or dismissive, it's Mikey. And yet...he's above that.   Michael Anthony remains the gold standard for BOTH bands when it comes to conduct. Well, we just heard from Satch about his thoughts on the new VH album... are we going to start bashing him now, too? Or is it just Sam and Mike that should gag themselves when it comes to the band that they were a part of for two decades (or more)? Can you imagine if he said something like " This is much better than the shit they put out with Sammy " I have to admit, that would be really funny

[Rod in Toronto]

I think there are plenty of ways to avoid questions you dont want to answer in an interview. Neil has started doing press again and does not respond a single question about his tragedies. I understand this is the golden rule when interviewing him - no questions about his personal life. If Sammy wanted to take the high road, he could just as well avoid responding to provocations about VH in interviews. A respectable "no comments" would be much more appropriate. I think he's angry and jealous, and wants to bash VH at any given chance.

 

In saying that, I'm not implying I hate Sammy or Van Hagar, I love his solo stuff, kinda dig Chickenfoot and love his time in VH. But honestly, he needs to shut up about VH once and for all.

[Presto-digitation]

QUOTE (danielmclark @ Feb 23 2012, 01:33 PM)

QUOTE (Presto-digitation @ Feb 23 2012, 12:26 PM) QUOTE (metaldad @ Feb 23 2012, 01:22 PM) QUOTE (danielmclark @ Feb 23 2012, 01:14 PM) I've said it before and I'll say it again (and again and again and again because some people just don't F'ing listen) - Sam will stop talking about VH as soon as interviewers stop asking him about VH. Sam is a big enough artist that he can lay down the law as far as interviews go. Any major celebrity can lay ground rules as to what they will/won't talk about , Maybe he should try it . He has been with Mike long enough that he can talk about his bass playing without having bring up VH and mention Ed's drinking. It's lame . This is exactly right. You're not ENSLAVED by an interviewer. I'll chalk it up to Sammy not knowing how to control an interview if so. But the TRUTH is he loves getting asked the question as much as a "journalist" might enjoy asking it.   I'll say it again and again and again (because people don't f@ckin' listen)...he should look at his own bandmate Mike on how to take the high road. Why is it that one of them can address the same question professionally and one cannot? If anyone has a right to be bitter or critical or dismissive, it's Mikey. And yet...he's above that.   Michael Anthony remains the gold standard for BOTH bands when it comes to conduct. Well, we just heard from Satch about his thoughts on the new VH album... are we going to start bashing him now, too? Or is it just Sam and Mike that should gag themselves when it comes to the band that they were a part of for two decades (or more)? Probably not because I doubt he'll take every chance he can to trash it in the press. If he does go on like bananas, then yes. It's not about anyone's opinion about it, it's the frequency with which Hagar talks about VH...prompted or not. Lots of people don't like it, but I doubt a reviewer is going to write 7 negative reviews about it...going on and on. As it turns out, Satch wasn't really negative either. He said "I kind of like it" and implied that it's great to have another record with EVH playing guitar, etc. So he and Sam aren't coming from the same place here either. There's no journalistic juiciness in complimenting something, so I doubt Satch will be asked about it in every interview. They're attracted to Sammy because he'll say something negative and they know this. Sammy, I would wager, wouldn't say something positive about the album if he was asked to name something good about it. I just don't think his head is in that kind of a place. Clearly Satch and Chad don't feel compelled to merely be negative.       It seems that's what Sammy prefers to talk about. If I was Hagar, I'd be insulted that the press finds the trappings of my old band and my thoughts about that far more compelling and interesting than what I'm working on. Kind of insulting, if you ask me, that Van Halen's controversies are infinitely better reading than the music on CF3. But if that's the case...

Edited February 23, 2012 by Presto-digitation

[Presto-digitation]

QUOTE (Xanadoood @ Feb 23 2012, 01:35 PM)

QUOTE (danielmclark @ Feb 23 2012, 01:33 PM) QUOTE (Presto-digitation @ Feb 23 2012, 12:26 PM) QUOTE (metaldad @ Feb 23 2012, 01:22 PM) QUOTE (danielmclark @ Feb 23 2012, 01:14 PM) I've said it before and I'll say it again (and again and again and again because some people just don't F'ing listen) - Sam will stop talking about VH as soon as interviewers stop asking him about VH. Sam is a big enough artist that he can lay down the law as far as interviews go. Any major celebrity can lay ground rules as to what they will/won't talk about , Maybe he should try it . He has been with Mike long enough that he can talk about his bass playing without having bring up VH and mention Ed's drinking. It's lame . This is exactly right. You're not ENSLAVED by an interviewer. I'll chalk it up to Sammy not knowing how to control an interview if so. But the TRUTH is he loves getting asked the question as much as a "journalist" might enjoy asking it.   I'll say it again and again and again (because people don't f@ckin' listen)...he should look at his own bandmate Mike on how to take the high road. Why is it that one of them can address the same question professionally and one cannot? If anyone has a right to be bitter or critical or dismissive, it's Mikey. And yet...he's above that.   Michael Anthony remains the gold standard for BOTH bands when it comes to conduct. Well, we just heard from Satch about his thoughts on the new VH album... are we going to start bashing him now, too? Or is it just Sam and Mike that should gag themselves when it comes to the band that they were a part of for two decades (or more)? I'm not commenting any further till i hear what Chad Smith and Kenny Aranoff think Chad Smith has been openly complimentary of Alex's work on the record. That's the only quote I've seen.

[Presto-digitation]

QUOTE (RodrigoAltaf @ Feb 23 2012, 01:47 PM)

I think there are plenty of ways to avoid questions you dont want to answer in an interview. Neil has started doing press again and does not respond a single question about his tragedies. I understand this is the golden rule when interviewing him - no questions about his personal life. If Sammy wanted to take the high road, he could just as well avoid responding to provocations about VH in interviews. A respectable "no comments" would be much more appropriate. I think he's angry and jealous, and wants to bash VH at any given chance. In saying that, I'm not implying I hate Sammy or Van Hagar, I love his solo stuff, kinda dig Chickenfoot and love his time in VH. But honestly, he needs to shut up about VH once and for all.

Agree. Peart used to control questions about his tragedies by simply not doing press. I know it's a different scenario, but it's ridiculous to presume you are forced to answer whatever question you're asked. The journalist wants the dirt on the controversial topic, but he's also not going to END the interview if Hagar actually wants to talk about his band, album, and tour either.

 

Interviewer: So what do you think of the new VH album?

 

Hagar: Hey man, whatever. I wish those guys luck, ya know. What matters most to me is my band and getting on the road this summer and back into the studio.

 

Interviewer: So you're not going to dish on Eddie?

 

Hagar: It's all good man, I've got my own thing, they've got their own thing....

 

Interviewer: (shuts of recorder) We're done here.

 

Hagar: Hey wait man. Don't leave!! Ok, Wolf is a fat ring-ding eatin' sombitch. His mother's a whore. Eddie's a crack-eatin' ass-mongrel. Dave looks like Phyllis Diller in the morning and sounds twice that bad. Alex plays drums like Asians drive cars!!!!! Just DON'T LEAVE!!!!

Edited February 23, 2012 by Presto-digitation

[Rod in Toronto]

Now, on to what's really important: Van Halen News Desk has posted a video of Girl Gone Bad 2012. It KICKS MAJOR A$$$$!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

I'd say Dave has more control over his voice here than in any other recorded verion of Girl Gone Bad. Wolfie's bass really stands out, and once again, Eddie is in top form.

[Presto-digitation]

So far my favorite clip is of Women In Love. I think they're pretty good on that one.

[metaldad]

Hear About It Later . I can't believe they dug that up

[Tick]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmN3cZFxWhY&feature=related

[tjtull]

QUOTE (RodrigoAltaf @ Feb 23 2012, 02:38 PM)

Now, on to what's really important: Van Halen News Desk has posted a video of Girl Gone Bad 2012. It KICKS MAJOR A$$$$!!!!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFs6_ogxmFk...player_embedded I'd say Dave has more control over his voice here than in any other recorded verion of Girl Gone Bad. Wolfie's bass really stands out, and once again, Eddie is in top form.

Sounds great!

 

I still say that Dave should just stand the hell still. His pantomiming is embarrassing to watch, seriously.

[metaldad]

I saw a photo from this tour, i don't know which night and Dave was holding a mike in his hand. Is this headphone shit all night or a few songs ?

[treeduck]

QUOTE (metaldad @ Feb 23 2012, 02:45 PM)

Hear About It Later . I can't believe they dug that up

The bad news is they dropped Mean Street for that, they should have dropped I'll Wait...

 

[metaldad]

QUOTE (treeduck @ Feb 23 2012, 02:58 PM)

QUOTE (metaldad @ Feb 23 2012, 02:45 PM) Hear About It Later . I can't believe they dug that up  The bad news is they dropped Mean Street for that, they should have dropped I'll Wait...   They should drop Pretty Woman and keep them both

[treeduck]

[metaldad]

QUOTE (treeduck @ Feb 23 2012, 03:01 PM)

Unless you want I'll Wait instead of Pretty Woman?

God yes

[Tick]

QUOTE (metaldad @ Feb 23 2012, 03:58 PM)

I saw a photo from this tour, i don't know which night and Dave was holding a mike in his hand. Is this headphone shit all night or a few songs ?

The headset is ridiculous. There is absolutely no need for it.

[treeduck]

QUOTE (metaldad @ Feb 23 2012, 03:03 PM)

QUOTE (treeduck @ Feb 23 2012, 03:01 PM) Unless you want I'll Wait instead of Pretty Woman? God yes Hmmm I don't see that it's that much better...

[Presto-digitation]

QUOTE (treeduck @ Feb 23 2012, 02:58 PM)

QUOTE (metaldad @ Feb 23 2012, 02:45 PM) Hear About It Later . I can't believe they dug that up  The bad news is they dropped Mean Street for that, they should have dropped I'll Wait...   At least they're not simply dropping songs...as in reducing the number of songs total. Much as I love Mean Street (second favorite tune of theirs), I don't mind missing it if they're playing some rarity. Ultimately I'd agree, they should just ditch all the covers including You Really Got Me.   Kiss starts a tour, by comparison, with so many songs and then loses 3 or 4 or more...so a few days/weeks in you're actually seeing a 10-minute shorter show. Now that blows. I'm glad VH isn't doing that.

[treeduck]

I say drop them both and bring in Dirty Movies!

 

[Presto-digitation]

Honestly I wish they'd drop the covers for two more NEW tunes. The album is going over very well with fans, most of whom seem to be clamoring for more than 4 new cuts. It's not too often you see that these days...play more new tunes.

[danielmclark]

QUOTE (Presto-digitation @ Feb 23 2012, 01:29 PM)

Agree. Peart used to control questions about his tragedies by simply not doing press. I know it's a different scenario, but it's ridiculous to presume you are forced to answer whatever question you're asked. The journalist wants the dirt on the controversial topic, but he's also not going to END the interview if Hagar actually wants to talk about his band, album, and tour either. Interviewer: So what do you think of the new VH album? Hagar: Hey man, whatever. I wish those guys luck, ya know. What matters most to me is my band and getting on the road this summer and back into the studio. Interviewer: So you're not going to dish on Eddie? Hagar: It's all good man, I've got my own thing, they've got their own thing.... Interviewer: (shuts of recorder) We're done here. Hagar: Hey wait man. Don't leave!! Ok, Wolf is a fat ring-ding eatin' sombitch. His mother's a whore. Eddie's a crack-eatin' ass-mongrel. Dave looks like Phyllis Diller in the morning and sounds twice that bad. Alex plays drums like Asians drive cars!!!!! Just DON'T LEAVE!!!!

I think we all know that's not how it would work if he did try to refuse to answer the questions. The problem isn't with the interviewer, the problem is with the public. The minute he refuses to answer a VH question, we'll get the bullet point list of predictable reactions from "fans":

 

* "He's such a prick, why won't he answer a simple question?"

* "WTF is his problem, does this think he's too good to talk about the band he was involved in for so long?"

* "Awww poor Sammy is too embarrassed to talk about VH because Chickenfoot is such an epic fail and they have to play casinos LMAOLOLOLOL"

* "He finally realized that he sucks without Eddie and can't justify himself anymore! Good riddance!"

 

Dude can't win. You know this to be true. Mike gets off easy because he was never a frontman to begin with, and he said his piece and is done with it - he's not a target. Sammy had a much more public, much more dramatic situation - kicked out, brought back, kicked out, all very loud and obnoxious from everyone at the time. If the reporters were hounding Mike the same way they've been hounding Sam for the past 15 years, I wonder how he'd be holding up.

 

Plus, Mike has a very different personality than Sam. Granted.