Van Halen Summer 2007 Tour

[Nighthawk76]

The Van Halen News Desk reports that Van Halen is planning a tour for next summer. Rumors are that original lead singer David Lee Roth will rejoin the band for this upcoming tour. Though whether Roth is actually back in the band has not been confirmed. However, it was reported that bassist Michael Anthony is no longer a member of the band and that his possition is being filled by Eddie Van Halen's 15-year old son, Wolfgang.

I think that a reunion tour with Roth might be cool. Maybe. However, Michael Anthony should be included. I don't know what the brothers have against poor Mike. Mike did not play on the three new songs included on the band's 2004 hits collection. Also, the brothers did not want Mike to participate in the 2004 reunion tour with Sammy Hagar, but that Sammy would not do the tour without him. Michael Anthony is one of the greatest bass players in rock and he is as much apart of Van Halen as Eddie and Alex. I'm glad that Eddie is proud of his son, but let him start his own band, don't give him Mike's spot.

I also think that it is sad that this once great band can do little more than reunion tours. First with Sammy in 2004 and now possibly with Roth. Don't the Van Halen brothers want a future for the band? As bad as the Cherone album was, at least the band was thinking of the future and not reliving the glory of the past.

[Nighthawk76]

Here is the link if anyone wants to check it out: www.vhnd.com

[Dr. Thong]

Even if Roth is brought back in, I will not go see VH with Wolfgang on bass. I have lost so much respect for Eddie after the way he's treated Michael Anthony, a guy who was with him from the beginning, a good player and backup singer and who has always projected a positive attitude.

Besides, until Roth is really back and an official announcement is made to that effect, nothing is etched in stone. And without Michael Anthony, it aint "Van Halen."

[TJL]

What? Mike isn't in the band anymore? That sucks.

They have to get him back.

[dragster58]

Cool thing they're gonna tour again!!

[Nighthawk76]

Originally Posted by Dr. Thong

Even if Roth is brought back in, I will not go see VH with Wolfgang on bass. I have lost so much respect for Eddie after the way he's treated Michael Anthony, a guy who was with him from the beginning, a good player and backup singer and who has always projected a positive attitude.

Besides, until Roth is really back and an official announcement is made to that effect, nothing is etched in stone. And without Michael Anthony, it aint "Van Halen."

Even though I still think that Eddie is one of the greatest guitar players ever and a musical genius, as a person I like him less and less everytime I read something new concerning some stupid thing he did or said. Even Roth, who says that he is in talks with the band, said that Eddie seems to be in his own world half the time. And Eddie talks all the time about how he wants to be seen as a serious musician. Well, writing songs for X-rated movies isn't the way to earn respect. I'm curious to know if Alex is as big of a jerk as Eddie or if he is just trying to stick by his brother.

I agree that without Mike, Van Halen is not Van Halen.

[Jrnygrl]

Originally Posted by Blair's Number #1 Fan

Even though I still think that Eddie is one of the greatest guitar players ever and a musical genius, as a person I like him less and less everytime I read something new concerning some stupid thing he did or said. Even Roth, who says that he is in talks with the band, said that Eddie seems to be in his own world half the time. And Eddie talks all the time about how he wants to be seen as a serious musician. Well, writing songs for X-rated movies isn't the way to earn respect. I'm curious to know if Alex is as big of a jerk as Eddie or if he is just trying to stick by his brother.

I agree that without Mike, Van Halen is not Van Halen.

I agree Eddie is the best, the last of the great guitarist, but his behavior is out of control. I always thought the same thing about Alex, he seems more like the younger brother instead of Eddie. I also agree with your comments about Michael Anthony, to stand by Eddie through it all and to be replaced by and 15 year old!!!! That is just wrong!!!!! I agree also if Michael isn't in the band, then it ain't VH!!!!!

[dragster58]

Well, let's say that we can safely put Eddie in the slot with Jimi, Peter Frampton, Frank Marino, Santana, Tom Petty for his innovative guitar work!!

[Nighthawk76]

Here is a picture taken of Eddie earlier this year. He looks pretty bad. I also included a classic Eddie picture from 1984.

[AKA]

Too little, too late. And without Mike, no deal.

[Dr. Thong]

Originally Posted by dragster58

Well, let's say that we can safely put Eddie in the slot with Jimi, Peter Frampton, Frank Marino, Santana, Tom Petty for his innovative guitar work!!

Tom Petty?? Tom's a good rhythm guitarist and singer, but the credit for The Heartbreakers' lead guitar work goes to Tom's right-hand man Mike Campbell.

[Nighthawk76]

Originally Posted by Jrnygrl

I always thought the same thing about Alex, he seems more like the younger brother instead of Eddie.

I've always heard that Alex was the wildest member of the band back in the early days but that he really mellowed out around the time of 1984. And like Eddie he had a drinking problem but has been sober since 1988. I have to say that out of everyone in the band that Alex gives the best interviews. He has a good command of the English language and everything he says sounds well thought out and intelligent.

[AKA]

Ed's pretty much gone off his rocker. I'm not sure if anyone heard about his September 8, 2006 interview with Howard Stern.

From Rolling Stone:

Eddie Van Halen Goes Bananas on Howard Stern: The Full Highlights

By Andy Greene
Rolling Stone

A few days ago we reported on Eddie Van Halen’s recent radio interview with Howard Stern, but nothing but a transcription can capture the true insanity of this exchange — it’s taken us hours and hours just to process Van Halen’s vitriolic comments about David Lee Roth, Sammy Hagar and how his 15-year old son Wolfgang is a better bass player than Michael Anthony. Let’s go straight to the highlights:

On curing his tongue cancer without chemo or radiation:

Eddie Van Halen: “I cured my cancer in a way that’s not exactly legal in this country. I’d tell you, but I don’t want to go to jail. When you drink your damn draino it just holds it at bay. It comes back. Cancer is like a cockroach. It just comes back stronger. I’m tearing apart the immune system of the cockroach and seeing how it ticks. I’ve opened up my own pathology center. Some of us open tequila bars in Mexico, I’m curing cancer. They cut a healthy piece of my tongue off and grew healthy cells outside of my body and tested them. I’m missing a third of my tongue. They butchered me. I didn’t quit smoking after I got tongue cancer cause smoking didn’t cause it.”

On a possible reunion with David Lee Roth:

HS: “Diamond David Lee Roth never wanted piano in Van Halen.”
EVH: “You mean cubic zirconia?”
HS: “You’re never going to do a reunion with him, are you?”
EVH: “Ummm…You know, I’m open to anything.”
HS: “Really? He makes it seem like you are never open…”
EVH: “In 2000 Alex and I tried to pull something together with him.”
HS: “What happened? You couldn’t stand being around him?”
EVH: “No, the guys’s a loose cannon - but I can deal with loose cannons.”
Robin: “Everyone says you’re the problem.”
EVH: “Yeah, because I don’t respond or talk about this stuff.”

On Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony’s current Sans Halen tour:

EVH: “Michael Sobolewski [Michael Anthony’s real last name] is out touring with ‘the little red rocker’ … I mean the little red worm. I got no problem with these guys, but they’re billing themselves as the other half of Van Halen. My brother is the other half of Van Halen. They’re out there selling hot sauce and tequila and playing all my songs. It doesn’t bother me. It just makes them a cover band.”

On the porno movie he wrote two songs for:

EVH: “I don’t call it porn. I call it sex. It’s like Braveheart with a cum shot. Everyone’s giving me their dweeb opinion about this - but without sex you wouldn’t be here to give me your dweeb opinion.”

On his new girlfriend:

EVH: “I have a girlfriend. Her name’s Janie. She’s a press agent…You’re damn right she’s super hot. We met at a press conference. We’ve been together two months.”

On his fifteen-year-old son Wolfgang joining Van Halen:

EVH: “My son Wolfgang plays drums, guitars and bass. This kid is ****ing dangerous. If I excel at the speed of sound, he excels at the speed of light. My brother goes, ‘This is the first time I’ve had bass in my headphones.’ He’s only fifteen years old and he’s getting laid. He’s spanking it too.”
HS: “How do you know that?”
EVH: “When you spend 45 minutes in the bathroom you’re not taking a shower. … Valerie and I have joint custody of Wolfgang. For the last couple of weeks Alex, he and I have been jamming together.”
HS: “You wouldn’t go back on the road with Hagar, would you?”
EVH: “I’m pretty much open to anything. What’s going to happen is that there’s a new member of Van Halen, and that is my son.”
HS: “I’m hearing your son is in and Michael Anthony is out.”
EVH: “My son is in and Sobolewski can do whatever he wants. The name Van Halen, the family legacy, is going to go on long after I’m gone. This kid is just a natural. I’m going to have him play on a solo record, and it’s going to be out - he and I.”

[Nighthawk76]

OMG!!!!

Eddie has always been one of my big heros. When I was in high school Sammy and Eddie were as cool as it got as far as I was concerned. And unlike The Beatles and Led Zeppelin, they were a band I could actually go see in concert. Which, of course, wasn't possible with The Beatles and Zeppelin. And to see what has happend to the guy is really, really sad. Drinking draino? Bragging about his teenage son's sex life? The disrespect he shows towards Mike? Notice how he is "open" to working with either Dave or Sam because he knows that he needs them.

[Nighthawk76]

Here are some pictures of Sammy, Dave, Alex and Mike as they appear these days.