Comments on: The Coolest Train Wreck You'll See This Summer

The Coolest Train Wreck You'll See This Summer

peewinkle — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 11:37:28 -0800

"Once Were Kings" Some call them 1980's pop icons, others the Kings of Heavy Metal. Regardless, Van Halen has announced a 2007 tour with David Lee Roth. But without Michael Anthony, will it be worth paying to see? While Dave's current fan base is huge, others feel he has not aged gracefully. Well, it could be worse.....(youtube, ytmnd, and bad 80's haircuts warning)

By: jonmc

jonmc — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 11:47:09 -0800

I always thought of VH as my generations Beach Boys, offering the East Coasters and other landlocked kids a beautiful vision of a California fantasy of beaches, babes and endless partying with some great guitar licks as a bonus. And Diamond Dave has more charisma in his pinky toe than most rock frontmen have in their entire bodies. But you're right, Mike will be missed, his bass and background vocals were Halen's secret weapon. (and this is still the best hard rock video ever. A good video is supposed to encapsulate a band's appeal and this one does. It makes you think, 'I wanna party with those guys.")

By: oddman

oddman — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 12:00:27 -0800

So they kicked out Michael because he toured with Sammy while Van Halen was basically doing nothing? That is so lame.

By: damn dirty ape

damn dirty ape — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 12:03:24 -0800

I dont think either of those guys aged gracefully. This photo of van halen springs to mind.

By: peewinkle

peewinkle — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 12:03:51 -0800

I think Mike just got sick of the BS and said "see ya" but of course Eddie and Alex maintain that they kicked him out..... I hear that Eddie is a mean dry drunk, though there are rumors that he is drinking again.... Hence the reunion?

By: Flunkie

Flunkie — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 12:05:02 -0800

and this is still the best hard rock video ever.

I'm sorry, but any "hard rock" video in which the lead singer does a rhythmic gymnastic performance loses. (3:17)

By: 1-2punch

1-2punch — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 12:05:07 -0800

I'm Dr. Roxo, the rock and roll clown. I do cocaine.

By: hal9k

hal9k — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 12:06:04 -0800

Eddie's son Wolfgang will take his place on bass space. He is (count 'em) 15 years old. Careful with F-bombs, Mr. Roth. And get done by 11pm so Valerie can pick him up.

By: fleetmouse

fleetmouse — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 12:15:30 -0800

I'm sorry, but any "hard rock" video in which the lead singer does a rhythmic gymnastic performance loses. To be read in the voice of a pudgy asexual little weiner.

By: stbalbach

stbalbach — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 12:18:20 -0800

Strange, he looks fine in this video - but also like a different person. Probably major surgery.

By: juiceCake

juiceCake — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 12:21:09 -0800

Sometimes I feel entirely in harmony with the universe. Just the other day I watched Spinal Tap again and now this is announced. I'm sorry, but any "hard rock" video in which the lead singer does a rhythmic gymnastic performance loses. Indeed. Complete with a hair dryer no less. This video is absolutely hilarious. SCTV couldn't have done a better job. I used laugh aloud when the metal heads in my high school would call me gay because I didn't have long hair or dress like them. I'd point that being gay or straight isn't an issue first, then I'd point out my girlfriend anyway, then I'd tell them to take a good look at David Lee Roth.

By: jonmc

jonmc — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 12:30:36 -0800

I'd point that being gay or straight isn't an issue first, then I'd point out my girlfriend anyway, then I'd tell them to take a good look at David Lee Roth. Which proved your point how, exactly? David Lee Roth got laid by more women than some entire countries. /long-haired, pierced, ex-metalhead, you got a problem with that? To be read in the voice of a pudgy asexual little weiner. exactly, the Smiths/Cure mope-rock and by-the-numbers agitprop hardcore offered as an 'alternative' to VH managed to leech all sexuality or sense of fun from guitar rock.

By: jca

jca — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 12:32:38 -0800

People don't realize how important Michael Anthony's backing vocal harmonies are/were to the Van Halen "sound" -- he will be missed on that tour.

By: Flunkie

Flunkie — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 12:34:04 -0800

No, really. He does rhythmic gymnastics in that video. I'm sorry if you think that means that I am the world's biggest Smith's fan, but he does.

By: jonmc

jonmc — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 12:36:56 -0800

No, really. He does rhythmic gymnastics in that video. So, what's your point? So did Elvis Presley. This is rock and roll, and Van Halen were the best of their division. Deal with it.

By: juiceCake

juiceCake — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 12:39:22 -0800

Which proved your point how, exactly? David Lee Roth got laid by more women than some entire countries. Exactly my point Johnny. If they're going to say a person is gay because he doesn't have long hair (which, shockingly, was a measure taken seriously by many back in the 80s in my area,) what other stereotypical traits are they going to use to pass such a judgment and to them, condemnation? How about tights, makeup, close contact with men, dancing around like a gymnast, etc. and so forth. And yet all this is entirely and conveniently dismissed.

By: Flunkie

Flunkie — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 12:42:45 -0800

So, what's your point?

My point is that having the lead singer whirl a rhythmic gymnastics ribbon on a stick around disqualifies a video from being the greatest hard rock video of all time. I thought this was clear.

So did Elvis Presley.

When did Elvis Presley do a rhythmic gymnastics performance?

This is rock and roll, and Van Halen were the best of their division. Deal with it.

OK. And that's not the greatest hard rock video of all time. Deal with it.

By: stinkycheese

stinkycheese — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 12:42:54 -0800

bozadee bozadee bop ditty bop

By: Flunkie

Flunkie — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 12:44:17 -0800

bozadee bozadee bop ditty bop

Now that was a video.

By: Ironmouth

Ironmouth — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 12:53:26 -0800

Van Halen is perfect high school rock. As illustrated by people acting out their high school roles twenty years later on this thread.

By: dw

dw — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 12:54:50 -0800

I really thought Dave would be the worst-looking one at this point in time. But he's still doing it. Eddie looks like crap. I have no desire to see them. Never was a fan. But man, Panama is audio testosterone. Hell, all of 1984 was. exactly, the Smiths/Cure mope-rock and by-the-numbers agitprop hardcore offered as an 'alternative' to VH managed to leech all sexuality or sense of fun from guitar rock. Shut up and look at your shoes. Your guitar isn't droning enough.

By: The Card Cheat

The Card Cheat — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 12:57:41 -0800

> and this is still the best hard rock video ever Hey...I clicked on that link, and that's not Hot For Teacher at all! What's the big idea???

By: The Straightener

The Straightener — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 13:01:13 -0800

What you might sacrifice in Mike Anthony vocal harmonies you'll gain in not having a fifteen minute Mike Anthony bass solo. This will hopefully fucking rule. It's one of those sitches where I would wait to hear some initial reactions before spending what will surely be an absurd amount on a ticket. Face it, if there was ever a potential musical train wreck reunion tour of mythic proportions, this is it. It's either going to make me cum or sob, or maybe (just maybe) both.

By: mkb

mkb — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 13:09:32 -0800

The Kings of Heavy Metal are undoubtedly Manowar, not Van Halen. Come on.

By: dobbs

dobbs — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 13:26:02 -0800

That Panama video was even more ridiculous than I thought it was in High School. And since when is VH "hard rock" to anyone who wasn't my mom?

By: The Card Cheat

The Card Cheat — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 13:31:03 -0800

Oh, and; MetaFilter: It's either going to make me cum or sob, or maybe (just maybe) both.

By: ZenMasterThis

ZenMasterThis — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 13:37:10 -0800

As long as they bring that magic snare drum, it's okay.

By: nyxxxx

nyxxxx — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 13:59:56 -0800

Here's the alternate universe where the Sex Pistols and Van Halen switched places.

By: jonmc

jonmc — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 14:01:17 -0800

That Panama video was even more ridiculous than I thought it was in High School. And since when is VH "hard rock" to anyone who wasn't my mom? we get it, dobbs, you're hipper than all of us. Let us have our fun anyways. Shut up and look at your shoes. Your guitar isn't droning enough. Droning guitar was done best by Canned Heat years before any of this was ever thought of. an VH was never about depth, they were about release, and they did it better than anyone else in their epoch.

By: dobbs

dobbs — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 14:15:34 -0800

Yeah, jon, that's what it's all about. When will you get tired of that ridiculous insult. Hell, even the guys in AC/DC refer to VH as a pop band and that was 2 decades ago.

By: jonmc

jonmc — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 14:21:36 -0800

That wounds me to the core, really it does. And when did 'pop' become an insult? Pop is short for 'popular' and 'populist' and Van Halen managed that pretty damned well. Out of respect for your intelligence and general perceptiveness, i inited you to my countdown blog awhile ago to explain my perspective, but I guess you weren't interested, which is a shame since I would've dug your perspective. (and I think I explained my love of Van Halen pretty well with my Beach Boys analogy in my opening comment)

By: sharksandwich

sharksandwich — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 14:26:23 -0800

This clip of Eddie Van Halen at some Fender dealie at the Winter NAMM has been haunting me for days now.

By: peewinkle

peewinkle — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 14:26:54 -0800

see the link in the post re:Kings, dobbs..... A large part of Dave's charisma is the ability to poke fun at himself.... I am sure this will be the most extravagant, over-the-top rock tour of all time..... And jonmc, don't sweat the kids..... they obviously are not Rothologists...... What the kids don't understand is how Van Halen, in 1978, single handedly destroyed the disco movement..... and continued to kick ass into the 80's.... not to mention how every guitar player that was born after 1970 acknowledges EVH's influence on the electric guitar as a whole..... But indeed, this is either going to be the tour of the decade or the biggest train wreck since Bob Dylan, Keith Richards and Ron Wood played at Farm-Aid.......

By: peewinkle

peewinkle — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 14:30:24 -0800

Oh, and a s a side note, I wonder if Sammy will have the cajones to show up at the R+R Hall Of Fame Awards now......

By: jonmc

jonmc — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 14:32:12 -0800

And jonmc, don't sweat the kids..... they obviously are not Rothologists...... I sweat nothing, sir, Roth on his own was Milton Berle in spandex, and Edde and Alex on their own were chops-happy kids who occasionally stumbled upon a god tune. Together, Dave and the bros and Mike crystallized something perfectly, Liking it or not is a matter of taste (which there is no accounting for, although my own is impeccable) but give the boys their due.

By: dobbs

dobbs — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 14:37:30 -0800

jon, I didn't get an invite from you for anything that I can recall. Perhaps you sent it to me via Vox of something and if so, I don't actually go there at all--just signed up to get my name before someone else did as not having it on popular services has caused me probs in the past. Thanks for thinking of me, though, but I don't really comment anywhere but MeFi. In fact, I hate the internet. ;) And... peewinkle, I got no prob with VH's music. I made their logo outta wood in shop class when I was 10 (almost 30 years ago). I just don't consider them "hard rock".

By: sparkletone

sparkletone — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 14:39:33 -0800

To be fair, this VH tour is only the coolest train wreck I'll see this summer if The Police reunion results in a full-on tour (which there's no reason to think it won't, at this point).

By: mr_crash_davis

mr_crash_davis — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 14:41:43 -0800

"This clip of Eddie Van Halen at some Fender dealie at the Winter NAMM has been haunting me for days now." At 0:35, Ed turns it up to eleven. At about 2:00, I expected to see Ralph Macchio and Joe Seneca. 3:16 in, he's talking about the pickups, and it reminds me of my late uncle telling me about Ed "just rips a big hole in the guitar body and jams a pickup in it", and how I figured he must have been lying (but clearly wasn't). 4:51 in and the design on the jacket wrapped around his waist looks like he's grown a cock out his ass. 5:44, NO WHAMMIES NO WHAMMIES NO WHAMMIES 6:30 and Ed should be heading back to the Betty Ford Clinic.

By: MDA38

MDA38 — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 14:41:56 -0800

There's something sad about this. It's like when Kiss decided to put their makeup back on.

By: jonmc

jonmc — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 14:42:05 -0800

jon, I didn't get an invite from you for anything that I can recall. I sent it via the email on your user page. And FWIW, I've always considered you more of a 'worthy adversary' than an enemy since despite our differences on matters of taste, you seem like a decent guy and a serious music lover, which is why i wanted you to see it, since as a music writer my main goal is to get people to listen (or re-listen) to the music I'm writing about). In the email I sent I tried to explicate what I'm getting at.

By: ZachsMind

ZachsMind — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 14:56:59 -0800

This must mean David Lee Roth's attempt at taking Howard Stern's morning show timeslot crashed and burned as everyone predicted? That's nice. At their best, Van Halen was never more than heavy pop. When my friends were going gaga over Kiss and Van Halen, I preferred listening to Billy Joel. He was smart. He became famous sitting in front of a piano. He didn't get famous jumping around doing gymnastics. So Joel can continue playing the piano until his fingers fall off. Roth looked stupid when he was at his best, and today he just looks pathetic.

By: dw

dw — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 15:03:56 -0800

Droning guitar was done best by Canned Heat years before any of this was ever thought of. Yeah, but I never heard Kevin Shields wax poetic about "On The Road Again." an VH was never about depth, they were about release, and they did it better than anyone else in their epoch. It was all songs about women's pants -- getting into them, describing getting into them. And they were masters at it. Journey was the San Francisco side of bombastic pop-rock -- romantic, urgent, somewhat pretentious. But VH was the LA side -- strutty, horny, sunny cock rock. You're right, they were the Beach Boys of the 80s. And sadly, this coming tour will resemble a Mike Love led Beach Boys doing "Kokomo." I have no problem with pop music. When it's done right, it's brilliant. Bubblegum Music Is The Naked Truth, man.

By: juiceCake

juiceCake — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 15:10:07 -0800

exactly, the Smiths/Cure mope-rock and by-the-numbers agitprop hardcore offered as an 'alternative' to VH managed to leech all sexuality or sense of fun from guitar rock jonmc has managed to leech all the sense of fun from this thread. What the kids don't understand is how Van Halen, in 1978, single handedly destroyed the disco movement..... and continued to kick ass into the 80's.... not to mention how every guitar player that was born after 1970 acknowledges EVH's influence on the electric guitar as a whole..... What kids? Who are they? How old are they? Allegedly destroying the disco movement has to do with understanding what exactly? Or influence? I wouldn't classify VH as anything near hard rock either. Competent poppy rock about getting your pole marinated, but then we all have various classifications and ratings. Issues of coolness are entirely irrelevant. I admire gymnastics and I like to jump about too. Given the option between seeing Van Halen and the Cure my first choice would be neither, my second choice would be Van Halen, and my third choice would be not the Cure. Both pop bands, but one at least is clearly much better live and clearly much more of a laugh.

By: TrolleyOffTheTracks

TrolleyOffTheTracks — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 15:25:25 -0800

I saw VH twice in concert. 1979, Louisville Gardens (KY), when I was 13 and 1981, Freedom Hall (KY), when I was, you guessed it, 15. For me, at that time, they were always a great party band. Great guitar sound. They were fun. Plus, the type of girls I wanted to, ... ahem, "party with" at that time liked VH and went to their concerts. The "Runnin' with the Devil" clip is funny. The hair, the clothes, the preening, ect. seems incredibly silly now. But I still like the overall sound. Have no idea what their rock and roll legacy or place in history is or will be, but frankly I could care less. For their time they were great.

By: ?!

?! — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 15:53:42 -0800

TrolleyOffTheTracks I guess that would make you a Toonerville Trolley off the Tracks. Wasn't that 1978 at the Commonwealth Convention Center and 1980 at the Fairgrounds? You had an early start young man. At least I know what happened to that nerdy kid coming on to my gf's little sister....

By: pyramid termite

pyramid termite — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 16:04:48 -0800

What the kids don't understand is how Van Halen, in 1978, single handedly destroyed the disco movement that must be why they keep going to clubs where house music is played not to mention how every guitar player that was born after 1970 acknowledges EVH's influence on the electric guitar as a whole "i wanna be a wanker, just like him!" ... his lead guitar just doesn't do it for me ... he is a fairly good rhythm guitarist i was underwhelmed in '78 and remain underwhelmed

By: jonmc

jonmc — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 16:46:27 -0800

Who the fuck is Kevin Sheilds? and you are they, sir.

By: toma

toma — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 16:52:12 -0800

Wow, sharksandwich, that's awful. I've posted elsewhere about it, and it's not much fun to talk about, but several of the dudes I hang out with have been saying that Eddie's dying. The rumors keep swirling, one of them being his old manager won't hang out with him so he won't stumble across the body. That NAMM clip just sent a chill through me (our drummer, Mike, played the EV thingie, going on before Los Lobos, who were terrific as usual). Eddie is a monster, a genius, and a dead drunk. I saw VH 4 times as a teenager, and they were a blast, Eddie playing all his solos, except for the stock ones like 'Ain't Talkin'..., completely on the fly. I saw VanHagar once, only because my buddy at Warner's had tickets, and that was awful, they looked like vaudeville. Eddie seemed like some old plate-spinner, or knifer-thrower. They announced the tour, but I don't buy for a second that it will happen. He's come apart.

By: mwhybark

mwhybark — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 16:55:23 -0800

Here's the alternate universe where the Sex Pistols and Van Halen switched places. Thanks for the refresher on that - loved first time around and it's aged well. Didn't VH do this to Diamond Dave once before, to drum up sales, only to pull the football at the last minute, a la Lucy and Charlie Brown? (psst... Mr. Roth is from my hometown in Indiana; while VH was HUGE with the Hoosiers, jmc, I'm gonna call BS on the Beach Boys likening on influence alone, never mind the state or state of mind the fellas come outta. Also please note Eddie married an actress best known for a show set in Indianapolis. So maybe they're our generation's John Cougar. er, ah, um, that is, I mean to say... Still, best of luck to Dave.) Warn't Kevin Shields an OG MTV VJ?

By: Sparx

Sparx — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 17:11:58 -0800

Not being at all interested in VH (lightweight white party-boy pop with a side order of penis references) I looked at that 'Panama' vid only after Flunkie's comment. It's gay. My gaydar went off the scale, my gaygiometer indicated absurd levels of background gayness and every fibre of my being screamed 'GAY' louder than Isaiah Washington at the final rehearsal for an off-Broadway production of 'Rent'. It is of the fag.

By: TrolleyOffTheTracks

TrolleyOffTheTracks — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 17:22:52 -0800

?! that does make me a Toonerville trolley. So hello! I googled for past tour dates. It must have been spring 78. But I could swear it was at the Gardens and not the Convention Center. Tour dates and venues change on tours so I am going to take that list with a grain of salt. The second concert was at the Freedom Hall, which is part of the Fairgrounds Complex. But it was 82, the Diver Down tour, not 81. It was a long time ago. I should have googled before I posted to jog my memory. Anyway good to make your acquaintance ?!.

By: Cyrano

Cyrano — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 17:28:06 -0800

Eddie was my hero growing up. The only song I can still play on guitar is "Running with the Devil." I like Van Hagar better; then again I like the original lineup as well and can't really find the mental energy to get worked up about the whole thing. Maybe it's because I'm just a couple years too young to have been music conscious when 1984 was came out and I never saw the original lineup live (I saw the Hagar version six times, including my first evar concert at Rice Stadium in Houston on the Monsters of Rock tour, so that probably colors things a bit.) All that being said, I like Sammy post-Halen more than I like Van Hagar. I went to a show during the Hagar/Roth tour a few years back. Dave was opening that day, and at the end of his set I thought, "Damn, that was pretty good. Sammy's going to have to really bring it." But I also thought, "On the other hand, Dave was basically just fronting a VH cover band." And even with my admitted bias, Hagar blew him off the stage. He seems to be comfortable with the rock-and-roll Jimmy Buffet thing he's moved on to. And if that ain't your thing, hey, I ain't faulting you. Dave seemed to think it was still 1984, though. So, if a time warp to 1984 is what you want, you'll probably get it.

By: liam

liam — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 18:05:14 -0800

It's gay. My gaydar went off the scale, my gaygiometer indicated absurd levels of background gayness... Isn't all hard rock, from Van Halen to heavy metal, one large closet?

By: stenseng

stenseng — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 18:17:38 -0800

ONE LARGE CLOSET FULL OF HOT BLONDES AND A CASE OF JACK DANIELS YOU MEAN, am i rite? guys? Yeah, Eddie's a mess these days. Remarkable to say, but it seems as if Dave's done a much better job of taking care of himself. He's actually a remarkably funny and literate fellow... If you ever get a chance to give Crazy from the Heat, Dave's autobio a read, it's pretty good...

By: stenseng

stenseng — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 18:18:03 -0800

Oh, and if they play Portland or Seattle, I'm there.

By: ed

ed — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 18:59:54 -0800

1992: Fuck you! The Stones still rock! Let me relive my halcyon days! 2007: Fuck you! Van Halen still rocks! Let me relive my halcyon days! 2022: Fuck you! The White Stripes still rock! Let me relive my halcyon days!

By: dw

dw — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 19:09:59 -0800

Who the fuck is Kevin Sheilds? Guitarist for My Bloody Valentine, as in the band that popularized shoegazer music and the droning guitars that came with it.

By: stevil

stevil — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 19:53:45 -0800

Sit down, Waldo.

By: ikkyu2

ikkyu2 — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 20:42:19 -0800

People harshing on Eddie's NAMM demo need to realize that that's what it sounds like when you're trying out a new amp/guitar combo, trying to figure out what the tone sounds like at each point across the range of the instrument. Ragging on Eddie's technique here is like criticizing a mechanic for not breaking a 0-60 record while he's trying to figure out what's wrong with your car's engine. Thanks for the post, peewinkle. Now occhiblu knows what to get me for my birthday!

By: Smedleyman

Smedleyman — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 21:31:35 -0800

At least Dave is off the white powder. I suspect it's that which has aged him so. Of course, I'm talking about the king of vices: sugar.

By: fingers_of_fire

fingers_of_fire — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 21:47:02 -0800

um, ikkyu2 - Eddie played his ass off at the NAMM thing. And all the while, he spoke and looked like a walking corpse. You may not want to admit it - 'cuz, after all, he DID unequivocally play his ass off - but he looked like walking death. I don't think anybody is making any comments about his playing.

By: ikkyu2

ikkyu2 — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 22:09:11 -0800

His lifestyle started to catch up to him years ago, f_o_f; that's no secret. I recall a blog post I read a couple of years ago about a guy who sat next to him in First Class on a plane flight. They got wasted together and had a good time, but the blogger was absolutely astounded and appalled at the amount of booze Eddie put away.

By: subaruwrx

subaruwrx — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 22:55:10 -0800

Fucking Viacomm. "Content removed..."

By: kirkaracha

kirkaracha — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 00:00:51 -0800

Van Halen with David Lee Roth: good¹ Sammy Hagar solo: good Van Halen with Sammy Hagar: bad² David Lee Roth solo: fun, in 1985. ¹ Classic old-school Van Halen, that is. ² I like the video for "Right Now."

By: bardic

bardic — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 03:00:30 -0800

I saw Van Hagar in 1991. I think. It was fun. The now demolished Cap Center, for you DC denizens. Vinnie Vincent Invasion opened up. I did not get laid that night. Probably better odds than usual though. I'm glad someone mentioned Michael Anthony's 10-minute bass solo (on the "Jack Daniels" designed bass). Honestly, I thought I'd dreamt that.

By: bardic

bardic — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 03:01:32 -0800

(And while he looked like shit, I thought Eddie played great in that video. Was that an actual Fender or a Japanese fakie that he usual played? And what happened to his Music Man signature ax? Guess that contract expired a while ago.)

By: Joey Michaels

Joey Michaels — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 03:21:49 -0800

For the record, I had a better time in the 1980's than some of you because I liked both Van Halen and The Cure. Nyaaah Nyaaah Nyaaah. Also, if we're spliting hairs over what type of music is which, Metalica and Iron Maiden were metal, Van Halen and Aerosmith were Hard Rock, and The Cure and The Smiths were New Wave. At least thats how categorized them at ye ol' college radio station circa 1985-89. If they come out here, I'm so in line to see them. I figure they are close to having the first major "death of a member" event so I'd like to get a chance to see them before that sad event occurs.

By: bunnytricks

bunnytricks — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 05:06:54 -0800

I think that video for Panama just might be even more overtly homosexual than this.

By: jfuller

jfuller — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 05:20:13 -0800

> There's something sad about this. It's like when Kiss decided to put their makeup back on. That was more than justified--more than justified--by the Kiss reunion cover of the business magazine Forbes. All four of them in full warpaint and 45-year-old beer bellies, with a banner reading "Four middle-aged guys decide it's time to save for retirement." Re. VH, certainly they were pop, which is proved by the fact that girls liked them, and not just pimply 15-year-old guys exclusively, like the heavy metal audience. Question in passing: has any other guitar god ever looked happier to be a guitar god than Eddie?

By: psmealey

psmealey — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 05:21:03 -0800

I liked Shelley Long Cheers better than Kirstie Alley Cheers.

By: Football Bat

Football Bat — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 09:06:12 -0800

Roth used to buy Chekov plays at my bookstore. Maybe there'll be a reading from 'The Seagull' right after a nice long butchering of 'Pretty Woman.'

By: ?!

?! — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 09:55:31 -0800

TrolleyOfftheTracks:You also. I remember where Freedom Hall is. I haven't done that much alcohol. :) As for the CCC, half the time I mixed it up with the Gardens, which I usually called the Armory. So god knows where we were. I just thought the second concert was 1980. By 1981 I was married and such concerts were in my past. If you're a certain age EvH is simply the guy that messed up some of Valerie Valerie Bertinelli's best years. Or saved us from them..one or the other.

By: Vindaloo

Vindaloo — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 10:19:31 -0800

I don't think Van Halen should classified as Heavy Metal. Hard rock, sure. But metal rightfully belongs to Slayer, Metallica, and Motorhead; and those of the same ilk. Halen was neither fast enough nor loud enough to compare.

By: Fupped Duck

Fupped Duck — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 12:13:21 -0800

But Darren = Darren on Bewitched. Eddie was, is, and will likely always be an asshole for whatever reason. He used to be able to blame it on Dave, buts quite clear now, he's just "dificult". Lets call it sub optimal mental heath. Physically, he beat oral cancer (and still smokes) and got a new hip at 40. But the bottom line is the NAMM vid shows he still has his chops. Its about the music, just ignore the peripheral crap, or as Saint Zappa once put it so succinctly: Shuddup and play yer Guitar

By: drstein

drstein — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 19:25:12 -0800

"/long-haired, pierced, ex-metalhead, you got a problem with that?" Yes, I do. There's no such thing as an 'ex-metalhead.' Geez!