Van Halen ON TOUR!!

[Nordling]

January 24, 2007, 4:20 PM ET
Billboard.com
Ray Waddell, Nashville

Sources tell Billboard.com a contract could be signed as soon as today for Live Nation to produce a 40-date amphitheatre tour by Van Halen this summer, with original frontman David Lee Roth back in the fold for the first time in more than 20 years.

As previously reported, guitarist Eddie Van Halen's 15-year-old son Wolfgang has stepped in for original bassist Michael Anthony in the new incarnation of the group, which also features drummer Alex Van Halen.

Van Halen last toured in 2004 with vocalist Sammy Hagar, grossing nearly $40 million, according to Billboard Boxscore. Hagar refused to collaborate further with Eddie and Alex Van Halen after the tour's completion ("I don't get along with Eddie anymore, and that's all there is to it," he told Billboard.com in August 2005), although he has consistently played live with Anthony in recent years. The warring factions may wind up meeting in public in March when Van Halen is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

"I see it absolutely as an inevitability," Roth told Billboard.com last May of a potential reunion with his ex-bandmates. "To me, it's not rocket surgery. It's very simple to put together. And as far as hurt feelings and water under the dam, like what's-her-name says to what's-her-name at the end of the movie 'Chicago' -- 'So what? It's showbiz!' So I definitely see it happening."

Also...

Rolling Stone, 1/24/07, 5:30 pm EST

The reunion that Van Halen fans have been awaiting for twenty-two years began in December, when David Lee Roth walked into Eddie Van Halen's Hollywood home studio. There he rejoined the band for a rehearsal, singing fourteen Van Halen classics. "They totally got along on a personal level," a source close to the reunion says. "And it sounded great." At press time, Roth and the band were negotiating a deal for a major summer tour, which would be Van Halen's first Roth-fronted tour since 1984. Along with a possible Police reunion, it would likely be among the year's biggest box-office draws.

"Everything is up in the air," Eddie Van Halen tells Rolling Stone. "We don't want to say anything prematurely." He suggested that the band is waiting on Roth: "People know where we are and that we're making music. Whoever wants to come up can join us -- they're welcome." But the famously contentious group may already be having communication problems. The source replies, "Dave is ready. He's been ready."

[so sorry]

Jeebus not again with these fucking guys...

DIE ALREADY!

[godzillasushi]

I prefer Dave's vocals for sure. The guy is a really big jerk though. All of them are actually. And why is Michael Anthony out of it? He was a pretty major part also. Eddie is still on of the best guitar players around IMHO. I bet they crash and burn. They are way more volatile then other reunited bands.

[Nordling]

It would be kinda awesome to see Wolfie swing the back of his guitar into Dave's head. "Don't you talk bad about my dad!" Lord, I hope not.

Van Halen ain't even near my favorite band, but they are (or were) a hell of a lot of fun. Fun's missing in rock right now.

[godzillasushi]

Yea, every band sings about their troubles and crap like emo and stuff yea and this run on sentence. Van Halen just wanted to get laid by their teacher. Simpler, happier times.

[Fievel]

So is Eddie done writing music for porno flicks now?

[Nordling]

With the Police possibly opening the Grammys and this, I feel the days of my youth beckoning to me. If Steve Perry gets back with Journey my teenage music trifecta will be complete.

[Vegeta]

Dear Lord, why?!?!?!? Hopefully they will have to do the state fair circuit with the rest of the has beens.

[TheBaxter]

"all of this has happened before, all of this will happen again"

i'm sure they'll make some announcement about reforming, then they'll go on the MTV Video awards or something and Dave will make an ass of himself and they'll call it off again.

did anyone see david lee roth when he went on a few tv shows and sang old VH songs bluegrass-style? it was surreal... and DLR looked like he was on some kind of happy juice.

[godzillasushi]

Yea it was like taking acqustic too far.

They have some great songs. They dont get enough credit for doing so many kinds of music. Some of the best covers I have heard came from them.

[Fievel]

With the Police possibly opening the Grammys and this, I feel the days of my youth beckoning to me. If Steve Perry gets back with Journey my teenage music trifecta will be complete.

Zeus's beard! Add Talking Heads to that growing list and I could die in peace.

[WinslowLeach]

The last gasp of Van Halen. At this point I dont even care if Dave gets back with them, they're so far beyond washed up. I dont even like Van Halen anymore. I grew up on them and know all their music word for word. If it was 1987 or 88 I'd be goin nuts but in 2007? blah.

[Fried Gold]

Will Dave Be There?

Depends if anyone asks me.

[WinslowLeach]

Remember Dave in the Just A Gigolo video? That was hilarious.

[Fawst]

Pink Floyd touring with Roger Waters is what would make me care.

I prefer Hagar anyways.

[godzillasushi]

I prefer Hagar anyways.

Yuk

I always felt the band overshadowed him. DLR was the band.

[WinslowLeach]

The thing is, Dave is an old balding weirdo now. The whole group are just old news. Michael Anthony isnt even going to be in there I heard, so how is that a VH reunion?

[Vegeta]

Unfortunately, through ridiculous amounts of drama and not knowing when to quit, Van Halen has lost all relevance and pretty much destroyed their seemingly invincible crown on rock. (Tom Cruise style y'all)

[Nordling]

Lost all relevance? What are you talking about? They never HAD relevance. They sang songs about getting laid, drinking, and occasionally with Hagar they vaguely talked about social issues, but hardly enough to count.

I said it before - rock isn't fun right now. Everyone's so damn somber and "relevant." And sure, I like a lot of stuff I hear, but there's nothing out there, except for maybe Tenacious D, that remembers how fun it was to rock out singing about chicks and drinkin' and partys and goofing off. Aerosmith used to do that. Shit, I welcome VH back if they can fill that gap.

There's room for everything under the sun.

[Vegeta]

Rap took over the glam rock mantle of talking about chicks, getting laid, and partying... didn't you get the memo.

[WinslowLeach]

I might as well (THUMP!).....I've fallen AND I CAN'T GET UP!!

[Vegeta]

And when I said relevance, I more meant that they were the kings of the scene and every guitar player in the world wanted to be Eddie.

[WinslowLeach]

Thats true Vedge. I'm sure Eddie will remain an influential guitar hero for a long time, but VH as a group are sort of old hat. I was one of their biggest fans. I went to 2 of their concerts and they were the first rock group I was into as a kid. They're like a phase I went through and I will never go back to them again. I'm just not into that kind of music anymore.

[buster00]

Michael Anthony isnt even going to be in there I heard, so how is that a VH reunion?

Bingo. 15-year-old Wolfgang Van Halen on bass? Lump me in with the skeptics.

It's one thing to be proud of your son's bass playing, Eddie, but throwing him out on stage to play in front of thousands of fans every night as a member of Van Fucking Halen? Absurd.

I'd rather they threw a bunch of money at Michael to get him to cooperate for a summer, and encourage Wolfie to start up his own band.

[ONeillSG1]

And when I said relevance, I more meant that they were the kings of the scene and every guitar player in the world wanted to be Eddie.

They all still do. Listen to "Eruption" and you can't tell me that EVERYONE and their arthritic mother wants to play like Eddie Van Halen.

[Vegeta]

Yeah, the late 70's/early 80's stuff is still relevant, but I wouldn't be suprised at all how many under 21 guitarist's would give you the "Eddie Van who? Oh, yeah that Eruption song is pretty cool, I guess."

[WinslowLeach]

Eruption is genius. As for Van Halen still being a great band, they're wayyyyy out of the loop. They might be fun for a summertime reunion concert but for regular listening? No way.

[cap]

Yeah, the late 70's/early 80's stuff is still relevant, but I wouldn't be suprised at all how many under 21 guitarist's would give you the "Eddie Van who? Oh, yeah that Eruption song is pretty cool, I guess."

Unfortunately you are right......

They'd be worth a watch (if I knew the set list)......

[minstrel]

Eddie Van Halen isn't really that good a guitar player. He has tons of chops, but he's a noisemaker. Kinda like Steve Vai. Heck, even a nutcase like Yngwie Malmsteen blows Eddie away, and I don't like Yngwie.

When I was growing up, I wanted to play like Mark Knopfler. THERE'S a guitarist with taste, and real musicianship.

But that was after I got through idolizing Al Di Meola. So even now I sound like a terrible amateur Al Di Meola trying to play like Mark Knopfler.

At least I amuse myself.

That's the reason I tend to stick to acoustic music these days. It's not as embarrassing.

[Vegeta]

Good point minstrel!

I've always thought that taste trumps talent any day of the week. I used to always tell that to a friend of mine who was a wicked guitarist, but only played death and speed metal.
Yup, he never made it.

[godzillasushi]

Well, and I may get my ass kicked for this one, but he was about as good as Steve Vai IMHO. Its not just the speed, but that sound that you can recognize from a solo. The creativity. I think thats what was so great about the era of music. The guitarists were fantastic and they all had their own style. When I hear Slash (My personal fav), I know its him. Err....okay go ahead and tell me im wrong now.

[Vegeta]

You're not wrong. I think Slash is a good pick. I think his taste in soloing really set him apart. He didn't do what both EVH and Steve Vai have been guilty of (in varying degrees) which is, what I like to call "jerking off on guitar". Soloing for the sake of soloing, you know the "look at me, I am so fucking good, you know your jealous" type of attitude.

[TheBaxter]

i think EVH developed a style that got aped by a lot of the shredders who came later. it's kind of like halloween, when that movie first came out it probably seemed a lot better but now every horror movie that came after and turned the slasher genre into a cliche, makes it hard to appreciate the uniqueness of that first one.

i think EVH's playing has a lot more taste than the ones who came after and just concentrated on playing faster. it's ironic that EVH's biggest influence was eric clapton.

[Vegeta]

Very true... I don't mean to knock the guy, it's just that VH is such old hat. And I liked them in the day.

[WinslowLeach]

I think EVH did more than jerk off on guitar. He was self taught too, which is awesome. I'd rank him above Steve Vai. Vai was the guy who did that crazy talking guitar shit. I think EVH was more of an artist like Clapton, he could do the crazy stuff but it wasnt cartoonish it was more like experimental and inspired. EVH is one of the all time greats, I just dont like that kind of rock music nowadays.

[Vegeta]

I personally think that not every song needs a solo, and there are far more crappy solos than good ones. Their still around, but get no airplay. If you want to find them you have to look.

[ONeillSG1]

Yeah, the late 70's/early 80's stuff is still relevant, but I wouldn't be suprised at all how many under 21 guitarist's would give you the "Eddie Van who? Oh, yeah that Eruption song is pretty cool, I guess."

Which is why they need to come back and kick Good Charlotte's homo @$$.

[Vegeta]

Yeah, the late 70's/early 80's stuff is still relevant, but I wouldn't be suprised at all how many under 21 guitarist's would give you the "Eddie Van who? Oh, yeah that Eruption song is pretty cool, I guess."

Which is why they need to come back and kick Good Charlotte's homo @$$.

Fair enough! 8)

[godzillasushi]

Yeah, the late 70's/early 80's stuff is still relevant, but I wouldn't be suprised at all how many under 21 guitarist's would give you the "Eddie Van who? Oh, yeah that Eruption song is pretty cool, I guess."

Which is why they need to come back and kick Good Charlotte's homo @$$.

Amen!

[WinslowLeach]

Even though I dont really listen to VH anymore, Id definitely take their music over the lame shit thats out these days.

[minstrel]

While I don't listen to Guns 'n' Roses much, I do respect Slash as a guitarist. He is very musical and knows how to construct riffs and solos that sing.

One of the things I don't like about EVH really isn't so much his fault as it is the fault of the legions he influenced. He popularized the two-handed-tapping technique, which is dazzling if you've never heard it before, but it really only works if you're playing with a ton of distortion and compression of the signal, and the attack is lost. So all those guitarists who followed him tended to sound the same, and they lost all the subtlety and grace that's possible for a really tasteful musician.

Eric Clapton's great reputation is due, in part, to his mastery of dynamics - the instinctive control of attack and volume, the ability to softly and loudly in the same solo and the ability to use volume and tone changes to create excitement. All that goes out the window when you use the compression required to make the tapping thing work.

So, while the tapping is a good showmanship gimmick, a lot of MUSIC is lost when a guitarist commits to it too fully.

EVH started that, and rock guitar suffered because of it.

[DinoDeLaurentiis]

And when I said relevance, I more meant that they were the kings of the scene and every guitar player in the world wanted to be Eddie.

Inna'cluding a the Dino, eh?




Unna'til I realized that a the Diamond Dave, he was a the better fit, no?

[Vegeta]

IPAMPILASH!

[Nordling]

Scary thing is those pics aren't that far off.

[WinslowLeach]

Might as well...IPAMPILASH!! 8)

[Nordling]

Well, it's official!

Los Angeles, CA - In what is no doubt one of the most anticipated moments in rock and roll, VAN HALEN officially announces their 2007 North American tour.

The tour will mark the first time since 1984 that original VAN HALEN front man David Lee Roth will perform with Eddie and Alex Van Halen along with new bassist Wolfgang Van Halen for 40 shows this summer.

VAN HALEN fans can look forward to legendary high intensity performances, featuring a set list of the most iconic hits ever produced by America's premiere rock band.

Eddie Van Halen states, "I am very excited to get back to the core of what made VAN HALEN."

Can't wait, huge fan! Eddie/David/Alex/Wolfgang gotta eat, etc.

[WinslowLeach]

VH GOTTA EAT!

[godzillasushi]

Just get Eddie's wife to sing and it can be a family jamboree. Or have Dave change his last name to Van Halen.

[buster00]

I bet they crash and burn. They are way more volatile then other reunited bands.

godzillasushi for the win!

From Pollstar:

Van Halen Postponed Indefinitely.

Well, that didn't take long, did it? They hadn't even announce the dates and venues. Is anyone really surprised?

I suppose I thought they would at least make it through the first half of the tour before they called it off.

[WinslowLeach]

Dave will probably say Wolfy sucks and Eddie will tear Daves wig off.