Van Halen Reunion Tour Grosses $93 Million

It was a tumultuous ride that few expected would last, but the Van Halen sorta-reunion tour came to a close June 2nd in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In the end, the tour grossed $93 million and played to nearly a million fans over the course of 74 shows. In retrospect, it wasn't the ego or antics of David Lee Roth but Eddie Van Halen's pre-jaunt rehab stay and March health issues that nearly submarined the tour. The shows marked the first time that Roth fronted the band in 23 years (though without bass player Michael Anthony, the original lineup remains estranged since 1985), and VH's handlers say it was the most successful tour of the long-running group's career.

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Song Stories

“Weird”

Hanson | 1997

Accomplished tunesmith Desmond Child co-wrote "Weird" with the three brothers that make up Hanson. Credited for dozens of cuts, including songs by Kiss, Cher, Bon Jovi and Aerosmith, Child told Rolling Stone that "Weird" holds a special place in his heart, "because it's about being different--and I grew up poor, I grew up being Latin, I grew up being gay, and now I'm fat!" The song was included on Hanson's 1997 album Middle of Nowhere, which sold more than ten million units.

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