i’m confused. people care about this?

I remember a reading couple years ago Eddie Van Halen claiming that Anthony effectively quit the band by going out and playing live with Hagar. Van Halen said something like “you can’t be in two bands”, so therefore Michael Anthony was out. It was the most ridiculous logic imaginable, but I believe somehow in Eddie’s drug and alcohol damaged brain, that was Anthony’s way of “quitting”.

Eddie should know better. keeping to that stupid “it’s all about the band” mentality is how musicians end up sucking- you should play with as many people as possible. I never got how Metallica gets away with that stupid “no side projects” rule.

Yeah, as a matter of fact, some of us do.

yes they do. get your head out of the sand

fucking rock star egos
jesus christ

fucking rock star egos
jesus christ

Wonder if Wolfgang is playing with Van Halen on all the the “classic” cuts on the upcoming Guitar Hero game. Something tells me, they found a way to erase Michael Anthony from that too…

hey ed, worry about being sober and making a classic new record.

Eddie Van Halen always says that everyone quits the band,while the likes of Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony have completely opposite stories(about why they left),for I’m sure that we’ll someday hear Gary Cherone’s reason on why he left Van Halen(which,of course,won’t be about “quitting the band”).

Even if every member that ever played with the band all came back together for a reunion show where all of the members were shot out of David lee Roths ass onto the stage with Bea Arther dancing topless in a cage with sparkler pasties, I still wouldn’t give a shit enough to look up from Bang Bros. So count me out as someone who cares.

It’s all about the egos. And while I think Mike Anthony and Hagar are probably amiable dudes, they also have an ego or they wouldn’t do what they do.
That said…why doesn’t an interviewer ever cut to the shit with this group of drama queens and ask the questions everybody wants to ask but are afraid to?

“So, Ed – meth…true or false? let’s talk about it?”

“Hey Mike – did you actually discuss going off and jamming with Sammy in your spare time with the VH boys or did you just do it without clearing the air up front?”

I just want you all to know that my son Eddie can really play the guitar. He also is enormously self-centered. Does he really think Michael should be sitting on his thumbs for 22-years while he is in and out of rehab and battles cancer? As people, you can’t be so self-centered that you think someone else sould wait around on you hand and foot with absolutely nothing else going on–well, except me of course, since I am the oafs mother, as that is what mothers do. Eddie just couldn’t be a man about it, and tell Michael that he was out because he wanted to play with his son instead. Edward, behave!

you’re not confused MK…no one cares about this…and I am a VH fan since 78…in fact i am ashamed that I’ve written this much.

if michael quit when sammy did, and wanted back in only when dave came back, how does eddie explain the VHIII tour in ‘98?

The simple fact is Van Halen is finished. Done. Their last tour was an absolute money-grab and they’ll never do another album contrary to what they say. As soon as I heard they were touring without Mike and with Eddies ten year old son I lost interest immediately. The difference between Michael and Eddie is that one of them has class and the other one is a complete tossbag. Guess which one’s which.

eddie Van Halen is a liar.Mike was playing with sam while the band was on hiatis.He brought sam back to the band.Mike was the glue.Then Ed wanted sammy on the 2004 tour,but not mike.Sammy refused unless mike was there.Sam and mike then had to sign contracts ,getting paid alot less than the brothers.Mike had to give up royalties in order to participate.

Part 2:The brothers stuck lawyers on sam and mike not to discuss Cabo wabo or hot sauce in the media.Ed was wasted on that tour (I saw it in spokane).The tour imploded and Sam and mike finished their obligation as employees of drunk Ed.

Part:3 Then sam brought out mike on his solo tour and played as the other half.Not for big profit,but just to play music for the fans.Then before the “reunion tour” van halen removes mikes image off the original album covers!

Part:4 I got so angry that I ran up from my parents basement and yelled at my Mom. That bitch never gives me pot pies. I ran back down stairs and tore up my posters of the band and wept myself to sleep.

Eddie,the geetar god,methhead,alky,porn addicted,but Hey i’m OK now,don’t worry cause Dave’s cool too lying prick who LET US DOWN because you forgot about,US the fans who loved ya.You used to blow us away you were so good.But now… But the one I really feel bad for is not Mikey. Nope. It’s Wolfie.Poor little Wolfie. He will always live in daddy’s shadow and never be anyone else but a spoiled little rich pansy.He’s the bass player in Dad’s washed up band. Geez,I guess there’s not a Noble Prize in his future ,eh? Mommy’s hawking weight loss products on the late night tube infomercials cause Eddie smoked her alimony away. Bet Wolfie’s never had a job at the carwash.And Roth? Seriously who the fuck cares about that bozo? Sadly,these days, I hear VH,sometimes I gotta turn em off.

yawn!

The VH legacy has been ruined. Thanks for nothing, Ed!

it was fun while it lasted Ed – thanks for the memories – if you actually kicked your own stupid brother out of the band I might actually have some respect for you, but let’s face it dude, you go thru singers like toilet paper – time to hang it up and join velvet revolver – best thing for you to do would be to jot the way you see it all down like Dave did and sell it. Oh yeah, thanks for your overpriced guitar, not buying it – later

I’m certain I read this same article in Cream or Guitar World about 20 years ago. The “who quit or was fired” debate never ends with these guys!

Eddie will always be known as one of the greatest rock guitarists and the first six or seven =VH= albums (I’ll give Hagar 2) will always be considered hard rock classics (in my opinion).

Sadly, I don’t doubt that Eddie really feels justified saying that Mike Anthony quit. Mike has been a part of =VH= since before DLR suggested that they use that name for the band. See what you did DLR?

I’ll always love =VH= but Ed is really brain-pickled if he thinks people believe that everyone around him just goes nuts and quits while all he does is hole up and write music endlessly.

Still, I don’t think any of this is a legitimate excuse for a band to call themselves chickenfoot.

Drunk Eddie is the problem. Drunk Eddie has always been the problem.

I liked Eddie better when I didn’t hear him speak or know anything about him. I was only concerned about his guitar music. Now I know he’s a small minded drunk who can’t put two words together to make a sentence. But I still love his work, always will. But drop the Mr. Nice Guy act Eddie, it’s not fooling anyone.

Seriously. What these guys all need is their very own Sally Jessie Raphael moment. The powers that be should offer these guys big $$$ to sit down for a Bobwa WahWah 2-hour special and just hash the thing out. “Ok guys! Who is wying heawa? Dawid? Sommy? Ehwad and Owex Van Hawen?”
Somebody needs to expose this 20 year fiasco and ask the hard hitting questions. “Who quit who? What happened to the balls after 5150? Which song sucks worst – Me Wise Magic or Up For Breakfast?”

I never liked michael anthony….

Why dont Van Halen join forces with Aerosmith and make one shitty band that doesnt care about their fans? It would be easier on critics who only have to write one bad review, and for their fans who wouldnt have to cut back on their crystal meth to afford tickets.

Zzzzzz…

How cares what has happened? Mike started to speak about Eddies drinking after 2004 tour, so it wasnt very friendly act. He hooked up with Hagar and thats that. How cares! Its great that Ed can do what he wants and now Mike Anthony is in Chickenfoot! Its great that everyone has their friends and they can do what they want. Everyone is tired of crying rock stars. Just make more music, nothing else matters.

Valerie Bertinelli is looking fine again. Can we have more news on her instead of Van Halen? Better yet, when does Warrant start touring again? That cherry pie song rocked.

Right now we got Van Halen with David Lee Roth and Chickenfoot with Hagar and Anthony.
Every band needs new blood. New bands make new music. Van Halen will make music that will change the radar of Rock`n Roll. Chickenfoot record is dull, sorry. But with Satriani I waited much more. Waiting already the next Chickenfoot record. Still.

Eddie, while a great geeetar player, seems slightly slimy as a human. Chickenfoot’s new album is solid, and it will blow the doors off of anything VH can produce at this time..

van halen was a great band terrific up to and including 5150 unfortunatley they went on too long and now are just a bunch of bickering old farts

Mikey never quit, complete stand-up guy. Sammy had to fight for Mikey to be on their “reunion tour”.
And then Eddie makes him take reduced salary and had to give up royalty rights to 1984. What a slimy guy Eddie can be.
Look at the way Mikey and Sammy handled themselves during the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction.
Eddie just threw Mikey to the side.
What comes around goes around. We all know that Eddie will piss off Dave soon and force Wolf to sing as well.
Shut up and play the guitar Eddie.

Typical Eddie, he should just keep his mouth shut, then he wouldn’t get caught up in his lies. He once said that when both Sammy came back and then Roth that he would not take the fan’s money on a nostalgic tour, isn’t that what he did? Why did Mike take a lower pay on the last VH tour with Sammy, after Sam said he would not do the tour without Mike. He can control Alex because he doesn’t have any balls and he can control Wolfgang, but what about Roth this time? C’mon Ed sober up and start being honest, you’re an egotistical control freak ass hole, grow up, you’ve lost this fan

Meanwhile, Britney’s panties are so tight that when she pooted on stage the other night, she could feel it around in her “privates.” And Eddie never even noticed, never cared at all. See what I’m saying? Oh well…

I saw the “reunion” tour with DLR. It was cool to see Eddie & Roth on stage together; at least I can say that. But, the show was a bore, in all honesty. Roth can’t sing anymore (hell of a showman, though), Eddie plays the same solo over and over again, and Lucifer, er, Alex VH is the worst drummer of all time. A drum machine is more exciting.

Eddie, go have another drink, your band is washed up. Sammy/Mike are better anyway. I have heard from multiple sourse that said the reunion sucked, wouldn’t waiste my time.

Doesn’t matter. No one believes EVH. I think he must have had a pep talk from Roger Clemens or something.

This is essentially what happened with Jason Newsted and Metallica. Fair or not, Michael Anthony and to a lesser extent the singers (Rother, Hagar and Cherone) were hired help…The band is, and has always been about EVH and his Frankenstein guitar. While EVH’s conduct may not be “nice’ or “classy”, the bottom line is that its his band. Ill admit that Im wrong if Chickenfoot vlows up and goes 5X platnum, then I will concede that its MA and SH’s drawing power (in addition to the brothers) that were Van Halen. I don’t buy it though. After all those years, MA should have known that “cheatign on VH with Haggar” could be grounds for dismissal…fair or not, he made his bed…

Anyone who bought tickets to their “reunion tour” should be ashamed of themselves. Honestly if you couldn’t sense that this tour was a big nastalgia act from the getgo doesn’t know a thing about music. Eddie’s laughing his ass off right now and doesn’t care what anyone thinks about him because so many people fell for it and spent $160.00 so they could feel like it was 1984 again.

Scott: If you truly want to assess how important Michael Anthony was to Van Halen, check the songwriting credits on their albums.

I remember reading an Ozzy interview from the late 80s or early 90s calling him Eddie Van D***head. That was when he still had the nice guy image. Ozzy knew the real Eddie way back then.

Who cares? He’s just a bass player.

Why can’t they all just get along? Seriously, with things like this, it’s ALWAYS about the money. EVH simply doesn’t want to shell out the bucks to Sammy and Michael, and DLR probably was willing to work for cheap to get his career back on track after his radio show debacle.

I’m play better guitar than this loser.

yes people care! this is the best soap opera of the rock era!

Mad Anthony was the glue that kept VH together all these years. The bassist in a power trio is also the rhythm guitar (in a way) plus he did all of the backing vocals that made their choruses. The reunion tour had flown in back up vocals!

Ed should man up and just say he wanted to work with his son and was shitty to Mike over the way it went down.

Mike didn’t quit, he just fraternized with the “enemy” ( Sammy) after the messy Van Hagar reunion tour

I like VH, but at this point they sound like old ladies bickering back and forth over nothing. You’ve already been inducted into the Hof; what more do you want? It’s called bowing out gracefully.

Everyone knows that Eddie Gave MA the boot for daring to play with Sammy after he(rightfully) told Eddie to f*ck himself.

MA is a talented/great bass player and I agree that he was an essential piece of VH.

But…EVH is one of the greatest guitar players ever, so I don’t agree whne some people say that VH is dead.

Stop complaining…we have a great opportunity to hear 2 fantastic bands: VH and Chickenfoot

Who’s better: EVH or Joe Satriani ?
Hagar or David Lee Roth ? Alex ou Chad ? MA or Eddie’s son ?

My opinion? EVH , Hagar, Alex and MA…those guys made the best VH work…

love how everyone posting is a friggin expert on bands, life, drinking, etc Sh*t happens in rock bands, just be thankful for the great rock n roll they pumped out, and go play your itunes full of Beyonce, Jonas dweebs and Miley

BS.Van-Hagar sucked pure and simple. I’m old enough to have seen the WACF tour as well as Fair Warning. Those shoes were F-ing UNREAL. That soft-ass sickening sweet insipid pop drool with Hagar was downright embarrassing.

EVH is insane and delusional.

That picture looks like Chris Farley giving the business to Yul Brynner. I would buy that for a dollar!

EVH is an ass clown.

Let’s get one thing straight here. FACT! Michael Anthony had the best couch-ride gig in Rock N Roll history!!!!! He never wrote any music all he did was drink, sing backing vocals and played a bass guitar. Van Halen is all about the original 3. The 3 architects and founding members Alex, Eddie and Dave is what Van Halen is all about. Eddie “GUITAR GOD” revolutionized the guitar enuff said, Alex’s snare drum sound is as iconic as Eddie’s sound and finally Diamond Dave is a complete original and the greatest frontman in music history!!

A lot of you so-called fans that hang shit on Eddie seem to brush aside what Mike & Sammy’s pathetic attempt of “The Other Half” really meant to the Van Halen name. I agree with Ed & Al’s disapproval of it and rightfully met it with distain.

Let’s face it; most of you people are BLIND!!!! Sam is so obsessed and jealous of Eddie that he’s the main instigator behind Mike’s exit from Van Halen. He’s always the most vocal in the press when trying to make his case to everybody that he’s the good guy and Eddie is evil!. People don’t see the bigger picture here. Sam wanted his solo career plus keep Van Halen as his side project!! Sam’s “Best of Both Worlds’ NOT!!!! But when Ed & Al got wind of this, Sam was out so quick that it took him years to come to grips with it, well the shock set in…in a nutshell he got FOUND OUT!!

So what’s Sam’s next move? Revenge!! He brainwashes the weakest link in Van Halen (Michael Anthony) into leaving Van Halen in an attempt to destroy Van Halen for good!! After all Sam was desperately in need of some leverage, some star quality for his own band so he can flog it to death; it’s the only way he can get people to give a shit about his solo work. His next move was to jump at the chance to do that Sam & Dave double bill in 2002, just so he can rub it into Ed & Al. But when Dave wasn’t singing the same tune as Sam (hanging shit on Van Halen!), Sam got frustrated!! As Diamond Dave said “There’s Sam again banging on the window, with one hand on his dick the other on his tequila!” He even warned his band members every night of the tour “Stay away from the Cabo Wabo!” Dave is Van Halen’s number 1 supporter; he always cared for the Van Halen brand. He too couldn’t contain himself during the Van Hagar years of what happen to the once untouchable band that was the MIGHTY Van Halen!! Dave knew that Sam’s intentions were always about getting back at Ed & Al. Then when Dave made a mockery of Sam’s persona he went crying to everybody what an ass Dave is! Don’t you just love our Diamond Dave!! Dave read him like a book, he’s one smart dude!!

The only mistake I can say Ed & Al ever made was doing that horrible 2004 reunion tour. (1996 Roth reunion just wasn’t meant to be, I cried for days!!) Let’s face it; Van Halen’s 2004 tour was for the money!! Eddie was sick, getting a divorce…damn people, Ed’s got bills to pay too, cut the man some slack here!! And yet we have another ex-member crying foul that it was all Ed & Al’s doing!! Mike was forced to sign away his rights!! What?!! And you still signed it? There’s your proof people, Mike didn’t care because he didn’t write one note of music!! He did it for the fans? Which fans Sammy’s or Van Halens? Hey Mike! Take a ticket and stand in line, or do you want a little violin solo and tissues?

What’s better a Big Mac or a Whopper?
It doesn’t matter it’s just cheap fastfood ground beef with processed cheese.

I sure don’t care. ‘Bye…

bottom line… DAVE IS BACK WHERE HE BELONGS. eddie and dave were, are and always be VAN HALEN. sammy and mike can play with those two retreads in that hen pecked band all they want. who cares. VAN HALEN back in studio later this month and then a tour… hit the ground runnin boys.. DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER

I saw VH in 1980 on the WACF tour. DLR couldn’t remember half the lyrics, or just didn’t try. He did some nice kicks and stuff. And he didn’t hit any of the high notes or screams – those were delivered by MA. So I was not really very impressed by DLR. SH on the other hand pretty much always delivers in concert, hits the notes, remembers the lyrics, plays some guitar even. SH is just way more professional and reliable, and therefore entertaining, than a disappointing DLR. I’m the first to admit that 5150 is the only Van Hagar album that rises to the level of VHI, VHII and WACF, but in concert SH is heads and shoulders above DLR. And I always thought he did pretty well on the old stuff too. DLR singing the chorus to “Dreams” in concert – can you imagine? Seal torture…

B-man,

That last paragraph is funny! I don’t get “chickenfoot” either. Some drunk jokes should NOT be followed through on.

Everyone who’s followed VH has by now realized that Eddie is the jerk in all of the VH feuds. Great guitarist, but a selfish, egotistically, ingrate between the lines

I don’t understand why grown men act this way. Don’t get me wrong. I’m a musician and me and some of my former bandmates have had real blow outs in the past. But the older and/or more mature you become, you realize all of that petty crap is a bunch of horseshit. I’ve seen EVH get up and jam with everyone from Paul Schaffer to Sheryl Crow. Are we to assume that he left VH to join these people? No. It’s called jamming. It’s what musicians do.
These guys should all sit down, hash there shit out, admit they all have their faults, wish each other the best and part ways in whatever configurations. MA is right. This crap gets old.
Yet, it’s like a car wreck. You just can’t look away. lol.

To jam5150 -

If, as you say in your post, Michael Anthony had “the best couch-ride gig in the history of Rock”, then surely Alex enjoyed the same ride.

MA is better off where he is now. Maybe EV will get his head out of his ass and figure out Wolfy is not a very good guitar player. I always preferred Van Hagar… Sammy is a better singer, and is actually a musician. Dave is just a front man. MA’s back-up vocals are sorely missed. Chickenfoot rules! I can’t wait to get all those guys in my All Dead Rock Show up here. I might even let Eddie jam with us… but Wolfy just gets to tap his toe and listen.

For a bunch of guys who haven’t recorded anything worth a crap in nearly 20 years, we sure are reading a lot about them.

Huge fan here for a long time of both era’s of Van Halen. Both vocalists kept VH imo at the top of the rock and roll heap for a good 18 years until EVH went stupid and fired Sammy for wanting time off for his daughter’s birth.

Anyhow, EVH is the problem here and from what I can tell, has been at least since 1996. I still think Roth was a circus clown by 1984 and blew the gig.

Michael Anthony is the heart & soul of Van Halen, always the fan favorite and always a world class bassist.

Eddie should realize that while was wasted on blow and booze that he was the fuck up.

Van Halen are a bunch of jerks.

Ed’s been slaggin on Mike since “Fair Warning” when he said (paraphrasing) “at least Dave pulls his weight Mike doesn’t do anything and just bought a Porsche.” I guess being a great harmonizing vocalist and being smart enough to hold study so Eddie could do his guitar hero thing wasn’t enough. Maybe Ed would prefer playing with Les Claypool or Flea or someone who wouldn’t give him the space to show off. Considering Ed is involved with every nuance of writing and recording what was Mike supposed to do? Ed probably wouldn’t have listened to his ideas anyway. Or Mike saw the battles with Dave and Sammy and was smart enough to keep his mouth shut.

Ed just needs to man up and say it. The band is Van Halen. That means Alex and I call the shots. If I want to play with my kid, I’m going to bring him on stage. Be grateful I didn’t have an offspring that could sing or DRL would be on the sidelines.

the original lineup is the best,period,and theres a defintive void without Michael or DLR.

Let’s See It Took Daves Talentless Ass Eight Tries To Get Back In Van Halen And As Of Yet He Hasn’t Been Because Mikey Wasn’t There.Of Course Daves Just A Jim Dandy Rip Off Always Will Be.You Can See The Stature Of His Lack Of Talent By The Train Wreck That Was And Is His Solo Career.At Least Seven Different Lineups,Failed Radio Show,Failed Lounge Lizard,Failed Bluegrass Current Paramedic.True Talent At Work.

I’ve seen VH in three of the four line ups, and never got to see them during their first six tours as I am only 37, and couldn’t get the parents to see the light, and allow a fresh young puberty victim go to a VH show. Anyway… I’ve also seen Dave on his own, and like it or not, I have to agree that Sammy puts on a pretty good show. Now, of all the footage that I’ve seen over the first six albums/tours, Dave was going off the deepend from time to time, and working the crowd more than singing… so form your own opinion. Showman or someone who gets all the words right. Only one took them from the backyards and the bars. Something was working or they wouldn’t have gotten here and we wouldn’t be talking about them 30+ years later. I’m a guitar player and have been for many years. As much as I wish that I could say that Ed is ok, and everyone else is full of it… I can’t. It all keeps coming back to the same thing. Read all of the interviews and you’ll see the patterns. Ed just doesn’t hold it together. He’s a pissed off little kid and it’s his birthday. You do it the way that he wants, or you’re shown the door. Alex probably just smiles and nods, or his ass would be fired too. I’ve always wanted to ask Alex: were you bummed when Dave was gone the first time and your drinking/partying buddy was gone? They’re all musicians. If you listen to the music, you know it. Every person who’s been in VH on an album. Musicians. Mike, you keep doing your thing because Satch can flat out play!

oh sure….i’m looking forward to some new VH music. but in the meantime, the CHICKENFOOT album rocks…check it out.

yeah love it.. it’s long2 time i never see again VH ..

eddie is such a douche.

More anecdotal evidence that while Eddie will always be a Guitar God, he’s a major-league dickhead bitterman, too. Same with his brother, I would imagine. They both seem to be incredibly insecure and knee-jerk defensive about anything that vaguely resembles a challenge to their familial, as Cartman might say, “AU-THOR-I-TAAAIIIY!” It’s sad, really. They were the best American straight-up rock band from ‘78 through ‘86 (yes, I count “5150″, too), and for my tastes, were still excellent through “For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge.” I actually enjoyed Van Hagar for what it was.

In other news, I heard some of the Chickenfoot album and…it pretty much sucks. There. That should make EVERYONE happy with this Comment.

Does anyone really believe Eddie over Anthony?
Answer: No

Its odd, Eddie seems to be turning into control freak that prior lead singers were which he despised.
M. Anthony not being part of the “reunion”. Thats a shame.
Van Halen as a modern band is over for me.
And Chickenfoot’s music isn’t any better.

this is why RS is still publishing…

Yes we know Eddie can be an asshole but to read some comments that Chickenfoot rocks must be in disillusional. I saw them on “Conan” and they sounded horrible. Yes Eddie is a asshole but his stuff is better than Chickenfoot. Chickenfoot sucks.

The whole thing is weird. But really, who cares? It’s basically still the same band. I’m just surprised that David lee Roth hasn’t gone postal yet.

If Eddie told me the sky was blue I would not believe him. Mike never quit the band. Eddie wanted his son in the band – lame. I will not see them in concert again w/o Mike. I did not go last tour.

To lake monster!

FACT! Van Halen was named after Alex Van Halen!! Why you ask you moron? Alex was the leader in Van Halen, way before Mike joined the band!!! Get your facts right you idiot or stick to sucking Sam’s little wimp!! You got no idea!!!

Here’s some riveting news that will ruin your day! It was Dave’s idea and insistence on changing the band’s name from Mammoth to “VAN HALEN”. Dave said that we call it Van Halen, in honour of Alex, and that it sounds good too!! Any real VH fan knows that Alex is the spiritual leader in Van Halen; a born leader. In a nutshell; “Alexander ‘The Great’ Van Halen”.

Why do you think Eddie immediately made is feeling known on his disgust to that “Other Half” BS?!! Who the fuck does Sam & Mike think they are?!! Eddie’s got every right to defend his brother and the band. How dare they disrespect the Van Halen name!! Eddie can take the pot shots directed to himself (water of a ducks back!), but when you disrespect Alex…watch out!!

So grab your tail between your legs and fuck off back to your Chickenshit!!

Re: jam5150
No one cares.

to jam5150 -

Wow, did I hit a nerve with you, buddy? I hope you can handle life’s problems better than you can handle criticism about a has been rock band. Suggestion – up your meds and settle down, puddin’.

Alexander “The Great” van Halen??? OMG, you are a fanboy in every sense of the word.

What is odd is that David Lee Roth always wanted Michael Anthony out of Van Halen, and instead, wanted someone like Billy Sheehan, a technically advanced bass player, way way way back in the day. I have a friend who works in the biz, and he said Diamond Dave wanted Anthony out decades ago.

Jim Dandy?!??!? Talk about an old reference, ha ha. I think chickenfoot is great & so was VH back in the day. It doesn’t matter who’s on bass or drums in any band, it’s the singer & guitarists that give a band its sound and make it great

First time I saw VH was in 79 they opened for the Doobie Bros/Stones in New Orleans. Saw them many times, bought all their records. LOVED that music! I never much care if the musicians are assholes, communist, gay, sraight, drunk, sober. All I care is how it FEELS when the music plays. Went to the latest reunion tour hoping to grasp the same feeling, but alas. Those days are over but back then these guys effen rocked!!

Hey, Misscathy,
When you saw VH open for the Doobie Bros. in ‘79, their singer(M.M.) was the Sammy of that time(w/a better voice),replacing the original frontman! How did the Faces keep going without Steve Marriott? How did that fat Elvis get away with replacing the original King without anyone noticing back in the midseventies? Nobody cared about any of that, back then. DLR must be the greatest frontman of all time, because when he leaves-millions freak out!

@ Leonardo

Joe is the better technician. But since there is more to guitar than 64th note runs I’ll go with Eddie for his writing, innovation, and rarely paralled guitar skills. So in spite of his being a drug addled, alcoholic, d-bag who alienates basically everyone at some point: EVH > Satriani

DLR is a good frontman and a very funny guy but note how quickly Vai and Sheehan made their escapes, “gee Dave thanks for the fame and fortune, see ya” . If Dave hadn’t had that PA equipment we’d have never known him. Sammy outsings, outplays, and outperforms DLR by a mile. SH > DLR

Wolfie is proof that who you know is more important than what you know. MA > Eddie’s kid. Wolfie, be honored you were even compared.

Alex or Chad, I was going to cheese out and say that AVH = CS…but I’ll man up and just say that neither is half as good as Neil Peart. ok ok, I’ll go with Alex as the sentimental favorite as I grew up on VH music. AVH > CS but not by enough to brag.

I’ve been a huge VH fan all of my life, since I was 4. When I was in bands, it was usually the bass player who got bored with VH because of the simple-ass playing of Michael Anthony. He was clearly just a lucky guy in the right place at the right time. Michael and Sammy clearly dont get this one thing: EDDIE VAN HALEN IS VAN HALEN. Its not a matter of opinion, its fact. Sammy & Mike are known by many who have crossed paths with them as coke-snorting egomaniacs. Eddie is known as just a nice guy. Hmmm… if it walks like a duck… Sammy and Mike need to fuck off for good, and stop whining about how they were kicked out of VH. PS: Congrats on the marriage, Ed.

MA is VAN HALEN who do you think is back up vocals ? who put the dip in dip da dip This world class bassist deserves a lot of credit to the band period.

Chickenfoot is the best thing to happen to hard rock in many many years. They have made a superb album with each musician making a substantial contribution. What makes Joe Satriani a far superior musician to EVH now is his sense of melody. All great rock/pop is driven by melody and/or the groove and Satriana is extremely gifted in that area. Both are great guitar players but Satriana writes great music without a vocalist as his body of solo music proves. It’s not about chops and speed. Joe’s got a great ear for song. EVH had it and lost it somehwere along the line. As for the personality squabbles, really now, who cares? That stuff is for women.

I saw the Wolfie lineup in Atlanta and it was sad. Imagine playing bass in a band with YOUR dad. The whole show I kept waiting to hear something badass on guitar an eddie played it safe. It took me back to when I taped “Why can’t this be love” off the radio and listened to it a few times searching for anything cool that was hidden in the mix. That day VH went from my favorite band to my least favorite band. Same with Metallica after the Black Album.

I’m sorry but Eddie is a living example of why this world is so fucked up. It’s arrogant and ignorant fucks just like Eddie Van Halen. First of all I am a guitarist and much of my playing was inspired by Ed and was a true fan. But lets look at the big pixture here Dave, Sammy and Mike these are rock icons what ever happend to loyality ED. You are so called Mister Van Halen and it’s all about you. You can’t get along with nobody dude. Your a fuckin joke and I would tell you to your face ya piece of shit.

jam5150……..

What a tool!!!!

They should all make peace and form a new super group. unite Chickenfoot and Van Halen, let Roth run the show, add Hagar and have him play guitar (he is a good guitarist) so he could do rhythms and let Ed and Joey share solos and do harmonies and such. Let Mikey handle bass and have wolfie on guitar, I heard he is actually an excellent guitarist. Have two drummers ala the Allman Brothers. How’z that?

Edward & Alex Van Halen are both weird people. They are also two very jealous people. That’s putting it plain & simple. As for people who think EVH is the geatest guitar player ever, jump in a cold lake to rejuvenate you fried brain cells. Eddie is only good at playing hard rock. He does not understand any other style of playing or where rock music originated from. For example, the song “Fiish What Ya Started” is good, but Mick Taylor or Jeff Beck whould have done more justice to the song as far as guitar players go. There concept of playing is far superior to Eddie Van Halen.