Van Halen: Like Father, Like Son
From Guitar World:
Nov 19, 2008
Van Halen: Like Father, Like Son
By Chris Gill
Originally printed in Guitar World, April 2008
Eddie Van Halen put the fire in the group that bears his name. It took his
son, Wolfgang, to rekindle the passion and get the group on the road for
one of the most anticipated reunion tours in rock history. In this world
exclusive interview, the father-and-son duo talks about working and
performing together in Van Halen.
Is musical talent genetically inherited? If your test sample is the Van
Halen family, the answer undoubtedly would be yes and the proof would be
the current Van Halen tour, which features the Van Halen brothers–Alex
and Ed–on drums and guitar respectively, as well as Ed’s 16-year-old son
Wolfgang on bass. Although Wolfgang picked up the bass less than two years
ago, his comfort on arena stages in front of crowds of 20,000 fans
suggests that it was always in his DNA to be a performer.
Wolfgang’s membership in the band may now seem like fate, but Ed was
careful from the beginning to let Wolfgang’s musical interests and talents
develop naturally, even though Ed often hinted that he hoped his kid would
follow in his footsteps. “I’m going to let Wolfgang be whatever he wants
to be,” he stated in 1995 when Wolfgang was only four. “I don’t see how he
won’t somehow be into music, being exposed to it all the time. But I’m not
going to force him to play piano or take music lessons like my parents did
to me.”
Wolfgang’s guest appearances on guitar during Van Halen’s 2004 tour showed
that Ed’s kid had not only taken an interest in music but he had also
quickly developed true talent as a musician. Even so, devoted fans were
taken by complete surprise when Ed revealed in late 2006 that Wolfgang was
Van Halen’s new bass player. A few months later when news leaked that
David Lee Roth was returning as the band’s vocalist and a tour was in the
works, critics wondered if Wolfgang was truly qualified. Playing one of
the most anticipated tours of the past 20 years is a hell of a first job
for anyone, let alone someone who was just 16 years old and never played
in any other bands before.
What seemed like a risky move on paper proved instead to be an
overwhelming success as Wolfgang breathed new life into the band with the
right balance of youthful enthusiasm and devoted reverence to the band’s
classic songs, all of which were recorded years before Wolfgang was even
born. While the tour gives Van Halen fans an opportunity to see the band
with David Lee Roth again, the presence of Wolfgang onstage opens the door
to a new chapter in the band’s history. What lies ahead in the future is
anyone’s guess, but with Wolfgang joining the band its foundation is now
stronger than ever as is its potential to grow in new directions.
Talking with Ed and Wolfgang, several unusual qualities become evident.
There’s no generation gap between the two, but more importantly they
reveal an undeniable mutual respect and admiration for each other that
even Wolfgang’s occasional rebelliousness and Ed’s playful displays of
parental authority can’t hide. The two are truly in awe of each other’s
talents. One gets the feeling that Wolfgang would be a huge Van Halen fan
even if his dad wasn’t in the band and that Ed would want to make music
with Wolfgang even if Wolfgang wasn’t his son.
With rave reviews coming in for the band’s current tour and a lifetime of
possibilities lying ahead to explore, the future for Van Halen as a band
looks very bright thanks to the addition of a new family member. As the
saying goes, the family that plays together stays together, and this
family positively jams.
GUITAR WORLD How did Wolfgang join the band? Did you ask him to join?
WOLFGANG VAN HALEN I didn’t ask to join.
ED VAN HALEN I asked him. We were in the studio one day. Al was in the
drum room. The drum room is in the back of the studio so we couldn’t see
Al and Al couldn’t see us.
WOLFGANG We were standing behind the console in the control room. That’s
where we stand when we rehearse.
ED That way I can engineer and it’s so much easier to monitor all the
instruments. It’s really fuckin’ loud and crystal clear. It’s like making
a record, because I have the ability to mix while we’re playing. So
Wolfgang picked up a bass, and I put the bass in Al’s headphones.
WOLFGANG It was in the summer of ‘06. My dad had said, “Hey, do you want
to jam?” and I said, “Sure.”
ED We were just jamming on some stuff. I’ll never forget it. You played
the blonde five-string bass with four strings on it.
WOLFGANG Oh yeah!
ED Al had no idea that it was you. I put you in his headphones. It was the
first time in 30 years that Al’s had bass in his headphones. Al said,
“Hey! How are you playing bass and guitar at the same time?” I got on the
talkback and said, “Say hi, Wolfie!” and you went [in high voice], “Hi,
Uncle Al!” Your voice was a lot higher then. Al went, “Who’s playing
bass?” I told him it was Wolfie, and it blew Al’s mind.
WOLFGANG After that, Al asked if I wanted to jam again. I said, “Yeah!”
ED That’s when I asked him if he’d like to be the bass player in Van
Halen. He said, “Yeah, as long as I don’t have to do a certain thing,”
which I won’t mention. [laughs deviously]
WOLFGANG I can say that: I said, “Sure. I just don’t want to do a bass
solo.”
ED Even though you do have a couple of solo spots that shows everyone that
you are a world-class player.
WOLFGANG Yeah, whatever. Then we just made it a religious thing on every
Wednesday and Saturday to play. We just kept playing relentlessly and
eventually we thought, Hey, we’re pretty damn good!
GW So in the beginning everything happened organically.
WOLFGANG We didn’t lay out a plan or anything. It just fell together. We
played together a good four months without any vocals, and we just looked
at each other and knew it was awesome.
ED It’s like Dave says, “Three parts original, one part inevitable.” And
it was inevitable.
GW Wolfgang, you play several instruments–guitar, drums, keyboards. What
drove you toward the bass?
WOLFGANG Well, it was the only open spot. [everyone laughs] And the people
filling the other spots–drums and guitar–are the two greatest players of
those instruments in the frickin’ world. I find the bass safe. You don’t
have to go out on the line.
ED I remember another thing you said at the very beginning: “Can I just
groove?”
WOLFGANG I just like to be there to groove and keep the song going.
GW Your dad always says he wishes he was the bass player.
WOLFGANG I love being a bass player. It’s just me and Al–a groove
section. Just boom, boom, boom, and we’re good.
ED He is so on. Hey Wolf, wanna switch gigs?
GW There are huge expectations on you, Ed.
WOLFGANG But you’ve got to admit that there were huge expectations on me
before the first show.
ED Before we went on tour a lot of people were saying that Wolfgang got
the gig just because he’s my son. But after that first gig, forget it.
It’s just hands down, hands up, hands sideways: he’s a musician and a Van
Halen.
GW Was the time in between when the tour was announced and when you played
the first show difficult?
WOLFGANG I just wanted to get it over with. I wanted to be where we are
now. There was so much weight on my shoulders to fill the shoes and prove
that I could do it. I knew I could do it, but I wanted to say, “Everybody,
hey, I can do it!”
ED We rehearsed probably six months before Dave showed up. We were almost
over-rehearsed. We got to the point where we were goofing around.
WOLFGANG That’s when we started playing “Little Dreamer” in double time.
ED When Dave walked in it blew his freakin’ mind.
WOLFGANG That night was magical. That was the first time I heard vocals
with everything.
ED Dave couldn’t believe how good you are.
GW Wolf you’ve gone directly from rehearsing with your dad and uncle to
playing some of the biggest venues in the world. Was it difficult for you
to make that transition?
WOLFGANG Because we rehearsed so frickin’ much, from spending six months
in 5150, then at Center Staging and then for a few weeks at the L.A.
Forum, I felt that we had done enough preparation for me to feel safe.
Plus when you’re on the stage, you’re far enough away from people that you
feel comfortable. Sometimes I can just close my eyes and feel like we’re
in that room at 5150 again.
ED It’s a lot different than rehearsing in the studio. It’s probably more
comfortable than being in the control room with a bunch of people staring
at you.
WOLFGANG When there are only 10 people around, I get nervous. But when
there are so many other people, I feel more comfortable. Then it’s just
the four of us doing our thing.
GW How did your dad help you prepare for the tour?
WOLFGANG He didn’t really help me prepare. He just told me what not to do.
ED I taught him what my dad taught me, which is you can learn from
everyone what to do and what not to do.
WOLFGANG That, and practice.
ED Actually, he helped me more than I helped him.
WOLFGANG Yeah, I had to teach him how to play the songs again.
ED Because I couldn’t remember the damn songs, and I don’t know how to
work a fuckin’ iPod. He had one with all the songs on it. We hooked it up
in the control room, and he’d go, “No dad, it goes like this!”
GW Did you teach yourself how to play the songs?
WOLFGANG Yeah, I did. The night before we started practicing, I sat down
in my music room and I listened to every single song and just played to
them. I didn’t do exactly everything that’s on the recordings. I put my
own spin on I kept it as close as possible but added just a
little…spice. A little WVH flair. [laughs]
GW Ed, What’s it like to be onstage with your son as a band member, not
just a special guest like he was on the previous tour?
ED It’s an amazing feeling. I’m just so truly blessed. I have pictures of
me sitting in the racquetball court in my pajamas with an acoustic guitar
and Wolfgang is probably just two-and-a-half-feet tall. I’ll never forget
the day I saw his foot tapping along in beat! I knew then, I couldn’t wait
for the day I’d be able to make music with my son. I don’t know what more
I could ask for.
GW Even after playing about 40 shows together, do you still have moments?
ED Oh yeah. Every night. Sometimes we actually talk while we’re playing.
I’ll go, “Hey! Are you all right?” because sometimes he’ll look at me
funny. When I give him a kiss or a high five or a low five, it’s from the
heart. It ain’t bullshit. It’s just pure love.
WOLFGANG That doesn’t happen to me every night, but sometimes when I’m
playing I’ll forget to sing or play a certain note I’ll look up and go,
Whoa, this is crazy! That feeling is always there, but I don’t always have
time to think about it because I have a job to do.
ED I trip. You blow my mind. To be playing together is something I’ve
always dreamed of. Believe it or not, I didn’t know you’d be this good. He
scares the shit out of me. He plays drums like a pro, too. The first thing
he does in the house is start playing “And the Cradle Will Rock” on the
piano. Once Janie, my girlfriend, walked by and said, “Oh! I thought that
was you.” But it was Wolfie. Drums, guitar, bass, keyboards…shit! And
singing!
GW What’s it like to be in a band with your dad and uncle?
WOLFGANG It feels right.
ED That’s the perfect way to put it. It just feels right.
WOLFGANG I don’t ever go, “This is weird. I’m with a bunch of older
people.” I feel like we’re all the same age. It’s just what we do.
ED I was going to say the same thing. Every now and then when we’re
onstage playing, I’ll look at him and go, God, that’s my son! He’s only
16, but he’s not “16.” He’s an equal. Age doesn’t matter.
WOLFGANG There’s nobody else my age on the tour, but I feel like I’m an
equal. I hope that everybody thinks of me the same way.
ED I believe they do, but you wouldn’t believe the legalities we had to go
through to have him be the bass player in Van Halen.
WOLFGANG I still have school.
GW Watching the band play, it’s like Wolfgang has been a member for a long
time. Why do you think you get along so well together?
WOLFGANG We’re blood.
ED It’s innate. The way Wolfgang plays bass is very similar to the way I
play guitar. It’s very unorthodox. His style is interesting. When other
bands come by, like Green Day, I’ll go, “Close your eyes and listen to
him.” People freak out. [Poison guitarist] C.C. DeVille left me a message
and he didn’t compliment me at all. He did say I was on top of my game,
but my son really impressed him. Do you know how proud that makes me? I
couldn’t ask for more. Not only has he proven himself but he also takes
this stuff further. He does all the wicked shit on the bass that I do on
guitar. It’s fucking amazing.
WOLFGANG It’s like a genetic metronome. When we end songs, we don’t even
look at each other. We all feel it. It’s good music and I love playing it.
GW How are your friends reacting to your first job?
WOLFGANG My friends just see me as me. I’m Wolfie, doing my thing.
ED But they must trip.
WOLFGANG They do. But they all really support me.
ED I’m sure they’re proud of you.
GW What music do you listen to?
WOLFGANG Mainly rock stuff. Nothing too out of the ordinary. I really like
Tool, which is one of my favorite bands, and I love Primus and Sevendust,
too.
ED You were totally into AC/DC for a while.
WOLFGANG AC/DC is in all of our hearts because they rule.
ED You listen to us, too.
WOLFGANG Not any more. I haven’t listened to us for a while.
ED That’s because you’re playing it now. I remember when I picked you up
from school one day and there were boxes of records sitting in the shop at
the studio. You looked at them and went, “Is this all you dad?”
WOLFGANG Oh yeah. I probably was like five.
ED No, I think you were 10.
WOLFGANG Whatever.
ED It blew my mind that I totally forgot to turn him on to all the music
that I’ve written. All he knew was what he heard on the radio.
WOLFGANG Like “Jump,” and that was it.
ED I’ll never forget when we were coming home from Castle Park [a family
entertainment center]. “Hot for Teacher” came on the radio and Wolf was
going, “Who is that singing?” I said, “That’s Dave.”
GW When did you start listening to your dad’s recordings with David Lee
Roth? What do you like about them?
WOLFGANG I’m not sure when I started.
ED You had to listen to them to learn them.
WOLFGANG Yeah, but I’m not sure when I started. I love it for the same
reason everybody else loves it. It’s awesome. It’s just good music. It
lasts. It was made a while ago, and it still lives today.
GW Van Halen music has never lost its adolescent appeal. For example,
“Panama” was featured in the movie Superbad, and it fit perfectly even
though the movie is set in the present day.
WOLFGANG I love that movie.
GW What is it about Van Halen music that makes it so timeless?
WOLFGANG It rocks.
ED It just lives and breathes. It’s real. It’s not contrived, premeditated
or anything. It’s just whatever comes out. If you try to write a song to
please people and they don’t like it, you’re fucked because you’re not
pleasing yourself, for one. And if they don’t like it, you’re double
fucked.
GW You write a lot of material. Do you have a gauge in your head that lets
you know when something is ready to serve up to the table?
ED There’s a lot of stuff I like that the rest of the guys don’t. It’s
like that with “Panama.” I rarely start on the one, and Al hears what I’m
playing backward. I’ll never forget when I wrote “Little Dreamer,” which
is one of the few where I do start on the one and he played backward to
that, too. Onstage when we’re playing…
WOLFGANG …Oh God, I have to watch you! At the end of “Unchained” we have
to go eight or nine times before we freakin’ end! Sometimes it’s three.
Sometimes it’s five. It’s always an odd number.
ED I can’t count for some reason. It’s always threes or fives for some
reason. I only go by feel.
WOLFGANG And sometimes that feeling is wrong! [laughs] But we always
somehow manage to pull it together for the ending.
ED We fall down the stairs and land on our feet together. Onstage, I look
at Wolfie because he can count!
GW Has it always been that way, even before Wolfgang?
ED Yeah! But now I’ve got two people to help me, because both Al and
Wolfie can count.
GW How do you approach your solo section every night?
ED There are certain things that I feel the fans really want to hear me
play. “Eruption.” “Cathedral.”
WOLFGANG “Spanish Fly.” The “Little Guitars” intro.
ED I noodle a bit. About the only complaint I get is that my solo is too
long. Half the time I’m looking over at Matt Bruck and going, Shit! Where
do I go from here? Sometimes I don’t know where to go because I forget all
of the stuff that I’ve done. It’s like what you asked me about why Van
Halen’s music has held up. It’s because it’s spontaneous and real. I’m not
saying there’s no thought behind it. Obviously it has to have some kind of
structure. But spontaneity is the main ingredient.
GW Now that you’ve thoroughly road tested the EVH 5150 III amps, how do
you feel they’ve improved or changed your tone?
ED It’s just a natural progression. It’s an extension of me, just like the
guitar, which I named after my son even before he was in the band. The
tattoo on my arm ["Wolfgang"] says it all.
GW You still use an old-school setup with a guitar cable and wedge
monitors, and you control your own effects from an onstage pedal board.
Why?
ED Because that’s what I like. I don’t like digital shit. My pedal board
is homemade. It’s all about sound. It’s that simple. Wireless is wireless,
and it’s digital. Hopefully somewhere along the line somebody will add
more ones to the zeros. When digital first started, I swear I could hear
the gap between the ones and the zeros.
GW The wah-wah pedal is the newest addition to your rig.
ED It might appear that way to you, but I’ve used a wah since the early
Nineties. I dig it, too. I use it more now than I ever have. I couldn’t
afford one back when we were starting out, but I always wanted one. The
reason why I never used any kind of fuzz or distortion box is because I
couldn’t afford them.
GW What kind of wah are you using?
ED It’s my own model made to my own specs by Dunlop. I just go by my ear
and tell people this is how I want it to sound. A lot of people don’t
quite understand. Matt Bruck and I bust our asses to get people to
understand what tone means. We’re tone chasers, and until we get there we
don’t stop. That’s what keeps us going.
GW You’ve brought a lot of different Wolfgang guitars on this tour, but
you usually play one particular one at a show. However, at another show
you may play another entirely different Wolfgang guitar that night. How do
you choose which one you want to play that night?
ED The Wolfgang guitars I have are prototypes. I generally play the latest
prototype. Hopefully it sounds better than the previous one, and if it
does, I end up playing it. I like the white one I’m playing better than
the sunburst one, which I like better than the black ones.
GW Wolfgang, how did you choose your bass rig?
WOLFGANG Matt Bruck helped me a lot with the Sound City amps. When we were
practicing Matt told me that he had these really cool amps, and we hooked
them up. They rule.
ED Nobody gets a bass sound like he does. He uses EVH Brand 5150-III
4×12s. The same cabinets with EVH Celestion 12-inch speakers that I use.
WOLFGANG They’re really out of the ordinary, but it works.
ED Everything starts here. [Ed holds up Wolfgang's fingers.]
WOLFGANG I split the signal between the amp and a DI, and I have a preamp
as well. But the amp is the meat and potatoes of the sound.
GW What basses are you playing?
WOLFGANG I’m playing a Franken-bass, if you want to call it that. It’s
based on my dad’s Frankenstein guitar…
ED Except it has four strings instead of six.
WOLFGANG I got the red one for Christmas last year. Chip Ellis built it,
and he told me he was going to make a backup, so I asked him to paint it
blue. Ever since I was little I wanted my own stripes. Blue is my favorite
color, so we tried it and I think it looks pretty cool.
GW Do you eventually see yourself having a solo segment onstage?
WOLFGANG I don’t. I like having my own moment for five seconds, like the
“So This Is Love?” intro and the tapping part in “Romeo Delight.” That’s
enough for me. I’m more than fulfilled being a team player.
GW What was your best personal moment so far on this tour?
WOLFGANG When we did the rehearsal show for friends and family in L.A., it
was just the beginning and I didn’t feel I had ripened. When we came back
to L.A. and did the first Staples Center show, I felt a sense of
accomplishment. I was much a better player. I felt like a member of the
band.
ED For me it’s the fact that I get to play with my son, my brother and
Dave. Every night is special. Doing an interview with my son right now is
special. It’s all special.
Filed under: Eddie Van Halen, Van Halen, Wolfgang Van Halen
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December 2nd, 2008 at 9:43 am
Saw them in New Orleans….and as a father myself I thought it was special.
December 2nd, 2008 at 10:15 am
I’m glad that Wolfie at least expressed that he had some big shoes to fill…
December 2nd, 2008 at 11:49 am
The kid is talented why box him in VH? Let the kid start his own band…he rocks on guitar like his old man.
December 2nd, 2008 at 11:53 am
ed is such a god and smart guy too
December 2nd, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Not one question about Michael Anthony. They must be afraid they’ll never get another interview if they bring him up. Why didn’t they mention that most people who saw they current tour still wished Mike was back? Sure the kid can play, but they don’t want him in VH. I’ve lost so much respect for this band. I really hope they tank with future projects.
December 2nd, 2008 at 1:06 pm
It’s funny that Michaels’ name never even got mentioned. It seems like they just refuse to acknowledge that he was a vital member of the band for the past 30 years. Hopefully they’ll come out with some new material so we can hear how good Wolf is in the studio. It’s great that we can still jam to Van Halen, but it will never be the same without Michael.
December 2nd, 2008 at 1:27 pm
God bless you guys i grew up on your music.
I play guitar in a band and made an album for sony we had a hit song in latin america
My son is a year and a half and is already showing he can keep a mean beat i hope i live long enough to be able to jam with him. Good luck Wolf,Alex,Eddie,Dave
cant wait for some new music!!!! Say hi to Matt Bruck we used to rehearse at the same studio in the valley …………..Mark …..Greg Rodney,Ramin
December 2nd, 2008 at 2:59 pm
I do appreciate that Ed wants to play with his son. I wish that they would just do the reunion with Michael Anthony so everyone would just shut up already. Make an album and tour. It only Rock and Roll guys not politics. Screw the hurt feelings and just be the Van Halen that we know and are waiting for.I personally love the Sammy Hagar version of Van Halen, But I do totally respect that an original lineup would be awesome to see on tour and hear do an album of “NEW” music. Just get on with it already! Bring Mike Anthony back and ROCK! Wolfie can wait a little longer. His talent is going nowhere but up. He’s a Van Halen (DUH!)He will just get better and better than he already is. Original REUNION! Dave, Ed, Alex, & Mike! Nuff Said!
December 2nd, 2008 at 4:06 pm
Mikey Who? Wolfie kicks ass!!
December 2nd, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Dear Mr. Anthony,
You could take a lesson or two from your former employer on CLASS and taking the HIGH ROAD!!! Not once does Ed BASH you. He talks about the excitment of his son and about the band. Notice how ED does not live in the past but for the here and now.
Hey Joe,
If most fans missed Mike, Sammy’s shows would have sold more tickets!!! And as a REAL VAN HALEN FAN, unlike YOU, I wish Chickenfoot and Van Halen nothing but SUCCESS!!!!
December 2nd, 2008 at 4:34 pm
Yeah, I gotta say… i’m glad that Ed’s happy and all, I really am, but Mike’s gettin’ sold down the river dammit. Not one mention of him except for some backhanded remarks here and there. It’s not only disrespectful to Mike, it’s disrespectful to the fans.
December 2nd, 2008 at 5:08 pm
I can’t believe you guys are still crying about Mickey not in the band ! He’s the bass player not the lead singer get over it ! Dave is GOD!!!! And for any one who likes the Hagar version better -your not a true Van Halen Fan ! Dave is back and thats all that matters! Sammy Hagar is the Jimmy Buffet of rock . Dave is the Frank Sinatra of rock n roll !!!!
December 2nd, 2008 at 6:38 pm
I played the drums for 10 years and was heavily inspired by Alex Van Halen. My daughter is just 4 and I hope she can play some music as well one day and I can jam with her! Keep rocking Van Halen!!!
December 2nd, 2008 at 6:56 pm
I love the band,been a fan for many a year.No offense to Wolfgang,but this is crap!Eddie’s reasons for not letting Mike play are nonsense at the very least as well as inconsistent!
Who says a person cannot play in two bands!Why not many rockers have done it.Sammy is doing it,the two dudes from Genesis did it!
Not too long ago Eddie was mad at Mike for still playing with Sammy,yet when Sammy reached out to Ed,bad blood disappeared for while(or so it semed),but he still wanted Mike out!
Now that makes no sense!You were willing to rock with Sammy
who you once blamed for starting the fued,but not Mike who
was just caught in the middle.
Should Mike have given up his friendship because you decided
to?How immature.
Ed is the best there is when he is hot,I admire him and am continaly inspired by him,let there be no doubt,but this is a joke.Wolfgang is talented and I do welcome him.However,You cannot act like Mike never existed!It dishonors and insults all parties involved!
A real reunion tour would br Dave,Sammy,Ed,Mike,Alex and Wolfy too would be cool.
Can’t we all just grow up,life is far too DAMN short,and the world is already full of REAL problems.
ROCK ON!
December 2nd, 2008 at 7:01 pm
I respect Michael Anthony’s contribution to Van Halen, there is no way he could ever be “replaced.” But I saw Wolfgang and Dave with the Van Halen brothers in St. Louis and they sounded ridiculously good. Best rock show of my life and I’ve seen a ton of rock shows. I just hope they release some new music and don’t become a nostalgia act…
December 2nd, 2008 at 7:10 pm
I saw VH twice on this past tour. Loved both concerts.
Not mentioning Michael Anthony in this piece was not disrespectful to anyone. This article is about Ed and Wolfgang and the reunion tour.
What ever happened to the Live DVD /CD that was supposed to be filmed in Jersey? I was hoping to see it for this Christmas. Even Zeppelin’s reunion produced a DVD.
Anyway, Wolfie is solid and Dave is the man. Of course Ed and Alex are the greatest!
Good luck to Ed and Janie on their upcoming wedding. Looking forward to some new VH in 2009!
December 2nd, 2008 at 7:29 pm
Stew,
You’re not a “TRUE” Van Halen fan! DLR left Van Halen and his
ego and talentless career came to a halt a few years after he left. The only thing he has in common with Sinatra was he played the clubs in Vegas. Just a giggalo…classic.
December 2nd, 2008 at 8:17 pm
Dear Big Al,
When did Mike bash Ed? You obviously didn’t hear Eddie on Howard Stern before the tour taking jabs at Mike. I think any sane person knows who took the high road.
As for Sammy’s shows there’s no comparison. Van Halen always sold more tickets. Sammy and Mike are a totally different band. There’s no real history or longevity…it’s just every once in a while at a handful of gigs.
Again, I hope Van Halen tanks. Chickinfoot might do ok for an album or two, but nothing that’s going to put them on the map.
December 2nd, 2008 at 8:20 pm
It’s not Van Halen without Michael Anthony, the only reason Ed and Alex brought Wolfgang on tour is so that they wouldn’t have to pay for a year’s worth of baby sitting fee’s, I saw the reunion tour in December and is was very poor!I don’t even think the kid was really playing it sounded like the bass lines were mixed into the live shows!
December 2nd, 2008 at 8:58 pm
Mikey has never uttered a negative word than I have heard about being booted from the band. Ed never said anything near as harsh as he did during the Dave/Sammy breakups, at least not that I heard, but he did take a few jabs here and there. Just his nature I guess.
However, he seems genuinely happy now playing with his son and thats a good thing.
Sammy and Mike do their own thing and VH does theirs, no ill will, everyone is beyond it now, including the real fans.
Whether you are a Dave guy or Sammy guy, you have to be happy that all of these talented artists are putting out great music for the fans and in the end, isn’t that all that matters?
And for the record, I liked both era’s!
Sorry Gary, your tenure just didn’t appeal to me…..
December 2nd, 2008 at 9:30 pm
I agree w Keith, I saw 5 shows and have most of the dvd bootlegs and there’s alot of the bass playing that doesn’t match up. Nonetheless, it was great to see them, but the 2004 Sammy reunion was just as good. I just can’t believe that they can’t commit with a simple, public statement as to what they’re planning on doing. Yes or No ? Tour? CD? DVD? plus how about a web site worthy of the band, their current one is pathetic.
December 2nd, 2008 at 10:36 pm
Few months later when news leaked that
David Lee Roth was returning as the band’s vocalist and a tour was in the
works, critics wondered if Wolfgang was truly qualified. Playing one of
the most anticipated tours of the past 20 years is a hell of a first job
for anyone, let alone someone who was just 16 years old and never played
in any other bands before.
Ed I hope you’ve read the article above, Mike Anthony has a long history that cannot be replaced. Wolfie should start his own band and become successful is his own right like you did, doesn’t happen overnight. Most fans nowadays will not respect you for the rest of your life unless you bring Mike Anthony back into the band and make next year’s tour right. Fans only respect you because Dave accepted the invitation to return as lead singer. Musicians come and go but you can’t replace original musicians! That’s like replacing bassist Gene Simmons in KISS, just doesn’t make sense! Plus he financed your recording demo in 1979 to help you make it big! My dad did plumbing work on your house some years back, mabye you’ll remember?
December 3rd, 2008 at 1:04 am
What I think Van Halen should do is get Michael Anthony back in the band on bass and then slide Wolfgang into a second guitarist spot to play along with Eddie and that way we can hear new Van Halen in its purest of forms with both lead and rhythm guitars wailing along and Mike’s awesome vocals in the background…now that would be spectacular to see and hear!
December 3rd, 2008 at 3:47 am
I VE SEEN VH TWICE THIS YEAR– IT WAS GREAT– wolfie was fantastic–
i do wish ed would just admit– “I WANT MY SON TO PLAY IN THE BAND”–
WHO WOULD BLAME HIM? but they dont have to act like mike is an asshole–
also– its obvious wolf got a healthy dose of dna– and hard work– but he could show a little humility– he is not an equal–
but i dont have any problem with him being in vh– NOW PLEASE PUT OUT ANOTHER FUCKING RECORD!!!!
theyve released 3 songs in the last 11 years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
December 3rd, 2008 at 5:37 am
GOTTA ADD THIS:-
wolf does play a mean bass– so what..?
THE ATOMIC PUNKS SOUND EXACTLY LIKE VH–
many cover bands do some justice ( ou812)
BUT NOBODY HAS EVER CAPTURED MIKES BACKING VOACLS–
NO ONE EVEN COMES CLOSE– WOLF WAS GOOD– BUT DIDNT SING LIKE MIKE
December 3rd, 2008 at 6:53 am
Ok, now its Australia’s turn to hear Van Halen, we’ve only had them here once. We are still waiting!
December 3rd, 2008 at 8:29 am
Hey VH Die-hards
Why is there so much friction when someone prefers one singer over the other or one bass player over the other?
It is clear anyone that comes to this is loves VH, and those that take the time to write a comment are even more passionate about their childhood ROCK gods.
I can say I liked both Sammy and Roth for their DIFFERENCES, thus I never compare them. I simply prefer Sammy because he is more fun, writes great lyrics(I know Love, Love Love), and actually APPRECIATES the fans. On the other hand, Dave is the derivative for all rock lead singers. He clearly had the larger stage presence (and ego) back in his prime. But why must we compare them? It’s like Tequila vs Jack, both give you a buzz but have completely different taste, but most of us like both, right?
Bass players: OK Eddie was mad Mikey was playing in the “Other Half” while he was sitting home in LA drinking his Smoking Loon red. I don’t know if the feeling about Mikey playing VH music without him was a bitter one of or the wine was bitter. They should have MA back, if he’ll come.
December 3rd, 2008 at 9:09 am
Eddie’s voice is half of the background vocals anyway. It wasn’t much of a drop off not having Mike there. Having Mike there would have provided a better visual of the original lineup. Other than that, Mike moved on and VH needed to find a replacement.
December 3rd, 2008 at 9:10 am
Cabo Joe-
I’ve tried to reason with people here. It just doesn’t work. Nice try though!
Big Al-
Ed didn’t bitch about Mike because he wasn’t asked about him. How many times do you mutants need to realize that no one has gone out of there way to bash anyone. They get asked a question and what you have a hard time grasping is that they ANSWER THE QUESTION. The answer doesn’t fit your warped sense of perception, so you assume they’re an asshole.
December 3rd, 2008 at 10:35 am
Why does everyone have to bitch about who is doing what and who is bashing who, just enjoy the music, nobody lives forever, enjoy it while you are still here.
December 3rd, 2008 at 11:57 am
I just hope Van Halen puts out something new.
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:45 pm
As much as I’d have loved to see Mike on tour this last year with VH, Wolf was excellent in his own way. The kid was fantastic. However, things are just not the same anymore in VH anyway. Having Mike back today wouldn’t help them recapture the magic because Ed’s playing is just not the same as it used to be. It’s not as thrilling. When I hear Ed play today I just think he sounds kinda like a beginner, stubmling through the chords and solos. I don’t mean that to be an insult, but I think that can be attributed to his substance abuse.
December 3rd, 2008 at 1:21 pm
Steve O: I agree to a point. Ed on his worst day is still great, but anyone who took a hard look at his playing on “some” of the dates from this past tour cannot say that he’s at the top of his game. Having said that, I was pleased to see that he was in top form at the show I caught in Providence. But that first half of the tour had some weak nights. Glad he’s cleaned up.
December 3rd, 2008 at 1:38 pm
Ed was in great form at the Worcester show I saw. At least, from what my drunk ass could tell!
December 3rd, 2008 at 4:30 pm
I totally agree with Cabo Joe, both the Dave and Sammy versions of VH are like comparing apples with banannas, they are totally different! I’ve always preferred Dave, yet still appreciacted Sammys talent as a lead singer. I like both versions of VH. Heck I even liked some of Gary’s stuff!
As for Steve O’s thoughts on Eddie sounding like a beginner, take a reality check man. If a beginner plays like eddie on a bad day then I’m taking guitar lessons!
December 3rd, 2008 at 6:01 pm
Why can’t Ed AND Wolfie BOTH play guitar in the band, and get Mike mack on the bass??? There are lots of kick-ass bands that have two guitar players, and with Wolfie’s talent, he would only make everything sound better and fuller. Ed wouldn’t have to deal with “competing” with another guitar player, because he loves playing with his son, and it’s a “together-thing”. Ed refers to this latest incarnation of Van Halen as “a new band”. Well it definitely WOULD be a NEW band (and a great band) with Ed AND Wolf on guitar and Mike playing bass, along with Dave and Alex doing what they do best. They could even write new songs together and come up with great stuff…
December 3rd, 2008 at 6:04 pm
I meant “get Mike BACK in the band”. ‘Sorry for the typo…
December 3rd, 2008 at 7:25 pm
I was in Charlotte for the first show… AMAZING!
Just for kicks on the next tour, what if Ed played bass and Wolf played guitar on just one song… I’m curious — aren’t you?!
Also, I’d love to hear a new VH cover on the next album, namely “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.” Couldn’t you imagine Ed figuring out a unique sound from his guitar in place of a fiddle? And you know Dave would love singing that one!!!!!!
December 3rd, 2008 at 7:54 pm
The kid is great so leave him alone, The showin Glendale was also great from all members of the band. Rock on
December 3rd, 2008 at 10:23 pm
Why don’t we all stop discussing Dave/Sam or Wolf/Mike?
VH’08 is Ed, Al, Wolf and Dave.
It should have been classic VH (yep, with Dave), but I think Ed and Al just came to the point that they just do what they want to do. They probably did feel comfortable just jamming and practicing with Wolfie. Why not.
If Dave could have been easily replaced by another Van Halen kid with same talent and charisma on stage, then we would have seen all Van Halens at the last tour.
But I’m sure things and feelings can change and there will be a CVH tour somewhere in the future.
VAN HALEN 1976 - 1984 is the greatest band ever!
Thanks Eddie, Alex, Dave and Mike
December 4th, 2008 at 7:58 am
ive seen vh with dlr twice the diver down tour and the reunion tour. (awesome shows). have seen vh with sammy every tour but the balance tour. (awesome shows). i always wished the would have given gary cherone 1 more chance. i didnt get to see that tour. vh3 actually was a good album.
but hopefully some new music and a tour will happen in 09
December 4th, 2008 at 8:54 am
Like I said before, all these guys are too talented to be sitting on the bench.
It’s good to see them all back in the game playing again.
December 4th, 2008 at 9:57 am
Look its simple. Vh needs better management. Now don’t get me wrong Ed and vh are the best and have been but since Ed Leffler passed they have been all over the place and not in the right place. And on tour with Wolfie. Who thought that up. And with marleys son to boot. NO way. Ed should back off and let his boy bloom and blossom like every son does. Stop playing we dont date this or that nor more with their lead singers. Alot of crap was made. And NO NEW MATERIAL. Or for the vault per say long after their gone.
December 4th, 2008 at 11:32 am
Maybe it’s just me but Ed has become annoying as hell.
Wolfie this and my son that…enough already. Leave the kid alone and stop bragging about him every 5 seconds.
I saw them at the start of the tour and sure Wolf was fine, but the vast majority of fans wanted to see Mikey, or at least another pro veteran out there.
Nothing more annoying than a proud parent bragging about their kid ALL the time.
December 4th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
It was interesting to me that Ed mentioned a call he got from C.C. DeVille. I wonder if C.C. told him he was planning to play a major portion of “Eruption” during his own guitar solo on the Poison tour as if he’d written it himself. (He even played parts of Ed’s guitar solos over the years that have NOT appeared on albums, but are recognizable to those who’ve seen or heard the shows over the years.)
I just found it interesting when I saw Poison this summer that C.C. — who I do not consider to be a very good guitar player — was copping Ed’s stuff in his solo, while 90 percent of the drunken Poison clones in the audience likely had no clue he was ripping off Ed. Of course, those parts did receive the biggest cheers. But isn’t the point of doing a guitar solo to show what YOU yourself can do?
December 5th, 2008 at 12:39 am
Yes doing a solo should be showcasing your own stuff but CC was probably paying homage to EVH. He has made it very clear over the years that he digs EVH ( called him the olympic champ of guitar in 89 GW excerpt ). That reminds me even Zakk did EVH’s real high hummingbird pick part of Eruption in Budakon on their early 2000’s DVD. Anybody recall that?
I dig Zakk but somebody’s gotta tell him that the spitting shtick needs to go but then again who am I to say.
December 5th, 2008 at 7:13 pm
Another useless fucking’ EVH interview. He hasn’t put out a canned interview since 1998. This is the same stuff we’ve heard ad nauseum from Ed.
January 21st, 2009 at 7:34 pm
saw them in Glendale, Az. and it was like going back to June 15th & 16th of 1984…sure we all miss Mike but, when has Van Halen NOT had some type of drama…first it was Dave then Sammy the Dave then Sammy then Dave again and now its Wolfie…when is everyone just going to love them for their music? Ed is by far a living god and Wolfie was meant to light that fire, one more time, so we all could get “NEW” songs with Diamond Dave.
February 25th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
Wolfie was great. They were great last year. I have read interviews from 80’s and its seems Eddie has always had a beef with Mike. One interview in particular asked about the making of the Fair Warning album or Women And Children First, and he said everyone pulls their weight but Mike. Eddie was real serious. He said the guy is making money off of us he just bought a Porsche 911 turbo and so on. I like Mike, but it does not ruin Van Halen for me. As long as its Eddie on guitar and Alex on drums, it does not matter to me.
April 14th, 2009 at 9:36 pm
I agree with the idea of Wolf playing rhythm guitar, Ed handling lead and Mike on bass and backing vocals. I don’t know about the band, but from the perspective of a fan/audience member, this would have been an ideal line up. I always thought that Ed’s rhythm playing was underrated anyway and that he took on too much responsibility by covering both parts during live shows.
If Ed was able to focus solely on lead, while Wolf kept rhythm and Mike and AL held the back beat, during the tour dates, I think the reviews would’ve been more consistent and everyone more satisfied, especially the band. I doubt that Ed would’ve been as uptight as he was for the some of the shows, if he had another guitarist onstage with him who could help fill gaps and cover for tech problems. I can only imagine how stressful it must be when you’re the lone guitarist on stage in front of thousands and you suddenly notice that your sound guy’s decided to take a nap. I would’ve went nuts too.
I do miss Mike’s vocals. A song like Women In Love, for example, would’ve been an otherwise mediocre song without the addition of Anthony’s searing, high falsetto. Especially during the early years, Anthony’s vocal harmonies really defined the band’s sound and softened their rough edges, which prevented them from getting tagged by critics as another generic metal act. The band’s sound really isn’t the same without him.
That said, I think that Ed’s much happier these days than he was a few years ago and I’m just glad that he’s still with us.
April 19th, 2009 at 10:03 am
As Ed said, this is a natural progression- members come and go-and some come back again. How about we concentrate on the now, Van Halen, Chickenfoot, whatever- let these guys make music, that’s their gig, let’s enjoy what they have to offer and get past the different “camps” that seem to shroud these issues, the guys everyone are arguing over all seem to be happy with the way things are, why shouldn’t that be enough? New music from all would be awesome- really looking forward to a new record and tour (missed the last one- no money!)