VAN HALEN NEWS DESK

Guitarist Steve Vai Recalls Wild Days With David Lee Roth

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From Spinner.com: Guitarist Steve Vai has a new live DVD, ‘Where the Wild Things Are,’ that highlights his 25 plus years of performing for sold-out audiences. Vai, who is known for his wild guitar licks onstage, was no match for the backstage antics he experienced on tour with Van Halen’s David Lee Roth. “Actually, I [...]

Left handed Wolfgang Guitars available in 2010

From Eddie Van Halen’s Myspace: “For those who have been asking – left handed EVH Brand Wolfgang guitars will become available as a special order from EVH Brand in January 2010. Official ordering procedures will be issued in late January 2010. Stay tuned and thanks for your interest and support in EVH Brand guitars!”

Gibson Interview: Sammy Hagar Talks Chickenfoot, Guitars, And Songwriting

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Gibson recently conducted an in-depth interview with Sammy Hagar:

By Russell Hall, Aug. 28, 2009

To paraphrase a well-known ad slogan, with a name like Chickenfoot they had better be good.

And are they ever. Comprised of guitar maestro Joe Satriani, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, and Van Halen alumni Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony, the star-studded Chickenfoot is one of those rare supergroups whose whole is better than the sum of its parts. First and foremost they are a band – a well-oiled unit that sounds as if its members have been playing together for years rather than just months.

Released in June, Chickenfoot’s self-titled debut rocks with a vengeance, mixing scorched-earth metal with good-timey riff-rock in ways that bring to mind more virtuosic versions of, say, AC/DC or Grand Funk Railroad. On tour, the band has been treating fans to a well-rounded set that includes such treats as the Montrose classic “Bad Motor Scooter” and Deep Purple’s “Highway Star,” as well as all the songs from the Chickenfoot album.

While recording the studio disc, Hagar left all the six-string duties to Satriani, but on-stage the charismatic frontman breaks out his trusty Explorer Pro and his Les Paul for several songs. In this first installment of a two-part interview, the veteran singer talks about the Chickenfoot’s chemistry, how Satriani differs from Eddie Van Halen, and his go-to guitars.

Click “Read the rest” for the full interview with Sammy.