Eddie Van Halen, Tony Iommi Interviewed For Guitar World’s 30th-Anniversary Issue

November 12, 2009 112 Comments

Eddie Van Halen appears with Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell) on the cover of Guitar World’s 30th-anniversary issue, available at newsstands November 17.

Van Halen & Iommi get together for a Guitar World exclusive to talk about the last 30 years of music and guitar innovations. Catch up with two of rock’s living legends and most admired musical pioneers inside this special collector’s issue as they talk shop about the past and present, music, guitars and life.

Order the magazine at Van Halen Store.

Filed Under: Merchandise, Van Halen

chris.omeara

They should call the new album,

“Fair Warning: Part II – The Album With No Stupid Or Wussie Tunes”, or

“Hell With Women And Children- FANS First: Eddie Gets Hungry Again”, or

“We Sold Our Souls To Rock Hard Again- One Last Time Before We Get Too Old”
chris.omeara

or,

“VH II, Pt. II – Reckless Abandon: The Way We Used To Play”
Rick Pride

You know I’ll be happy with whatever we get. I’d love to see an awesome new album that would rock our socks off but even if we get a “Balbreaker” or “Stiff Upper Lip” I’ll be completely satisfied. We may not get a “Black Ice”. Right off the bat. But I’m gonna buy four copies anyway and fully support my band!! Ed Everyone wants some more!!!! Just be you write whatever the hell you want and I’ll be happy and won’t be hard and criticize you for it!!! I am happy with everything you’ve already given us. Just please no more hating Sammy or Dave my World shattered when you gave Sammy the boot then the prospect of Dave came and never happened and we got Gary. I think I gave up on VH back then I’m sorry to say that. But I was a huge fan. I was broken back then. You gave us balance and I was blown away. I say through the Movie Twister just to hear new Van Halen and then you hit rid of Sammy. I have hear the three new songs off Best of Both Worlds and love them. But let Dave be Dave unchain him and let him spread the word and advertisethe shit out of the new album. And the test of us will catch the World on fire with Van Halen again. You can do it let’s kick some ass Eddie!!!!
Rick Pride

Do like Acca Dacca and put out four different album covers and make one a limited edition and through in a DVD of the last tour and free Dave go on some news programs do a press release on VH1 classic. And then hit up That Metal Show and Eddie Trunk will help spread the word!!!
bsbll4

Ed acts like old acts cannot put out new music after a long break. Look at AC/DC this past year. Huge hit, just not as big as their old stuff, but every AC/DC fan was thrilled with their effort and loves the new music.

The same thing could occur with VH, but Ed would rather make excuses rather than just admitting: “I can’t write anything worth buying anymore, so I’m going to make excuses and become the nostalgia band Al and I always swore we would never be. So suck it up and buy our overpriced tickets for the same concert you saw last summer.”
Russ

Regarding the “drop to hell tailpiece.” Remember the press conference when EVH and AVH were explaining Dave leaving the band and EVH goes something like “we had to tune down a half step for Dave, and that makes the strings slinky.” And then AVH goes “Yea, very slinky.” Funny, I always thought it made it a bit easier to play. Guess it doesn’t matter that much now huh? At any rate I must agree that:

CF is not the future, but they are nice to have around for the next few years – nothing innovative, just some good, solid tunes in a formula that we like.

Steven Tyler would be worse than Dave.

The pressure is on for EVH – that could be very good or very bad.

Dave needs to surface at some point.
ClubfootKolby

Go get Vince from the Crue
http://cheeseburgerpicnic.com Skutch

Russ, what do you mean the pressure is on? Just curious. From his perspective, he’s got a great wife, great kid and millions in the bank. He has zero pressure in his life as far as I can tell.
BTD

Van Halen is Done!!
andym

Ryan – Welcome to the 2000′s!!! Yeah we all know WB dropped VH a while back.

Shyboy – Well-ly said.

Beaker – Yay!!! A new bridge for Eddie’s guitar…yippee!!! Who the hell cares!!!

Chrisomeara – Stop drinking. Not even Santa himself could pull off that miracle. And those album titles? Seriously, what ARE you drinking???

Atomic Pete & others – read the news…Aerosmith is NOT breaking up. Steven Tyler is still there and would never be in VH even if he was free.

Scott – we’re not haters…MOST of us are just living in reality with our favorite band stringing us along.

Rich & Dan R- thank God you guys get it!!! They are dead right in their posts so read them!!!

Get used to these same updates boys and girls…no new VH any time soon unless it’s Eddie rattling off updates of married life and Wolfie’s college choices. Isn’t it funny how NO ONE has heard a thing from David Lee “Big Mouth” Roth since the end of the 2007 tour??? And about that “2010 Tour Rumor” someone posted a while back on here…dates are filling fast for other bands in venues all over the world…VH better really step on it. You can’t plan a world tour in a week or two.

At least Chickenfoot is keeping us happy!
Dave in Effingham, IL

I agree, CF is not the future. IMO they are novelty at best. Solid tunes, interesting combination, but nothing I’ll be creaming over 20 years from now.

And the pressure is on Eddie. He’s the only one that’s going to make this thing work. All the talk over the years about how much stuff he’s written and how much time he spends at 5150 laying down tunes…let’s see something already.

DWD
Dooley

The greatness of Van Halen speaks for itself. But along the way we have a lot of WTF’s. History repeats.
mjc

dave’s silence is not a good sign,not at all.
scott

Yes, release the archives, that’s what we want. Or the so called DVD they were supposed to be filming for last tour. We need something to pacify us in the meantime, yes that would be nice. But I have confidence whatever they produce will kick ass and school every(one)thing. Dave and Eddie are the shit together, last tour proved it again after all these years. Those 2 songs from volume 1 were better than anything VHagar ever did, and they put out some good stuff. But Dave is just…cooler. None of that lovey shit. Maybe all is quiet cuz they’re busy workin’ it up. Or maybe Dave is on one of his adventures somewhere getting lyrical inspirition. Regardless, if ain’t happening with Dave, it ain’t happening at all. I think VH has earned the right to take however long and do what the fuck ever they want. This is the bonus round folks, take it or leave it.
Karl

I wonder what Ed would think if he read all the dissatisfaction expressed here. If he wasn’t feeling the heat before he certainly would after sampling the expectation here. Yeah, yeah, I know, Ed would never read all this pathetic crap us drama queens keep spouting… but you’d be a brave man to bet against Wolf logging on here.
scott

Exactly!!!!
Myron T. Philpot

Record labels and even distribution are no longer needed to get music out to the fans. There’s this little thing called the “Internet” now. Maybe you’ve heard of it? Bands have their own “Web sites” where they can post comments, pictures and music! Amazing concept! What a world we live in.

Face it, the days of buying shiny little discs with music and movies on them are quickly coming to a close. CDs are so passe now compared to MP3s and iPods (even though the former sounds better). Movies can be delivered via a Netflix set-top box or that “Internet” thang so DVDs will eventually go the way of the dodo too. Blu-ray Disc (and the late HD-DVD) is a still born format if you ask me.

As for a new VH platter, meh. I’ve moved on to jazz.
Dooley

Wolf…if you log on here, you are the future of
Van Halen, your dad said so, and it’s true.
Switch over to keyboards and get MA back. Everything
else would be driven by events and should fall into place from there.

Maybe I’m delusional, and if I am I’ll admit it. But this
course seems better that the merch blitz and substantive
silence we got now.
Joe

I just read the new interview (the mag is on sale at Walmart now). It does NOT sound good;

Ed complains that no reviewer mentioned the 3 new songs on “Best of Both Worlds”, that people didn’t respond when they played them live….. why spend your own money to record when there’s no label to distribute your music….. and people are going to download it for free anyway, and ends with the statement that they might not record anything new.

There you have it.
Rick Pride

Look I think we all need to chill out on Eddie!!! If Wolf or Ed read this I’m sure they’d be stressed and upset. If I was Ed I’d say these are my fans?? The come to VHND and totally blast me. I mean he’s freaking amazing!!!! I’m never giving up on VH and I’m excited about what the future holds. When Ed gets back in the studio with Dave, Wolf and Big Al they’re gonna knock our socks off and when they claim they’re throne again we all will be bam bazzeled!!!! Can’t wait for the next chapter and can’t wait to blast it through the neighborhood scaring those damn hip hop bastards right out if their shitty non fitting pants!!! Rock N Roll is back and King Edward and the boys are coming!!! Tell those young pricks they ain’t seen shit till they’ve seen the Mighty Van Halen!!! Give Dave the mic and MTV will play music again Dave is the Ruller of the free world with King Edward by his side baby!!! Eddie Eddie Eddie Eddie!!! Let’s do it baby!!!!
Rick Pride

Yeah I’ve read the magazine got it yesterday I subscribe. Have faith guys!!!! This is Edward Freaking Van Halen. Let’s all keep our spirits alive!!!! Dave and Eddie won’t disappoint us!!!! Guys stop being Darla downers!!! Ask yourselves if you are true Van Halen fans or not!!! Ed has his shit straight now!!! Stand by your band ladies!!!! =VH=
chris.omeara

Ed’s leading us so we won’t know about the new album with DLR ’till we switch on the radio and it hits us in the face (in a good way). DLR has been given a “gag order” or else…

I had no idea years ago that new VH was coming out when out of nowhere I heard “Me Wise Magic” playing on the radio and I instantly recognized who it was playing the guitar.

When I heard DLR & MA on the chorus I almost had tears of joy right there in the McDonald’s drive-thru. I knew they still had it, and I think they do now. But it’s frustrating sifting thru EVH’s misinformation while waiting for them to deliver (VH, not McDonald’s).

He has a tendency to lie, and most of the serious fans know it. I’ll be the first to cheer when it finally happens, but being a VH fan is like being a Kansas City Chiefs fan. After years of support and the same old sh*t, I finally take the position that if they rally, I’ll rally. Unfortunately, neither the KCC or VH has done that yet…
chris.omeara

While we’re at it, how would EVH have to spend ANY money to record? That’s BS too, since he owns his own studio and is filthy rich.

If he doesn’t want to spring for tape, we have some pretty decent sounding digital formats these days; Whatever, Eddie…
Joe

I’m guessing he’s talking about the costs to hire an engineer, producer, mixing and mastering, album artwork, promotion and CD pressing.
chris.omeara

At this point, I think we’re beyond all that;

I know a local band here in town that had raw talent and songwriting skills but no tech skills. I used to repair their tube amps when they went down.

Another guitarist in town who was into production and recording took their stuff and made a CD in his basement that rivalled anything the corporate media are feeding us.

I guess you got me on the promotion aspect, because they never did get famous(partly because the guitar player drank himself into a stupor each day, and they split up), but VH doesn’t need much promotion since people already know who they are, and the new material would hopefully speak for itself.

They could do it theirselves cheap if they wanted, and it would still have tremendous impact. Steve Vai sold 1 million albums himself with $1 per disc overhead. I didn’t like Flexible that much, but it IS possible with today’s technology to forego all the excess trimmings…
Atomic Pete

@ daveman5150

VH do owe us fans one thing, THE TRUTH!!

Be honest about what’s going on. We can take it.Hell
we’ll even support you. Not recording? No prob.
Not sure if Dave’s still around. Hey, whatever.
Just be honest! Yes they Do owe us that much.

BTW I wasn’t totally serious about the Steven Tyler thing.
Just throwing a name out there so chill.
chris.omeara

I hear you Man, those OLD days of Aerosmith were GOOD; All I’d ever heard was “Dream On” plus one or two other tunes.

I remember getting a copy of “Live: Bootleg” from a friend, and it was a revelation of hard blues rock. I heard one journalist remark that in the late seveties, “old Aerosmith was VH before there was a VH”.

The re-forming of Aerosmith in the MTV era was pretty much a painful parallel to Van Hagar reformation to true fans from the old days of both bands. No more raw rock; Just slickly produced corporate commercial crap…
RickieVanWhalen

Joe – that quote is posted all over the internet. I will be signing off of this site and this band for good if it is true.
Joe

I think Ed gets frustrated just like all the posters here do. The difference is that his comments get put into magazines.

I agree with Chris.Omera that a world class recording can be done cheaply, but it wouldn’t probably live up to EVH standards. The guitar that made him famous cost him under $200. Now, he sells guitars for almost $3k. I think he’s lost perspective.

Still, I’ll be checking this sight daily, buying the shoes, waiting to check out the D2H bridge and waiting for the next big announcement…because I’m still a fan.
chris.omeara

C’mon guys, don’t wig out- this is Eddie we’re talking about…

Remember, he ALWAYS lies to the press (and the fans) at key points (like their true age, his “modified” Jose Arredondo Marshall, his battle with DLR, his battle with Sammy, his battle with the bottle, etc. ad infinitum)…

You just wait- We’re all going to be hearing some new VH soon… and you’ll never have believed that John Smith would’ve sounded so good as the new singer… (just kidding)…
Myron T. Philpot

So Ed’s whining about the high cost of producing CDs?! Sheesh, Tom Scholtz recorded pretty much all of Boston Third Stage in his basement on an old Studder 16 track and a tube mixing desk. Outboard gear included several beater JBL compressors and a touch of reverb from some unknown piece of gear. Of course, his guitar used all of his Rockman amps and effects. Ed’s got this same ability in his back yard.

Mastering will cost some coin though. And depending on the level of production for the CD, artwork, etc., it might be a big chunk o’ coin for that. Don’t know what pressing a batch of CDs from a glass master costs anymore but add that in there too.
chris.omeara

Remember after OU812 when Eddie said he retired from touring, sort’ve like the Beatles? Remember when Elvis said it? Remember the dozen nearly semi-annual Ozzy and Kiss “farewell” tours?
Joe

yeah, but I still boil my strings!
scott

Eddie rules. Always will. You guys complaining…what, do your pussies hurt? Awww…..say something good or shut the fuck up. So stupid.
chris.omeara

Something good?

Oh, I don’t mind waiting a decade or more for new music
Oh, I don’t mind that they went commercial with the songs
Oh, I don’t mind that they sell sneakers and overpriced guitars now
Oh, I don’t mind that they went from the best hard rock band of the late seventies/early eighties to being a wuss rock band
Oh, I don’t mind that EVH is a control freak & liar who is stringing us along that he might deliver the goods
Oh, I don’t mind, because “Eddie Rules”…
scott

Get a life. You don’t even know Ed. Don’t buy it if you don’t like it. Don’t listen to it if it’s too commercial. Don’t buy the products if they don’t turn you on. There is no best. But we can have favorites. Don’t diss my favorite musician/band! Patience grasshoppers, peace. Tired of all this bashing crappola. Keep it real. Like Ed says in the new interview, ironically this exact type of subject comes up in it, so someone from the VH camp seems to be aware these types of things being said. I can’t bite my tongue anymore. I can’t believe some of this crap some of you complain about. CHILL.
chris.omeara

There IS a best-

It’s called Van Halen, Van Halen II, Women And Children First and Fair Warning (plus an occasional tune here or there)…

Read it…

Believe it…
RickieVanWhalen

Joe & Karl

That quote better be EVH just talking shit again. It does not read very well for us fanatics that is for sure.

I have a wolfgang, a charvel bumblebee and a fender replica. All with his strings. They plug into a 5150 combo with more effects with stripes on them than I can count. Until I hear new music he can keep his D2H.
scott

then go listen to them over and over and don’t buy anything new.
Kimberly

I am not allowed to say how I know..but there is VH coming soon. So stop getting your undies in a bunch and look forward to December:)

I understand the frustration! It is really obnoxious, but when they go on tour again its going to be incredible!! I personally can’t wait..Try to stay positive!! <3
chris.omeara

I told you so… The writing’s on the wall; That article was a typical Eddie psiop…
http://vhnd.com SILENT BUT DEADLY

Hopefully Ed won’t overuse his wah wah. Gets a little annoying.
ikethebird

Just got my copy,read the article.Forget about new music from VH.He’s happy marketing and teaching his son “Light up the sky”.
keith

Just read mine too. He’s says it all. No new music. We all pissed him off by the pressure over the years and not being appreciative of his creative stuff on VH3, the non ablum songs, etc. Again, read your copy, he says NO NEW MUSIC.
keith

READ THE LONG PARAGRAPH PG 55, It’s all there. In his words. Done. Finished. Bumba Dida, Happys Trails, Adios Amogos.So sad.
Bri_in _Indy

You whining kooks are gettin on my nerves. Ed said all along they were going into the studio after Wolf graduated and Ed got married. How fast do you think they can record, edit, and get it out? Then he had to have hand surgery. Ed said all along it would be a first of the year release with a summer tour to follow. Geez!
http://vhnd silent but deadly

Screw it then! They have had full careers already anyway!!

Go eat a bean burrito and deal with whatever happens.
Rick Pride

Two burritos and a root beer float!!!
Pete

There’s Eddie with a guitar.

I remember when he used to play guitar…now he just sells them.
http://www.gemproductionsinc.com George

It’s all BS. I love Edward.. ok? But come on man! I read this article and for the first time I am starting not like him that much. I am tired of hearing about his hip surgery and how he played drums before Alex. He complains alot about non-sense. Make an album dude. Get a clue man. Ed…grow up.