Michael Anthony Talks Chickenfoot and Van Halen
From Undercover.com.au.
INTERVIEW: Michael Anthony Talks Chickenfoot and Van Halen
by Paul Cashmere - November 14 2009
In 1974, Michael Anthony, Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen and David Lee Roth became known as Van Halen. That decision took up the next 30 years of Anthony`s life.
However things changed in 2004. What started as a reunion tour with Sammy Hagar that should have taken the band around the world disintegrated after 80 shows on the North American tour. When the band once again reunited in 2007 for a tour with David Lee Roth, Anthony discovered via the press that he was no longer in the band.
Anthony had no intention of retiring but the next phase of his career would be for the fun and music, not the money or the fame. Chickenfoot had played a few casual gigs at Sammy Hagar’s club in Mexico but this year they took it one step further.
The first performance was in February 2008 in Las Vegas. Anthony, Joe Satriani and Red Hot Chili Pepper’s drummer Chad Smith joined Sammy Hagar on stage at his gig and played three songs. That night is now documented as the first Chickenfoot performance.
In June 2009, Chickenfoot released their debut album.
To find out the Chickenfoot story and the truth behind the implosion of Van Halen, I talked to Michael Anthony.
Paul Cashmere: When Michael Anthony, Sammy Hagar, Joe Satriani and Chad Smith get together in a band I call that a supergroup. What do you call it?
Michael Anthony: I just call it four friends that got together to jam and started to make music together. Most supergroups do one album and go out and make as much money as they can. We are not doing it that way. When we first got together and started to play and decided we wanted to do this we didn’t even have a record company. We were doing it for ourselves. One thing lead to another. When we toured last summer we didn’t go into big arenas. There are no egos here. We have all made money in our respective bands. We played theatre size places and a festival here or there. Mostly we just want to build the band and earn the fans respect.
Paul Cashmere: Chickenfoot had its origins many years ago in a slightly different line-up as Planet US.
Michael Anthony: Joe was in that band for probably 40 minutes. It was with Neal Schoen and then we decided we wanted to bring Joe in. We did a radio broadcast from San Francisco and had Joe come down. But then the whole Van Halen reunion thing started to come together so we had to let it go. Originally it was Chad, Sammy and myself jamming down in Mexico at Sammy’s club. We called ourselves Chickenfoot there for a couple of years. Sammy decided to get a proper guitar player if we were really going to do this thing and Joe was the one to call.
Paul Cashmere: The first show in January 2008 in Vegas. Was that an impromptu jumping on stage at a Sammy Hagar gig?
Michael Anthony: That’s right. If I wanted to get on stage with Sammy with the Wabaritos we would play Van Halen/Hagar era stuff. We wanted to play something different so he asked Chad and myself to come down so we did a Sammy Hagar and friends. Then he asked Joe to come down so that was the first time the four of us were on stage.
Paul Cashmere: Red Hot Chili Peppers are recording at the moment. How will that effect Chickenfoot?
Michael Anthony: It has slowed things down a little bit. We did a lot of filming of all of the shows we did over summer and we are putting together a performance DVD. We have another show we are doing in Las Vegas in December. Then we will wait and see what Chad’s schedule will be like with the Chili Peppers because Chad doesn’t want to give this up.
Paul Cashmere: You personally must have a lot more freedom in this band. Does that mean you have having a lot more fun as well?
Michael Anthony: I have a great time with the talented musicians I get to play with. Joe and Chad, my tongue is on the floor sometimes when we get in the studio and jam. We are all good buddies. Its like how Van Halen used to be in the early days. It reminds me of why I started doing this in the first place. Yes, there are no restrictions on anybody.
Paul Cashmere: What is the motivation for Chickenfoot?
Michael Anthony: The motivation is just having a love of music and playing music with your friends. Having had fame and success and having made money means we don’t have to look to do that right now. We don’t mean to make a lot of money and play big venues. We play smaller venues to earn the respect of the fans.
Paul Cashmere: Running parallel to Chickenfoot is Dave Grohl’s Them Crooked Vultures. What do you think of their individual ingredients?
Michael Anthony: They are all great musicians. Oh man, John Paul Jones, he was my hero growing up. I can’t wait to see their shows. I bet David Grohl is having a great time getting back behind the drums.
Paul Cashmere: Who are the bass players who admire?
Michael Anthony: I grew up with all the old rockers – John Entwistle, Jack Bruce. I listen to the old blues guys like Jamie Jamieson and when I first started out I was listening to Harvey Brooks who played in a band called The Electric Flag. All the old rock bass players from all the old rock bands, I listened to them all.
Paul Cashmere: Is Paul McCartney under-rated as a bass player?
Michael Anthony: I think so. When you go back and listen to an album like ‘Abbey Road’ and a song like ‘She’s So Heavy’, some of the bass-lines that he did back then, that was late 60s. Paul McCartney plays guitar great and he is a great keyboard player but when I listen to his bass playing he played some great stuff. He really was an under-rated bass player.
Paul Cashmere: What is your relationship with Eddie Van Halen these days?
Michael Anthony: There is no relationship. They chose their own path and their own way to go. Eddie had it in for me ever since I buddied up with Sammy Hagar again which I couldn’t understand because Sammy had asked me sometime back if I would like to come and guest on some shows. This was when Van Halen was going through a period where Eddie was dealing with some of his own demons. He had the cancer thing he was dealing with and his marriage. As far as I was concerned, I was going out there waving the Van Halen flag to say, “we didn’t go away, we are still here”. Unfortunately, he didn’t see it that way. He never liked me hanging out with Sammy and I can’t understand why because Van Halen was my band. They didn’t see it that way so they chose to not have me participate.
Paul Cashmere: How was that broken to you?
Michael Anthony: Actually, we finished out reunion tour in 2004 and I probably knew that nothing was going to happen after that, also because of the physical and mental state that Eddie was in at that time. That tour did not end very harmoniously I guess you could stay. I’m not going to point any fingers but it just didn’t. It was unfortunate that we had to pull the plug after only 80 shows. We should have gone around the world 5 times. Back in 2007 when they announced their reunion tour with David Lee Roth, I found out about it like all the other fans did. I saw it in the press and found out like everyone else did. That didn’t hurt me as much as when they relaunched their website and took my image off a couple of the album covers. That upset me that they would go so far as to try and erase me out of the history of the band.
Paul Cashmere: What about being replaced by a teenager?
Michael Anthony: That is his son. He is a teenager but he is a decent bass player. I think that was also part of the reason to do it, to spite me.
Paul Cashmere: And it was bizarre that at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the only two members of Van Halen who turned up were you and Sammy Hagar.
Michael Anthony: I know. A couple of weeks before the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame I would have thought that as soon as Dave knew we were being inducted he would have been camping out at the Waldof ready to go out there. I spoke with Dave’s manager and said we should put things aside and be friends for just one evening. When you look at bands like Metallica, they had everybody come back on stage. Unfortunately Dave, from what I heard after talking to Slash, Dave wanted to do certain things that would steal the show and when he couldn’t have it his way he didn’t want to show up. For whatever reason, Eddie and Alex didn’t show up. It sucked. We were the two people who weren’t even in the band anymore but there was no way I was going to miss that. That was better than a Grammy to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I remember sitting at the table while REM were playing and I turned to Sammy and said, “This would have been great. We would have kicked this thing right in the arse”. Nobody would have ever forgotten this induction ceremony if all of us were getting along and went up there.
Paul Cashmere: The legendary story of the removal of the brown M&Ms, true or false?
Michael Anthony: Ha-ha. True. The reason we came up with that was because back in the day we would read some really ridiculous things that entertainers would put in their contracts, their riders. I remember reading about someone who wouldn’t even go on stage unless it was a certain temperature. It was so ridiculous that we thought lets come up with something so ridiculous and see if the promoters are really paying attention to our backstage rider. The only thing I felt bad about was once going to a show and seeing a little girl who was working with the caterer back there with this big bowl of M&Ms and she’s picking out the brown ones knowing that if she forgot and left one in there it would probably cost her her job. We got more mileage and press out of that. I couldn’t believe it.
Paul Cashmere: What was a Spinal Tap moment in Van Halen?
Michael Anthony: We would play Masonic temples in the Midwest in the late 70s. You know that scene were they are below in Cleveland and they are trying to direct them to the stage? We did that a couple of times where we could not find the stage but we could hear the crowd upstairs but we couldn’t find the stage.
Paul Cashmere: I believe you are quite a car collector?
Michael Anthony: I’ve got a few, yeah. It was all inspired by me meeting Sammy Hagar much to my wife’s dismay. My wife is not too excited about it. The moment I start talking about cars she walks out of the room. She has herself a Mercedes and the way she puts it, she says “I have my one nice car and that’s all I need”.
Paul Cashmere: What is your favorite car?
Michael Anthony: I have just restored a 1957 Chevy Nomad wagon. If you go on my website Mad Anthony Cafe I have the car on my website. It was before I redid the car. I am just about to redo a bunch of stuff on my website with my cars. I didn’t think it was something anyone would be interested in but I guess a lot of people are interested in my cars so I’m getting ready to redo the website. I love all of my cars. Its what I like to do when I’m not playing music.
Paul Cashmere: There are a lot of celebrity car collectors, Jay Leno, Brian Johnson …
Michael Anthony: Yeah, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck is a big car guy, Metallica. Its cool. It has caught on. I remember a couple of years ago running into Joey Cramer and Tommy Hamilton from Aerosmith. We were staying at the same hotel in Chicago and got together to have a cocktail at the bar and we just sat there talking about our cars. I go to a lot of car shows with my cars and a lot of fans are car fans.
Paul Cashmere: What is next for Chickenfoot?
Michael Anthony: I’d like to come down there. We aren’t ready to record another album. I think we should go out and play some shows. As soon as we find out what is happening with Chad’s schedule I’d like to come down to Australia at the beginning of the year. We will put together a DVD and do stuff on the website. Its not like the tour has finished and we are going to stop.
The “Deluxe Edition” of Chickenfoot’s debut album is released by earMusic. The Deluxe Edition of the eponymous album includes a bonus DVD disc that includes exclusive behind-the-scenes and live footage, plus promo videos for the singles ‘Oh Yeah’, ‘Soap on a Rope’ and ‘Sexy Little Thing’.
Filed under: Chickenfoot, Michael Anthony, Van Halen
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November 22nd, 2009 at 10:04 am
Michael Anthony is a class act. I miss him, but the show must go on…
November 22nd, 2009 at 10:07 am
Michael Anthony is a class act. He should drive over to Eddie’s house and say “What the Fuck”. Why not, he and Sammy need some closure.
November 22nd, 2009 at 10:10 am
Good Interview. He didn’t get pushed into any bashing. Just the truth. Nice~
November 22nd, 2009 at 10:30 am
Mike is a class act.
November 22nd, 2009 at 10:37 am
I need to check out his cars on his website!!! The Foot rules!!!
November 22nd, 2009 at 10:39 am
Mike’s the best.
Great he is enjoying life and doing what he loves.
I don’t like CF but love that Mike is happy.
November 22nd, 2009 at 11:00 am
It is too bad about Eddie. He is really a hypocrite on this matter. DLR also toured playing Van Halen music and EVH did not have a problem with, but Mike does it and it is an issue. Sounds like the issue might really be with Sammy and Mike choosing to play with him after Eddie ousted him.
EVH has to learn that while VH is dormant it is OK for his band mates to continue living. Maybe one day he will reconcile this. He will be happier for it. Maybe Wolfie will insist that Mike play one show for the closer and to help dad get past this.
Mike as always takes the high road. He also did not battle alcohol like Eddie-shows what that stuff will do to you.
November 22nd, 2009 at 11:45 am
Mike probably could have slung some big time dirt on Eddie but, being the class guy he is, chose not to because he doesn’t need to. The whole world knew he got the shaft from VH, but he is moving on with CF and seems to be enjoying himself, which is great to see.
November 22nd, 2009 at 12:19 pm
Mike and Sammy are two awesome honest hard working guts. Their music is incredible and I hope we get much much more Chickenfoot.
November 22nd, 2009 at 12:40 pm
gotta love mike just straight forward no bullshit.
November 22nd, 2009 at 1:06 pm
Mike is the classiest musician in rock ‘n roll
November 22nd, 2009 at 1:16 pm
Mike is a good guy. He’s better off without VH. Neither Mike or Sammy deserved the treatment they got from Eddie. I use to think Eddie was cool back in the day but the more I read about what happened the more I think he really was the problem. Can you say swollen head??
November 22nd, 2009 at 1:52 pm
Love that guy. I’m glad Chickenfoot got as big as it did, he deserved it, especially after being slagged by the VH brothers. I love Ed too, but Mike is in class above, far above.
November 22nd, 2009 at 2:06 pm
Undercover is a great site I’ve been using as my main source of music news for years.
November 22nd, 2009 at 2:49 pm
I don’t blame Ed and Al for being mad at Mike for spending his time with Sammy. If I had a MAJOR falling out with a friend, I would appreciate some common courtesy from a mutual friend to at least communicate with me to find out if I was okay with me hanging out with the ex-band member and playing our songs. At least if I still wanted to consider myself part of the band or friendship that is. I would be pissed to. Why is that hard to understand
November 22nd, 2009 at 3:33 pm
What “certain things that would steal the show”did DavidLeeRoth want to do?
Sing JUMP? Use a Better band than Paul Schaffer`s?
Make a Great acceptance speech?
“VelvetRevolver`s” performance,-complete trainwreck.
Sam&Mike`s-just as awfull.
No Wonder Dave Bailed.
As Good As CHFT is,i think unfortuneately/inevitably
they`ll always be compared to=VH=.
“He replaced me with his kid to spite me”
GEE,,,,YA THINK MIKE????
November 22nd, 2009 at 5:22 pm
Ed, If you by some far chance do read these things, I would like to say Thank You for all you’ve Given us. You gave the gift of music. And, I don’t care if you ever make another piece of music, what you have done is brilliant enough. But, man you need to make things right with these guys, Mike and Sammy. They deserve that respect and you need to respect yourself enough to do that. Be the Humble, perpetual grinning, guitar screaming dude you know you are. Make things right.
November 22nd, 2009 at 5:35 pm
Steve,are you for real?these guys are grown men so why would mike need permision to hang out with someone while VH is on one of their mega breaks?i think eddie should have at least been a man and called mike when they decided to go in a different direction.
November 22nd, 2009 at 7:13 pm
I totally agree with you, bsc. Now that eddie’s life is starting to come together even more so. Maybe he will. Then hopefully the Real VH(Eddie, Sammy, Michael & Alex) will put out another great album. Hey, a person can dream.
As for Michael Anthony, I have to agree with everybody else. You are a class act. I always thought you were.
To Van-Halen & Chickenfoot, Keep it up guys! As long as you’re doing what you love and it makes you happy. Plus, stay healthy ….then I’ll have no reason to complain.
November 22nd, 2009 at 7:21 pm
Wow that’s the first time Mike has spoken about Eddie’s demon’s, and finally in detail. I guess he’s coming to his sense’s that Eddie was not well, had all this extra pressure, stress of his marriage breakup, mother passing away, cancer and alcohol. So to top it of Mike’s association with Sammy was the final straw. Mike’s timing and character is to be questioned here. Not that bright Mike!!
I completely agree with Steve! Common courtesy and respect shown to the VH bro’s was not given by Mike. Eddie gave Mike everything he so cherish’s today. Without Van Halen, who the fuck is Michael Anthony? Plus did Mike tell Ed & Al that he’s going out to play with Sam and bill themselves as “The Other Half”? I guess Ed & Al found out like the rest of us by the poster’s and advertisement on Mike’s and Sam’s websites. As Steve said “I would appreciate some common courtesy from a mutual friend to at least communicate with me to find out if it was okay with me hanging out with the ex-band member and playing our songs.”
As it always is with Eddie it’s pretty simple. As the dust settle’s Eddie’s version of events is the truth. Sam is a master of manipulating the media and fans, he is jealous/possessed with Eddie and can’t come to grips that Van Halen is still alive.
I’ll go one step further, Sammy tried to kill off Eddie Van Halen and Van Halen for good. I mean look at the circumstances that were presented to him in that pathetic reunion tour of 2004. Eddie was in bad health, in a fragile state of mind and in no condition to be there. He was self destructing because of the no respect, courtesy shown by Sam & Mike. They were carrying on like out of control idiots knowing that it would piss off Eddie!! Their drunken filled antic’s backstage was no help to Eddie. And they knew that! That’s like fighting fire with fire. Sam & Mike knew exactly what their antics was meant to do, it was to harm Eddie. They almost succeeded! And judging by Sam’s latest interview here in VHND; he’s drunk, cocky and still taking pot shots at the man that put him into the RRHOF.
Thank God, Diamond Dave and Wolfie came to help the greatest LIVING legend guitarist of out time, because Sam & Mike were no help at all, they were the problem and an evil sinister problem.
November 22nd, 2009 at 8:59 pm
I think Mike still won’t admit that he screwed up. I understand that he didn’t want to stay home while VH was on hiatus and Ed was dealing with the darkest times of his life. However, if he wanted to keep waiving the Van Halen flag, he could have done something other than help Sammy Hagar sell his Cabo brand with Van Halen music.
Mike and others keep acting like he was performing a public service by playing VH music with Sammy. People paid money for tickets to those shows and for the merchandise. Before Chickenfoot, Sammy played VH songs because he knew it would get people to buy tickets. Adding Mikey to the mix was like having half of Van Halen, which, again, people paid for. The Cabo brand was all over the place at those shows. I can see why the Ed and Al wanted nothing to with him after that. Yes, getting on stage again to play VH tunes with a former band mate would be fun. But when Mikey became featured on Sammy’s tours to play VH songs, it became a business move.
Chickenfoot is the first thing that Mikey and Sammy have done that has nothing to do with VH. Their shows are free of any VH songs or references. Perhaps if Mikey had done something like this years ago (abesent Sammy, ofcourse), he would still be in the band.
November 22nd, 2009 at 9:10 pm
Wow little John, blame everyone but the drug addict alcoholic for his own issues. Your matter of fact, seemingly first hand account drivel is pathetic. Tried to kill him … are you kidding me? What a tool.
November 22nd, 2009 at 9:13 pm
When Mike was gigging around with Sammy (pre-CF), Van Halen was in a holding pattern — for years! Basically, VH, as a band, did nothing notable between mid-1998 and mid-2004. Six years of nothing, with no end in sight. So what’s Mike supposed to do, sit around all day, year after year, waiting for the VH brothers to get their act together?
So Mike goes out and jams with Sammy. Ed doesn’t like Sammy, so Mike’s supposed to avoid Sammy too? What is this, a girl’s junior high school?! Maybe Ed could have shown some respect to Mike and not make a big deal of him enjoying his own life. Mike owns 25 percent of every VH song; so what if he sang them on stage with a guy who owned 25 percent of the VH songs he sang. Why can’t Ed respect that? Where’s the fucking crime?
During that VH hiatus, Alex patched things up with Sammy; the two met on a few occasions and ultimately buried the hatchet. So, how come Alex isn’t a bad guy in Ed’s eyes?
Sometime around the turn of the century, Ed and Alex bought out the other VH members, making the band Van Halen legally just Ed and Al. So, technically, Mike wasn’t booted out; he sold his interest in the band. When he and Sammy rejoined the VH brothers in 2004 for a US tour, he and Sammy were nothing more than hired guns. Nonetheless, the public’s (and critic’s) perception was that Mike was still a part of VH. Shortly into the 2004, Ed even said that it felt good to play on stage every night with Mike. (search YouTube if you doubt that fact).
But here’s the part that makes no sense at all: DLR recently had a job as a paramedic (a noble profession). Mike is still playing bass, but isn’t formally in any band, though the common belief was that he was still part of VH. Ed decides to hire back DLR. As a result, DLR quits his day job. But Ed won’t hire back Mike because Mike is off gigging occasionally with his friends (Sammy and others)? Ed’s excuse is that Mike is “doing his own thing these days”. So, what…Roth wasn’t? DLR was driving around in an ambulance! And doing one-off gigs of countyfied VH classics. If that isn’t the definition of doing your own thing, what is? So, between Roth and Anthony, who is the one “doing his own thing”? It sure wasn’t Mike. His “crime” wad playing and singing VH songs on stage for fans. That was more than Ed and Al were doing combined. Yet, Mike is the bad guy? Give me a break.
I’ve met Mike a few times backstage at VH shows and at a couple of NorCal car shows. (I had a car in a car show that also had his roadster in it.) I’m glad that he’s not in VH anymore; he’s better off for it, and he deserves better.
November 23rd, 2009 at 12:10 am
The last tour with DLR would have been perfect with Anthony on bass…and it would have made much more sense.
November 23rd, 2009 at 2:03 am
Mikes the best. Chickenfoot rocks!
November 23rd, 2009 at 3:15 am
He went with Sam to “fly the VH flag”?? I think Mike is a cool guy, probably the most normal ex-member of VH, but come on.
The guy left VH to play with Sam and he thought that Ed (who Mike knows doesn’t like him) would just call Mike back some day to jam again.
That was idiotic of Mike if he really thought that.
Anyway, Mike’s happy now Ed’s happy now; that’s it.
I don’t get why people here want so much for Mike to return to VH when you should know Mike and Ed hate each other and have for decades and Roth and Mike don’t get along either.
It looks to me like everyobdy’s happy now.
November 23rd, 2009 at 3:35 am
Michael Anthony is just a great guy … And as much as I love VH, I am so happy for these guys forming Chickenfoot. Just great to see, and hear something new. Go the foot!!!
November 23rd, 2009 at 5:21 am
wow Bleasbro! Your more stupid and cold hearted then anybody I’ve read on this forum!
Let me get one thing straight here the name of the band is called VAN HALEN not MICHAEL ANTHONY and certainly not Van Hagar!!! And the Eddie Van Halen is THE MAN!!! Mike played his part and played it well but the main interest in Van Halen is Eddie. And Diamond Dave I might add too!! For the general public the ingredients to being a successful band, you have to have 1 exceptional musician in the band; The Beatles had 4, same as Led Zeppelin. Van Halen have 2 exceptional talents Eddie & Dave. But being a die-hard Van Halen fan I ‘m bias, it’s all 4, Eddie, Dave, Alex & Mike. But for the general music public it’s all about Eddie and Dave, they look and sound so great and classic together!!
Mike should be thankful that Wolfie honoured and covered his part respectfully! Yes it was never going to be the same, but Van Halen’s main inspiration is not the bass, it’s Eddie’s god like guitars, Diamond Dave’s personality and bluesy growl (howling at the moon!!) & Alex’s heavy groove assault (the real brown sound!)
Mike should thank his luck stars that Van Halen are alive, because if Van Halen can agree to do a reunion with Sam and then with Roth, I’m sure Mike’s turn will not become as big an issue than it was with Sam. So if I was Mike, keep your Chickenfoot mouth shut, be respectful of the man that gave you the opportunity to join one of the greatest band of all time…VAN HALEN!!!!
November 23rd, 2009 at 6:25 am
If I were Mike I would’ve done the same thing. You guys forget that all Mike did on Van Halen III was sing backup vocals and play bass on 3 songs. They did a tour but what was Mike supposed to do? Wait around for more proposals of an album where Mike has to pretend he’s writing the bass lines?
And 2004 was a bigger kick in the ass as he didn’t even play bass on the new tracks for BOBW. And he still came on tour, did his thing, played well….
But I can understand why Mike would want to go out and play with Sam - Ed was being pretty controlling of Mike’s part in the band and he needed some sort of way of being a bit more independent. I don’t blame him for going with Sam at all, its just a shame he and Sam were the only ones with the balls to go to their own RRHOF ceremony.
November 23rd, 2009 at 6:29 am
“Chixkenfoot is the first thing Mike and Sammy have done that hAs nothing to do with Van Halen. Their shows are free of any VH songs or references.”
Every Chickenfoot song is a thinly veiled ripp off of a Sammy-era Van Halen song. When Satriani was “writing” these songs, all he did was listen to Van Hagar and steal chord progressions and phrasing. He’s made a career out of stealing Ed’s sound. Might as well steal his songs too (and HE had the nerve to sue Cold Play?).
Then Sammy added some recycled lyrics. No wonder the Van Hagar fans love Chickenfoot. Actually, I enjoy the songs too, also, but only because I enjoyed them the first time when Ed wrote them.
Runnin’ Out = Runaround.
Future is the Past = Take Me Back (Deja Vu) (could’ve been the album title)
Avinida Revolution = Humans Being
Down the Drain = Up for Breakfast
November 23rd, 2009 at 6:47 am
Oh dear Rip Off, another deaf armchair music analyst playing the team game. No, Joe isn’t stealing from Edward, he merely plays the style of guitar invented by Edward. If you’re going to say that Joe simply stole off Edward then you might as well say Edward stole all his licks from Alan Holdsworth. Playing in a style is not the same as stealing.
November 23rd, 2009 at 7:40 am
I think I might like Mikey the best of all “former” and “current” VH members. He comes across as a straight forward guy overall good shit. (Just dont peddle to me your small basses, it’s all good.)
November 23rd, 2009 at 7:47 am
Hi Pete,
When you have a friend that is also your business partner and a major falling out occurs you can see who your real friends are. It’s like a divorce. Mike didn’t need permission from Ed. But as a friend you at least touch base if you’re going to be jumping around on stage playing THEIR or HIS songs with the guy who you are in major dispute with. Anybody would be mad over that. Pete I am wondering about your frame of thinking also.
November 23rd, 2009 at 8:11 am
Mike’s back-up vocals were a BIG part of the VH sound. Could his base-playing be replaced by Wolfie….maybe. Back-up vocals……probably not. Somebody get me a doctor…
November 23rd, 2009 at 8:22 am
Michael Anthony made another mistake by playing with sammy on the dave and sam tour!!He rolled the dice and lost.
November 23rd, 2009 at 8:44 am
to all haters>>>>>> put the vh, dlr, sammy and chickenfoot cds in your ipod…hit play…and shut the fuck up!!!!peace yall…long live the foot
November 23rd, 2009 at 9:54 am
Hey little John … I don’t disagree with much of your last post at all (just need to turn down the hero worship a bit dude). It was your first post I was commenting on. Stating facts as YOU see them and conspiracy theories of Mike and Sam trying to kill Eddie … give me a break. Just go back and read your first post bro. It is the very definition of far reaching. Ed had been self desctructing for decades.
I love van Halen … I have since the first time I saw them in 1978 on a Day On The Green in Oakland. This was their first concert tour. They stole the show over AC/DC, Aerosmith and Foreigner. I was blown away. But they are just musicians that play music I enjoy, they are not a religion as some seem to think.
November 23rd, 2009 at 10:04 am
I can’t believe some of things I read on here. What was Mike supposed to do for 6 YEARS? Not play anything, anywhere? He went out with Sammy and played some VH tunes, tunes he and Sammy had every right to play. Ed and Al probably would have given the shaft even if he went out and played VH tunes with Roth.
I love the VH Brothers for the music they put out WITH the other members of Van Halen. The fact that Ed couldn’t even show up for the Hall of Fame deal was absurd. Get over it.
Last thing, Mike is a musician and just wants to play some music he enjoys playing. Who wouldn’t?
November 23rd, 2009 at 10:46 am
Mike has always been a class act. The VH brothers could have taken a hint from him and just announced they wanted Wolf in the band, rather than to be ice cold and try to deny him any ties to the band anymore. Mike out, Wolf in: no reason to explain anything other than we want Wolf and have more Van Halens in Van Halen.
November 23rd, 2009 at 11:14 am
I don’t know any of these people personally so, what they chose to do, to react to, and how they run their personal lives is none of my business. So, I’m not here to judge EVH, DLR or Mike Anthony. It was said before, everybody seems happy now so….. Michael is a great bass player, EVH is the GREATEST guitar player, and Dave is, well, Dave.
Hopefully will get some new VH music soon. I don’t care if Wolfgang or Lassie plays bass, as long as EVH is playing an instrument, it’s VH music. And that’s all I want. I’d buy the album if Eddie played the flute and Mylie Cyrus sang.
November 23rd, 2009 at 12:48 pm
A lot of people are of the belief that Mike should have checked with Ed to see if it is okay for him (Mike) to play with Sammy during the 6-year VH hiatus. That is absurd, albsoluetly absurd. Micheal, at the time, owned 25% of VH, the same share as Ed. Did Ed check with Mike before writing music for that porn movie? Did Ed check with Mike first before inventing his own guiatr line? No, and why should he have? It was none of Mike’s business, and it was not directly related to the band VH. So why is Mike supposed to ask for permission to occasionally sing VH songs on stage with Sammy for fans, but Ed can do whatever he wants whenever he wants? That’s hypocritical at best.
I have a friend who is a lighting direction for a popular TV series. You know what he does between TV seasons? He works in the feature film business (the “competition”). You know why? Because the TV business is on hiatus and he likes what he does for a living so he occupies his time elswhere until the TV biz calls himt o come back.
When you are employed in a band, and the main driving force behind the band is addicted to booze and drugs and quits making music and needs a new hip and half his tongue carved out due to cigaratte abuse, your career is on hold indefinately. For all intent and purposes, Ed halted VH from doing anything for more than half a decade. I hardly think Ed is in any position to cry foul because Mike hopped on stage now and then for 30 to 45 minutes at a time to treat fans to VH music.
At least Ed could have had the class to tell Mike face to face that VH was going to move on without Mike. Want to talk about disrespecting a person. Play every single gig with a guy for 25 years straight, then let the press tell him that he isn’t welcome on stage. That’s just low, really, really low.
November 23rd, 2009 at 2:00 pm
Most of you guys are mentally challenged…the history of Van Halen is perpetual and ongoing. No true facts are known, except that: Alex is a silent drummer and devout brother; Dave is a rehabilitated egomaniac; Mike is a “class act”; Sammy’s a fun-loving business man; Gary’s back in Extreme with his “Elephant Balls” and Ed, fuck, Ed is a divorced/remarried, cancer-kicking, meticulous, controlling and extremely talented musician. And they all participated in creating a fantastic array of music we all love in a band called Van Halen. The rest is all speculation and the fucking retarded jibberish you guys spew doesn’t help matters. Wait for the memoirs that may or may not be true, and if you’re a musician (some of you are) make some fucking cool music and note Van Halen as one of your influences….
November 23rd, 2009 at 2:12 pm
The reason that Mike is no longer in Van Halen is because he did not add anything to the band.
November 23rd, 2009 at 4:36 pm
Right Karl, though a couple of differences come to mind:
1) Ed enjoying Holsworth playing and incorporating some of what Alan does into his own playing is different than deliberately setting out to make an album that sounds like VH, which is clearly what happened with Chickenfoot.
2) Alan Holdworth never had any commercial success, so there wasn’t any financial gain to be had (can’t steal something that has no value), whereas VH is one of the top selling bands of the last 30 years.
3) Ed didn’t start a band with Holsworth’s former singer and bass player to cash in.
Other than that, it’s exactly the same.
My Kinda Girl = The Dream Is Over
November 23rd, 2009 at 4:54 pm
Yes those songs r very much similer to those VH ones
November 23rd, 2009 at 5:13 pm
hey jim,what has alex added to the band that mike hasnt besides having the right last name?
November 23rd, 2009 at 5:15 pm
LOOK I KNOW THIS IS OFF THRE SUBJECT BUT i think this is the correct order of VH albums n DLR n HAGAR albums
1984
5150
FAIR WARNING
EAT EM N SMILE
DIVER DOWN
SKYSCRAPER
VH1
FOR UNLAWFUL CARNAL KNOWLEDGE
DLR BAND
WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST
CRAZYT FROM THE HEAT
A LIL AINT ENOUGH
YR FILTHY LITTLE MOUTH
CHICKENFOOT
VH2
DIAMOND DAVE
VH3
BALANCE
OU812
THERE YA GO PLEASE ARGUE .
Mike Anthony is the only one who has been mature ,great bass player , the greatest backing vocals ever .All the best for him hes a great guy , a genuine guy, a terrific human being and im very thankful to him VH rock on CHICKENFOOT rock on as well, id just lake to thank them all the best
November 23rd, 2009 at 5:52 pm
Hey Rip Off, the reason CF sounds so much like VH is that there are two ex band members in the band. Sam and Mike have one of the most distinctive vocal harmonies ever. But instrumentally I am not sure I follow you. I guess there is guitar and drums, so it is similar in that respect
It is just too bad Eddie didn’t get clean 10-15 years ago. Van Halen would and should have had at least 3-4 more albums, with tours to support.
That is the real shame … the loss of music that should have been.
November 23rd, 2009 at 5:59 pm
I think Mike’s decision to hang with Sammy was probably one of the easiest decisions he’s ever made. Seriously… what would you rather do? Hang around for years doing nothing with an angry, passive-agressive micromanaging addict who hates everyone not named “Van Halen” or a positive, upbeat, active guy who’s all about having fun and rocking out for the fans? Simple.
Mike’s awesome. Seriously, I have a hard time thinking of another living human being who’s tell-all biography I’d rather read.
November 23rd, 2009 at 6:41 pm
Right. There is guitar and drums, and the guy playing guitar is ripping off Ed.
November 23rd, 2009 at 6:45 pm
To everyone.. I agree that Mike is a class act and has been great to the fans and everything everyone has said. However, when you jump around on stage with the guy who was currently the “enemy” so to speak, you have to know that the band members of the band you play bass for will be beyond PISSED. If Mike had done other projects with other people it would be a different story. If any friend of mine was out paling around with someone who I had a major falling out I would take that as taking sides, period the end. Mike took sides even if it was just passively. You can’t do that and expect the VH bros to be just fine with that. That is not logical.
November 23rd, 2009 at 7:02 pm
Hey Mike,
Your style of bass playing and singing is amazing and can’t be replaced. You are the life of the concert and album. Eddie will probably call you one of these days when Wolfgang decides to form his own band or Wolfgang decides to do something else. By the way, Chickenfoot is awesome and just like some of the others said you are one class act. The more Eddie decides to keep you out of the band and off album covers the more he is p*ssing off Van Halen fans altogether. Keep on rockin’ Mike!!!!
November 23rd, 2009 at 7:06 pm
Mike seems like a class act, but listen to his interview with Adam Corolla on YouTube. He claimed there were 5 albums with Roth, and Sammy era outsold Roth era. Who wouldn’t remember 6 albums made him famous, and were the best of his career? Who wouldn’t know the first 6 still sell and the Sammy era are coasters?
November 23rd, 2009 at 7:12 pm
Sexy Little Thing = Top of the World
November 23rd, 2009 at 8:35 pm
Rip off = jealous hater
Ed was one of the greatest, no doubt. The epitome of a tortured genius … innovative, influential, ultra charismatic. But I fear he could not even carry Satriani’s guitar case these days. Satch looks like he’s 20 years younger than Ed, and I bet Ed feels 20 years older than he looks.
I hope he proves me wrong, I really do. But brain cells don’t grow back.
November 23rd, 2009 at 8:54 pm
Like Edward Van Halen really cares if you hate Sammy, Gary, Dave OR Mike…
How come all these people here are saying “Mike was playing with the enemy - Sammy” in 2002.
Sammy, himself, was “forgiven” the following year…
To my recollection… David Lee Roth was more of that tour than Mike. And his set was nothing BUT Van Halen (minus Yankee Rose), not to mention he pulled the guitarist out of a Van Halen cover band??? And in a Hagar/Roth interview they asked Roth what he thought was going through Ed’s mind when he saw the “Sans Halen” tour and Roth said “he’s saying something like ‘Oh, did I f— up’”… he also mentioned he was doing a porno with Valerie. But hey, in Eddie’s “fragile state” that was forgivable right?
And Eddie doesn’t have to worry about making new music for the Roth-lovers. They held tight for 11 years of Sammy, a near-miss with Roth, 3 years of Gary, another year of Sammy and several years of silence. Those 6 discs spun the whole time. And they’ll keep on spinning… as long as he needs. No wonder they sold so much… It’s all these people got.
November 23rd, 2009 at 9:48 pm
well said TOMMY BOY!
November 23rd, 2009 at 10:33 pm
Jealous hater? I don’t get it. Who am I jealous of and who do I hate?
November 24th, 2009 at 12:58 am
As much as I respect Eddie and his talent, he tried to spin his substance problems into Michael Anthony being disloyal. He was there the whole time waiting to record and tour with Van Halen. It bothers me that my favorite band is known more for arguing than music over the last ten years. I am glad Chickenfoot is making cool music and having fun.
November 24th, 2009 at 2:36 am
Rip Off - and my mother thinks Metallica sound exactly like AC/DC…
November 24th, 2009 at 2:42 am
Rip Off, I’ve just noticed your last one. Sexy Little Thing = Top of the World? Seriously? You and my mother would get on just fine!
November 24th, 2009 at 3:01 am
In reference to some idiots who try to put Dave in the doing the same as Sam in ridiculously stated that Dave too played Van Halen songs like Sam did in their solo tours. That’s the most dumbest thing I’ve heard so far!
Dave’s got every right, it’s Van Halen songs that most people recognise him for! The difference was Dave didn’t use ex-Van Halen members on his tour and didn’t bill himself as “The Other Half” like zig & zag did! Oh zig & zag did you say? Sam & Mike!! Dave has never tarnished the Van Halen brand, he was the greatest defender of it because he was one of the main architects. He did have a dig at Sammy’s role in Van Halen because he didn’t like the way Van Halen was going, and he was right! Van Halen with Sam became safe, boring in fact. Van Halen with Roth at the helm was the most dangerous band in the world!!
Knowing what we do now about Sam, I’m pleased that Eddie, Dave & Alex were a no show at the RRHOF ceremony. Sam was most pissed because he didn’t have that picture taken of all of them, so he can cross that off his wish/to do list!! I hate Sam with a passion because he tried to destroy the greatest guitarist and band of our time!!
If Michael Anthony can’t see that then he never was in Van Halen for the fans, he had a nice couch ride all the way. How great life was for Mike; didn’t write a single note of music, drank all the booze his liver could handle and gets to spend 2 and half hours on stage with the greatest guitarist of all time! Then Sam came along and it was down hill from then on. Is Mike being honest with the fans? What is Mike hiding in his closet? Maybe Eddie, Alex & Dave might enlighten us, but they won’t. Shhhhh lets sweep that under Mike’s rug shall we…
November 24th, 2009 at 4:57 am
Good post Steve. That’s the way it works in real life.
To expect Ed to wait for Mike to come back while Wolf is playing bass is just stupid.
November 24th, 2009 at 8:17 am
I don’t think Eddie had his son join Van Halen to spite Michael Anthony. I’m sure he enjoys spending time with his son, and I’m sure having Wolfgang on tour helped Ed stay clean - at least more than it would have to have Michael Anthony along.
November 24th, 2009 at 9:57 am
Rip off:
The one thing I learned about hangin’ around here is that if you dont like sammy, the waborita’s, sammy’s solo stuff, vanhagar, or chickenfoot you’re branded a hater because you have your OWN opinion of your OWN taste in music. Around here people shoot their mouths off about the state of VH…how eddie is a worthless, nasty human being, and how because dave lost his hairline (and doesnt look and act like he did fuckin’ 25 years ago) his voice and performance level are garbage. I’ve made my comments on what I like or dont like, and there is always some person who has to call me out due to their FRUSTRATION and own social problems. Sam fans have problems understanding that when your a fan of a group from its very beginning it’s tough to just “flip the switch” so to speak. They feel that BOTH era’s should be respected or you are also a worthless and biased human being. Let me tell ya, it’s tough at times being a classic VH fan….but that dont stop me from believing and loving what has mattered to me most over the years. Dave’s voice and eddie’s guitars. Sam hasnt gotten me through ANYTHING. So once again, a hater is someone who doesnt jump on bandwagons or ACT like something is so amazing when really it’s just decent. It all comes down to what you believe in man. Look, not all sam fans are jerks. I know some that are cool cats. Some are even friends!
Lol….
Just keep shootin your opinions and dont let many of the hypocrites around here (me included at times!) put out your fire brother! Some of us here may still hold a torch for the old days but thats because many dont remember they were good times…..damn good times.
November 24th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
PS) little john:
Loved your post brother! Cant wait to see the backlash!
November 24th, 2009 at 5:37 pm
Without Dave and Michael, Eddie and Al would have been just great, gifted musicians. Like Allen Holdsworth playing with Bill Bruford - great musicians but unknown to the masses…
Van Halen - the sum of Dave, Eddie, Al AND Michael - was a “BAND” and in the early days and early albums FEROCIOUS in their shear attitude coupled with musicianship, songs, and their STAGE PRESENCE - thanks to David Lee Roth. Rock ‘n roll “entertainment” that did not exist at that time. Dave wrote ALL the lyrics and his AND Michael’s vocals were completely identifiable as VH with a presence not heard in years.
VH was signed with Ted Templeman’s observation that Dave’s stage presence was “reminiscent of Jim Morrison” AND of the band (with Ed’s playing). Ed nor Al made Van Halen on their own. Without Dave AND Michael, Van Halen would not have been. Period.
Eddie quoted in his first cover issue of Guitar Player mag his hope that VH would last forever… “Maybe someone will ego out and quit”. Ed and Al ego’d out… No one quit, others were forced out… I was the biggest EVH and VH fan but it’s amazing how football-field-sized ego’s (yes, you “Edward” and Alex) mess things up… I wouldn’t walk across the street to see Ed or VH now - don’t want to kill the memory of the passion that existed (note the past-tense).
VH of the early days were FEROCIOUS. There was NOTHING like them in 1978 (’78 was disco-era). VH came and blew everyone away - even the seasoned “guitar gods” (Nugent and Neal Schon standing side stage with their jaws dropped in awe of EVH’s fretboard prowness…) That - the sheer ferocious “attitude” - is long done. Michael is undisputed as part of this legacy, which I for one, miss. Ed’s a musician? He abandoned this claim years ago - now it’s ego and money… Class-less too for the way he’s treated Michael who was INSTRUMENTAL in Van Halen’s rise, dominence and legacy. Listen to Michael’s playing - you don’t get to play with the musicianship of VH on recorded albums being less than able. Without a foundation, everything on top sinks…
November 24th, 2009 at 6:35 pm
Stop arguing about these ridiculous accusations. Who are we to judge?
Just enjoy the music these guys made!
I don’t care what they do, which girls were f***ed, how drunk or stoned they were.
I’m just interested in the music!!!
And that’s what Van Halen is: A ROCKBAND, and a damn good one too!
November 24th, 2009 at 8:13 pm
I really admire Mike - despite everything he always takes the high road. And why the hell not? He’s in a good place right now. His band is happening and respected, he’s not under anyone’s thumb, and he’s at peace with the past as he looks to the future.
Good on you Mike!
November 24th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
As I said earlier, I enjoy the Chickenfoot foot songs. I just recognize them for what they are– thinly veiled Van Hagar copies. I like classic Van Halen better, but Ive got nothing against Van Hagar.
I even created a playlist that includes my favorite Van Hagar songs and a bunch of the Chickenfoot songs. I put it on shuffle and sometimes I can’t tell when one song starts and another begins.
November 24th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
I hope that Eddie and Mike patch things up,hopefully they do.
As great as VAN HALEN’s ‘07-’08 Tour was,it was missing Mike
and lots of their Classic Songs.A new VH Album with no Mike
and with Wolfie on Bass&Backing vocals=weerd and good the
same time.I think that Mike has issues with Dave due to the
fause starts to re kick VH to all their fans,the Dave&Sam 03
Tour.If playing in ChickenFoot is about making rockin’fun
music,money not a factor,then why don’t they play the rest
of their Tour for free? Peace VAN HALEN ites.
Charles
November 25th, 2009 at 6:16 am
Little John, Dave dont have any friends too be in the other half, Eddie aint gonna make no new music as history has shown, so I think Sam and Mike are kicking Van Halens ASS right now.
November 25th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
“. . . so I think Sam and Mike are kicking Van Halens ASS right now.”
I think you meant “copying Van Halens ASS.”
November 25th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
ClubfootKolby:
One gold record from a band that fuckin’ NICKELBACK kills in sales and air play on a weekly basis…..and you’re saying they KICK VH’s ass!?
You’re a joke man…your name says it all. You’re not a rocker…you’re the poser who belongs in a club waiting for “sexy little thing” to have a club remix.
You got your rock and roll card pulled a long time ago but this just makes it more valid.
Fruit.
November 25th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
It is hard to kick a teams ass when only one team is playing. I think that is called a forfiet.
But I imagine Sam and Mike must have some nice ‘in your face’ moments privately. That would be the case even in an amicable situation among peers and former coworkers / employeers.
November 25th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
Rock on Sammy and Mike as the other half playing Van Halen music, Chicken Foot rocks too. I was talking about Sam and Mike when they werethe Other Half, besides they have the right to play anything they want. If they were copying Van Halens ASS they would be doing nothing like Van Halen.
November 25th, 2009 at 7:21 pm
The more I read about this situation, it seems to me that this whole thing with Eddie and Mike really boils down to this.
Sammy left or was kicked out of Van Halen. Eddie figured Mike would be loyal to him since he “brought him to the party” or whatever. When Mike didn’t abandon Sammy, and continued being friends with him, even playing in bands with him, that infuriated Eddie. Eddie who thought Mike’s loyalty should be with him no matter what. Eddie couldn’t deal with the fact that Mike wouldn’t sit around on his ass for 10 years waiting for him to deal with his issues, or make a decision on where the band was going. Simply put, the problem is Eddie’s ego. I don’t think there is really anything else to look for here. It’s a hard truth to face for those of us that grew up idolizing this guy.
Remember Scarface? “HEY!!!! WHO PUT THIS THING TOGETHER…ME!”
November 26th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
it is beyond F*cking STUPID to say mike “deserved” to be fired or that he trying to “injure” eddie.
window-licking short-bus riding stupid.
they are all grown men.
how many here are grown men?
if you’re a grown man- who the F*ck is going to tell you what to do? who is going to tell you who to be friends with??
seriously childish. childish, and mentally deficient.
i LOVE eddie, but he aint jesus, the president or my wife.
he doesnt have ANY right to say who can be friends with who.
none whatsoever, and if he was miffes at mike for HANGING out with sam, why the hell did he invite SAM HIMSELF back??
thats like divorcing your wife for cheating, then inviting her boyfriend to a bar-b-que. it simply makes no sense.
but we are supposed to let ed have it both ways:
mike was wrong to tour with sam, AND-
ed was right to have sammy back in the band.
nope,bullsh*t.
i love these guys, but ed is emotionally immature.
November 26th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
mike was fired because he didnt add anything to the band?
HA! thats the most unintentionally funny thing i have read on this site. mike was the back-vocal SOUND of VH. roth and hagar agreed. so why do some “fans” think mike is irrelevant?
maybe because he was marginalised by ed, at at ime when ed thought he could sing on a record ( how many say i ) and disintegrated in obscurity.
the “OTHER HALF” was disrespectful to van halen?
HA! the other half was the most literally accurate name they could chose! they-were-THE-OTHER-HALF !! and for f*ck’s sake- they only used that name for a few weeks!!
-sammy and the wabo’s (featuring mike)
-the other half
-planet us
- mad anthony express
-chickenfoot
-high maintanance
sheeesh! lighten up, these are just monikers used for the novelty !
(-ahem-) “EAT ‘EM AND SMILE”
van hagar was “safe and boring”…?
HA!
-maybe thats why they were loathed/sued and harrased by feminist groups for their ou812 and FUCK record videos/songs.
-maybe thats why “amsterdam” was banned by MTV ( which was total BS)
- and if you want to blame sam for keyboard ballads i have a few diverdown and 1984 tracks for you to peruse.
i frankly don’t care if someone passes on chickenfoot, but here’s a lot of sycophant eddie-worship, reminds me of tom cruise and L Ron Hubbard. couch humpers.
i just can’t stand mike getting shellaced for being a normal decent guy and the RIDICULOUS attempts to rationalise ed’s IRRATIONAL behavior.
got news for you: when someone has behavioral/emotional disorder and YOU excuse/rationalise it- then YOU are the enabler.
November 26th, 2009 at 8:04 pm
Michael Anthony is making music and the Van Halen brothers have not done anything of quality in 15 years. I used to love Van Halen but Eddie’s ego has ruined the band. Period.
November 26th, 2009 at 9:16 pm
if mike had moved out to the woods and ignored sammy hagar since 96 he STILL would not be in van halen now so i don’t give a crap about eddie apologists.
at least this way mike got to get out there and have fun. if he had been in self-imposed exile for 15 years out of “loyalty” to eddie it would have been an epic waste.
November 27th, 2009 at 10:44 am
All of this talk about how they are “grown” men and can “do what they want” is true but also proves my points throughout. Of course we are free to do what we want but there will be consequences with relationships along the way in life. If you pal around with the guy who is no longer in the band, don’t expect to be part of the band either when you want to come back. Anybody with any experience with friends knows this to be common sense. The part that bothers me is that Mike and Sam actually claim to not understand why their actions have pissed off the VH Bros. Really? Then why was Sammy so angry when VH was working with Dave for the greatest hits package? I thought grown men can do whatever they want and it’s only a business. Doesn’t work well for Sam when the shoe was on the other foot.
November 27th, 2009 at 11:25 am
apples and oranges. sorry- i dont see the analogy.
sammy was angry at the roth hookup for 2 reasons:
1) he was STILL technically the official singer for the band and took umbrage at VH for literally snaking roth in.
its sorta like mike not being officially fired yet seeing his replacement on TV. LOW, very low blow from VHbros.
will you hold ed accountable for HIS responisibility for “betryaing” sammy? after all, if ed wants to work with roth he CAN ( and did, and is doing so again) but was it so much it ask to run it by the rest of the team?
its just hypocratical of ed.
2) sammy never had a PERSONAL thing against roth, it was completely fueld by his dislike for roth’s style and the VH bros absolute HATRED for roth for 10-12 years on end. he was STUNNED that they would hook up w/roth. how could anyone be surprised that mike would hang out with sam- especially when VH was non-existant and w/out a record label?
as for consequences for relationships…
- eddie did side progects yet bristled at anyone else doing them.
- if “betraying” VH by hanging with sam (and not even making a record- just jamming with on old buddy from time to time) was so unforgiveable, how could ed/al then invite SAM ( the seducer for the “betrayer” ) BACK into the band?
answere: money and fame. on the 04 tour ed was laughing, kissing and hugging on sam EVERY show.
as for sammy having a double standard working with other people….
- sammy initiated the sam and dave tour, eventually roth bought into it and it was HUGE. this was in 02, AFTER the second failure of VH/roth to work it out. YET- VH would invite sam back in 04 and roth back in 07.
- the sam and dave tour also invited mike anthony as a special geust. but the real jaw-dropper was a few shows with GARY CHERONE.
will ed ever talk smack about gary cherone hanging out with sam and mike? doubt it.
will ed admit that sam was professional and precient enough to know that the fans would respong to a VH-alumni show and put aside his own personal dislike for roth to do a HUGE summer tour? doubt it.
on the ” long road to cabo ” dvd there was a clip of mike and sam being interviewed, and a reporter asks mike if it was ” ok with ed ” that mike tour with sam.
i would be so pissed! how demeaning could it be? he’s a grown man- and he is getting scolded by a reporter?? wtf?
but mike shrugged it off as usual.
its kinda hard for mike to “ask permission” of ed when ed isnt returning phone calls and has a habit of back-stabbing already.
i geuss i am just looking at this through a more mature social prism:
i have friends, and some of my friends dont like some of my other friends.
if any of my friends tried to tell me i couldnt be friends with someone they didnt like i would know they are selfish and immature. hell, try being a child of divorce!
you CAN love your mom AND your dad even if they hate each other.
i cant imagine asking someone to chose friends based on MY likes/dislikes.
November 27th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Rock Sam and Mike
November 27th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
very well said Jor-L5150…
November 27th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
The vanhalen tour 2007\2008 will be hitting the road in europe 2010.
November 28th, 2009 at 8:10 am
Mike didn’t add anything to Van Halen.
Everybody is quick to state that his background vocals are everything. Ed always had half the background vocals anyway. The background vocals were just as good on the tracks the recent tracks that Mike didn’t record on.
While Mike is certainly a great bass player, Wolfy did fine replacing him. Word is that on the next tour, Wolfy now more comfortable will be more active singing backgrounds anyway.
Did Mike really have any input in recording for his tenure with Van Halen? Did he ever drive up to 5150 to screw around in the studio with Ed and Al creating new sounds that would be tinkered with to be on the next album?
Maybe at this point, it takes a Van Halen name to really contribute. In his short tenure, Wolfy has contributed greatly to Van Halen.
What did Mike add: Familiar face. Cool guy.
Don’t get me wrong, I’d prefer if Mike was in the band. But it’s not that big of a deal. Van Halen is more of a band than before now that Wolfy is in it.
November 28th, 2009 at 10:56 am
Hey Jor-L5150,
I don’t fault Mike for doing what he has done. I do not also fault the VH bros for feeling the way they do about it. Mike Anthony called Eddie out to the public and fans in 2004 when he said “Eddie’s been drinking again. We (Sammy and Me) were not waiting around for him”. That is as close to quiting a band and backstabbing your friend as you can get even though everyone knew he was drinking again. Sorry but most people expect their friends to not hand out with their enemies. sorry dude.
November 28th, 2009 at 10:59 am
Hi Jim,
You are right. The truth is that they can replace Mike’s vocals by finding a girl or guy with the same pitch. On one of Sammy’s DVD’s he demonstrated that Mona and Mike sound nearly identical. That is just one example. You are also right that they were half Ed. Chickenfoot with Sammy and Mike sounds different that Eddie and Mike. But, I have to tell you that Mike did partake in the background vocals in the Best of Both World songs. that was his only contribution
November 28th, 2009 at 11:06 am
WHAT YOU CAN’T REPLACE WITH MIKE: You can’t replace his on stage attitude which was total kick ass. Wolfie might livin up over time but that is the biggest loss to VH. However, Wolfie brings something to the band that Mike CAN’T contribute. That is the youth and fresh perspective. And most importantly… Wolfie has influence over his father and uncle which will be better for VH. I think they are taking their time to produce something really great and rememberable since Wolfie is in they want to have the VH name fixed. One really great record can do that overnight
November 28th, 2009 at 5:30 pm
We’re waiting for VH to come to Europe for more than a decade, despite of several announcements in the past.
The VH-bros can prove their right by making a brilliant album with new songs for the first time in 15 years.
Of course Mike and Sammy ain’t innocent, but who is? The other guys had to deal with Ed’s demons for many years! Edward Lodewijk van Halen is a genius, but not a saint at all!
I’m a true VH-fan since 1978, but I’m all fucked up the last years hearing all this crap!
November 28th, 2009 at 7:13 pm
steve, mike was NOT “calling out” eddie van halen. EVERYone could see eddie was drinking again. it was abundantly clear on stage.
as for mike “hanging out with the enemy” ( ie: sammy hagar)
it simply MAKES NO sense that the ‘enemy’ was sammy hagar, yet sammy hagar was invited back in 04 AFTER the 02 tour were mike was hanging out with the enemy.
it makes no sense.
ed is simply inconsistant and hypocratical.
——————————-
“mike didnt add anything to van halen”
” ed was half the back up vocals”
BULLSH*T
ed WAS half the back-vocal, the awful half that had a turned-down mic.
mike was the arch-typic harmony. VHIV is awesome, but they are lesser for mike’s absence
November 28th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
Jim says:
November 28th, 2009 at 8:10 am
… Wolfy has contributed greatly to Van Halen.
You must mean because there is a blue Frankie guitar now, because there has been nothing else to contribute to.
November 28th, 2009 at 9:07 pm
Jor-el, you’re quite the VH insider! Nice posts and I agree with just about everything you’ve said. Ed’s been drinking and binging since he was 12, a genius albeit a textbook alcoholic. I can remember in ‘81 when rumors were circulating about Billy Sheehan joining VH to give them more star power. It wouldn’t have worked knowing now all the material that was put out after that with Dave and Sam; and with Michael singing the back up. Sammy admitted in 91 during the MTV rockumentary that “like it or not, Mike is the background sound in VH.” You listen to the albums then listen to them live when Ed is singing, and its definitely Mike giving the band a vocal sound as unique as their drums and guitars.
I still believe that the one and only chance to have truly resurrected the band was following the release of the Vol 1 greatest hits album. The world was more than ready for their reunion. Now, if they came out with a new album, what’s it going to be? Another 2 new songs nobody will know past tomorrow and a different arrangement of the first 10 albums hits. It was so much fun to grow up with these guys. For a time, even with Sammy, it looked like the magic would never leave. Now, I don’t know how they could ever get it back. Sam! Mike! Please put Salt Lake on your tour schedule. I’d love to see you play live once again together!!! At least the two of you are wetting our appetite a bit with the evolution of your music, and most importantly, the fun you’ve brought to audiences for years. Peace, love, and happiness to all the VH fans!
November 29th, 2009 at 10:38 am
To Jor-L5150: It doesn’t matter if everyone knew it. You don’t mention that about a friend period to the press, and you don’t pal around with someone that is at odds with the band and expect to still remain in the band. That is beyond common sense my friend. But is also makes sense what Mike did. I wouldn’t wait around either. However, there are things you have to pay for in the decisons that you make and when you hang out with Sammy, you take sides against the VH bros period by default even if passively. You can’t expect any person in the VH camp to like your decisions. That’s the part that gets me every time. OF COURSE ANY NORMAL PERSON WOULD BE UPSET. Each side is RIGHT in feeling how they do about each other. But this whole one-sided it’s all the VH bros fault syndrom is crazy
November 29th, 2009 at 1:54 pm
If it wasn’t for Wolfy:
1. Van Halen probably wouldn’t have toured since 04.
2. Dave probably wouldn’t have been back with Van Halen.
3. There probably wouldn’t be plans for a 2010 album/tour.
4. There probably wouldn’t be Van Halen guitar hero.
5. Van Halen wouldn’t be on facebook, twitter, myspace.
6. The set list for the 07-08 tour probably wouldn’t have been as good as it was.
7. Ed wouldn’t be in the good health/condition that he is in.
8. Van Halen wouldn’t have been rejuvenated like they are.
9. There wouldn’t be any next generation fan that would start following Van Halen because of Wolfy’s unlimited future potential.
10. Van Halen would end when Al and Ed end it. Wolfy will carry on the name.
11. There wouldn’t a “next eddie van halen”
November 30th, 2009 at 3:13 am
OH MIKE, PLEASE BRING CHICKENFOOT TO AUSTRALIA!!!!!
WE REALLY ROCK!!!!
(Great interview)
December 18th, 2009 at 11:59 pm
I’ll take Satch over Eddie any day. Eddie lost his appeal for me after about 1984. His meandering if not inebriated soloing and experimenting left me wondering how his “brilliance” had anything to do with the songs he was playing.
In my view Joe’s a much more gifted artist/songwriter since he can craft memorable unique pieces without the advantage of lyrics or a singer for his own stuff.
As for CF/VH song comparisons, take any heavy metal/hard rock act and you can play that game for days. Every band was playing catchup to VH’s first few albums for the next decade. Incidentally I paid no attention to VH after Sammy joined them.
As for Mike, I always liked his contributions when compared with the ego fest of EH and DLR. Loved his vocal contributions too. The truth lies somewhere between and his answers didn’t seem too outrageous to me.
This ought to give the EH fans something to stew on? How dare I say that Joe is better?