Chickenfoot wraps up tour with surprise guest, looks towards the future

December 8, 2009 49 Comments

Drummer Jason Bonham (son of Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham) took over the drums for Chickenfoot’s encore (with Chad Smith on guitar!) at the Las Vegas Hard Rock on Saturday, Dec. 5th. “Rock ‘n’ Roll,” “Star-Spangled Banner”, and the group-participation-drum-mayhem were a fitting end to Chickenfoot’s last show of the tour.

Chickenfoot’s 2010 Plans:

As for Chickenfoot’s plans for next year, the future looks bright! They have a live DVD to be released soon (release date to be announced), and Sammy Hagar gave an update during the band’s December 5th live webcast; “The plan, in my book, is to do as many shows with Chad as we possibly can whenever he has a break [from recording with the Red Hot Chili Peppers]. If he gets a 2 or 3 week break from the Chilis, we want to try to go out and do some shows. Or do some recording. Whichever is easier. And we do have some songs/ideas written from the tour.”

VHND_Chickenfoot_vegas_table

Click the banner above for exclusive official Chickenfoot merchandise at Van Halen Store.

Filed Under: Chickenfoot

Bluesbro

Why would Chad want to go back to those monotone Peppers. He seems to be having WAY too much fun.
scowboy

I agree with Bluesbro… Do we see a choice having to be made? Does he want to back and make another ho-hum (lets face it they have made the same record about three times now) RHCP record?
jason carroll

as a table games dealer…i’d love to have been on the table…lol…

J
Panama Red

You gotta love Chad and his enthusiasm, he’s a MadmAn. He reminds me of a hyperactive child. He brings great energy to the band and cracks me up. Nice cymbal usage at the end too using the flying drum kit.
http://www.myspace.com/timkarplus t1m

Seriously the ending to that song was one of the best things ever
podman

Chad looks so much like Will Farell! ahahah

Hey guys please have a little respect for RHCP. They’re a great band, love ‘em since the beginning . It’s not in the same category, it’s different, but it’s good music, so please, bash one hit wonders and pop losers, but not RHCP.
johnrock

funny and great stuff but at the same time. Why waste that with the drums. I don’t care if he gets free stuff. thats being stupid and throwing around and breaking good quality drums and cymbals really.
Ryan

Yeah, John, dude I agree. Mother’s Milk by RHCP is one of my all-time favorite albums. I love the RHCP so much, I feel they have lost a little of their energy, but that is okay, because a lot of people dig the new stuff. But for me, Mother’s Milk is my favorite RHCP album…I wonder if they will ever play those songs again, like Sexy Mexican Maid…Does anybody know what I’m talking about??? hahaha
Ryan

I’m sorry…that comment was for Podman. haha
chris.omeara

Glad to see those Marshall amps onstage’ I wish EVH would go back using his… “Marshall- The Voice Of Rock”…
ogo70

I’M READY FOR PATA DE POLLO IN 2010!!!! can’t wait for the DVD….
ronh

The drum kit smash makes me sick, and I lost what little respect I had for Smith earlier in the tour when he began trashing the custom painted kit. How many young drummers would love to have a nice kit like that? I keep checking this site for VH news, but this seems to be the CFND. This is Sammy’s VH wanna-be band, and I can only hope that Wolfie is on his dad’s A$$ to release a new VH cd. I haven’t lost hope yet.
Matt from Australia

ronh…I totally agree with u bro! Where’s some VH news?
Jeff

Can’t say I’ve lost respect for him, but I just don’t think the kit smashing at the end is cool. It’s actually pretty juvenile. Each to his own, though.
Top Jimmy

ronh, i guess you don’t have any respect for Eddie either…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sW1g0HZk2no
Rich

The Peppers are anything but monotone, and at least they are an original band with their own sound, unlike Chickenfoot which is just a collaboration. When the Peppers tour next I’m going to get as many tickets as I can…Chickenfoot put on a good show but I’d rather see Chad behind a RHCP kit than one with the Chickenfoot logo on it.

@ ronh – stop being such a little whiney bitch. Drummers have been smashing up their kit for years, people like Keith Moon were doing it in the 60s and I’m sure that Bonham himself must’ve wrecked a few kits.

Can you imagine some little whiney dick telling Hendrix not to drop the match on his Stratocaster? Get real man.
McD’s

VH won’t be back for a few years if ever..Wolfie is off to Julliard for a few years…he won’t have time for rehearsing and a tour.
He should do his own thing anyway..VH is great, but he shouldn’t live in his dad’s shadow playing 30 year old music…leave that to cover bands.
The next “new” stuff from VH will be a repackaged DVD or albums in Blu-ray or something…maybe one or two new songs on a movie soundtrack if we’re lucky.
Herb

Ronh and Matt from down under,

If you will check the header on any page on this site, it says Van Halen News Desk: the nets best source for Van Halen, David Lee Roth, Sammy Hagar and Chickenfoot news. They can only post what is available.

Do you go to McDonalds for a hamburger, and complain that they have french fries on the menu too?

Geezus!
Pookie

I’m going to go down to the office where my dad used to work and hang out with some totally different people that didn’t really know my dad, but know of him. They all think he was the best at making copies, so I’m going to go make copies with those other people.

It’s going to rock!
Guitar Zero

I love the fact that they’re having so much fun out there. Nothing works better than a band that is 100% in tune with the audience and having a good time up on stage. It’s a shame that VH can’t get it together and just have a good time jamming like that anymore.
Big AL

Great ending by Joe but he looks pissed off after he’s finished!!!! I know he takes his music serious, just wondering if he’s tired of the horseplay overshadowing the music?
Ari

Can’t say I’m the biggest CF fan in the world, but not bad and it beats most of today’s music. I definitely prefer VH with Roth, but I’m not a Sammy hater and like some of his stuff. I do have to give Hagar and CF credit for laying it all out on the line and actually producing new material at a pretty nice pace. Also always keep the fans in the loop as to what’s going on. No years of silence. That’s the way things should be. Of course I’d love to see a new VH with Dave, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. We’ll all probably be 6 feet under by then, and CF will have about ten box sets worth of material.
Jeff

Top Jimmy – that was Ed’s low-point IMO. He doesn’t do anything in that clip I consider admirable. Quite the opposite, but it doesn’t throw out all the great music he’s created.

Big Al – I’m not sure why you think Joe looks pissed.
Jim

Regarding Van Halen’s inactivity,
Remember:

1. Ed had surgery several months ago on his hand. That would have restricted him from playing anything since then anyway. His hand caused the month long delay in the middle of the last tour. It needs to heal correctly.
2. A 2010 tour has already been confirmed and leaked to the public. We didn’t know about the 2007-2008 tour until a few months before it started.
3. A new album is in process. No release date was set and wasn’t necesarily supposed to come out before 1st-2nd quarter of 2010.
4. Van Halen has been private band since Sammy left. Ed, Al, and Wolfy seem like very private people. Dave is different than he was the first go around. There is not going to be a bunch of news that comes out of Van Halen, ever.
5. If nothing else, a new album will be to show Wolfy how to do it and what’s involved. It very well may be the last Van Halen full album.
6. They just finished a tour in 08.
7. Since 0U812, they weren’t releasing new music every year like it seems chickenfoot will do. They were more of a record/tour every 3 years pace. You can argue that they should be doing more because chickenfoot does, but Van Halen at this time are not going to be as busy as they were 20+ years ago. It’s somewhat of a retirement/enjoy life kind of thing.
8. Diver Down was the result of the last thing being rushed. I don’t see that happening again.
9. Van Halen doesn’t owe us anything.
Ari

Hope you’re right, Jim. My gut tells me they will tour again, but probably won’t put out a new album. Even though there have been some rumors about new material, I haven’t really heard anything that leads me to believe it’s more than that. There’s also more money in touring from what I’ve heard, and probably less aggravation than the creative process. You’re right that they don’t owe us anything, but if you’re not going to put the fans first, I say you just disappear for good. I mean I wish them good luck, health, and happiness, but we don’t really need repackaged albums and Guitar Hero games IMO. It’s a nice payday, true, but not really saying anything new and showing they still have that magic in the studio. Even another tour of nostalgia wouldn’t be all that great. I think The nostalgia’s great the first time around, but it kind of wears off after you see a show live, or watch the clips over again on YouTube.
mkeruption

Regarding Van Halen’s inactivity,

1. I have people who work for me who had hand surgery in the last couple of months. Guess what? They are back at work using their surgically altered hand on a daily basis. They need to pay the bills.
2. So the 2010 tour has been “leaked”, but even so there has been no confirmation by anyone that this is true. The VH website still sports Eddie selling shoes from last April. Of course Eddie wouldn’t want to waste his time telling his fans that there will be a tour. He’s busy taking it easy after jamming once with Al and Wolfie on Drop Dead Legs.
3. How do we know a new album is in the works? Based on what I’ve read from Eddie and Dave it doesn’t sound like anything is moving. I may be missing something?
4. A “private” band? More like a disinterested band. One who may be more than a little concerned that their next offering may not be near the quality of their mortal enemies in Chickenfoot.
5. Wolfie needs to go to college, or start a band, or break away somehow. The last thing an 18 year old kid needs is to stereotype himself as part of a nostalgia band playing 30 year old music at the local casino. If he’s as good as Eddie says he is he should be able to make it on his own, not by playing “Runnin’ with the Devil”
6. They just finished a tour in 08? Wish I could take a 1 or two year break after working for a few months.
7. Van Halen won’t be as busy as they were 20 years ago? Uhh..were they busy then? Eddie has mentioned he has 10 albums worth of material ready to go…you would think they could get one album out the door after a couple of years with DLR back in the mix.
8. I certainly hope they don’t rush anything. By my count they have taken about 8-10 years (so far) “working” on their next album?
9. One point I agree with – Eddie doesn’t owe us anything. But then the opposite is also true – I don’t owe Eddie anything.
Karl

Jim

1. And the preceding 10 years of inactivity?
2. Well, something was said… maybe. Confirmed? Not.
3. Eh? What do you know that everyone else doesn’t?
4. Private? I think the phrase you’re searching for is ‘in a coma’.
5. This may be the only point you’re close on. We’ve got to hope that Eddie’s desire to let Wolf play on a major release spurs him on and back into the studio. Eddie is incredibly family orientated so I wouldn’t mind betting this will be a driver.
6. And?
7. See point 1.
8. See point 1.
9. Yes they do: Honesty. If you’ve retired, say so.
chris.omeara

It’s pretty hilarious- Ed doesn’t record or tour; Sammy and Mike gig as “the other half” (that’s actually clever). Ed disses Sammy and Mike from the band; They form their own band. Ed disses the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction; Sammy and Mike show up to represent VH. Ed’s website posts almost zero news; We have a (very good) unofficial site (VHND), and Sammy and Mike and Co. are almost the only news available, so they’ve practically ruled the site lately.

Although I’m not a major CF fan, I’m glad to see they are not letting Eddie’s drama dampen their prospects. I think Ed will put out an album when he has material that he can’t wait for people to see. But art when forced is never really good art as much as when it flows. I could draw a masterpiece on my crummy lined notebook paper while bored in english class, but it was more difficult to find the flow when at art class with good ink, brush and paper in front of me.

Ed sounds frustrated that we didn’t seem to “appreciate” his past efforts. I reminds me of that scene in “Rock Star” where Wahlburg submits his ideas for the new album and the veteran band members tell him they’ve already written the new material while off on vacation somewhere. Then they advise him that his new ideas are good, but their fans have come to expect a certain commodity from them, “and they like to give the fans what they want”. This is the key point EVH needs to realize. I’m not saying they should make the same album over and over with different words (like AC/DC), but try to remember what it was that put you into the position of stardom in the first place, and don’t leave that out…
chris.omeara

As huge of a VH fan as I was early on, it degraded (beginning with Diver Down)to the point where I couldn’t even bring myself to listen to “Balance” and “VHIII” in their entirety. Years have went by, and I thought maybe I’d try Balance again. I went to YouTube and heard the stupidest piano-string scraping (not like on WACF), and some hokey keyboard line that any kid at the store could plink out while waiting for their parents. That stuff shouldn’t have even been on ANY album! There were glimmers of the old EVH here and there, but they clearly lost their direction and needed to re-group. It’s time to stop “re-inventing” Valen Halen. Go back to what worked. The 2007 tour proved it.
Keith

Cracks me up all you ranters posting stuff that’s not even related to the post. Go off to the general blogger sites. get a life. VHND would do much better by not allowing posts at all. What’s the point ? It’s like jerking off.
Pete

This is pretty cool, and it’s pretty positive. You can really tell alot about some of you by your posts, both good and bad. It’s not hard to tell which of you would be more fun to swill draft beer and talk about music.

That being said, it’s cool to know the plan for 2010. I plan on catching them at least once, and I look forward to hearing at least ONE new tune from the next CD.
Jim

Inactivity of Van Halen in the last 10 years.
What they’ve done:

1. Finished tour with Cherone.
2. Ed diagnosed, treated, and beat cancer. Also got divorced and in Rehab at least once.
3. Completed 2 tours (one with someone they hadn’t played with in 10 years. another they hadn’t played with in 25 years.)
4. Released 3 new songs with Sammy. Ed also had at least 3 songs separate from VH.
5. Were without a singer until Sammy reunion tour.
6. Ed launched own company E.L.V.H. Inc
7. Ed had surgery on hand – Would warrant minimal rest if doing normal activities. Actively playing guitar like he does warrants more significant rehab to prevent a reoccuring problem.
8. Working on a new album with Dave. I have heard that this is still on for 2010. May not come out until after the tour starts.
–

Not as busy as they were when they were spitting out an album a year, but also Not as coma-like as poeple make it out to be. While you can blame Ed for a rehab, hand injury, cancer, divorce and without a singer, that is the hand he was dealt.
Pete

I love this clip – I can’t think of anyone else out there right now who has special guests, let alone a band that has the drummer pick up the guitar for the hell of…just to have fun…what a concept in entertainment/music!

Bonzo would be proud – Jason nails the drums. Even though the audio isn’t great on the recording, he’s still got it all happening.

I love these guys. Clearly Chad gets good value from his drum sponsor!
http://cheeseburgerpicnic.com Skutch

Uh….guys.

1. Eddie is super rich, he’s sitting home with his wife and kid enjoying life. He can do whatever the rock he wants. He’s earned it.
http://vhnd.com surfthismofos!

1. if van halen doesnt owe anything then they need to stop acting like we do have moron fans that lap up their nonsense behavior at any given chance and then justify it too.

2. Dave is silent because he has to be because the gig is all he has left to do if he wants to be in the spotlight still
no solo career or radio option here people!!

3. chickenfoot tells us what they are going to do and woooow get this actually does it! weird but true. and they are nice to the fans.. stranger things have happened.
really.

4. the RHCP used to be a good band and then started to sound the same. they have their own unique sound?? can you tell the difference between the last 3 albums – i cant
chickenfoot has every damn song that is diff.
thay may be the most outlandlish thing i’ve read on here in awhile..

5. ed is plain lazy even when is sober.

6. i have a lot more respect for dave. he takes risks too.
kayser sozay

Does anyone else here have the same concerns I do about the current state of VH?

I have no hard evidence to back this up but my gut is telling me that the reason there’s been no VH news or new music or confirmation of any tour is because Roth has bailed. There’s a part of me that wonders if when they reunited, Ed and Dave were reminded of why they hated each other in the first place and after cashing in big on the tour, Dave figured its just not worth the grief.

Pure supposition on my part and I hope it’s not true but I do think it’s odd that the only news has been extremely vague and there’s been NOTHING firm about Roth’s status with the band.
http://www.qereach.com K. Reyoch

I enjoyed the clip. Joe’s playing is incredible, as always. The ending was superb.

My favorite Will Ferrell line from last Summer’s Land of the Lost, “Are you saying ‘Chorizo Taco?’”
http://none Dirty Duck

….unless there is gonna be a big suprise…..

Maybe they’ll release the album on april fools day….
phillster

nail biter
http://ljpokones.googlepages.com Lance

I’m 44 now. I don’t really care what Van Halen does. I still have a beautiful wife, good family life for the most part, kids that I would like to see in church more, etc. You know, I grew up. I think it’d be great to hear some new Van Halen. Hope it happens. CF sounds good, nice to see Mike and Sam working together at the top again. I wish them all happiness and prosperity. If they want to retire, it doesn’t break my heart.

Lance in Iowa
Rich

@ surfthismofos!

Maybe its because I’m younger that I can appreciate the Chili Peppers. I am just worried that Chickenfoot, which to all intents and purposes is a supergroup, is going to take over Chad’s musical life. He has been with RHCP since 1989, would be sad to see him diminish his commitments so that he could play with Chickenfoot. He’s a great drummer but it doesn’t really shine on the CF record.

The last 3 RHCP albums sound different to me, just like a fan of AC/DC will tell you that For Those About To Rock and Blow Up Your Video sound different, or a VH fan will tell you that Van Halen II and Women and Children First sound different. To the masses they sound the same, but to fans they have rather a lot of subtle differences that really becomes blindingly obvious after a few listens.

Anyway, I’m 19 so I suppose that my musical taste is different to others. And I always feel bummed out that I’ve missed the glory days of any VH period…all I have is nostalgia. Which is cool but not when its thrown in your face all the time…

I don’t know what the stagnation with VH is all about nowadays. People are saying that the Guitar World interview was basically Ed saying he didn’t see the point in making new music as fans don’t appreciate it or will just download it…but you can’t FORCE people to appreciate stuff. The majority of fans boycotted/hated Van Halen III, but people still liked it. Even if Eddie released the worst material he’s ever recorded, people will still buy it because he is a genius…he just needs to become a guitar player again. Let Wolf go to University, get Michael Anthony or Billy Sheehan, get an album out and tour it. People will NOT go back to a nostalgia tour if they’re not supporting some new material.
http://none Dirty Duck

Lance:

Good post brother…
The best to you and your family.

Keep rock alive in Iowa!
http://cheeseburgerpicnic.com Skutch

I’m with you Lance. I’d like to hear VH record again with Roth. If not, I’ll just keep listening to mastodon. No big deal.
http://cheeseburgerpicnic.com Skutch

Rich, people WILL go to a nostalgia tour for 10 more tours. They didn’t even leave the states and made 90 mil.
http://none Dirty Duck

Gotta agree with skutch there RICH!
Dont know if you got to catch the reunion tour with Roth a few years back, it was not only impressive, but when those lights went down….maaaaan….the ROAR of the crowd was truly amazing. It was like a gigantic wave of “YES!”…
Trust me…..people will pay to see another tour like that.
There is just so much music…CLASSIC VH music that people have never heard live (the day I hear “outta love again” live…maaaaaan!)and you’d be suprised how many will pay again. I’ll be there!

I think its great that you’re 19 and loving VH! Keep rock alive by spreadin’ the word: =vh= is what rock and roll is all about man!
Keep it loud!
Rich

Cheers Duck, I always have a VH album in my car. My friends don’t really seem to appreciate the awesomeness of this band, or maybe I’m just way too in to them for my own good!

Well, yeah I was having a bit of a rant. I guess I just didn’t think the enthusiasm would be the same for another tour without new material…but hell I would pay some serious money to see Eddie Van Halen in person.

I live in England, Van Halen haven’t been here since the Balance tour (I think that they were supposed to come in ’98 but it was cancelled). I’ve managed to catch just about everyone apart from Eddie himself – I saw Extreme on their reunion in 2008, and in June I managed to catch Chickenfoot (Sam & Mike) on their only UK date in London, which was so cool. Sammy’s voice is a lot higher than I remember hearing in interviews! So the only guys missing are Van Halen themselves – Roth, Alex and of course, my guitar hero, Edward.

I would love to see Van Halen with any singer, and with Roth I would hope that the majority of the setlist would be from Van Halen II and Fair Warning. Best Roth albums for me, although there isn’t an album I dislike.

Well Skutch and Duck, all I can hope for is that Americans aren’t so interested in Van Halen in 2010 so they come the hell over to Europe! But I can’t see America disowning VH anytime soon, as they are pretty much USA’s Zeppelin. So I’ll either have to catch a plane to catch them in MSG or wait around for them to show Europe some love…haha.
http://none Dirty Duck

Rich,

When I first got into VH I was 10 years old, and within a year the party was over (*Dave left). I never got to see the band in their prime but those first 6 albums still live on in my stereo and in my heart everyday. I’m a die hard rock and metal fan, but classic VH is what will always remain (to me)the ultimate rock and roll expierience….period! If you can catch any old footage of the old shows (The best example being “unchained” from the oakland 81′ tour- google it!)they are without a doubt some of the BEST moments in rock history. This was before “lead singers” wore a “head-set” to sing live…ugh! Those were the days man! ROCK was a monster!
You’d walk down the block and hear all these different bands just exploding in cars all around you! Now it’s shit rap music coming out of rattling car trunks! History ofr all the wrong reasons as DLR would say…
How’s the rock scene over in england? Is it being overshadowed by rap and pop music like it is over here?
Panama Red

Some people seem clueless about rock and roll. Complaining about Chad and his Drum set? Really? Rock is supposed to be aggressive, and fun. He’s just having fun up there. Why would anyone lose respect because of that? If Chad wants to buy a $500,000 Ferrari and drive it off a cliff who cares. It’s his money and property. He’s earned it! Maybe some people should look into a softer more gentler genre of music. Not that Chickenfoot is heavy metal or anything. lol.
Rich

The rock scene in England is good, although I think its an age thing too. When I was 13 to about 15 I loved loads of 70s American bands, but obviously as you grow up you gain more of a musical pallette. I first heard VH when I was about 15, my friend showed me “On Fire” and I was sold, hook line and sinker! It was just the craziest, hard hitting stuff I’d ever heard…and the great thing was that it wasn’t a one off either.

As far as rock here goes, there are a few bands that are really showing some balls but rap and pop do take up a LOT of radio airplay and music channel time (which I don’t really watch/listen to at all). And they’re making appearences at Festivals too – I went to see the System Of A Down singer at Reading Festival in 2008 and I had to watch Dizzie Rascal as he was on before – how do these rappers get a place at a rock festival?
Whats more is that the media want to call certain bands “rock” when its actually watered down “indie” crap by fellas from Glasgow that can strum a few chords together and make some catchy lyrics.

On the other hand…I just got tickets to see a band called Biffy Clyro (from Scotland) for a 4th time, because they rock and they rock hard…and they’re keeping the Strat alive, which I love. I realise there aren’t too many British greats left, we had Zeppelin, Sabbath, Def Leppard, Pink Floyd, Iron Maiden…I can’t name too many bands that come up to that sort of standard.

Muse are definitely a brilliant English rock band,have a huge following over here but I’m not sure how well known they are in the states. The guitarist loves Van Halen, he had a pretty cool custom EVH Wolfgang that he used on their last tour.

And I’ve seen the various bits and pieces of the Oakland show, and you’re right, its excellent. Especially love Alex’s gong that flames up at the end!