Michael Anthony at NAMM 2010

January 13, 2010 88 Comments

Michael will be appearing at NAMM 2010 in Anaheim, CA on Thursday, January 14 and will be hosting autograph sessions at the following times and locations:

# Dean Markeley – 1:00
# Peavey – 3:30

Filed Under: Michael Anthony

Jim

This would be a good opportunity for him to appologize to Ed and Al for walking out on VH after the last VH w/Sammy tour and proceeding to talk trash about them being dysfunctional, stating they are not a band anymore, stating that they will never be a group and tour again, and for joining a different band leaving all assumption that he had quit Van Halen… and then complaining to fans that he had no ounce of idea or thought that he would be replaced when Wolfy took his spot.
Pete

I’ll be seeing him there!
Dooley

Pete should tell Mike what Jim said when he visits at NAMM. I was wondering what really happened with those guys. Now I get it. Thanks for clearing it all up, Jim.
Frank

Dooley, maybe you should check out some of last year’s MA interviews regarding this matter.
No disrespect to Jim, but MA wasn’t talkin trash about Ed & Al at all.
He just gave his honest opinion about his departure with no intention of kickin’ the bro’s in the balls.
Any apologies from MA are up to him and no one else.

Frank, NL
kayser sozay

In Jim’s world, “walking out on” means having the nerve to get out in front of the fans to spread the joy of VH music while the band is on permanent hold because the leader is too strung out to function. The nerve!
Frank

Umm…or is it: whether or not he should apologize is up to MA?
Sorry, but this Dutch boy’s English sucks sometimes

Frank, NL
Dooley

I was joking, Frank.

His comments at the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame show what a
class guy he really is.

I just hope Jim was joking, too. But I’m not sure.

Jim?…
Jim

Walking Out.
After the tour ended, goes his own way. Doesn’t communicate with band members. no musical collaboration with any band member. Talks about his honest opinion/truth (aka talk trash) about VH. Joins a different band.

That’s the basics. Maybe Ed or Al did something to help him leave but basically, Mike left.
I’m not sure how you can think he didn’t leave/walk out.

I also can’t understand how Mike wouldn’t have already expected to be excluded from any future VH would have after the last tour with Sammy ended.
Ron

Yeah, Ed has never talked trash about any other members of the band, that’s for sure.

How dare MA share his honest opinion/truth. He should definitely apologize since he’s had nothing going for him since leaving.

(Sarcasm, in case anyone’s not clear)
http://madmikelive.com Mad Mike

Jim,

I respectively disagree with you. MA has gone on record saying that after the 2004 Tour- Ed and Al forced him to sign a document saying that he had no further financial interest (or any other kind of interest) in VH. MA didn’t go public with that until after Wolf took his spot. I don’t think anybody other then you really believes that he left VH. He was forced out. Best regards.

Mad Mike
Ozzy

Heyy Jimmy boy….

Who was there in New York too celebrate that VH was inducted in the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame??
It was the most shamefull story of the great VH saga.
The brothers didn’t want a confrontation with there former bandmates…….. WHY?????
They all should have stand there, but big ego’s stood between them.
All I hoping for is that Ed and Mike can shake
http://none Dirty Duck

Oh guys “let it go” already!
Ozzy

…….hands.
and move on and make great Records again.
Chickenfoot and Van Halen!

Ozzy from the Netherlands
MICAL VEE

Hey jim,back on the 2004 tour eddie didnt want michael on the tour but sammy said he would’nt do the tour without michael. That pretty much sounds like he was being kicked out of the band then! Michael doesnt owe ed or alex crap!
RA 8 1 2

Mike was a hired gun for the 2004 reunion with Sammy. Ed didnt want Mike then and yes, made him sign away his rights to VH and sign a deal for that one tour. Sammy wouldnt do that tour unless Mike was part of it.
Top Jimmy

Does anyone else think it’s weird that Mike is with Peavey now and Satriani is with Marshall? That whole thing blows my mind. Satriani’s amps are still part of the Peavey line but now he’s using Marshalls. Does anyone know anything more about that?
http://www.vhnd.com Pat G

Mike was forced out and everyone knew he could have bahsed Ed and Alex but didnt because he has too much class to do that. Even at the RRHoF induction, he made sure to send out his best wishes to Alex, Dave, and Eddie, who was in rehab a the time and too messed up to attend the ceremony. Mike could write more than one tell-all book and bury the VH boys, but is too cool of a guy to do that. He got a raw deal on that last tour, but went through with it for the fans and Sammy. He’s a good dude.
Pete

It’s all good boys…Mikey’s happy, Ed’s got the band he wants, so if they’re all happy then what the hell, right?
ROB5150

I think the relationship between Mike and the brothers start ruin when Mike decide play with Sam, for example during the “Sam&Dave” tour. In Ed’s shoes who of us doesn’t feel angry? Mike then said that he tried to keep high the Van Halen flag??In wich way? Playing with an ex-member?? And expect to remain in the band? Naive, to say least. All the other blah-blah are useless; he tells the he was no longer involved in the creative process…if he wasn’t satisfied, he could leave many years before!
BigDaddy

Who else thinks Eddie went to rehab to avoid going to the RRHoF induction?
SirFrankenberry

It is obvious that Jim has thrown his post out there just to
rile some of you.
I cannot rationalize a strong argument for anyone who thinks Mike Anthony was the bad guy.
Jim, you are either just stirrin up shit, or you have your head square up your ass.
Garrett

Insert obligatory “Mike’s a class act” comment here <—–
Atomic Pete

Whatev!
justin

amen garrett!!!
Marcus

Whatever the case, Van Halen screwed up by not including Mike on the Roth tour.
Not ONE person can honestly say that they preferred seeing and hearing Wolf up there on stage.
So maybe the Van Halen brothers aren’t the bad guys (maybe…). Then they are just stupid.
Waldo

Hey Mikey,

Don’t listen to some of the comments posted here. Only you know what went on in the band called “Van Halen.” There are so many factors that lead 99.999% of Van Halen fans to see that all of the drama in Van Halen is because of Eddie. I mean how do you go through 3 lead singers and a loyal bass player? How do you not cancel or postpone the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony because you are in rehab and the band is named after you? How do you not put out an album and/or tour for almost 10 years under the Van Halen banner-more than 10 years if you don’t count Van Halen 3, which I don’t – and stay silent for fans during most of that time? How do you make a Van Halen video game without you or Sammy in it when Eddie knows full well you & Sammy play a significant part of the band’s history and should be fully represented somewhere in the video game?
John

Like all good recovering addicts, Ed should apologize to Mike for the way he treated him and try to at least rebuild some kind of friendship. Life’s too short. This won’t happen, cause Ed still just doesn’t get it. I think the part of his brain that is responsible for making him a decent human being, must have been damaged permanently from all of drugs and alcohol. He used to be a cool guy, now he’s a bitter man.
Jim

Calm down guys.
I just noted a different view of the whole situation.
Mike is a good guy. Everytime there is ever a debate like this, everyone takes Mike’s side. He’s just a cool regular guy who has never done anything to turn anyone against him.

However, you can’t argue with this:
At some point, Ed and Al wanted Mike out. Mike stayed and was quiet until after the last VH/sammy tour. He said some stuff that you wouldn’t say if you planned to stay in the band. There wasn’t any communication from or to Mike about any VH plans since then. He was playing with Sammy when VH was starting up the tour with Dave. Mike should not have been surprised when VH didn’t invite him back.
lucky

TopJimmy, Satriani can use whatever amps he wants as I believe was the understanding with Peavey. Which is why, even though Joe is using Marshalls with Chickenfoot, the JS Peavey amps are still being made and sold. No conflict. I believe Joe switched to marshalls in Cfoot because the vibe was not happening with the peavey’s. It’s all in the ears.

I believe Joe introduced Mike Anthony to the Peavey folks and Mike liked what they had for him. Pretty simple.

No drama.
freddiegirl

I’m not a Chickenfoot fan but….I don’t think Micheal Anthony has anything to apologize for. At this point whether or not he left or was forced out is irrelevant. He’s happier with his new band and hopefully Eddie is happy enough with his to start recording some new music. In all honesty none of us really know what happened and there’s always three sides to a story….the sides of the persons involved and what actually happened…which is usually somewhere in the middle. Also agree that fault or not; Eddie should make peace for his own well-being, like John said, life’s too short but again..that’s Eddie’s desiscion and that’s nothing any of us can do anything about.
chris b.

Quick time line:
1997: Made VH3, only played on 3 songs.
1999-2003: No VH activity, decides to tour with Sammy and play VH songs as “The Other Half”
2004: Reunion with Sammy.

It seems to me that Ed was looking to remove Mike since after Sammy left. Maybe he was upset that Mike and Sam became buddies during that time. Anyway, Mike has pretty much out of the VH loop since before VH3 was made.

P.S., I know Mike sang on the VH3 songs, but what songs did he actually play bass on besides ‘Fire in the Hole’?
freddiegirl

I should also learn how to spell ‘decision’……>__<
marko

I preferred to see Wolfy on stage over Mike.
I realized if it wasn’t for Wolfy, VH would have called it a career and would not ever see them tour again.
Other than that, it was a cool thing to see father and son up there jamming together. It was definately something special. A tour with Mike and Dave would have been amazing but I don’t thing that would have ever happened.
arthur_bishop1972

Well put, John.

Jim: Maybe you could make a pitstop at NAMM tommorrow and ask MA yourself so that we can all get the inside scoop

jk Jim…actually, thanks for clarifying your point.
http://cheeseburgerpicnic.com Skutch

You’re right John, Ed should apologize to Mike and Sam to make right any actions he did under the influence. In the same way Sam and Mike should apologize to Ed for slamming him time and time again. It goes both ways.
unclemeat80

Heck, Eddie’s was trying to get rid of Mike since 1983 at least.

Least anyone forgot Ed auditioning Billy Sheehan and other bassists behind his back.

So in all fairness given those circumstances, what makes the brothers feel right to pass judgement on Mike for wanting a backup plan?

Mike owes them nothing. They on the other hand, owe him an apology and much more.
Marcus

OK, maybe there are some people out there who preferred Wolf over Mike. But the vast majority of Van Halen fans think they made a big mistake. His stage presence, background vocals, and thumping bass were all missed.

Mike is an underrated bassist. He’s not a guitarist who plays bass, he’s a real bassist who keeps it all together. Listen to the Chickenfoot CD to hear what he CAN do, when given the liberty to do so.

If he walked out, it’s hard to blame him. Being belittled by the Van Halen brothers, and dealing with a raging alcoholic on that 2004 tour is more than most people can take.
http://vhnd.com 51 yr old fan

hey jim, i can’t believe they let you guys use the computer at that mental institute.
SCAR

Hmmm, I seem to recall reading this drama filled posts before!!!! Time to move on Gomers!!!!!
http://kickarmy.com Jim Knapp

Jim,
No matter how you view it, Ed was in the wrong and still is. It would be nice to say that it takes two to tango in this instance but, it doesn’t fit. Mike can live with a clear conscience and Ed must feel inside like crap for throwing Mike under the bus. Ed, it is never too late to apologize…
Russ

I hate entering a rehash of who’s to blame” but let’s face it: Anger destroys. Anger distorts. Anger lies. I am happy EVH cleaned up his health (but lose the cigs already) but anyone who has ever been really angry knows what it does to your viewpoint. Now add some alcohol and mix it with anger and you have the unfolding of events for the past…how many years has it been?
Dooley

BigDaddy says:

January 13th, 2010 at 4:16 pm
Who else thinks Eddie went to rehab to avoid going to the RRHoF induction?

I do. He probably looked at the calendar about a month ahead of that date and hit the bottle big time before checking himself in. It’s good he got some help. But making amends to family members, friends and associates is part of the process, and in Ed’s case, unfinished business. Others have said 99% of the VH drama is “on” him. True dat.
Steve

Hi Jim,

You are right ON the money! No one blames Mike for wanting to leave after the tour. But that’s what he did was leave, and it was over for him when he did that. And instead of just going quietly and saying nothing, he goes out to the press and states the obvious as a put down to Ed: “Eddies been drinking again and we’re not waiting for him” Good friend there Mike! That is statement which announced your resignation from the band. The kicker though is when he acts shocked and surprised that he has been replaced when VH resurfaces. dude, you left the band. Mike is great to the fans which is why people defend him. I get that. But the VH bros should be pissed
mjc

it appears jim&steve are still drinking the evh eggnog
RA 8 1 2

Everyone says that Mike was kicked out because he went on tour with Sammy, etc. Yes he did play some selected dates with Sammy prior to the 2004 reunion. However They never billed themeselves as “The Other Half” until 2006. Also, if Ed is so pissed that Mike went on tour with Sam, why isnt Ed pissed that DAVE went on tour with Sam?!!!
Pete

You know, if you put all the drama aside, they were a great band. Both eras had their high points. I hope that kids discovering VH think of the brilliance first and the petty squabbling and backstabbing last.

GnR self-destructed, they are simply “Axl’s Roses” now, but besides them, has there ever been another more self-destructive band? I hope there’s more to come, but at this point I’d be shocked.

Therefore, crank up your favorites and thank god you have ‘em, just in case you “Can’t Get This Stuff No More”…
pat

i bet if mike had it all to do over again he would have left in 96.i have yet to see what alex has done for this band that mike has not.
phillster

RA812:If you go a little further back on the “timeline”, it was `00 when=VH= tried DAVE again,then that fell apart for whatever reason,then SAM ASKED DAVE AGAIN to tour together- this time Dave agreed.
I saw the last show in MASS.Sam brought out Mike,Gary,and members of Boston for his opening set,Dave just had his(amazing) back up band.RUMOR has it mike layed into roth backstage about pissing off the VH bros&ruining the chance of a reunion.Then the(sad)`04 tour where(again)rumor has it NOBODY saw or talked to each other until showtime.Then the “other1/2″tour in`06.I saw this show@Mohegan Sun casino,
A Full Sammy show,then M.A.came out for his so-called”bass solo”,sang”runnin`w/the devilw/Sam&spent the rest of the show
doingVHGR tunes-MORE than just an encore`s worth!Dave just continued touring as always-no”special guests”or ex-VH members.I guess Ed considered what ROTH did as”instead of dis-believin` baby i just up&walk”, opposed to SAM trying to have”the BEST OF BOTH Worlds”lol-just my lame opinion dude
don`t freak.
Steve

To All, There is really no need to bash the VH bros or Mike Anthony. Why did the VH Bros have mike sign his rights away in 2004? Because they wanted him out for siding with Hagar in 2002 over them. Why did MIke leave in 2004? Because he had to sign that terrible document and they weren’t getting along. It’s all relative and best that they don’t work together at all for both parties.
VHIII_1998_

Alex designs the covers and plays drums, plus defends his brothers honor. leave Alex alone…..