Business Advice From Van Halen
From: Fast Company
In the March issue of Fast Company, Dan and Chip Heath’s column focuses on early warning indicators. In one example, they explain why David Lee Roth banned brown M&Ms from backstage. It wasn’t a diva thing, but rather, an operations performance metric. The excerpt:
BROWNOUT: Van Halen’s brown-M&M test acted as a diagnostic, allowing the band to spot problems early.
Dan Heath and Chip Heath go to eighth grade, Google, and a Van Halen concert to find early-warning signals for big problems.
Your source of data doesn’t need to be high tech. In fact, it doesn’t even need to be numerical. Consider Van Halen. (We have been waiting years for a chance to write that sentence.) In its 1980s heyday, the band became notorious for a clause in its touring contract that demanded a bowl of M&Ms backstage, but with all the brown ones removed. The story is true — confirmed by lead singer David Lee Roth himself — and it became the perfect, appalling symbol of rock-star-diva behavior.
Get ready to reverse your perception. Van Halen did dozens of shows every year, and at each venue, the band would show up with nine 18-wheelers full of gear. Because of the technical complexity, the band’s standard contract with venues was thick and convoluted — Roth, in his inimitable way, said in his autobiography that it read “like a version of the Chinese Yellow Pages.” A typical “article” in the contract might say, “There will be 15 amperage voltage sockets at 20-foot spaces, evenly, providing 19 amperes.”
Van Halen buried a special clause in the middle of the contract. It was called Article 126. It read, “There will be no brown M&Ms in the backstage area, upon pain of forfeiture of the show, with full compensation.” So when Roth would arrive at a new venue, he’d walk backstage and glance at the M&M bowl. If he saw a brown M&M, he’d demand a line check of the entire production. “Guaranteed you’re going to arrive at a technical error,” he wrote. “They didn’t read the contract…. Sometimes it would threaten to just destroy the whole show.”
In other words, Roth was no diva. He was an operations expert. He couldn’t spend hours every night checking the amperage of each socket. He needed a way to assess quickly whether the stagehands at each venue were paying attention — whether they had read every word of the contract and taken it seriously. In Roth’s world, a brown M&M was the canary in the coal mine.
Like Roth, none of us has the time and energy to dig into every aspect of our businesses. But, if we’re smart, we won’t need to. What if we could rig up a system where problems would announce themselves before they arrived? That may sound like wishful thinking, but notice that it’s exactly what Roth achieved. Surely, you won’t be outwitted by the guy who sang “Hot for Teacher.”
Where’s the brown M&M in your business?
Filed under: David Lee Roth, Van Halen
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February 23rd, 2010 at 1:57 pm
I remember seeing Roth talk about a place that had brown m&m’s backstage. Later that night, during the show, the stage collapsed because it wasn’t sturdy enough to hold all the equipment.
Oh, and lest I forget,
“Chickenfoot rules”, “Eddie get off your @$$ and make some new music”, and “Mikey got the shaft”.
February 23rd, 2010 at 2:13 pm
Dave was ahead of his time….
February 23rd, 2010 at 2:18 pm
That was an ingenious move by Roth. This story is an old one but a good one. Sometimes I think Dave doesn’t get enough credit. He’s not just a stoner “Rock Star”. He’s creative, imaginative, and apparently he’s good with business contracts.
February 23rd, 2010 at 4:30 pm
the irony of that headline…
February 23rd, 2010 at 4:49 pm
Diamond Dave at his best
February 23rd, 2010 at 5:07 pm
M&Ms make friends…
So does new music…
In Dallas, I lived next to a concert promoter that worked with local arenas (Reunion Arena—’member that) and bands. He was hired, in tandem with others, to work with Van Halen on their 1984 tour. I was pretty young at the time, middle high school, and didn’t understand the significance of his position with artists. The concert promoter had a son my age and sometimes I’d hang out at his place…most of the time we hung out outside because we weren’t blessed/cursed with all of the technology kids have today.
Anyway…there was a bowl of brown M&Ms on one of the tables in the living room and I didn’t understand its significance. I think the neighborhood friend told me it was left over from a concert or something and not to eat them. I thought the whole thing was stupid at the time, but as I grew up I found the story to be a great lesson in contracts and negotiations.
David Lee is very smart and creative, as evidence of his upbringing by Dr. Roth.
Chickenfoot does rule!
Maybe we’ll get to see the original line up of Van Halen in their 60′s playing the Super Bowl in about a decade. While somewhat tongue and cheek in my last comment, I thought The Who sounded good during the halftime show.
February 23rd, 2010 at 5:45 pm
DLR comes from and family of MD’s and now he is a paramedic. The stoner was more persona than anything. His PR did as much partying as he actually did. Van Halen is better for having him. See ya in 2010.
February 23rd, 2010 at 6:45 pm
Why didn’t Dave ask about the sound of the hall or how his voice would sound. I loved Dave, but he couldn’t sing live back then and he can’t sing live now. A live album by VH or Dave solo would have to be edited and over dubbed to the nth degree. It wouldn’t even be considered a live album. We will never hear a new Dave/VH song ever again.
February 23rd, 2010 at 7:41 pm
February 23rd, 2010 at 7:48 pm
Right on DLR. ALWAYS pay attention to the small stuff!
February 23rd, 2010 at 8:24 pm
Dave being Dave. Clever and innovative. It was refreshing to all get along on the t-shirt post but alas someone was jonesing to be a knob so i gotta admit….
Chris b.- chickenfoot blows and eddie doesn’t owe any new music. I’m glad i could waste your time just like you did mine.
February 23rd, 2010 at 9:06 pm
@Van Foot: I have good (but cloudy?) and fond memories of seeing VH at Reunion Arena!
February 23rd, 2010 at 9:35 pm
I pay attention to Sammy Hagar and his actual business undertakings for true inspiration and guidance…it’s not as simple as this article make it out to be…it’s one tidbit of a vast undertaking, something Sam has done numberous times successfully…
props to Dave for that detail review and understanding of that particular issue, but, let’s not make this out to be anything close to what Sammy has done in his professional career on and off the stage
February 23rd, 2010 at 11:10 pm
Gees michael do u really have to make a roth vs hagar argument over that????????? in the articule did it once mention Hagar?????
See this is where the true genius of Roth , a simple thing like that has become legend . Like his lyrics , simple but true genius , which made VH a cut above every other HM act , which made them legends
Winners come n go , but legends last forever………….
February 24th, 2010 at 12:44 am
Here’s some business advice FOR Van Halen- Put out another album already and stop whoring your trademark. It’s not that we don’t like your trademark, but it would be nice to have something new to listen to while we’re eating brown M&M’s and wearing striped sneakers…
February 24th, 2010 at 5:03 am
The older I get, the smarter DLR gets! Lol!
February 24th, 2010 at 6:33 am
Wit is the embodiment of humor and intelligence.
This WAS pretty smart business, but you know, it was pretty damn funny too…and certainly added to the legend.
BRA-VO!
February 24th, 2010 at 6:49 am
I always thought Dave was very intelligent, it’s just that he used humor to disarm people to it, make them feel comfortable around it.
Over the years, I’ve been amazed at where I’d see pop up in magazine articles and such. Meaning, I’d be paging through a non-music industry monthly and there’d be a picture of some high brow party or whatever kind of brow. And in the pic, there’s Dave talking with some A-list whomever. My point, I think they all knew he was an intelligent guest, one who didn’t drool his words or slur his thoughts.
February 24th, 2010 at 7:00 am
chris.omeara: Very well said.
February 24th, 2010 at 7:14 am
Funny….I caught this article before it hit the VHND and I’m glad it’s here!
Years ago I was discussing VH with some people, and the m&m thing was brought up. Someone mentioned how big of a spoiled brat dave was and how he always had to get his way.
I told him he wasnt looking at the whole picture.
From what I’ve read and heard in interviews, touring back in the day was mentally and physically exsausting. I think it was pretty cool that dave made sure the band was taken care of…..and well overlooked.
If you read his book there is a chapter dedicated to the m&m theory. It makes a lot of sense.
So the next time you hear someone make a remark about how big of a “diva” dave was back in the day, smile, and keep this story in mind.
There was a lot more to dave than just spandex and jack daniels….
February 24th, 2010 at 7:37 am
Speaking of Dave … what’s he up to? Dave … talk to us! You don’t owe us a damn thing, but we do enjoy hearing from you!
February 24th, 2010 at 8:11 am
I don’t think anybody has heard from Dave since the last tour other than that artwork that he released a few months back. I also read that is was confirmed that he wasn’t at Eddie’s wedding. They did release that stock photo from the last tour at Christmas time wishing everybody a Happy Holiday and Dave was in the picture. It appears he is still in the band. Thinking back though didn’t they have Sammy on the official site until it was confirmed that Dave was back in the band?
February 24th, 2010 at 8:45 am
My business advice to Van Halen:
Make a new record. It will help you sell more t-shirts.
February 24th, 2010 at 9:25 am
it’s surprising that dave did’nt have more shows filmed back then.
February 24th, 2010 at 9:26 am
Where’s Dave? says:
Yes, you are correct about Sam’s picture still being on the official VH website throughout 2005, 2006, when he clearly wasn’t really “in the band”. Finally when things started to develop again with Dave and the 2007-08 tour, they took it down. What’s all that mean now? Who knows?? especially with these guys.
And…taking business advice from Van Halen is like getting your retirement stragegy together based on tips from our “leadership team” in Washington D.C. I’m not naming names, you know who they are.
February 24th, 2010 at 10:05 am
“# Jor-L5150 says:
February 23rd, 2010 at 4:30 pm
the irony of that headline…”
LOL. Funniest post!
February 24th, 2010 at 10:26 am
Dave is an extremely intelligent, talented individual who rivals other great talents like Mick Jaggar, Robert Plant and Steven Tyler.
He is so entertaining to see live, cuz yo never know what you’ll get with DLR!!
February 24th, 2010 at 10:56 am
Is it just me or did Chickenfoothater not get the joke?
February 24th, 2010 at 11:32 am
Chickenfoothater: Tell us how you really feel. No, seriously, don’t hold back. Just let it all out, man. In the mean time, someone pass him his Cheerios…it’s the bowl with the urine in it.
Dooley – I’ll tell you what it means that VH took all Sammy and Mikey references off their website. THEY HIT THE ERASE BUTTON! Eddie is so bitter about the past that he did everything to try to erase Sammy and Mike from the band’s history. There’s no mention of either of those guys and Eddie went as far to take all of the post-Roth album artwork off the site. That means we’ll NEVER see Sammy and Mike with VH again……at least not until Eddie gets pissed at Dave, starts drinking again, and crawls back to Sam and Mike begging for another chance before he kicks them both out again. It’s a vicious cycle.
Everyone else – Yeah, Roth is a real genius. Please! He could have demanded the room temperature to be set at 69 degrees and you Roth lovers would think that was the greatest idea ever…not too hot, not too cold AND it has a sexual connotation.
February 24th, 2010 at 11:35 am
C.Y.A. baby!!! The Diamond one was nobody’s fool!!!!
February 24th, 2010 at 11:50 am
Just about every band or act has something strange like the M&M thing worked into the contract for the exact reason mentioned. It’s been going on for years.
I’m curious if VH was the first or one of the first to integrate something like this. I’d guess probably not, but who knows.
February 24th, 2010 at 1:05 pm
Out with DLR, in with Udo Dirkschneider from Accept. Gimme your thoughts my intellectual bretheren.
February 24th, 2010 at 1:21 pm
Noooooo dude. We neeeeeed Diamond Dave. No more tools!!!!
February 24th, 2010 at 1:23 pm
Balls to the Wall man!! Accept tore it up back then….
February 24th, 2010 at 1:25 pm
Rick Pride – Great idea for a t-shirt dude!
The M&M story is great. I HAVE heard it about a hundred fucking times but it never gets old. DAVID LEE ROTH is one of those enigmatic personalities who was born to headline the greatest rock band in history. I’ve officially given up on ever getting a new cd. It’s pointless to dwell on something that will NEVER HAPPEN. But hey, there are so many b-tracks that get overlooked on older albums worth listening to again, like “Take Your Whiskey Home” from WACF and some cool unreleased songs like “Donut City”.
You know what DOES get old? People bitching about the merchandise that ‘van halen is making’… like, Ed and Al are in their basement with a t-shirt press designing the shit. It’s like blaming Ronald Macdonald for making a bad cheeseburger. You DO realize that a licensing agent grants the rights.
ALSO OLD, Are comments about Van Halen no longer a group because they aren’t releasing anything… it’s like, if you ask someone their favorite band and they reply, “Sex Pistols”, “Grateful Dead” or “Nirvana”. Will you scoff them for enjoying a group that is no longer functioning? WHO CARES? Van Halen released more studio albums than those other three bands combined. You don’t reach legendary status by releasing countless albums.
I’m being hypocritical… I know I’m guilty of whining for new music on every other post myself. It is a pain in the ass when Ed promises some more music is in the works and nothing comes into fruition. I remember an interview when Sam reunited with the group in ’04. Alex said in regards to new music that “this is the tip of the iceberg”… well, that was ONE SMALL FUCKING ICEBURG. More like an ice cube. Oh well. Sure, “Eyes wide open” or something… sounded more like 4 demo tracks recorded over one another than a song. I’m sorry Ed, but YA KNOW. I DID buy the album and came to the concert and gave you my $200 bucks. That was me saying, “Thanks!”. So yes, even that I appreciated. I *paid for* every album you released. I DID NOT download any for free. Just the amazing concert videos that you guys won’t release for whatever reason.
I know that first post was said in jest. BUT GIVE ME A FUCKING BREAK. Thanks for perpetuating stupidity.
And I agree with DUDE. It would be great to hear from Dave again! I’m expecting to see his photo on the back of a milk carton… Even if the Halen boys are ready for retirement, I hope we’ll at least hear some more solo stuff from Roth.
February 24th, 2010 at 1:44 pm
What if Joe Perry and Aerosmith hire DLR away before Eddie gets tired of not being in the limelight…?
February 24th, 2010 at 1:48 pm
Also, I thought it was strange when Guitar For The Practicing Musician named Accept’s Wolf Hoffman the next “Metal God in Waiting” in the ’80′s. He was talented for sure, but nothing more than any other euro-shredder to make such a comment…
February 24th, 2010 at 5:04 pm
No Mas Tony – Great post man, I’ve had some of the same exact thoughts recently, about Dave and some of the more over-looked VH songs and about being a fan of non-functioning bands.
You also addressed some good points about some of the constant complaints.
Some of which are justified, but the constant negativity gets old sometimes. When the critical comments are expressed without seeming tedious and repetitive in an angry way they have more merit and get the point across better. Otherwise it just reminds me of Eddie’s negativity in some of his interviews. But whatever, I’m just one fan like everyone else, anyone can say whatever the hell they want. I guess all VH fans are entitled to bitch and moan sometimes. I know I’ve done my share and I’m sure I’m not through either. I guess I’m being hypocritical too like you said you were being.
One reason I’m critical of Eddie sometimes, and maybe this is why other people are too, is because he’s not a normal person. Y’know what I mean? He has been blessed with being a Guitar God, so to us it seems like that talent is going to waste. We all know what he’s capable of so it’s frustrating to the fans.
So sometimes when I’m critical about VH, it’s out of love for the band, not because I’m trying to just be a dick and complain. Maybe it’s the same with others, so maybe I should try to understand the complaints more. But the monotony of some of the disparaging comments does get annoying sometimes. Whatever, it doesn’t matter anyway, this is just a place where we all go to unwind when we have time to kill. It’s just for fun anyway, y’know?
About Alex’s quote. Dude, I know what you’re saying. I could write a book with all of the contradicting statements the guys in Van Halen have said over the years. (I’m complaining again-Im being contradicting right now too– oops)
I just recently finally accepted Van Halen’s lifeless status as well, Tony (or hopefully slow progress, just at a snails pace, that’s optimistic right?) I’m not as angry anymore, it wasn’t a conscious decision, it just happened. I guess I just got tired of anxiously waiting and being disappointed. Sometimes I forget just how long I’ve been waiting for a full-length album of new material. It’s pretty crazy, but I’ve moved on. That doesn’t mean I don’t still get frustrated from time to time though, at such a waste of talent not being used and shared with the world.
The way I look at it now (which I guess is my only choice) is that everyone is still alive and kicking so there’s hope. Can you imagine if Ed or Al died? There would be no hope ever for any more VH music and we would all feel about a million times worse than we do right now about Van Halen. The same way I felt when Dimebag died, which I still haven’t totally gotten over yet.
But at least Mikey and Sammy have been out doing their thing with Chickenfoot and we (or some of us, at least) can look forward to the new album in the works and I’m sure another tour to follow.
Latah
February 24th, 2010 at 6:27 pm
Panama Red: I feel exactly like you do. I just really miss our band. They are all so gifted. I wish we had more.
February 24th, 2010 at 7:58 pm
PANAMA RED — Back at ya’ dude. Your posts are always worth reading… long winded but heartfelt. You’re a good man.
February 24th, 2010 at 8:57 pm
I miss our band too but if they don’t make any more new music it won’t be the end of the world although it would make me happier to have the last VH album recorded not be VH3. I’m hoping we hear something from them about new music and/or a tour in the springtime.
I love the brown M&M story! I actually just read this article a few days ago in a business blog.
February 25th, 2010 at 7:59 am
@Van Foot: We might see VH at the big show in 10 years, but somehow I don’t think there will be any new music.
@Pat: I agree that there will be no DVDs of the ’07/’08 tour primarily because of Roth’s voice. But I don’t think you could be more wrong about “back then”. The ’81 Oakland clips are a prime example. Was he perfect? No, but they could release that show if they wanted to.
@Andym: You’re right on about the erase button. As much as I love these guys I don’t understand why they can’t just get along. As much as I shelled out for the ’07 show, I’m kinda ticked off at myself for doing it. It was a low blow in a series of low blows.
February 25th, 2010 at 8:23 am
No Mas Tony – Slow down…you’re missing the point! All of us that complain about “no new music” is because we are led on to believe that there is something brewing. When the 2007-2008 tour ended, Eddie said (not in so many words) that they were taking a small break so he could get married and Wolfie could finish school. Then right to 5150 to record new material. He even said he had “tons of new $hit” waiting to go. They claim to be a functioning band but make no effort to please the fans. NONE. Other than that, great point about the obscure tracks…the other day a station here in Philly played “House of Pain” and I couldn’t believe they played something so obscure on the radio again.
Panama Red – Amen, man. You hit it on the head…I feel like Eddie’s wasting his talent while he can still do it. If he was 70 or something I could understand. He’s still in his 50′s and that window won’t stay open forever. I’ve seen the Stones on their last few tours and you can see the decline in a guy like Keith Richards from tour to tour. (Not that Richards is anywhere as good as EVH!)
I’m like the rest of you…I’m frustrated by the lack of production from VH as much as the next fan. But to me there’s just no excuses anymore. If they would have said the last tour was a farewell tour, then fine. But we all know what they are capable of and they say there is a future. At least Sammy and Mike still give us hope for the VH sound.
February 25th, 2010 at 10:38 am
“# Russ Thorn says:
February 24th, 2010 at 8:45 am
My business advice to Van Halen:
Make a new record. It will help you sell more t-shirts.”
I SECOND THAT!!!
February 25th, 2010 at 5:42 pm
The brown M&M story has been around for decades, and only recently did I learn it’s main purpose was operational checklisting…..I just thought it gave Dave a good reason to trash a backstage are with reckless abandon! Just makes me more appreciative of Dave’s logistical genius and his dedication to always giving a 5-star production for Van Halen fans.
Dave also came up with a genius method for procuring hot women at VH concerts. He started numbering backstage passes and instructed roadies to hand them out to the hottest girls in the audience. Whichever girl Roth ended up fucking that night, the roadie who gave her the pass would get a $100 cash bonus. Quickly, roadies would get a sense of what kind of girl Dave liked because they all wanted those bonus payments. A very clever and efficient way to score pussy on the road! From some of the old backstage photos I’ve seen, Dave seemed to prefer thin brunettes — cant say I blame him there.
Diamond Dave never seems to get enough credit for the enormous success of Van Halen. The brown M&M’s and pussy-pass ideas were just a small sampling of his genius. The more I learn about the history of classic VH, the more I’m convinced it was Dave running the show and Eddie and Alex were just two dumb dipshits who happened to be blessed with musical skill along for the ride.
February 25th, 2010 at 8:05 pm
Andym, I totally get ‘the point’. — Like I just said in my last post, “It is a pain in the ass when Ed promises some more music is in the works and nothing comes into fruition”. But damn, Ed’s said some pretty incredible & contradicting things in the past ten years. I don’t even think he means to blow smoke up our chimneys. I’m guessing he started working on some ideas and hit a road block and became disparaged. He’s in a precarious position; with his fans scrutinizing every move he makes. He said in an interview awhile back (like 20 posts ago) that he was going to Dave’s house and they were collaborating on some things. That had us all exclaiming, “Halleluiah!” Our favorite band is back. [Or so we thought.]
But THAT is the point. The only thing for sure about Van Halen is NOTHINGS for sure about Van Halen. Do not believe a damn thing or get your hopes up. I’m just coming to terms with it myself.
You mentioned, “House of Pain”. God that brings back memories. I had this little album with “Jump” on one side and H.O.P. was the B-track. I played the hell out of Jump and almost ignored H.O.P. NOW; it’s the other way around. All the songs I used to ignore are now my favorites.
And like Panama Red said — we do have a new Chicken Foot album out this spring. Love em or hate em. IMO, they rock. Better than all the other crap that’s on the radio lately.
February 26th, 2010 at 3:28 am
PanamaRed,
Great post again, but the point here is that when Dimebag died, Vinnie and Rita released Rebel Meets Rebel and the Dimevision DVD. Then Vinnie went on to Hellyeah and it sounds like Pantera.
My point is this, Eddie and Alex are to blame here. Not Dave or Sammy or anybody else. These 2 guys got issues bad!
The funny thing here is that Sammy and Mike play for the FUN of it! They already accomplished more than they dreamed of and so did Eddie and Alex, but to sit dormant since 1996, is a disgrace. Yes Eddie had health issues and other problems, but he had time to make VH3? Then he disappeared again until 2004 and toured with Sammy again! Boom he’s gone again from 2004 until 2007-2008 and poof, he’s gone again.
I guess Van Halen has become the Houdini of rock and roll!
Maybe we will get something when one of them passes and Wolfgangs hard up for money! Hell maybe then Mike can release some of the stuff he has in storage!
February 26th, 2010 at 7:25 am
HEY MAN…THAT SUITE IS YOU….YOU’LL GET SOME LEG TONIGHT FORSURE…TELL US HOW YOU DOOOO.WHOO…WHOOO.HOOO!
DLR…THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS!!!:)
February 26th, 2010 at 11:30 am
No Mas Tony – I’m glad we’re on the same page now! I agree with you, I’m coming to terms with the lack of production from VH. Like I said a million times before, it just seems like an incredible waste of time and talent. I get it that a lot of work goes into an album but we’re talking about a band that used to have no problem putting out new material every 2 years or so.
As for the B tracks, I’ve always enjoyed the non-radio songs more from VH whether it was Dave or Sammy singing. It’s amazing how better songs sound when the producer isn’t trying to twist it to make some extra bucks on from radio play.
Amen about the Foot! I can’t wait to hear new stuff from them and see them on tour again. They are a new incarnation of the VH sound. At the same time, I’m not holding my breath for a new album in the spring…I bet it will take longer because of Chad Smith’s commitments to the Chili Peppers.
February 26th, 2010 at 2:21 pm
Speaking of the foot. I wonder what exactly the RHCP’s status is. And what Chad’s availability is for recording with Chickenfoot now that Flea is in the band “Atoms for Peace” with Thom Yorke, and they will supposedly be touring soon. I hope that means we get new Chickenfoot even sooner. Not that I want the RHCP’s to disband or anything. But new ‘Foot- Hell Yeah!. Can’t wait.
February 26th, 2010 at 2:22 pm
Wow, Flea with Thom Yorke. That’s gotta be trippy sounding. I gotta check that out.
February 26th, 2010 at 5:47 pm
Respectfully, I’ve never understood what the big deal is about the brown M&M story. So many people trip over themselves to call Roth a genius for it, you’d think his idea cured cancer or something.
Seriously, if I’m Dave and there are brown m&ms in my dressing room, what am I going to do? I’m going to have the rest of the technical specs checked out to be sure all is safe/correct, right? That was the stated purpose of the clause.
But do you honestly think not having brown M&Ms present would make any difference at all? If the staff successfully removed the brown M&Ms, do you think VH said, “No need to make sure the stage, wiring, light rigs and everything is safe and correct. After all, there’s not a brown M&M in sight.” Hell no, they would have double checked the technical specs anyway, yeah? I just don’t get what difference the brown M&Ms made. Unless, of course, it cured cancer. Then all the gushing people do about it makes some sense.
February 27th, 2010 at 10:40 am
Kayser Sozay – When I first heard that story I thought it was just an excuse to be able to “legally” trash a hotel room or backstage area or something and I thought that was really cool. I thought wow, how rock and roll and Dave-like is that for him to come up with that. You get to go crazy and destroy whatever you want. And then when some fuckface attorney , promoter, or whoever freaks out and threatens you with a suit you can say “It’s right there in black and white, just underneath the kegs and the drunk chick in the nurse uniform.”
But then later I realized it was more than that. It was to teach people a lesson if they didn’t pay close enough attention and do their jobs up to snuff to make things go as smoothly as possible, technically for the live shows.
If only there would have been a legal clause in the promoters contracts that stated : “David Lee Roth is hereby legally bound and obligated to not get too fucked-upeth before the show so as to ensure that he shan’t forget the Fuckin’ words!
I think I get legal wording and renaissance fair speak mixed up.
But like you said Kayser they probably checked the specs anyway. But it’s still a good excuse to go crazy without the normal legal repercussions. Maybe it was mostly just for fun, to fuck with people. Or maybe it was just one of the many things Roth came up with to perpetuate Van Halens legendary reputation. I mean that is a famous story that you hear about all the time. Remember how Roth was always about creating personas and stories. Whether some of ‘em were bullshit or not, it helped make him famous and probably made Van Halen even more talked about. That was just his style, I guess.
I guess you could look at it as being a pretty well thought out and smart thing to do, business wise and to inflate his reputation to get attract attention, women , etc. I think he was a cunning and sly guy. But I think Roth was obviously interesting too and the guys in VH were the real deal as far partying their asses off.
I’m sure Roth knew he wasn’t the best singer in the world, but he worked at helping create his legendary status in other ways.
February 27th, 2010 at 9:53 pm
Of course Roth was smarter than most people. He realized the immense power of imagery and marketing. You’ll find a few early photos of him and Eddie gorging on McDonald’s hamburgers and fries. Does Dave look like the kind of guy who eats a lot of fast food? Hell no, but he realized most of the people buying Van Halen records were males between ages of 15 and 25 and that demographic eats a lot of burgers and fries. Dave & Ed were just like them.
February 28th, 2010 at 12:01 am
The no brown M&M clause proves beyond a reasonable doubt, that David Lee Roth was the original smartie.
March 3rd, 2010 at 12:59 pm
Just reading what all of you have said. In regards to DLR being a smart business man I would agree. I would also agree he is a bit of a premadonna. Case in point, I watched a show in late 99 early 2000, when DLR was on his solo small club tours in Wichita. I got to meet him before the show and get an autograph, but he would only sign one, and he wasn’t very cordial. He actually yelled at the only other guy there, telling him to leave him alone. Why? It would have only taken a couple of minutes. I left thinking he was really acting like a jerk. The guy wasn’t acting wierd or anything, he just was excited and wanted a picture. Maybe it was the long bus ride or he had a bad day. Who knows, but it wasn’t a great way for true fans to see you.
Well I wanted a second autograph for my brother who lives out of state. So I waited after the show, but he never came back out. Shortly after the show they had two EMT’s come into his dressing room with a stretcher and come back out with the stretcher loaded. The only problem was that their was a person in a body bag you couldn’t see through. What EMT puts a sick person in a body bag? One of the security told me later that DLR was in there. He did it to avoid having to come out and greet people. Was the security guard telling me the truth or not? Who knows. If it was, then it just shows how DLR uses his brains to help himself out in any way he can. Definately a smart guy. Not very nice if it was indeed true. So were the M&M’s an invention of a smart man? I would agree, but he also used it as an excuse to raise hell when he felt like it.
Just my opinion. I hope they come out with new music, and the lack of communication or miscommunication frustrates me to, but I still love em anyway.
March 3rd, 2010 at 5:36 pm
Geez Shawn that WAS pretty shitty behavior by Roth. I’m not trying to make excuses but we all have bad days. But still, that sucks! And if that was him sneaking out in the body bag I think that’s pretty weird. He should be happy or at least a little appreciative that there are fans outside waiting to get his autograph. Especially in 1999-2000. It’s not like it’s 1984 anymore. But then again, I’ve never really thought of Dave as being a “nice” guy.
But what do I know, I’ve never met the guy.
And I don’t know what it’s like being a celebrity so I don’t know how it feels. Maybe some of that stuff gets old. Maybe I would be pulling tricks like that too. Probably not though if it was just real fans waiting and not paparazzi. It’s too bad a real fan like you couldn’t get another autograph for your brother since you waited before and after the show.
March 28th, 2010 at 10:03 am
I just read every single post here and found alot of fans that are waiting for new material and alot of people that miss the days of Great Studio albums by a band that knew how to excite the fans………BUT Throughout all the internal strife and Drama within the band and whatever promises everyone thinks the band broke to their fans I choose to keep VH as a Guidepost to the great memories their music and shows gave Me when I was in my Teens,20′s,etc because now that I am 40 it’s not a new album that’s gonna change my mood from bad to good,it’s the memories I have taken from the past which were mostly fueled by things I did with friends at the concerts,or waiting in line for tickets,or things we did while listening to the albums/tapes back then.
For these things ALONE,I will always be Thankful to ALL the past members of the band and as far as I am concerned,They have left their bookmark in the book of my life and NO hateful comments or bashing will ever take that from Me! I have seen the band in Concert more times than I care to comment and even have one of Eddie’s picks from a show but that’s just a part of the Legacy these guys have left with the TRUE fans.
Music is an inspirational tool,a way to escape the problems in your own life for a little while,something to be appreciated for it’s simplicity and complexity at the same time and these bunch of guys(all members past n present) did it LIKE NO OTHER and should be commended for that!
They changed the look,feel,and futire of Music in their time and they don’t OWE ANYONE ANYTHING now! They did their job,they paid the amazing tolls that come with working so hard for so long and we will never truly know the costs.
Some of you may agree and some may not but at least think about what these guys have accomplished already and try to appreciate that if they never make another album or do another show…….They have already accomplished more than virtually any group of their era. It’s up to the new Artists (agrred,pickings are slim these days) to make their own legacy and try to be pioneers in their fields now because VH already did it and did it better than anyone most of the time! I thank the guys and the other fans like Me from over the years for giving me the memories that still make me smile when I hear a song and remember the memories I made the first time I heard it on a album or a live show!
To All the REAL V.H. Fans out there! There will never be another Van Halen but there can still be Great Memeories and the Legacy is there for you to still make more!
Also,No Post will EVER sour Me on those memories or make me hate any member of the band as they have all had their time and place in my eyes!