New Van Halen album in first half of 2011?

June 30, 2010 239 Comments

Wednesday, June 30, 2010:

VAN HALEN – POSSIBLE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL?:

It’s been a while since I reached out to one of my best sources of Van Halen info over the years, but it had to be done. And I got the information I was hoping for – independent confirmation from a long time source I trust that Van Halen are indeed working towards finishing recording of a long awaited new studio album with David Lee Roth, set for release sometime in the first half of 2011. A single is slated for release before the end of this year, but exact timing still remains very much up in the air. I’m told the relationship between Eddie and Dave remains as complex as ever, but there is a definite desire to get a new record completed.

Incidentally – I’m told that Santana will cover the Van Halen classic ” Dance The Night Away” on his next album of tracks featuring different singers (no word on the vocalist). It was suggested to me that Eddie would apparently still like to pursue this idea one day. I’m sure you’ll remember that little nugget coming to light via one of my reports nearly a decade ago now. Stay tuned as always…

Filed Under: Van Halen

Karl

Mad Fan says; Blah, blah, blab…

Read the thread dude. The only cry babies are people like you who get all stropy and throw their toys out of the pram if anyone says anything other than “Please Edward, bend me over one more time because being fucked in the ass by you time wasters for the last decade simply isn’t enough for me!”

It doesn’t make you any less of a fan and it certainly doesn’t make you a hater just because you’re realistic about what’s happened to this band over the last decade. Roll on the new album (if it ever happens) and let’s hope it’s full of the kind of goodness that happened last time Ed and Dave got together (I think Me Wise Magic is up there with their best). But let’s not be silly and pretend the Tumbleweed Decade didn’t happen.
mjc

mad fan has some serious anger management issues.
Diamond Doug

Bottom line….If/when the mighty ones release anything…consider it a Christmas present.
jeff adams

So I guess your say’in give him a pass on his vocals cause he’s 55 yrs. old. Hell, I like Dave, but apperantly not as much as you. I don’t expect him to jump 12 feet off the drum rise, but I do expect him to be able to sing like the old days. He didn’t lose his voice, he just got older, and as far as him blow’in loads of your girlfriend, and then you hav’in a beer w/ him, then thats your gig.
Ed Dee

For all of you young rockers out there : NEVER NAME YOUR BAND AFTER THE LAST NAME OF SOMEONE IN THE BAND !!!!!!!!!!!
phillster

If ED Does have 10 albums worth of music already written,
That means DAVE has to “sift” through all the “crap” to find the “gems”that inspire him enough to write&SING in a way that BEST represents&creates that”classic =VH= sound”we all know&love.-HE KNOWS WHAT HE`S DOING FOLKS,-LET HIM DO IT!
“5150″ was 1/2 finished with DAVE`S Vocals.
Let`s pause(4AToke)&Think about That:)
“Rome wasn`t built in a day” man.Re-building it takes even longer.A New album will be a miracle considering the obstacles(Ed&ALvsDAVE).Kinda like climbing Mt.EVEREST-Lucky for us,DAVE`S A CLIMBER!!!!
Towers McQuestion

I sure hope it comes to pass. I will believe it when I see it.
phil

they dont need to be friends, record together tour and thats it!
OzzyVanHalen

YES!!!
This Is The Kind Of News That I Wanna Hear.
Hopefully Its True ill be crossing my fingers!
Lex

Wow! I just check VH’s official website…still no update from 12.29.09.
I will believe this when I hear it from the band. All speculation and I am sick & tired of it.
scottt

I had a dream Jimmy Page produced it and it was a double album…ahhh dreams.
Karl

As for Dave not being able to sing at 55 like he did at 25… so what! Listen to Me Wise Magic – it’s a great vocal performance that plays to the strengths of his now mature voice. I hope no-one is hoping for them to just make like young studs again. Let’s have the magic of today, not a retread of yesterday.
Johnnyh

wow
Fernando

must see to believe
john

Dave was never a great singer from a technical standpoint. But what he may have lacked in talent he more than made up for it with style and substance. There is something unique about him that is pure Rock n Roll.
Chris

I highly doubt it. As far as I know they don’t even have a record deal. No record deal and they’re gonna release an album with in the next 9 months… Ain’t happing people!

Face it, The van halen Brothers and Roth are more interested in milking their fans for yet another “Hey, want to here what we recorded 30 years ago…Again?” tour!

VAN HALEN WILL NOT PUT OUT A NEW RECORD NEXT YEAR, OR THE YEAR AFTER THAT. When they do sign with a label their first record will be a live “hits” record… Mark my words!
http://vhnd.com matt

I hope for a lot of reasons these guys aren’t getting my hopes up. My concern is does Dave have the vocal range that he use to have? Cmon Ed we have all been waiting a long time for this!!
dude

Speaking of Dave, I fired up ‘Your Filthy Little Mouth’ last night – it had been quite a while. It’s not a VH kind of album but it’s pretty good. ‘She’s My Machine’ is right up there with a VH type vibe but tunes like ‘Experience’ and the title track showcase Dave’s writing style. Good stuff. I always figured that Eddie, the guitarist of the century, is probably not the sharpest tool in the shed. Dave, on the other hand, is obviously a pretty bright guy. Ultimately, Dave needs to be steering the boat in my mind.

Don’t get me wrong – love Eddie and his playing. But for me it’s the Dave element that aligns the stars!
Roth Rulez

@dude — Well said, hombre!

As long as Diamond Lee is the captain and spiritual leader of the USS Mighty Van Halen — we’re all gonna be OK.

However, if Eddie is in command — it’s the Titanic headed straight for the iceberg.
JohnO

Agree with Dude – ‘Your Filthy Little Mouth’ is a good CD – different, but some cool songs on it. ‘Experience’ is one of my favorite Roth songs.

As far as the state of VH, been a fan since ’79 and absolutley love the first 6 albums. The answer I always give to the question, “If you were on a desert island, what one album would you bring with you?” My answer, the first 6 from VH.

I’ve been waiting for the 7th album the day after I bought 1984, which was January 2, 2004. (I would have bought it on the 1st, but the stores were closed.)

In my view as a huge fan of VH, I would love to see a double album of unreleased Dave era songs (there are many ablums worth of these gems), a VH circa ’79-’85 LIVE concert DVD, the live DVD of the 2007-’08 concert, and a brand spankin’ new double CD released ASAP. And as long as I’m wishing, like to see Mike back. Nothing against Wolf – looking forward to hearing if he has some influence on the new music, but to see all four originals together would be icng on the cake.
Really…

First of all, I find it funny that you treat Eddie Van Halen like an actual god when you talk about him. “Eddie, the guitarist of the century…” Some people on here scare me.

Secondly, I don’t think anyone should get their hopes up until you actually HEAR new music. That probably means when the first single is released. This band has stood idly by for a few years now with no word of them recording. When Dave speaks up, however, he actually seems to care about the fans and knows that you’re responsible for his paycheck, or at least have been. Wake up!!!
DanHalen

Well I’ll believe it when I see it and hear it. There was also a bit of news out last year that they were going to do a tour this summer. You have to admit Van Halen fans are the most patient fans on the planet.
http://none Dirty Duck

JohnO:

Cool to hear that “expierience” is one of your favourite roth solo songs. Mine too. Not a big fan of “Your filthy little mouth”, although I do own it and all of david’s solo work.
“No Big Ting” is another song on that disc that many would go “huh?” “Wha?” but to me is a small gem. The song just has that summer feel to it, and roth’s lyrics are fun & amusing. The guy just reeks of personality, another reason I’ve always dug him. His true calling to me will always be with VH….at least in my eyes. Thats’ the band he began with….thats the band who made him who he is…and it’s the band he belongs in. Sure I would love to see him on stage with Vai and Sheenan again, but your first love is the hardest to forget. But enough of my babbling! I’d love to talk philosophy…but I gotta take a piss…
Karl

Really… says:

“First of all, I find it funny that you treat Eddie Van Halen like an actual god when you talk about him. “Eddie, the guitarist of the century…” Some people on here scare me.”

You’ve just proven yourself to be musically ignorant. Amazing guitarists are a dime a dozen but there are only two who have defined their eras and written the instruction manual for how to play the electric guitar. Hendrix and Van Halen. Every other rock guitarist of the last 50 years or so have been following these two guys. If you don’t understand that you don’t understand rock guitar. And you certainly don’t understand Van Halen.
vanhalendlrband

I love the your filthy little mouth album. Me and my friend went through all of sammy and all of daves shit, and without any input from me he deleted most of sammy’s shit and hardly any of daves.

Sammy’s late 70′s albums are like “wtf?” and i can clearly see where the love songs came from in Van Halen.

All of daves songs and albums have brilliant lyrics all the way through. Like you said “No Big ‘Ting” that has to be some of the most brilliant say it like it is but it doesn’t really sound like what it is lyrics, just bein said in a different way and some things I never noticed before. Like “what i learned from history, and careful how you take it, is recognize the same mistake EVERY TIME YOU MAKE IT!”
love it
phillster

Yeah Duck..
“Man, that philosophy runs right through ya”LOL
SUNBURN off “Your Filthy Little Mouth” is another GREAT summer tune IMO.
Happy 4th of July Weekend Eveveryone!!
Remember to take your”vitamins”(51yrld-I`m looking at You…).LOL
BOTTOMS-UP!!!!!
http://none Dirty Duck

“When she walks, watch, the sparks will fly…
Firecrackin’ on the fourth of july!
No “sad songs” tonight, something’s in the air!”

Happy Fourth rockers!

Keep it loud….keep the beers cold….and remember Dirty Duck loves you…classic vh fans!
kenny

blah blah blah….. UNTIL I HEAR SOMETHING. WHATS all the fuss about??
MICAL VEE

DUCK,YOU THE MAN!!!!!!!!! My beer is ice cold and the VAN HALEN tunes are crankin!!!!!!!!!!!!! HAPPY 4TH BUDDY!!!!!!!
Phil

I’m with Erick, I want another tour more than an album. Complex relationship with Dave?? Still?? Sober??? Are you mother fucking kidding me??? Oy vey. Whatev, just crank the fucker out for fuck’s sake!!! I’m also with Duck and Mical Vee…happy 4th everyone. Cold fucking brew and loud excellent Van Halen this weekend and always. Be safe. Rejoice!!
Defmaniac

A new Van Halen album in 2011, huh? Like many of you on here have said, I’ll believe it when the CD is in my hands. We’ve been down this road before with Van Halen where they said they were working on new material, but nothing became of it. Didn’t the band say the same thing after the VH3 tour with Gary was complete, and they posted news that they were working on a second album with Gary, but then a few months later news came that Gary was out of the band. Supposedly, the band was pressured by their record label that Gary had to go, or Van Halen would have to look for a new label.

There’s just too many unanswered questions about Van Halen’s past & future to take this news of a new album in 2011 seriously. In this day and age there’s no reason a band can’t keep their fans updated better, but this is something Van Halen doesn’t seem to care about doing. Is it because there isn’t enough good news from the studio with Dave back on vocal duties? Who knows with Van Halen! I’ll believe this news of a new album when something more solid is on the VHND, or Van Halen’s own site…if they ever bother to inform their fans of what to expect next from them…if anything. It’s been more than 10 years since the VH3 album, and this fan’s doubts grow more with each passing year.
http://none 12beerstogo

Take it for what it is.Don’t DR.Phil everything people.
hoosierbrent

I hate to be negative, but I’ll believe it when I see it. We’ve heard this for years now…..
D L R

I’m ordering pizza tonight,,,,,,,,F@ck this town……
http://vhnd Emery

I know it will be just way out for sure. It will bring rock back to the foreground. Just like Duck said.
Roth Rulez

At this point, I see a lot of parallels between Van Halen and the Eagles. Both are legendary American bands rightfully enshrined in the Rock ‘N Roll Hall of Fame. Both had their glory days more than a quarter century ago. Both were able to finally set aside their intensely dysfunctional relationships with each other and give the fans a great reunion tour(s) to reward their loyalty over decades.

However, the Eagles have been able to muster enough ambition to produce one last album (“Long Road Out of Eden”) to end a storied career the right way. Sure, it wasn’t on the level of “Hotel California”, but at least they tried their best and they did it to honor themselves and their fans. Everyone knows Henley and Frey are greedy control freaks, but putting out that one last album was a classy way to say “THANK YOU” to everyone who ever helped them become who they are.

Van Halen needs to stop being selfish and do something similar to honor the millions of VH fans around the world who love these guys and grew up with their music as the soundtrack to their lives. Yes, we all know Dave and Eddie never got along but fuck man, there’s bigger forces at work here! There hasn’t been a lot to be proud of regarding VH in the last 15 years — I still think blowing off their own induction ceremony into the Hall of Fame was about as classless as you can get. The 2007-2008 Roth reunion tour was a great gesture, but Eddie and Dave both know that one final VH album is the best way to finish their awesome journey.

Do what’s right, fellas…..be classy….we’re counting on you to act like rock legends.
The Doctor

“You have to admit Van Halen fans are the most patient fans on the planet.”

No shit. As if they have a choice about it…..
John

Just came back from a Hagar concert at the ribfest outside of Chicago, he didn’t mention VH making a new album but he took some shots at Dave, sounds like he is jealous.
Roth Rulez

@John — Sounds like typical Hagar….always bitter and jealous of Dave to the end. I still remember the Red Rocked Doucher holding up “Dave Who?” banners on the 1986 VH tour. VERY disrespectful and immature. And we all remember how hard Sammy fought to prevent “Best Of Vol. 1″ from being released in 1996 because he knew how VH fans would remind him how all those Roth-era classics blew away the Van Hagar garbage.
Remember the Prom Queen

I eagerly await the new album!
Steve

Van Halen will always be my favorite band because when i was young and discovering rock music, Eddies guitar stood out over everything else i heard. It bothers me what has gone on in the last 10 years with all of the feuding and lack of new music. I dont understand the delay because this record should have been done a long time ago.
http://vhnd.com RomeoDelight

I`m spending way too much time looking at this story! Someone wake me when official news comes thru…does anyone think it`ll be worth looking at van-halen.com this year? Good to see some acknowledgement of the less-loved solo DLR stuff here. It`s only A L`il A`int Enough that I don`t listen to much these. Never listen to solo Sammy!
jim

Not sure why a lot of people say that “they’ll believe it when they see it” or “we’ve been down this road before” or “how many times have we heard this.”

Every time there was ever any indication from VH, rumors, or media that VH was working on new music, VH always came out with new music shortly after.

How many times have we heard this?
Answer: Before every album they’ve released and before the 2 tracks with Dave in 96 and before the 3 tracks with Sam in 04.
dirtyfacedkidinagarbagecan

So much negativity, yet so many posts. Too much has happened in the last couple of years for there not to be something on the agenda.
I think everyone that follows the news and rumours on this site are some of the greatest music fans ever, even the negatives and the frustrated ones.
We all deserve the best this band can give us and we might want to remember that the whole reunion thing is for the fans…us, so leave the bitching to sam, the man who seemingly has everything and yet still isnt happy.
T-Con

EVH should release a pure music album, no singing. Let Steve Lukather produce it. Then follow up with an album featuring DLR. Where is Mutt Lange? He should produce VH.
Tommy Boy

Karl, phillster, duck, scottt, the ladies and other cool fuckers…sparkin’ one for ya….here..
Kimberly

Happy 4th everyone!

Blastin’ the VH tunes ALL weekend=)

Amongst all the controversy and complaining about the band’s lack of new music and tour…we can’t forget the one thing that brings us all together…the one thing we have in common…THE MUSIC. Still thankin’ God for the classics babyy!
anythingleftinthatbottle

You go Kimberly. I’m with you… It’s time to quit the sniveling and crank up the VH. Happy 4th fellow fans and thank God we still live in the greatest country on earth!
Canes_fan5150

Happy fourth. I am sure no matter which era wets your wistle we can all crank out some great vh summer tunes ( summer nights, fire in the hole, in a simple rhyme). Be careful and don’t drink and drive!
Karl

Wow! I’ve never been on a “cool fuckers” list before! Thank you Tommy. Lol! I think I’ll have to spark one up myself for that…