The Van Halen News Desk got an update straight from Michael Anthony today, when he personally called us and told us that he reads the VHND every day and he is hoping that we could clarify something he said in an interview that we featured this week. He also gave us the inside scoop on some details for Chickenfoot’s upcoming album and first single, here.
Michael Anthony, regarding his comments on David Lee Roth:
“I want to say something about the interview UltimateClassicRock.com. The guy that interviewed me interpreted a couple of things that I said about Dave’s solo touring the wrong way, and after I read some of the comments on VHND, I wanted to clarify what I meant.
“In that interview, I was talking about how, a few years ago, Roth put a band together and went out on a couple tours and was played nothing but Van Halen classics. I didn’t mean to knock him for doing so. What I meant to say about that was – that’s fine for him, but for me, I would not want to do that.
“A few years ago I put together my “Mad Anthony Express” band just to do a few shows. We were doing a few Van Halen songs, but we were mainly doing a bunch of classic rock songs that I dig. I could have taken it out on a small tour, but I didn’t want to. Or I could have went out and toured and played only Van Halen songs just to make money, but I don’t want to do that either. It’s the same reason why, on Chickenfoot’s first tour, we didn’t play any Van Halen or Hagar or Red Hot Chili Peppers… we didn’t want to only rely on our past.
“But anyway, I have no ill will at all towards Dave. He was the one guy that I was really looking forward to jamming with some day, either at the Van Halen reunion tour or when Van Halen would get inducted to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. You know, before the induction, his manager called me and asked if I would want to jam with Dave at the induction, and I said I’d love to! But neither would come to be. I’m totally cool with Dave.”
Michael Anthony photo above Photo Courtesy of EmpyreLounge.com