The decade couldn't have gotten to a better start for Van Halen when they returned in 1991. Another number-one album (For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge), more hit singles ("Poundcake", "Top Of The World", "Right Now"), and a lineup with a seemingly unbreakable bond. At least it seemed that way until internal tensions led to Sammy Hagar's departure in 1996. Looking back on the … [Read more...]
Did David Lee Roth Almost Form A Band Featuring Billy Sheehan & Carmine Appice?
A David Lee Roth band featuring a returning Billy Sheehan and drummer Carmine Appice almost happened in the late 90s? That was a question DLR Book author Darren Paltrowitz recently posed to Sheehan. Below is the Q&A excerpt from Sheehan's recent appearance on Paltrowitz's podcast The Paltrocast. DP: In '97, '98 Dave did this newsletter through a website that's since … [Read more...]
David Lee Roth Deep Track ‘Black Sand’ Featured In New Animated Video
An underrated and underappreciated summertime gem from David Lee Roth is having its day in the sun thanks to a new animated video released by the Mojo Dojo YouTube channel. Artist Ramses Rios has put together a video set to the sounds of Roth's 1998 song "Black Sand", originally included on his album DLR Band. "Perhaps one of David Lee Roth’s greatest and most underrated … [Read more...]
Did Van Halen Have Enough Material For A Follow-Up To ‘Van Halen III’?
Van Halen recorded music for a follow-up to their 1998 album Van Halen III. But was there enough material recorded for a full album? "There were a few things," Anthony recently told Ultimate Guitar's Greg Prato. "There were a couple of songs that actually Gary [Cherone] had written lyrics and he had a melody for. And there was music written, too, that hadn't really been … [Read more...]
Fans Unveil Reimagined Version Of ‘Van Halen III’
Van Halen III gets a 2024 reboot! Two fans have collaborated to reimagine Van Halen's 1998 album for a whole new listening experience. The project was put together by Scott Monroe, one of the hosts of the new podcast Regarding Van Halen 3, and podcaster/musician Kevin Brown. Monroe and Brown took the original 12-track album clocking in at 65:22 and edited it down to 10 … [Read more...]
Mike Post On ‘Van Halen III’: ‘It’s Nobody’s Fault’
Van Halen III producer Mike Post says nobody should be to blame for the album failing to match the success of previous Van Halen albums. During a recent interview with The Bluegrass Situation's Amy Reitnour Jacobs, Post commented on the 1998 Van Halen album featuring Gary Cherone on lead vocals. While the album reached number four on Billboard and … [Read more...]
Corey Glover Was Almost Van Halen’s Frontman: Fact or Rumor?
Corey Glover was once considered to become Van Halen's frontman? Not so says Glover. The Living Colour frontman debunked that rumor during a recent appearance on the Paltrocast. "There was a rumor one time, when Van Halen was looking for a singer, that I was being considered. But no one called me about that. This was when Gary Cherone [became lead singer]... OK, I see … [Read more...]
Mike Post: ‘Van Halen III’ Was To Be An Album ‘Eddie’s Way’
Van Halen's 1998 album Van Halen III was a project intended to be led primarily by Eddie Van Halen, according to a candid interview with the album's producer Mike Post. During an appearance on The Hustle podcast, Post explained why he was chosen by Eddie to produce the album, what his role was to be as producer, and why he had the difficult task of asking Alex Van Halen to … [Read more...]
Kenny Wayne Shepherd’s Van Halen/Bertinelli Family Ties
Rock and roll can be a small world indeed. Who knew Eddie Van Halen and Valerie Bertinelli may have never met if not for Kenny Wayne Shepherd's dad? Valerie and Eddie first met in 1980. At the time, she was staying at her parents’ home in Shreveport, Louisiana due to an actors strike and scored backstage passes to see Van Halen perform in the area. Those passes were … [Read more...]
Photographer Neil Zlozower Shares Van Halen Stories & Photos
When it comes to Van Halen, he's seen it all and he has the photos to back up every story. Legendary Van Halen photographer Neil Zlozower was the recent subject of Gibson TV's "Through The Lens" series for a look back at his unparalleled body of work with the band! From Gibson TV: From the moment he first heard “Running with the Devil” in an office building in Los … [Read more...]
Kenny Wayne Shepherd Honored To Have Known Eddie Van Halen
Getting chosen to go out on a tour with Van Halen is quite the honor. For Kenny Wayne Shepherd, he can say he was honored twice over. Shepherd, who supported Van Halen on two different tours - one in 1998 (with Gary Cherone) and again in 2015 (with David Lee Roth), talked about those experiences as a guest on the My Weekly Mixtape podcast. "We did the final Van Halen tour … [Read more...]
Former Van Halen Drum Tech Says Band Filmed Shows With Multi-Cameras [VIDEO]
On The Jeremy White Show, John Douglas - former Alex Van Halen drum tech and current drummer of Aerosmith - revealed that Van Halen did, in fact, record video of several shows with multiple cameras during his time with the band from 1997 to 2015. Douglas referred to the multi-cam pro-shot videos, along with accompanying multitrack audio, as a "treasure trove" of material. When … [Read more...]