There's no time like the Summertime, and there's no music like Van Halen. The two go together like an ice-cold Corona and a slice of lime. We think of Van Halen as kind of an American Led Zeppelin but with an added dose of humor and attitude. Another unique attribute that sets them apart from other rock bands is their almost Beach Boys-esque backing vocals, which helped them … [Read more...]
Michael Anthony: ‘We Recorded Everything, Every Idea We Had’
According to Michael Anthony, whenever Van Halen was in the studio, someone was always ready to press the "record" button. "Every time that we went into the studio, whether it was Donn Landee or whoever was engineering for us, we had him press record," Anthony told Ultimate Guitar's Greg Prato. "We recorded everything, every idea that we had. And there's stuff in there … [Read more...]
Nuno Honors Edward: ‘Bumblee Guitar’ Featured In Latest Extreme Video
Nuno Bettencourt has honored Edward Van Halen by playing on a custom-made black and yellow striped "Bumblee" guitar during the video for Extreme's latest single "Beautiful Girls". The original guitar designed by Edward debuted on the back cover of the 1979 album Van Halen II and was heavily played throughout the 1979 world tour. Bettencourt recently told Guitar World's … [Read more...]
Van Halen ‘Top Of The World’ Live In Dallas 12/4/1991 [Official HD Remastered Video]
Another official HD remastered video from Van Halen's live performance in Dallas, Texas on December 4th, 1991 has been released. This time it's "Top Of The World". The video comes from the upcoming expanded edition of Van Halen's #1 album from 1991, For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge. The Expanded Edition arrives this summer and includes a newly remastered version of the original … [Read more...]
‘A Different Kind Of Truth’ Returns To Streaming Platforms
Van Halen's final studio album A Different Kind Of Truth has returned to streaming platforms. The 2012 album featuring the return of David Lee Roth and the debut of Wolfgang Van Halen, had disappeared from Spotify and Apple Music in 2022, leading fans to wonder why. During an October 2023 appearance on Sirius/XM's Trunk Nation, Wolfgang commented on the album's … [Read more...]
Michael Anthony On Hearing DLR’s ‘Eat ‘Em and Smile’: ‘Is Dave Trying To Kick Our Ass?’
During a recent interview with Ultimate Guitar, Michael Anthony was asked what he thought of David Lee Roth's first full-length solo album Eat 'Em and Smile. "That's a great album," Anthony told Ultimate Guitar's Greg Prato. "I mean, I'm friends with Billy [Sheehan]. And Steve [Vai]. Obviously, they're both great frickin' players. It was great. At first, my thoughts were, … [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...]
David Lee Roth Releases Cover Of ‘867-5309/Jenny’
Dial 867-5309 for a good time. If Tommy Tutone picks up, tell him you're looking for Dave. David Lee Roth has just released a cover of Tutone's 1981 hit single "867-5309/Jenny". Dave stays true to the original version only he adds some harmonica to the track he titled "Jenny Jenny (That telephone song)". He's released a video for the song which you can check out above. … [Read more...]
Unearthed Video: Eddie Van Halen and Leslie West Jam Together
Unearthed footage of Eddie Van Halen and Leslie West hit the Internet last night, courtesy of the Lightyear Entertainment YouTube channel. Their description reads: "Never before-seen footage of the incredible Eddie Van Halen playing with the incomparable Leslie West and Corky Laing of Mountain at the House of Blues in Los Angeles in 2002. Includes behind-the-scenes footage … [Read more...]
Michael Anthony: Alex ‘Continues To Grieve Today Over Eddie’s Passing’
Michael Anthony has commented on Alex Van Halen's decision to auction off his personal instrument and gear collection and why he wouldn't be surprised if Alex never returns to the stage again. Below is an excerpt from Anthony's recent Ultimate Guitar interview contributed to the Van Halen News Desk by UG writer Greg Prato: Although he's not entirely sure why his former … [Read more...]
Alex Van Halen Historic Instrument and Gear Auction to Benefit Ride On Therapeutic Horsemanship
"I hope that passing on all these pieces will inspire current and next generations to be the best they can be.” Alex Van Halen is selling his personal instrument and gear collection in a new auction, which Backstage Auctions, Inc. announced as "The Alex Van Halen Collection." The company stated: The auction event will feature rare music memorabilia, including iconic … [Read more...]
Is Joe Satriani Switching Out His Ibanez For An EVH Guitar?
A band rehearsal video posted by Sammy Hagar has fans wondering: Is Joe Satriani swapping his iconic Ibanez guitar for an EVH model for the upcoming Best Of All Worlds tour? On Tuesday (May 28), Hagar posted a quick video of himself, Satriani, Michael Anthony, and Jason Bonham performing "Poundcake". Yesterday, Guitar Player's Phil Weller shared something interesting he … [Read more...]