KROW
08-11-2007, 01:31 PM
Van Halen returns yet again...
"Come witness rock history as Van Halen makes an announcement of monumental proportions," declared a press-release email that landed in our inbox this week, and we reacted as any self-respecting rawk fans would: By leaping from our desks and highkicking in a gravity-defying, pants-splitting manner not witnessed since David Lee Roth was still peacock-prancing around in the "Jump" video. We might have even dislocated our hips in the process, a la Eddie Van Halen himself, but we were just too on top of the world (heh heh) to contain our joy.
Of course, we're assuming that, you know, the Van Halen dudes aren't going to get up in front of all those paparazzi types at L.A.'s Four Seasons Hotel on Monday, August 13, and say, "Hey guys, just wanted to let you all know we still hate each other's guts. So Dave's going to do another bluegrass album. Oh, and we've re-hired Gary Cherone. See ya!" Nay, this monumentally-proportioned announcement can only be about one thing: the long-rumored, long-shelved, oft-cancelled reunion of the classic Diamond Dave-era VH lineup.
By the way, for those of you needing a Van Halen refresher course, here's the Cliff Notes: Over the past quarter-century, original frontman Roth was brutally ousted (although some say he left of his own free will); second singer Sammy Hagar departed under supposedly similarly acrimonious circumstances (again, that's up for debate); and then, in an instance of shark-jumping bad enough to make even Fonzie himself cringe, VH recruited Extreme crooner Cherone for the career-killing Van Halen III album. Meanwhile, in true how-the-mighty-have-fallen fashion, Dave struggled through failed attempts as a Vegas lounge singer and Howard Stern DJ replacement, he reunited with former foe Hagar for the ill-fated "Sam & Dave" tour, and he (yes) released an album of bluegrassy Halen covers most unfortunately titled Strummin' With The Devil. Seriously.
Anyhoo, THEN Van Halen got inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and while the original bandmates managed to get along well enough to collaborate on a superbrief joint statement about this milestone ("It is an honor and a privilege and we would like to thank the fans and the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame committee," they--or their respective publicists--blandly remarked), when the actual ceremony took place earlier this year, the only original band member in attendance was bassist Michael Anthony. Ironically, Michael had already been replaced in the current VH lineup by Eddie's most unfortunately named 16-year-old son, Wolfgang. D'oh!
Phew! Got all that? OK, back to the present...
Sooooo, as you've probably figured out by now, that reunion never happened. Eddie checking into rehab probably had something to do with that. But now it looks like old-school VH fans will finally get their chance to dance the night away, when Dave, Eddie, Alex, and, um, Wolfgang hit the road this fall! So get ready for the most dysFUNctional band reunion since, well, that time that Eddie and Dave shared the stage at the 1996 Video Music Awards for about 38 disastrous seconds. We just hope the guys hold it together long enough to make it to an arena near us; but hey, if everything falls apart before they get a chance to perform that Cabo Wabo dreck from the Van Hagar years, we'll sorta be OK with that.
SOURCE (http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/thatsreallyweek/564/august-6-13-van-halen-to-party-like-its-1984)
==========
I'm just going to sit back, relax, and watch the debacle unfold, especially since the most level-headed of the group (Anthony) is now not a part of the picture.
"Come witness rock history as Van Halen makes an announcement of monumental proportions," declared a press-release email that landed in our inbox this week, and we reacted as any self-respecting rawk fans would: By leaping from our desks and highkicking in a gravity-defying, pants-splitting manner not witnessed since David Lee Roth was still peacock-prancing around in the "Jump" video. We might have even dislocated our hips in the process, a la Eddie Van Halen himself, but we were just too on top of the world (heh heh) to contain our joy.
Of course, we're assuming that, you know, the Van Halen dudes aren't going to get up in front of all those paparazzi types at L.A.'s Four Seasons Hotel on Monday, August 13, and say, "Hey guys, just wanted to let you all know we still hate each other's guts. So Dave's going to do another bluegrass album. Oh, and we've re-hired Gary Cherone. See ya!" Nay, this monumentally-proportioned announcement can only be about one thing: the long-rumored, long-shelved, oft-cancelled reunion of the classic Diamond Dave-era VH lineup.
By the way, for those of you needing a Van Halen refresher course, here's the Cliff Notes: Over the past quarter-century, original frontman Roth was brutally ousted (although some say he left of his own free will); second singer Sammy Hagar departed under supposedly similarly acrimonious circumstances (again, that's up for debate); and then, in an instance of shark-jumping bad enough to make even Fonzie himself cringe, VH recruited Extreme crooner Cherone for the career-killing Van Halen III album. Meanwhile, in true how-the-mighty-have-fallen fashion, Dave struggled through failed attempts as a Vegas lounge singer and Howard Stern DJ replacement, he reunited with former foe Hagar for the ill-fated "Sam & Dave" tour, and he (yes) released an album of bluegrassy Halen covers most unfortunately titled Strummin' With The Devil. Seriously.
Anyhoo, THEN Van Halen got inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and while the original bandmates managed to get along well enough to collaborate on a superbrief joint statement about this milestone ("It is an honor and a privilege and we would like to thank the fans and the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame committee," they--or their respective publicists--blandly remarked), when the actual ceremony took place earlier this year, the only original band member in attendance was bassist Michael Anthony. Ironically, Michael had already been replaced in the current VH lineup by Eddie's most unfortunately named 16-year-old son, Wolfgang. D'oh!
Phew! Got all that? OK, back to the present...
Sooooo, as you've probably figured out by now, that reunion never happened. Eddie checking into rehab probably had something to do with that. But now it looks like old-school VH fans will finally get their chance to dance the night away, when Dave, Eddie, Alex, and, um, Wolfgang hit the road this fall! So get ready for the most dysFUNctional band reunion since, well, that time that Eddie and Dave shared the stage at the 1996 Video Music Awards for about 38 disastrous seconds. We just hope the guys hold it together long enough to make it to an arena near us; but hey, if everything falls apart before they get a chance to perform that Cabo Wabo dreck from the Van Hagar years, we'll sorta be OK with that.
SOURCE (http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/thatsreallyweek/564/august-6-13-van-halen-to-party-like-its-1984)
==========
I'm just going to sit back, relax, and watch the debacle unfold, especially since the most level-headed of the group (Anthony) is now not a part of the picture.