New van halen

[tonemonster]

yea well, we all know that Ralph Macchio could kick even Chuck Norris' ass on guitar. I mean why sugar coat it?

[CowboyFromHell]

Considering Vai had a deal with the devil and STILL couldn't beat him, can anyone?

[khabibissell]

I dunno... I grabbed this off Amazon the day it was released. I love it. I can listen to the CD over and over without it getting boring. On the first listen, I was thinking the lyrics were cheesy and Roth seemed to be trying to sing in the upper registers like Hagar on a couple of tunes which is a struggle for him. On the second listen, I was over it and completely digging what I was hearing. Ed is playing great, Al is playing great, and Wolfgang does a great job filling in for Mike. Do I think Mike should be there? Absolutely... Wolf doesn't have the blues/funk "swing" that Mike has in his playing, but he certainly doesn't let the band down. Roth is Roth. There are no filler tunes on this IMO... Sure, Tattoo seemed a bit lame when I heard it but now I actually like it... And that's the weakest tune on there IMO. When I listen to Stay Frosty I can't help but smile (and even get a bit choked up) during the solos... Its like Ed has resurrected himself from the dead. I saw them with Roth in 2007 and Ed was noticably wasted. His spotlight solo was embarrassing... I walked out because I just couldn't bear to witness that debacle...

One thing I've noticed with this album is how badly the Roth version of VH has been ripped off through the years. Not only Ed's guitar style but the songwriting, arrangement, and vocal style. Because of this, any new VH could come off to people as uninspired. I truly believe it is because they have been ripped off so many times by so many bands the music sounds cliche... then you realize they invented those cliches.

About all the modern guys (post 1990) that have come up and surpassed what EVH did throughout his career... Even though the technical bar has been risen ridiculously high, few of those players can match the mojo, vibe, and swing Ed has in his playing. There is just something special in it that is hard to replicate. Ed is able to "shred" technically while still having a bit of "slop" in his playing... it is hard to describe. Most modern sweep picking machines sound like a typewriter. Too much time with the metronome perhaps? Of course, the above mentioned Jeff Loomis, Paul Gilbert, Vai, Macalpine, etc.. don't suffer from this, but they are the exception and not the rule. Not only that, I bet if you asked any one of those guys, they would probably say without hesitation that EVH smokes them.

[horns666]

Absolutely Steve..Amen. They would say it. I heard them say it!

Stay Frosty !

[horns666]

I block my trem with two Peeps..

Then I stick a Peep at the nut for a open string damper, so I could tap Moonlight Sonata..

This is exactly what Eddie did for me!!

[CowboyFromHell]

Absolutely Steve..Amen. They would say it. I heard them say it!

Stay Frosty !

Ralph Macchio said he heard them say it too so it MUST be true.

[horns666]

Michael J Fox said it before Ralph Macchio..when he scared father McFly with his "Eddie Van Halen" mix tape!

[CowboyFromHell]

Yeah but Vai got smoked by Ralph with a stock Telecaster. That's like beating a Shelby Cobra with a Flintstone-mobile.

[horns666]

No mention of 1982 "The Wild Life" soundtrack..."Donut City"..The "Good 'Nuff" riff that opened 5150 w/ Sammy? No, "Star Fleet" with "Brian May and Friends" featuring Eddie Van Halen collabaroation for a Saturday morning superhero cartoon? ..with Phil Chen on Bass?

Edd played all the intruments in "Donut City". The bass line sound like Loverboy..

VH thread is this anyway? Floyd Rose..was in Q5. They released two 1984's "Steel The light" is killer classic..their second one was shit.These are facts!

I have so much much knowledge...so little time..

Hey should I post my mid 90's VH trib demo??..I think I should

Did you know their was a UK version of Van Halen in 80/81 ???..what was their name??..I know. I had the record.

[CowboyFromHell]

Yes you do. I could sit and get drunk just shootin' the bull with you for hours. You're definitely an asset to JCF my friend. It just wouldn't be the same without you.

[horns666]

Yeah but Vai got smoked by Ralph with a stock Telecaster. That's like beating a Shelby Cobra with a Flintstone-mobile.

These are facts. The only race I lost so far was by a guy named Goggles Pizanno..AKA Fred Flintsone.

[Robert Hendrix]

Yeah but Vai got smoked by Ralph with a stock Telecaster. That's like beating a Shelby Cobra with a Flintstone-mobile.

And a pignose amp no less..

[horns666]

OK seriously. These were my life-long school bros that started a band in 1980. Our inspiration, 100% Van Halen. Everything we played sounded like them because of our love, and true worship of ALL things VH! In 1995, we decided WTF..why not find a singer and play out. We went to see a local VH trib, the singer was amazing but the band blew dog. We told him that. He came down to our space, and agreed instantly. But only if we did everything his way. So we busted our ass making the '82 Diver Down speaker backdrop of plywood ..what a pain. We dressed exactly like them. Acted exactly like them..the works. The normally played for 2 1/2 to 3 hour without breaks..just free booze to keep us goin'. It was a major hit, and word got around fast...All the local heavy hitters were always there. Including "Crazy House" girls..singer was married to one.

This was a one take, random song..LIVE radio promotion that Billy Morris (Warrant) did for us...our sound guy as well.

We played twice EVERY weekend..all over. Basically news got to the VH camp..we changed the name outta respect for Ed. "Valeries Revenge"..to "Virtual Halen". This got to Dave, heard, watched a quick performance and wanted us as his back-up back. My wife took deadly sick. I was a cop, we had good jobs. Our singer worked at Landmark studios, and sent an audition. He was called for a second audition. But he sounded "too much like Dave"..it made our local papers. Right after Ripper Owens got into Preist. Ripper came to all our shows at Sadie Renes where he lived.

Dave did DLR in 98' with John Lowery..no body cared for this style of music anymore..it flopped. He and Sammy hooked up with Atomic Punks as his back up. So yeah, Steel Panther got that job by forfiet..but they're great, and deserve it. I think we're better..but ..fuggit. That's history. It was cool fun times while it lasted!! I have some vids of us on DVD..always wanted to post shit..

Bills Z Bub's VH Trib VIRTUAL HALEN..recorded live OCT '95 @ The Red Eye basement.

http://clevelandmetalzone.com/mp3/doctor.mp3

http://clevelandmetalzone.com/mp3/dance.mp3

http://clevelandmetalzone.com/mp3/i'mtheone.mp3

This was a one-off original VH sound-a-like we did that I absoultely HATED. It actually caused a rift between me and my best man/guitarist. We ended our freinship over this basically...silly huh?

http://www.clevelandmetalzone.com/mp3/vh_track1.mp3

Note: we didn't practice much. This stuff came pretty easy for us since we been doin' it since my son's age.

[khabibissell]

Haha Bill that was awesome!

[horns666]

Thanks Steve..That time brings back some of the best and worst things in my life. ..Everything that could possibly go wrong with my wife's surgery did. But in the end she pulled through..the docs didn't think so.