Van Halen train wreck about to happen

[Bengal]

The kid is a bit of a fattie... No?

Must get it from his Mom, although I think she's hot. Maybe his Dad needs to teach him how to smoke...

[thetroy]

Ed's rhythm playing has more groove to it than most any rock/metal guitar player I've ever listened to. It wouldn't surprise me that much to find that he played the bass parts.

To me Ed's rhythm is what makes him great - the solos are fiery but I think any great soloist could have played something and the songs would be just as good.

[whackmaster]

I remember in an interview years ago Ed said he had no sense of rhythm, so I have a hard time believing he played bass on the albums. But I agree, he is a great player, and part of that is his sense of the unconventional - thanks, word of the day toilet paper!

[Cleveland Metal]

Ed's solo oddly cool solo style was much of what put them on the map... Rhythm was obviously very important as well, since it's the crux of the song. But, the solos are what made a lot of people stand up and listen.

[horns666]

Ed's solo oddly cool solo style was much of what put them on the map... Rhythm was obviously very important as well, since it's the crux of the song. But, the solos are what made a lot of people stand up and listen.

Absolutely..John known me for a very long time, with my old bud Tony who nailed VH to the T!!! Since we were younger than Wolfie. Tony had Ed down, John now has ED's vibe down, I have a good grip on it as well..but could either of them play those bass lines.. hell fuckin' no!

None of you guys broke those parts down, that are hardly audible in the mix and had to nail them. I been a bass player for 30 years..take my word for it, Mike is playing bass on that stuff. There may be a few sections where I could see Ed getting away with laying down a bass line here and there in the studio "Unchained" for example..nothing but root notes in that bassline..so that was always suspect..because it's so very lame!

But songs like So this is love, Meanstreet, On Fire, Light Up the sky, I'm the one, You really got me, Jamie's crying, Ice cream man, someone get me a doctor and so many more..that is ALL Mike!!!

I heard Ed play bass and drums on "Donut City"..and he sounds like any other guitar player laying down a bass line..just sticking to the roots and playing it safe. It's so blatantly obvious to me. I know this because I learned all this stuff..there is alot going on , and it is far from playing it "safe".

OMFG..that is so wrong!



yet awesome, and cleverly funny!

It was Ed's solos and studio production of his tone that grabbed our attention (far from the tone on their demo). Dave was a great frontman and salesman, and sold that band. His bravado and voice was a perfect fit to Ed's writing. Dave was the one that insisted calling the band "VAN HALEN"..even with his ego..he knew how to sell!

They took alot from Zeppelin and just boosted the shit out of that formula..IMO!!

I was just watching Zep's TSRTS ..Dave acted and looked excatly like Plant ..but on steroids

Alex totally ripped off John's flaming fucking gong!!!!

The interpaly between Page/Plant was just like Halen/Roth..

I have a copy of the demo tape Gene Simmons took to Warner bros..Ed's tone sounded like a typical good classic "Marshall" tone..nothing really "special". Dave did not scream once on that demo, and the band almost didn't get signed because of the vocals. So Dave just went for it big time..and there is nobody like Dave on that stuff..he was unfuggin' touchable..because he had to sell it..and sell he did!!!

It was Ed's solos that kicked our ass, but who don't get the chills when you hear Mike and Dave screaming "On Fire"..that shit was pure energy unleashed!!!!

Yeah, I want to see Wolfie play, I got nothing against the boy. I'm sure the kid is floored by this chance, but this is just so fuggin' WRONG to the man that laid down those grooves and trademark background voice since 1975, and he's such a cool dude.., just because he's friends with a former band member..who was once a very dear friend to Ed..Now, how fucked up is that??

I had a chance to buy one of Mike's smashed JD basses but I passed. I played one of his that a friend bought from a ex VH lawyer/roadie..I have pics..it was a fretless prototype to be a sig model..I still could get it..but that means I would have to trade my (never played) mint trans purple, arched wolfgang for it..umm..nahhh...Those pics are good 'nuff.

[Axewielder]

The interpaly between Page/Plant was just like Halen/Roth..

I agree about the TSRTS reference. It's all about chemistry: that's more important that anything. Plant/Page had it, and so did VH/DLR.

I had reservations about defacing that VH I cover, but I was trying to make a point. A picture speaks a thousand words, and that ridiculous image with Wolfie illustrates the ridiculous "shit sandwich" they are trying to feed us. Personally, I don't care for the flavor. Bring back MA!!!

[thetroy]

I didn't mean to say that Ed's solos were not great. People take notice of VH when they hear Eruption, but they KEEP listening and buying albums because of the songwriting. Only guitarists care about the solos

[kmanick]

Without MA this is a travesty.
and I agree with Bill, listen to the bass lines in "I'm the one" (especially behind the second solo). That is definitely a bass player not a guitarist.
MA's bass playing skills seem to always get ragged on but I saw them live back in the day about 5 times (all with Roth) and I thought he was a pretty good solid bass player.
Their recordings basically suck, the drum and bass sounds are pretty lame.
It's all guitar and vocals (gee big surprise there), so it's kind of hard to hear all the little intricacies MA does in a lot of the songs.
EVH and AHV are douchebags.
I feel sorry for MA, he shouldn't be treated this way.

[jrnic]

DLR is thinking anything has got to be better than this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kX9qcggRo18

One thing though.......Disregarding the "music" behind him, DLR's voice doesn't sound too bad. I think he'll be fine for the tour. I'll take the day off from work if I have to, the day the tickets go on sale, that's for sure.

[horns666]

I agree about the TSRTS reference. It's all about chemistry: that's more important that anything. Plant/Page had it, and so did VH/DLR.

I had reservations about defacing that VH I cover, but I was trying to make a point. A picture speaks a thousand words, and that ridiculous image with Wolfie illustrates the ridiculous "shit sandwich" they are trying to feed us. Personally, I don't care for the flavor. Bring back MA!!!

Dude, that picture says a billion words..point taken!

Nick, you heard my VH covers including "I'm the one"..that shit is pure energy and takes the ass outta ya to nail!!!

I get all out of breathe playin' that shit..like I was fuggin' for ten minutes..it's a bitch!

[yard dawg]

Mike is the bass player for van halen and always will be for me. Sammy and Dave are interchangable to me. Sammy made great music with VHand so did Dave IMHO.. DLR or Sammy I can take it either way but I WILL NOT CONSIDER WOLFIE PART OF VAN HALEN EVER!!!!!!

[Soap]

Mike is the bass player for van halen and always will be for me. Sammy and Dave are interchangable to me. Sammy made great music with VHand so did Dave IMHO.. DLR or Sammy I can take it either way but I WILL NOT CONSIDER WOLFIE PART OF VAN HALEN EVER!!!!!!

Yep

[Jeff Albertson]

Exactly Jeff..Dave wanted to keep Ed in the spolight as a "guitar hero", he was winning every award there was.. Instead Ed wanted to play with his casio and write love songs for radio..Dave didn't like that..Ed did.

Ed was right, if you look at how much coin they made..but that was "VH lite"..VH for bitches if you ask me.

Meanwhile DLR put a new and improved version of what his vision of VH was with Steve and Billy..

I'll take Eat 'em and smile" over 5150 any fuggin' day!!!

I saw both DLR and VH ..Dave tore those classic VH tunes up!!!..Steve playing the solo to On Fire with one hand and goin' off with Billy on Shy Boy..it was fucking KILLER!

Sammy never really did it for me..there were some awesome "rockers" with Sammy..and we learned alot of them..Judgment Day, Source of Infection and so on..but those were "Dave" songs to me..I always plugged Dave into those songs and it would fit like a glove..in my head.

Ed was super pissed that Dave did his solo EP..but that was after he did Beat It with MJ..so it was like WTF??

I remember reading Mike saying he was in traffic and heard "Beat it" on the radio and said.."Fuck, that sounds alot like Ed'..they didn't even know. So at the next band meeting it was like.."Lucy, you have some esplainin' to do"..

You know Dave can beat Ed's ass..bottom line!

I don't know....if we're having the same discussion but if Van Halen is Clerks.

Dave is Randall AND Jay
Ed is Dante
Al is Silent Bob
Mike is the girlfriend...you know "you sucked 37 dicks!"
Sammy is...well there's nobody left for him

Personally, I like Ed better during the DLR daze
I like Van Halen as a band during the Sammy days

Give me a bottle of anything and a glazed donut.....to Goooooooooh

[horns666]

Yep

Hell Yep

[wicked_lester]

Give me a bottle of anything and a glazed donut.....to Goooooooooh

Prequel:

Oooooh breathmint.....our lips, are so close.

Ewwwwww not if you was the laaaaaast immigrant grossa on earf, honey!