Dallas, TX- February 8, 2018. North American syndicated Rock radio show IN THE STUDIO with Redbeard: The Stories Behind History’s Greatest Rock Bands returns to February 10, 1978 and the release, forty years ago, of the debut album from the band who would single-handedly usher in a new era of hard rock. Van Halen’s first, with Eddie Van Halen’s soon-to-be signature guitar sound (take one listen to “Eruption”) literally changed how thousands would play guitar, forever.
Having become the biggest band in Pasadena California, Van Halen would start to migrate to Hollywood for that chance to get noticed. In this classic interview with Alex & Eddie Van Halen, the guys recall to IN THE STUDIO producer and host Redbeard, how a forgettable rainy Monday night at the Starwood Club would end up convincing two important Warner Bros Records execs to sign the band. Alex Van Halen starts, “It was 99 cent beer night and three people were in the audience and two of them were (WB President) Mo (Ostin) and (producer) Ted (Templeman)...Ted was at that time, I think, one of the most purest recording kinda guys. He wasn’t interested in special effects, he wasn’t interested in overdubbing... At the time, I would have liked to have the record to be more like a Zeppelin record that had layers of sound, but Ted wanted nothing to do with it. He wanted to record the purity of it.” - Alex Van Halen
Eddie Van Halen interjects, “That was my fault, because I had never been in a studio and I didn’t know how. So we just played live. When you write songs and you just play them live, I’ve gotta solo. And I’d have had to write rhythm guitar parts underneath, and I wasn’t prepared to do that. So blame me, it wasn’t Ted’s fault.” - Eddie Van Halen
Van Halen’s debut album was immediately embraced by rock radio and would go on to sell over 10 million copies in the U.S. alone.
In this episode, keyboardist Derek Sherinian discusses new band Sons Of Apollo and their new album Psychotic Symphony, the future of Black Country Communion, and look back at his work with KISS, Alice Cooper and Billy Idol.
Our second interview is with former Van Halen & Sex Pistols insider, Noel E. Monk. He discusses his new book Runnin’ With the Devil: A Backstage Pass Into the Wild Times, Loud Rock and the Down and Dirty Truth Behind the Making of Van Halen. Sammy Hagar fans be warned!
And lastly, guitarist Chris Broderick discusses Act Of Defiance’s latest album, Old Scars New Wounds.
Mitch also discusses the upcoming Judas Priest Firepower tour with Black Star Riders & Saxon. And walks you through singer Ricky Warwick’s solo discography.
After years of struggle as the downcard rock palooka who could take a punch and never go down, Sammy Hagar answered the bell in the Eighties and came out swinging. In 1982 Hagar scored a technical knockout with his first mainstream hit “Your Love Is Driving Me Crazy” from his seventh solo album Three Lock Box. By 1987, coming off the hugely successful VOA album with the highway anthem “I Can’t Drive 55”, the newly installed Van Halen lead singer would score his highest charting solo album ever I Never Said Goodbye with the powerful # 1 rock ballad “Give to Live”. Hagar shares with IN THE STUDIO producer and host Redbeard how he managed to satisfy his solo artist commitments while joining the biggest band in the land.
“Everybody remembers the I Never Said Goodbye album that I made with Eddie (Van Halen) playing bass, right after 5150. Royalties off Van Halen records went to Geffen. I sold 5 million records for the guy (David Geffen) on three records. He wasn’t about to let one of his biggest artists just go - not anyone wouldd do that.” - Sammy Hagar
Heard you missed us, well we’re back! “Dave & Dave Unchained” - Van Halen podcast returns with episode 4 celebrating the 30th anniversary of David Lee Roth’s 1986 solo album, “Eat’em & Smile.”
At a time when Van Halen didn’t sound very Van Halen, Roth opted to head in the big rock direction VH was known for mixed with a bit of his “Crazy from the Heat” style added in for good measure. Roth hired gunslingers Steve Vai on guitar and Billy Sheehan on bass with Gregg Bissonette behind the drum kit. The videos were wild and colorful and the live show was packed with Van Halen hits.
The Daves discuss the launch of Roth’s band, the “Eat’em & Smile” tour and breakdown the album song-by-song. There’s also an exclusive interview with Vai, who looks back on his “Eat’em & Smile” days, why the band changed direction with the next album “Skyscraper” and even opened up about the “Eat’em & Smile” reunion that almost happened and might still happen. To cap things off, the cast concludes with part 2 of the interview with “Van Halen Rising” author Greg Renoff who talks about his massive “Eat’em & Smile” article he wrote for Guitar World, Roth’s botched movie and the awkward position DLR is currently in these days.
Sit down with a bottle of anything and a glazed donut while enjoying this firecracker of an episode!
Download the new episode on iTunes or spreaker.com. Connect with the Daves on Twitter: @ddunchained, Facebook: Dave-Dave Unchained, Instagram: ddunchainedpodcast or via email: ddunchainedpodcast@gmail.com
Despite wild rumors and other media outlets stating as so, I can absolutely confirm that there are NO talks initiated or going on between VAN HALEN and SAMMY HAGAR and/or MICHAEL ANTHONY.
DAVID LEE ROTH is out of contract with the group and his future is unknown, but sources indicate it is unlikely there will be any further recording or touring with the original vocalist. Which leaves a big, obvious gap in the lineup.
However, based on information from an impecable source close to the Hagar camp, there has been no discussions or communication with the Red Rocker at all.
Hagar's 2016 plans seem to revolved around his CIRCLE lineup recording original material and continuing their touring.
DAVID LEE ROTH meanwhile is indeed looking for the right opportunity to reunite with the Eat Em And Smile lineup, but there is no word if that will go beyond the one event at this stage.
Vocalist MITCH MALLOY has uploaded the song he co-wrote and recorded with VAN HALEN during his stay at 5150 studios in the mid-90s. Mitch was lined up to replace SAMMY HAGAR, but was dumped for the controversial GARY CHERONE.
Mitch has previously talked to MelodicRock.com about his experience. You can see that below.
But right now - why not check out the song It's The Right Time:
Vocalist MITCH MALLOY has uploaded the song he co-wrote and recorded with VAN HALEN during his stay at 5150 studios in the mid-90s. Mitch was lined up to replace SAMMY HAGAR, but was dumped for the controversial GARY CHERONE.
Mitch has previously talked to MelodicRock.com about his experience. You can see that below.
But right now - why not check out the song It's The Right Time:
From an interview in 2000 with MR.com:
Another very interesting thing happened while you were out of the limelight so to speak. The great Van Halen experience!!
How did you and Eddie Van Halen hook up?
A guy who worked for their management at the time used to be my road manager and he kept calling me and telling me they were going to fire Sammy and that I was going to be the next singer in Van Halen and he was calling and calling and finally I got annoyed by this and told him to stop and that I didn't think I was a good fit in VH and that if he was serious he should have Ed call me.
A week later Desmond Child calls me and says he has just left Ed's house and was writing with them and that they were talking about me and that they were watching my "Anything At All" video, and that he told them that I was perfect for them, and that they would be lucky to get me, and before I knew it, I was on a plane to LA. Ed did call, a bunch of times. He was great.
Things went so well, you actually recorded a demo with the guys - live in the studio. For the record! What tracks did you jam on?
Yes, it was Panama, Ain't Talking 'bout Love, Why Can't This Be Love, Don't Tell Me (What Love Can Do), Jump and It’s The Right Time.
And what were you thinking while this was going on? Total disbelief?!!
LOL, it was very surreal. It was pretty cool. Valerie was very nice to me and Wolfy and I had a great connection. He just took to me right away. Ed was very taken with that as I recall, he told me I must be the guy cause his son loved me. It was cool. It was very nice. Ed is really a great guy, and so is Al and Mike. Ed was treating me like I was his best friend, his little brother. He still does most of the time. I miss him at the moment.
I have not talked to him in a while. I hope he is okay. He was very encouraging on this new record. I sent him You Lift Me, It's About Love, and Draw The Line and he called me while he was still listening to it and was very very excited and saying things that I couldn't believe. I can't really repeat them here without sounding like a total egotistic ass, so I will just say, he was very flattering.
I hung up and yelled at the top of my voice. That felt way better than when he told me I was in the band. I felt like he accepted me as a peer when he like my music.
I suppose I should tell of the moment when he told me I was in the band..... On the 3rd day I was there, I got a call as I was staying in Ed's guest house. They told me they wanted me to be in the studio control room in 15 minutes.
I went up and sat there and waited, And a few minutes later, Ed walks in stops and says, "well, you are an amazing singer, you look great and you are one of the nicest guys I have ever met, we just talked it over and congratulations, you are in the band." he walks up to me, I stand up and he kisses me on both cheeks gives me a hug and turns and walks out of the room. I sit back down at the mixing board and say out loud, "I am in Van Halen, shit, now what"? I think I giggled a little in disbelief. It was a very strange moment.
So the unanimous verdict on Ray Danniels as a manager is shit to say the least, were you another victim of his control over the band at this stage?
Well, I am not positive as to what happened there, but Ray told me at first that no matter what happened, he wanted to manage me.
I already had a manager though. And he told me he wanted me in the band. I think it's best I reserve comment any further on that one.
I actually wrote Ray a letter, passing on the gig. It just didn't feel right to me at the time, what with all the MTV thing with Dave and all that.
They never told me they were doing that with Dave, and as far as I knew, I was pretty much in the band at that time. I knew they were going to audition Gary, but they told me they didn't really want to, cause they wanted me. And then I see them walk out on stage with Dave, I called Mike and told him that I thought it was a mistake and that they had just made it nearly impossible for ANY singer to come in and be successful cause now EVERYONE thought Dave was back.
I never heard back from them, and while I was waiting, I sat down and wrote a letter and had my manager send it up to Ray saying, thanks for the shot, but I am going to have to pass.
It wasn't an easy thing to do. I heard from Ed a few weeks later. I met Gary over the phone that day as well. Gary is a super nice guy. A real class act. I am very impressed with him as a person and would think he would be a very good friend to have.
We are not friends, I am just saying, there are not that many people you meet in life that are as gracious as Gary Cherone.
You did keep in contact with Eddie for a long while after this, but he wasn't happy at all with you when you recommended something to him was he....can you tell us what you said about what he needed to do for a vocalist?
Ed actually asked me what I thought, and I told him.......DAVE!
You need to get Dave back, and he raised his voice saying, "You know what happened and how he was such an ass and what he said to me and did to me, and you know how hard it was to get him to sing in the studio", and I said, but Ed, you had Dave singing Desmond Child songs.
Dave isn't that type of singer, you had him singing melodies he can't sing, and what you need to do is just let Dave be Dave. And then he got even louder and said that he wrote all those songs/melodies, and that Dave just wrote the lyrics and sang them. That's when I shut up. I love Ed, he has been like a big brother to me in a lot of ways. Who am I to upset him. But he did ask. And whatever happened with the Ed / Dave chemistry worked, and I just think that it will always work.
Even if Ed did write all the melodies, obviously they have the same vocal range and they are connected with that. It WORKS! At least it worked. I have never met Dave, but he doesn't seem THAT bad to me. I don't know, I just love Ed and I want what is best for him. If he doesn't want to work with Dave, then he shouldn't work with Dave. I mean, you wouldn't wish for your friend to be unhappy just because it will please the fans. Life is too short for that.
But he did ask, and I did say Dave. I guess at the end of the day, music isn't everything. And those guys have already given us a LOT of great music to listen to. Maybe that is enough?
How do you think Van Halen with Mitch Malloy as lead vocalist would have sounded?
Well, that's easy, all I have to do is go put in the tape and listen to it. :)
It sounds just like Van Halen with me singing. I had Asked Al on the first play back in the studio. I said, "what do you think?" "Does it sound strange hearing my voice over your music?", and he looked me right in the eye and said, "no, not at all, it sounds great"!
Everyone has opinions on the job Gary Cherone did as singer #3, what do you think alienated the fans so much?
The MTV thing. I just don't think the fans could get past that. I do think though that if they had had a hit like they did with Sammy that they would have had an easier time of it.
This week on the Double Stop Podcast is a rare interview with Dave Wittman, who Engineered a boatload if records in the 70's and 80's.
Dave Wittman discusses his career as a Recording Engineer. From meeting Jimi Hendrix as a teenager, and his first job with Eddie Kramer, to working in the studio with KISS (and the Van Halen demos with Gene Simmons), Peter Frampton, Foreigner, Billy Idol and much, much more. He also discusses the change in the music industry with Grunge, and his work with Trans-Siberian Orchestra both in studio and on the road. This episode features guest co-host Greg Renoff author of the new book Van Halen Rising.
On Engineering early KISS demos 27:30 “Eddie (Kramer) and I did the first demo that got KISS their record deal. They came in and did the classic Cold Gin, Deuce, Strutter - that kind of thing, and we just went in one afternoon and did the kind of did the Beatles thing. The four track to four track to four track kind of thing. That was one of the first things that Eddie trusted me with - with him looking over my shoulder."
On Mixing the Gene Simmons Van Halen Demo's 28:25 “Eddie (Kramer) brought in the multi-track tape - it included Runnin’ with the Devil. I didn't actually know who it was at the time, I just knew I loved that song.”
On working with Led Zepplin 34:20 "I got to work on the mixing of Houses of the Holy, and the movie soundtrack The Song Remains the Same. And they used my Marshal top on that, by the way. They needed a Marshal top to do an overdub at 2 in the morning, and I lived around the corner so I went home and got it."
Gary sits down with Mitch to discuss his band's performance at Heavy Montreal in August, the 25th Pornograffitti Anniversary tour, their upcoming live album & DVD, making new music, his band HURTSMILE, working with Nuno Bettencourt, addresses the recent Eddie Van Halen (Billboard) interview, working on a second Van Halen album (the follow-up to the Van Halen III) and working with Madonna songwriter Patrick Leonard, did Michael Anthony play on VH III, working with producer Michael Wagener, the importance of having a producer, working on the KISS My Ass (tribute to KISS album) and reveals which song Gene Simmons wanted them to record (from The Elder), Dream Theater' Mike Magini's time with the band, and much much more.
Quote from the interview:
On new Extreme music: "There will be new music. It's important for the band and the fans have been asking for it. We are long overdue."
On the second (yet unreleased) Gary Cherone - Van Halen album: "Patrick Leonard (Madonna's songwriter) came up to 5150 and we wrote a couple of songs with him, but most of the demos were just me and Eddie. The two songs were did with him (Patrick Leonard) were actually really good. There was some real good stuff."
"The whole Sammy/Michael thing... I love Mike. He's an underrated bass player in a band with two virtuosos. Even Alex gets overshadowed by Eddie."
On Michael Anthony needing to be shown how to play by Eddie Van Halen: "There was never a video camera and Michael played on VH III. Michael was a rock on the VH 3 tour."
Speaking of Extreme's bassist Pat Badger: "We call Pat Badger the poor man's Michael Anthony."
This episode is co-hosted by FIREHOUSE guitarist, Bill Leverty (who discusses Firehouse's plan for a 25th Anniversary Firehouse [1st album] tour).
I was going to sum up the last few days in the tumpultous world of Van Halen, but then I got this newsellter from Van Halen Rising author Greg Renoff. Makes for a good short summary and a nice diversion:
"The past week has been a tumultuous one on Planet Van Halen.
In a brutally frank interview with Billboard, Eddie minimized the contributions of former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony.
But earlier in the week, Hagar had lodged another charge against Eddie and Alex Van Halen. Sammy told Eddie Trunk that the brothers had taken legal action to stop Hagar from performing Van Hagar songs when Hagar's band, the Circle, performs on TV.
Are we having fun yet?
All of these events reminded me of story I had to leave out of Van Halen Rising because of space issues. It involves a 1976 legal dispute that saw the four members of Van Halen unified in their efforts to support their band.
It's a good reminder that at one time, Van Halen was a four-man gang with an us-against-the-world mentality."
In 1976, Daniel Sullivan, then just out of college, was a concert promoter in Los Angeles. Back in 1974, he'd gone to Pasadena City College with David Lee Roth and had become friends with him. The following year, he'd put on successful shows featuring Van Halen at LaCañada High School.
To kick off the Bicentennial Year, Sullivan hired Van Halen for $500.00 to play a show on February 27 at Glendale High School.
Early ticket sales were brisk, and Sullivan was sure this would be his biggest gig yet.
Then the city of Glendale came calling.
Photographer Mary Garson, who shot pictures at Sullivan's shows, recalls what happened: "Dan promoted the show, sold tickets, did the contract. He did everything right except get an insurance bond with the city of Glendale. The city wouldn't let him do the show without one. He told me, 'I'm screwed. I've sold several hundred tickets, but the city says I need a $50,000 insurance bond. I don't have the money to pay for it.'"
Sullivan had to cancel the concert.
So he began refunding tickets, and called David Lee Roth to tell him the bad news.
Roth didn't take it well.
Roth told Sullivan, "Hey, well, you still owe us 500 bucks."
Eddie, it turns out, was even more fixated on the fact that Sullivan had signed a contract promising to pay the band $500. Even though the show didn't happen, Eddie still wanted Sullivan to pay. "Eddie was pretty adamant about it," Sullivan told me in 2012. "I said, 'Look, I can't do it. I don't have the money. I’ll do another show for you guys or whatever.'"
Eddie replied, "No, I want the 500 bucks."
When Sullivan said again that he didn't have the money, the band said we'll see you in court.
___
"So they ended up suing me in Small Claims court in Glendale," Sullivan recalls. "I was bummed, especially because even though we were in small claims, we were still friends. It was weird.
"So my Dad and I come in to the courtroom and there’s the band, on the other side of the court, all of them, dressed in suits.
"I swear to God it was the most amazing thing. I was just a kid, and I'm with my Dad, and here's Van Halen on the other side of the court. David Roth represented the band. He said that I broke the contract and didn’t follow through with the contract. In the end, they won a judgment for 500 bucks against me."
But Sullivan never paid. Garson recalls that the judge didn't attach a payment plan schedule to the ruling, so Sullivan just didn't ever settle the claim.
___
More than two years later, Sullivan had lost touch with the band and was living in London. Then one day in the fall of 1978, he got a big surprise: "I'm taking a bus down these streets and I see this sign, a rainbow-colored poster saying Van Halen is playing at the Rainbow Theater."
Sullivan showed up for the show on October 22, 1978. After the gig, he had a roadie bring a note to the band members.
He recalls what happened next.
"David, Alex, and Eddie came out and they were so sweet, especially David. He was like, 'Daaannn! How ahh yah ya mothafucka?' It was just the coolest thing ever. I was probably one of the few people there other than the crew who had seen them on the other side of the Atlantic.
"So the show's over and we're looking for some place to go but everything in London was shutting down for the night. So I went to all these private [after-hours] clubs with them. It was amazing."
Van Halen is about to embark on a 40-plus-date North American tour. But when legendary guitarist Eddie Van Halen takes the stage with the band (starting July in Seattle), fans won't be in the presence of a typical hell-raising rock star, even if his technique did inspire scores of hell-raising metal bands. He's been sober since 2008, but kicking alcohol is only the tip of the iceberg.
For Billboard's latest cover story, out Friday, June 19, we caught up with Eddie Van Halen, who wasn't shy about his atypical rock star ways. He hates touring (and doesn't have much of a relationship with flamboyant frontman David Lee Roth), but is hitting the road anyway. He continues to make new music (Van Halen released a the LP A Different Kind of Truth in 2012) but doesn't listen to anyone else's music, new or old. Here are five reasons there's no other rocker quite like Eddie Van Halen:
1. He Partied in His Heyday, But Not Exactly Like a Rock Star
Like the rest of Van Halen, Eddie indulged in drugs and alcohol, but not while partying. Drug and alcohol-free since 2008, he told Billboard about how he would get drunk and snort cocaine alone at night in hotel rooms, just to experiment with the guitar: "The blow keeps you awake and the alcohol lowers your inhibitions," Van Halen says. "I'm sure there were musical things I would not have attempted were I not in that mental state."
2. He Doesn't Listen to Any New Music
Not only does he not listen to old Van Halen records, but the guitarist hasn't purchased new music since 1986. That special album was Peter Gabriel'sSo. And new music? Don't even think about it. "I couldn't make a contemporary record if I wanted to, because I don't know what contemporary music sounds like," he admitted to Billboard. He does occasionally listen to Yo-Yo Ma (because he love the sound of the cello), so there's that.
3. He Dresses Normcore
Okay, so there are punk and indie musicians who rock the regular Joe look, but few rock stars from Van Halen's era will say, "I'm a T-shirt and jeans guy." And he definitely didn't bond with former Van Halen singer Gary Cherone over clothing choices: "We were getting ready to go on tour, and all of a sudden I see this John Travolta outfit -- these big lapels and a crazy jacket. He's like, 'This is my stage outfit.' That's when I realized it wasn't going to work," says
4. He Played on Michael Jackson's Iconic 'Beat It' -- But Doesn't Think It's a Big Deal
When asked about playing the guitar solo on Michael Jackson's "Beat It," Van Halen simply refers to it as "20 minutes of my life," and figures he probably should have gotten songwriting credit, but doesn't seem to care much for not making any money off it:
"I literally thought to myself, 'Who is possibly going to know if I play on this kid's record?' So I went to the studio and listened to the song twice, and I didn't like the section they wanted me to solo over. They wanted me to solo over the breakdown. I asked [Thriller producer] Quincy Jones to edit the chords underneath the solo," he recalls. "Then I could play the solo in the key of E, but it was the chords underneath that made the solo interesting. So I guess I did rearrange it."
5. He Doesn't Remember His Own Band's Lyrics
Aside from not being able to read music, Eddie admits he's also forgotten many of the lyrics to Van Halen's songs. And though he barely has a relationship with David Lee Roth, he soldiers on for the fans: "I think it's now built into people's DNA, that it just won't be Van Halen if it's not Roth's voice," he explains. "You make music for people. Otherwise, just play in your closet. And how do you reach the most people? By giving them the band that they know. To do it any other way would be selfish.”
Read Eddie Van Halen's Billboard cover story when it's out Friday, June 19.
