Eddie Van Halen ‘A little nervous’ about bands new album

[Becket]

Apparently, Eddie Van Halen is “a little nervous” about how his band’s first album with original lead singer David Lee Roth in over 25 years will turn out.

This according to Extreme guitarist Nuno Bettencourt, who recounts a meeting with Van Halen, his childhood guitar hero, in a recording studio back in January. Unlike Mark Tremonti from Alter Bridge, or Morgan Rose from Sevendust, it seems Nuno wasn’t played any music from the new album in person, instead only hearing Eddie’s distinctive work through the thick studio walls:

“It was faint, but even so, there was no mistaking the power of the sound that was seeping through those walls, because there can only be one Edward.”

Later, Bettencourt encountered Van Halen in the hallway, and asked how the album was progressing. Eddie replied, “It’s cool… I’m a little nervous though.” When Nuno respectfully (and quite properly) asked how that could be possible, given Eddie’s decades of game-changing guitar playing, the legend turned the tables on him:

“I know…why do you think I’m nervous?”

The entire story will be featured in an Eddie-centric new photo book entitled, logically, ‘Eddie Van Halen’ from legendary photographer Neil Zlozower. You can pre-order the book now for a scheduled Oct. 12 release date.

Odds are this album is gonna kick major butt, but if Eddie somehow needs more things to worry about, here’s our list of Five Things That Could Go Wrong With Van Halen’s New Album, balanced out by the more positive-minded Five Things That Could Go Right With Van Halen’s New Album.

http://ultimateclassicrock.com/eddie-van-halen-a-little-nervous-about-new-album/

Can't wait to hear it. rock2

Edited July 28, 2011 by Becket

[moreblack]

he very much should be, there's no guarantee whatsoever that it's gonna be any good. Not if David's later stuff is anything to go by.

Edited July 28, 2011 by moreblack

[WhazUp]

The song VH recorded with Roth in 1996, Me Wise Magic, was really good. Hopefully they go in that sort of direction. I saw VH back in 2007 and they kicked ass, hopefully they can make it work without Micheal Anthony's backup vocals

[wasted]

even if it sucks Dave could sell a football to a man with a broken toe.

Edited July 29, 2011 by wasted

[moreblack]

even if it sucks Dave could sell a football to a man with a broken toe.

he's spin a good web, but beyond the solo albums with Vai/Sheehan/Bisonette, that ability just up and left him...

[JONEZY]

I guees we'll find out this fall if Ed has anything left. He writes all the songs. He's never recorded an album completely sober before.

[mrandyk]

I really doubt the album is spectacular, I just look forward to seeing Eddie touring with Roth again.

[WhazUp]

I wonder how strong the vocals will be. I'm sure Roth will be fine, he was fine when I saw VH in 2007 but during that tour they used prerecorded backup vocals of Micheal Anthony. Wolfgang plays great and I am not worried about the bass parts, but Micheal's backup vocals added to that signature Van Halen sound

[axl8302]

I never really got into these guys. I know Eddie is a monster on guitar... but never really heard much by them.

Am I missing out?

Edited July 29, 2011 by axl8302

[artfromtex]

I never really got into these guys. I know Eddie is a monster on guitar... but never really heard much by them.

Am I missing out?

well, that's up to you. personally? they are right up there with Elvis and The Beatles for me.

Eddie is nervous because he's got a reputation to uphold. i've heard nothing but good things about this album. plus, i've heard that some of the songs are from demos cut during the pre-Hagar era. so, achieving the classic VH sound might be within their reach. i am as optimistic about this record as I was the The Cars' new album and that blew me away. I'm hoping for a similar outcome.

by the way, i also just found out that VH cut a demo of "Summer Nights" with DLR before Hagar joined the band. man, i'd give my left arm to hear that demo!!

Edited July 30, 2011 by artfromtex

[Becket]

Am I missing out?

Yes.

[Bucketslash]

eh.... i'll see what happens. everything post vh-3 has been slightly in the hit category, going somewhere between 3 and a half and 4 stars. (Humans Being, Can't Get This Stuff No More, Learning to See-4) (Me Wise Magic,It's About Time, Up For Breakfast-3 1/2), but nothing so good it's van halen 5 star quality.

[mrandyk]

eh.... i'll see what happens. everything post vh-3 has been slightly in the hit category, going somewhere between 3 and a half and 4 stars. (Humans Being, Can't Get This Stuff No More, Learning to See-4) (Me Wise Magic,It's About Time, Up For Breakfast-3 1/2), but nothing so good it's van halen 5 star quality.

Humans Being, Can't Get This Stuff No More, and Me Wise Magic are all pre-VH3

[dalsh327]

There were a few songs on 5150 that Dave was supposed to sing on, but he quit.

Valerie Bertinelli, Sammy Hagar, and David Lee Roth all wrote about how bad Ed and Alex got.

As far as Dave's later stuff goes, if Dave had gotten back together with VH in '98, it would've prob. been a mix of what was on DLR Band and VHIII, both of which are pretty good. Ed has said plenty about Dave making VH do cover songs, but I always thought Dave's solo material was far more experimental than VH's songs. He talked about releasing a mix of Skyscraper where the synths wouldn't be so front and center and it would be more focused on Steve Vai's playing.

Ed and Dave haven't put out new music together in over 25 years, but even separately, it's been almost a decade. Ed and Dave have years of material to work with, including the possibility of some really early stuff. There's always talk of a box set at some point (which also means Ed dealing with Sam), maybe after this CD and tour are done. They might wind up recording more music for all we know. Dave has plenty of vault stuff, too. He played some of it through his website. There's stuff dating back to '73 as far as Ed and Alex go. Dave's parents were well off, so he might have a bunch of footage and audio from before Van Halen. His sisters have done well for themselves, one makes those Rock a Bye CDs, and his other sister is a doctor.

They know how to write a hit song. They know how to write melodic songs that also rock and swing. Their fanbase is as devoted and as critical as GNR's. In 2007, they kicked ass on their tour, with a few minor hiccups, which was better than the 2004 meltdown Ed had. When Sam and Dave toured together, Dave kind of knew there was a possibility of the reunion happening, which is why he avoided Mike Anthony and didn't have him perform songs during his set. Rock Hall - Dave avoided it because he knew if he went, the reunion tour would've been scrapped. He was also sitting comfortably on piles of money from FREE-FM and just did some casino shows biding his time as well as the EMT stuff in New York City.

I expect it to have the classic VH sound, but Ed's prob going to throw some unbelievable solos in. They're doing this knowing this is prob. going to be a one shot deal, so it has to measure up.

The early bootlegs from the club days up to 1982 are all great. The 1984 stuff live is okay, but I think there was way too much rambling on Dave's part on that tour. Even though the US Fest is pretty sloppy, it's still a lot of fun to see and hear it.

[tat2d1]

When is the new album supposed to come out? Any bets on it ending up a Wal Mart exclusive?

[Apollo]

From what ive read, Eddie is a bigger prick than Axl ever was. Firing people. Not doing studio or recording because he was too drunk or high. The way he treated Michael anthony. And dave. And sammy. And cherone. and dave again.

With that said, I can't wait to hear the new album.

[dalsh327]

From what ive read, Eddie is a bigger prick than Axl ever was. Firing people. Not doing studio or recording because he was too drunk or high. The way he treated Michael anthony. And dave. And sammy. And cherone. and dave again.

With that said, I can't wait to hear the new album.

Cherone never had a problem with Ed.

[Apollo]

You may be correct. I didn't put much effort info the one cherone album with the band. I didn't like Extreme at all and always thought he was a pretty boring singer. Your probably right. Other than getting fired after one album, cherone might still be buddies with Ed.

But the way Ed treated Sammy was disgusting. The way they treated Michael was lame. And DLR has quit or been fired like seven different times. Eddie was more of a prick than Axl ever was.

Great guitar player though. If it ever gets released, I will buy the upcoming album.

[Georgy Zhukov]

Maybe he's nervous because this is his son's first album with them and a lot of Van Halen fans have been wanting Michael Anthony back.

[Musicman11]

Wait, were talking about this dude.... Particularly the 3:00 Mark???

Really ever since the late 90's Eddie has become an overrated prick that is a shadow of his former self. He fucked up, what 4, 5 possible reunions with Roth during 90's and early 2000's? The video above shows just how seriously he took the tour with Sammy, and then he proceeds to fire Mike because........just because he can and he wants his son to play, which um.... is nowhere near the level of Michael Anthony, who had the stage presence, the amazing playing, and the backing vocals. Though I won't deny his ability to play, the man could really play at one point, Eruption, Runnin' With The Devil, Why Can't This Be Love, Poundcake, etc. Was all brilliant stuff. I even like VHIII. Just a shame to see what he's turned into over the years. I still hold out hope for the new album, but it gets dimmer everyday that it will end up really that good. Sammy and Michael on the other hand, are just having an absolute blast in Chickefoot, which I love personally.

And just because I can give you another one:

[dalsh327]

From what ive read, Eddie is a bigger prick than Axl ever was. Firing people. Not doing studio or recording because he was too drunk or high. The way he treated Michael anthony. And dave. And sammy. And cherone. and dave again.

With that said, I can't wait to hear the new album.

Ed can't be compared to Axl because where Axl will cancel shows because something put him in a bad mood, Ed will just get drunk and put on the worst fucking show possible and be in his own time zone at some shows. He makes a point to play the show unless someone in the band is THAT sick that they can't. I know they rescheduled a bunch of shows from the end of '07.

The rumors lately were that Ed wasn't happy with Dave's singing, plus the cancellation on the Australia tour made people think the whole thing collapsed. But it sounds like wheels are in motion - they're going to release the new one on Columbia (didn't think that label was around no mo').

You'll know when it's over, when Dave starts doing interviews again.

Cherone and VH parted ways because the reaction to III and the tour was negative. But Gary fit the bill (able to sing Dave and Sam's stuff, easy to get along with) and they dug out a lot of DLR era stuff with him they hadn't done with Hagar.

There's more comparisons you can make with III to ChiDem, more than you can to GNR and VH's back catalog up against either of them.

Letting Mike go was all about Dave and Ed's money demands for a reunion tour, Ed's annoyance at Mike speaking on behalf of the band, plus taking on gigs with Sam. Mike wasn't recording anything with VH.

Dave was never fired from VH. He walked out on them in 85, Ed had never considered him reinstated when they did the songs in '97, Ed had already talked to Cherone when they did the VMAs, and Dave left again in 2000 because he didn't want to be on a salary and have no say in band matters. Dave kept more in touch with Alex as far as what was going on with Ed. The 2004 tour was a complete push by Azoff. Ed was in no shape to tour with Hagar, personally and professionally.

Edited September 25, 2011 by dalsh327