Van Halen Thread v. Where Have All The Good Times Gone

[KevShmev]

Growing up won't make EVH and Roth stop hating each other.  My cousin saw them here in St. Louis last month, and besides saying that the show couldn't touch the shows he saw with Hagar back in the 90s, he mentioned how Roth and EVH barely interacted on stage at all. 

[Ben_Jamin]

After all these years you would think they could grow up for business sake. Apparantly that will never happen. Just another reason I passed on tickets for this tour. I'll save my money for bands like Rush and Marillion.
The latest rumour I am hearing is the shows are being nixed due to poor ticket sales from over saturation of the markets the shows have been cancelled in.
Who knows. I love Van Halen, but I'm glad they will not get any of my concert funds in 2012.

The funny thing is Tickets were supposed to go on sale today for Albuquerque.

[wkiml]

After all these years you would think they could grow up for business sake. Apparantly that will never happen. Just another reason I passed on tickets for this tour. I'll save my money for bands like Rush and Marillion.
The latest rumour I am hearing is the shows are being nixed due to poor ticket sales from over saturation of the markets the shows have been cancelled in.
Who knows. I love Van Halen, but I'm glad they will not get any of my concert funds in 2012.

Tick 

alot of the individual promotors are coming forward saying the shows were either sold out or close too sold out, so the rumors of poor ticket sales is being shredded by the actually promoters

[BlobVanDam]

After all these years you would think they could grow up for business sake. Apparantly that will never happen. Just another reason I passed on tickets for this tour. I'll save my money for bands like Rush and Marillion.
The latest rumour I am hearing is the shows are being nixed due to poor ticket sales from over saturation of the markets the shows have been cancelled in.
Who knows. I love Van Halen, but I'm glad they will not get any of my concert funds in 2012.

Tick 

alot of the individual promotors are coming forward saying the shows were either sold out or close too sold out, so the rumors of poor ticket sales is being shredded by the actually promoters

Then I guess some people are using a different kind of truth.

[Tick]

After all these years you would think they could grow up for business sake. Apparantly that will never happen. Just another reason I passed on tickets for this tour. I'll save my money for bands like Rush and Marillion.
The latest rumour I am hearing is the shows are being nixed due to poor ticket sales from over saturation of the markets the shows have been cancelled in.
Who knows. I love Van Halen, but I'm glad they will not get any of my concert funds in 2012.

Tick 

alot of the individual promotors are coming forward saying the shows were either sold out or close too sold out, so the rumors of poor ticket sales is being shredded by the actually promoters

Then I guess some people are using a different kind of truth.

Pure cheese, Blob, but well played!

[Tick]

VHND.COM

Just when we all were beginning to think we were going to get a killer Van Halen album and an entire tour without any drama whatsoever, look what happens!

Yesterday, Van Halen POSTPONED (not canceled!) most of their Summer tour dates with no reason given. Immediately, speculation ran wild. Fans wondered if there were health issues. Rolling Stone quotes a mysterious “source with knowledge of the tour” who supposedly said the band members “hate each other” and are “arguing like mad.”

The Van Halen News Desk now has some answers form our trusted and proven sources. Other than those Summer dates having to be moved, it’s actually good news.

First off, no one in the band is sick. No health problems.

Second, we knew right away that Rolling Stone’s “source” is completely wrong, and can not possibly be a person with actual inside knowledge of the tour, because all four band members have been getting along splendidly throughout the entire tour. Roth and the Van Halen’s talk every day, and they are all smiles on stage. Everyone who’s seen the tour or even youtube videos can confirm that.

In fact, the band is on such a high from playing together this year and they were really taken aback by the Rolling Stone quote. They’re older and wiser and haven’t had any issues with one another.

Why were these dates postponed? The band has been working tirelessly for the last 18 months – writing and recording “A Different Kind Of Truth”, filming the “Tattoo” video, rehearsing, putting together the show themselves (lighting, the videos, the stage, routing the tour, and lots of behind the scenes stuff that most people don’t even know about). The band wants the second leg to be as awesome as the first. And for that to happen they want to put more time into the planning of it. Not just continue on with the same show.

Van Halen is very enthusiastic about the rest of the tour and wants be on the road for a long time. Just how long remains to be seen, but we’ll say that the tour will probably continue into next year. They are now considering touring Australia and Japan in the near future.

As it stands now, the 31 postponed US shows are due to be rescheduled. There should be some sort of official announcement forthcoming.


"Its actually good news"

Good news for who?

 

[Ben_Jamin]

Why were these dates postponed? The band has been working tirelessly for the last 18 months – writing and recording “A Different Kind Of Truth”, filming the “Tattoo” video, rehearsing, putting together the show themselves (lighting, the videos, the stage, routing the tour, and lots of behind the scenes stuff that most people don’t even know about). The band wants the second leg to be as awesome as the first. And for that to happen they want to put more time into the planning of it. Not just continue on with the same show.
 

Sounds reasonable to me. No reason to complain other than, announce the dates so I can finally be able to buy the damn tickets.

[cramx3]

Still makes no sense and no real reason was given.

[Ben_Jamin]

Still makes no sense and no real reason was given.

it says right on that post.

"and for that to happen, they want to put more time into planning it."

It does make perfect sense,

Also, I guess no one knows the answer to my question?

[hefdaddy42]

Still makes no sense and no real reason was given.

it says right on that post.

"and for that to happen, they want to put more time into planning it."

It does make perfect sense,

No it doesn't.  Not for a group that's been around as long as they have.  That is just a piece of P/R bullshit.

[Tick]

Still makes no sense and no real reason was given.

As Blob said...Van Halen... A Different Kind Of Truth!

[KevShmev]

  That is just a piece of P/R bullshit.

QFT.

And funny that they say...

Roth and the Van Halen’s talk every day, and they are all smiles on stage. Everyone who’s seen the tour or even youtube videos can confirm that.

...when that is not the truth at all.

[SystematicThought]

I just came back from the Minnesota show and I beg to differ. The band was tight and they smiled at each other and hugged, they were getting along well. However, you can tell that Roth's voice is getting shot, so I do believe the statement that they need a break. I really do, not to mention Dave mentioned in an interview here in MN that they plan on extending the tour to Australia and Japan

Great show overall. I have Eddie's solo on video, he was great! Better than when I saw them in 2004

[El Barto]

I just came back from the Minnesota show and I beg to differ. The band was tight and they smiled at each other and hugged, they were getting along well. However, you can tell that Roth's voice is getting shot, so I do believe the statement that they need a break. I really do, not to mention Dave mentioned in an interview here in MN that they plan on extending the tour to Australia and Japan

Great show overall. I have Eddie's solo on video, he was great! Better than when I saw them in 2004

Looking at some youtube videos that all seems about right.  EVH actually looks great.  Surprisingly so.  Far from being the drunken corpse he was last time around.  Dave certainly looks like the weak link at the moment.  Doesn't look like a show I'd be interested in seeing, but it does seem they're doing alright. 

[BlobVanDam]

I just came back from the Minnesota show and I beg to differ. The band was tight and they smiled at each other and hugged, they were getting along well. However, you can tell that Roth's voice is getting shot, so I do believe the statement that they need a break. I really do, not to mention Dave mentioned in an interview here in MN that they plan on extending the tour to Australia and Japan

Great show overall. I have Eddie's solo on video, he was great! Better than when I saw them in 2004

Looking at some youtube videos that all seems about right.  EVH actually looks great.  Surprisingly so.  Far from being the drunken corpse he was last time around.  Dave certainly looks like the weak link at the moment.  Doesn't look like a show I'd be interested in seeing, but it does seem they're doing alright. 

I can't wait to see them. They're definitely a lot tighter than last tour. EVH was just plain sloppy last tour, but this time around they've really kept it together so far. It's no surprise that DLR is the weak link, as is often true with the vocalist in an ageing band, but then again he's never been the strongest singer anyway.

Here's a statement from DLR on the matter-
https://www.vhnd.com/2012/05/20/public-relations/

This might just confuse people more, but that's DLR for you. But he mentioned Australia, so I'm just ignoring what y'all are saying.

[KevShmev]

Okay, finally got a copy of this from a friend, and after several listens, it's okay.  It has the sound and energy of classic VH, but the catchy choruses/harmonies are sorely lacking.  Music like this only works if you have memorable choruses, and this album doesn't have them.  Not sure if it is the loss of good harmonies because of no Michael Anthony, but I guess I can see why these songs were deemed not good enough to make their first few albums (since the bulk of them were written back then); they have the energy of that early stuff, but not the memorable vocal melodies.  Ho-hum.

[BlobVanDam]

Actually, every single song on the album has entirely rewritten lyrics and melodies compared to the original demos (check them out, they're not hard to find), aside from the chorus of She's The Woman, which is still arranged a little differently. And half of the album is entirely new material anyway.

I think all of these demo songs were completely there musically, but the vocal melodies weren't up to scratch, and even lacked a strong verse/chorus structure arrangement due to the vocals, but the redone melodies made a world of difference there. I've never understand why She's The Woman never made an album in the first place. Even in demo form, it's as strong as anything on the earlier albums. Baffles me why it was never on a studio album until now.
The only song that I feel should have remained on the cutting floor is Beats Workin', which is a dud tune no matter what they do to it. The music itself is just weak.

There are definitely a couple of moments where the lack of Michael Anthony shows (the chorus of She's The Woman is just begging for the addition if his sweet falsettos), but aside from that, Wolfgang slays on this album, and he finally earned my respect. There are parts on there I doubt Anthony could even play, and the bass parts really groove. And vocally, there are a lot of classic VH harmonies. The Trouble With Never is classic VH vocally, which is one of the entirely new songs iirc.

[KevShmev]

The Trouble with Never is definitely one of the songs that is worthwhile.  China Town and Outta Space both seemed good as well.  The rest was just like a blur.  And Stay Frosty...what a lame attempt at doing another Ice Cream Man.  It was lame then, and it is lame now.  The way Roth keeps repeating the "stay frosty" line sounds so corny, it is almost painful.  When it is all said and done, I'll probably get a handful of songs from this I like enough to throw on the new VH mp3 CD I will make for my car, so I guess I can't ask for more than that.

[KevShmev]

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/van-halen-cancels-postponed-tour-dates-20120702

What's funny is, in the new issue of Guitar World, there is an interview with Wolfgang, where he says they hope to play together for a long time.  Good luck with that.  They can't even get through a whole tour without major problems of some sort, hence these cancellations.

[BlobVanDam]

Those comments are all .
Canceling part of a tour leg isn't the end of the world. Yawn.

[Vivace]

Not to derail the current discussion but a funny thing just happened on a road trip listening to Van Halen from I to A Different Kind of Truth, particularly with the album Van Halen III. I used to hate this album. Everything about this album was just awful in my mind. However after last Friday, something *clicked*. It isn't the stinker I once thought it was. Actually A Year to the Day is fantastic and so is Once. Granted some of the songs are lacklusters and Eddie's little solo ballad How Many Say I should have never seen the light of day, but all in all, I'm surprised I actually like this album as much as I do.

As for the P/R stuff, I often find the truth lies in the middle. It's possible the guys are just burnt out and tempers could be flaring but on stage everything is status quo. I mean how many times has Eddie's temper gotten the best of him during a tour?

[KevShmev]

III is definitely better than most give it credit for being, but I get why it didn't go over well with most: new singer and an experimental record.  Most fans don't want VH experimenting; they want them giving them their usual "let's party" hard rock stuff.  That had disaster written all over it from a mainstream standpoint. 

[cramx3]

3 is the only VH album I don't own and honestly I think i only posters to it once. I didn't think it was bad, but i never really put the time in to get it and listen to it.

[King Postwhore]

III is definitely better than most give it credit for being, but I get why it didn't go over well with most: new singer and an experimental record.  Most fans don't want VH experimenting; they want them giving them their usual "let's party" hard rock stuff.  That had disaster written all over it from a mainstream standpoint.

Very true.  I like it myself.  I'm not saying it's a home run by any stretch.  I could have used a real producer to tighten it up a bit.

[SystematicThought]

Those comments are all .
Canceling part of a tour leg isn't the end of the world. Yawn.

This all the way.

Apart from DLR sucking at singing, the band is on fire. If Sammy was singing instead, this tour would have been one of my favorite concerts  ever.

[Vivace]

III is definitely better than most give it credit for being, but I get why it didn't go over well with most: new singer and an experimental record.  Most fans don't want VH experimenting; they want them giving them their usual "let's party" hard rock stuff.  That had disaster written all over it from a mainstream standpoint.

Definitely. I certainly wasn't expecting that kind of an album. The nice thing about 5150 was that it's wasn't that big of a change to begin with. 1984 was a great prologue to the Sammy Era and even though Balance actually experimented a little especially with Feelin', the album still maintained the distinctive Van Halen sound. III was a huge change, so much that I hear from others they listen to it as if it's a Eddie solo album and now with ADKOT VHIII is left the odd one standing.

[Zydar]

Full Van Halen concert, shot by a fan in multi-cam at the Pittsburgh show in 2012.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=BbsW_Dp0mpM

[Pelata]

III is definitely better than most give it credit for being, but I get why it didn't go over well with most: new singer and an experimental record.  Most fans don't want VH experimenting; they want them giving them their usual "let's party" hard rock stuff.  That had disaster written all over it from a mainstream standpoint.

Very true.  I like it myself.  I'm not saying it's a home run by any stretch.  I could have used a real producer to tighten it up a bit.

I can get on board with both statements. I saw them on this tour and they rocked it.

[King Postwhore]

I saw them as well and that tour had great energy.  The 2004 reunion with Sammy stunk.  Flat and it was like watch 4 guys not talking to each other on stage.

[Pelata]

I saw them as well and that tour had great energy.  The 2004 reunion with Sammy stunk.  Flat and it was like watch 4 guys not talking to each other on stage.

I saw the opening date on the '04 tour w/ Sammy and, at least at that show, they all looked to be having a great time...they talked to each other, rocked out, and smiled the whole time.

[cramx3]

I saw them as well and that tour had great energy.  The 2004 reunion with Sammy stunk.  Flat and it was like watch 4 guys not talking to each other on stage.

I saw the opening date on the '04 tour w/ Sammy and, at least at that show, they all looked to be having a great time...they talked to each other, rocked out, and smiled the whole time.

I thought the 04 show in NJ was amazing.

[King Postwhore]

Wasn't even close to all the other tours from 5150 on.  There was something off for that night maybe but all the other tours slayer it.

[SystematicThought]

My favorite concert era for the Van Hagar era would have to be the 5150 tour. It just seems magical.

The Live Without A Net DVD captures feeling perfectly. The stage is bright, the band is having fun, the crowd is having fun, and the set is great. It just seemed like a great time to be a Van Halen fan. Every tour after that just doesn't have that feel

[KevShmev]

My favorite concert era for the Van Hagar era would have to be the 5150 tour. It just seems magical.

The Live Without A Net DVD captures feeling perfectly. The stage is bright, the band is having fun, the crowd is having fun, and the set is great. It just seemed like a great time to be a Van Halen fan. Every tour after that just doesn't have that feel

The problem with that tour was they spent too much goofing around on stage.  Maybe it was the lack of Van Hagar-era songs, and Hagar didn't want to spend half the show singing Roth-era songs, but there was a lot of down time in between songs on that tour.  A friend of mine, who is a big VH fan, refused to go see them again for literally a decade because he was disappointed with them when he saw them on the 5150 tour.  He said they literally spent several minutes talking and goofing around on stage after every single song.  Sure, it's great to have fun up there, but you have to balance that with a good show for the fans, too, and when fans get bored because you are wasting time like that after literally every song, it is unbalanced.

[TAC]

Yeah, I agree Kev. That first tour was a joke. The Eat Em And Smile tour was terrific. Closer to a Van Halen concert than Van Halen!

Certainly Van Halen would win the war, but the first battle went to DLR.