EDDIE VAN HALEN, TONY IOMMI Interviewed For GUITAR WORLD's 30th-Anniversary Issue - Page 12

Viking · 11.07.09, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Casemeister

What Edward said is clearly about the majority of the fans here.

How do said fans react?

By further berating a man most of them have never met.

Read between the lines. I have no doubt that Ed has a whole stack of new music ready to go. He says, however, that certain band members don't like it. Certain band members? Dave. What Ed is saying is that if he released this music -- this very un-VH sounding music -- then everybody would just tell him how much it sucked, etc. Would you want to release something you've worked hard on to the public if you knew that you'd be called washed up or creatively useless if they didn't like it?

The man cannot win.

How many here like VH3? I personally do, but I'm in the overwhelming minority. What if Ed released a Van Halen album that sounded even less like classic Van Halen music than VH3? You'd all be making posts about how it sucks, how VH is dead, and such. If he doesn't release said album, well, "VH is dead," etc.

He can't win.

What if Chickenfoot's album sounded like a cross between Indonesian folk music and Chad Smith playing the ukulele? Would the response to it be so positive from Van Halen fans? No. Van Halen fans like that album because it sounds, to a fairly large degree, quite similar to the Van Halen music they love. What if Ed is now incapable of writing in that style? He's a much older man than he was when he wrote Unchained.

Don't take it so seriously... and imagine how you'd feel if you had fans deriding you on a personal level simply because you're not releasing music that you know the majority of them won't like anyway.

I like VH3 as well. And I never bought into the Chickenfoot hype. I tried and tried to listen, and it just didn't do anything for me.

Some people will find a reason to bitch about Ed no matter what he does. I just quit giving a shit.

Viking · 11.07.09, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raldo

VH fans are certainly passionate.

And selfish. This sort of thing is why I quit hanging around this joint in the first place. The endless bitching about Ed and what he's doing with his life, the posting of every Goddamn picture that has been photoshopped with that awful image of Ed into it.

Seriously, if you have all been waiting all this time just for Ed to make new music, you have worse issues than Ed could ever imagine.

Van_Heineken · 11.07.09, 10:28 PM

I`m going to reserve final judgement until I read the actual article, but if Ed truly said he may never record new VH music again, it`s not surprising.

The man recorded one full album sober and it bombed horribly by his standards. He`s stated time and again that for him, making music was inextricably tied to drinking during the band`s heyday. If that`s true, it`s quite possible that he simply doesn`t have confidence in his ability to deliver new music of the caliber of classic VH while sober. The other possibility is that he`s a supremely creative artist while soused and a veritable dry well when not. The heavy metal Charlie Parker. The third possibility (and the one everyone is leaping too) is that he`s a greedy scumbag who won`t release new music unless it`s a guaranteed success. All 3 scenarios are equally bleak.

Before we rush to judgement however, we should consider the possibility that Ed is lying to himself as much as he is the fans. What we construe as blaming others is a perfectly natural defense mechanism if he can`t face the reality that his better days are now behind him or worse, he`s washed up. It`s the same old story. There`s only one direction left after you reach the top...

The thing I don`t get is, given the obvious mental and/or creative block, why is someone not advising him to release music outside the Van Halen band moniker? If it tanks, he can simply write it off as a shits n giggles side project ala Star Fleet.

I can certainly understand the disappointment and animosity given the false hope he`s been raising (the outright hatred is a lot harder to rationalize), but certainly there must be some perfectionists onboard who understand what an insurmountable challenge it must seem topping your best work when age and wealth have stolen your drive. Bottom line, if Chickenfoot doesn`t fire him up to prove something. What will?

Raldo · 11.08.09, 03:02 AM

Just curious about one thing. If Ed does a total 180 and puts out some new music with Dave, will others on this board do the same thing (ie. Eddymon) regarding how they feel about Ed at this moment?

Some folks have taken this article pretty hard. I'm wondering if things turned around in VH land would people change their mind or still rip on Ed.

E-roc · 11.08.09, 04:04 AM

That's all a lot of us have been holding out for, so yeah, he could redeem
himself simply by being true to himself.

We also happened to be holding out for a reunion, but even that got
tainted/corrupted as has become standard operating proceedure. I think
what most wanted was the return of the Mighty as a functionaing entity,
up to and including a new release. You know, like real bands do.
It's all I want now to see what the hell he's been up to and to have some
new gems (hopefully) in the canon. I mean, MWM and CGTSNM were not
exactly classic VH, but they were great and I wanted a full album of that stuff.
No more.

Now my morbid curiosity has the better of me. I like the poster who said, "if people are gonna hate it that much, now I HAVE to hear it" lol. While I mean that in that I personally like arty or progressive music (for lack of a better word) that's different and takes risks, I'm afraid what we might get would be
trainwrecks a la the BOV2 abortions. News flash, those tunes weren't
reviewed much because they were not noteworthy. And you might think a
sober EVH would know they were half-assed. So I have to agree with the other poster that said Ed likely just doesn't have it anymore or really have anything that would warrant a release. Maybe he's right to keep it under his hat. Just spare us the "10 albums-worth" and "waiting for the Great Pumpkin" rhetoric.

Prove us wrong, Ed.

Dutchie5150 · 11.08.09, 04:28 AM

WOW... I hope I'm as mature as you Eddymon when I'm your age...

Dave King · 11.08.09, 05:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Van_Heineken

I`m going to reserve final judgement until I read the actual article, but if Ed truly said he may never record new VH music again, it`s not surprising.

The man recorded one full album sober and it bombed horribly by his standards. He`s stated time and again that for him, making music was inextricably tied to drinking during the band`s heyday. If that`s true, it`s quite possible that he simply doesn`t have confidence in his ability to deliver new music of the caliber of classic VH while sober. The other possibility is that he`s a supremely creative artist while soused and a veritable dry well when not. The heavy metal Charlie Parker. The third possibility (and the one everyone is leaping too) is that he`s a greedy scumbag who won`t release new music unless it`s a guaranteed success. All 3 scenarios are equally bleak.

Before we rush to judgement however, we should consider the possibility that Ed is lying to himself as much as he is the fans. What we construe as blaming others is a perfectly natural defense mechanism if he can`t face the reality that his better days are now behind him or worse, he`s washed up. It`s the same old story. There`s only one direction left after you reach the top...

The thing I don`t get is, given the obvious mental and/or creative block, why is someone not advising him to release music outside the Van Halen band moniker? If it tanks, he can simply write it off as a shits n giggles side project ala Star Fleet.

I can certainly understand the disappointment and animosity given the false hope he`s been raising (the outright hatred is a lot harder to rationalize), but certainly there must be some perfectionists onboard who understand what an insurmountable challenge it must seem topping your best work when age and wealth have stolen your drive. Bottom line, if Chickenfoot doesn`t fire him up to prove something. What will?

This is one the best well written posts I've seen in a long long time. I can't agree more with what you are saying.

brownnation · 11.08.09, 05:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raldo

Just curious about one thing. If Ed does a total 180 and puts out some new music with Dave, will others on this board do the same thing (ie. Eddymon) regarding how they feel about Ed at this moment?

Some folks have taken this article pretty hard. I'm wondering if things turned around in VH land would people change their mind or still rip on Ed.

I don't think there are just two camps: those holding out for music and those who aren't. For a lot of people (me included), being a lifelong VH fan it's a decade long train wreck listening this guy to talk about my favorite band like he does. Single handedly dismantling it, saying irrational, incoherent and often cruel stuff.

I honestly, really, truly could not care less if VH releases any more music. I haven't really for over ten years now. An article like this to me isn't about "oh shit, there's no new music like he said!!" Shit no. If that shocks anyone, then they were as delusional as EVH himself.

I just find it interesting the way he continues to be in denial and is psychologically as fucked up about the VH situation as when he was using.

Blaming big bad Michael Anthony, DLR and Sammy Hagar is one thing. Fine, they ruined your band Eddie. But it's a whole other level of audacity and dickheadedness to blame the fans for not accepting music that he hasn't even attempted to release in 11 years.

EVH can make and release music. The fact that he chooses not to does not bother me one bit, he can do whatever he wants. But by all appearances, he turned into a bitter SOB somewhere along the way. I think VH fans like me that love the band and the music, are just venting and commenting about the guy who seems to be in the central position responsible for turning a world class phenomenon musical force into a train-wreck punchline.

jrnyc · 11.08.09, 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tommytom11

i'm not going to type the whole thing but here is the highlights, 'fans are complaining VH should put a new record out. they say Eddie should do this/that. i've got all kinds of music i could put out if i wanted to. people don't take in consideration the other guys in the band. i write all kinds of music that certain singers or musicians don't want anything to do with. so what do i do? VH conjures up a certain image., and if its a hair outside that image it won't be accepted. what if we do put something out? first thing people are going to say is that its not as good as the classics. people forget, we put out 3 new songs for BOBW and they were never even reviewed, and when we played them live everyone just stood there. nobody said anything about them. why go to the trouble, spend all that time in the studio, and tons of your own money, since labels don't put shit out any more, when people are only going to complain about it or ignore it or download it for free on the internet? we may not record anything new again. there is satisfaction in it, but not when it comes solely at your own expense and when people are only going to shoot it down no matter what you do'.

compare that to what the Chickenfoot guys said. 'we did a record on our own because we wanted to keep the kind of music we love and love to play alive' and with no label,at their own expense, and their record went gold. pretty ironic.

This is pretty pathetic, all these excuses and blaming the fans.

Solely at his expense, didn't the last tour gross 93 million dollars, I guess there is no money left over to pay for a record.

Whats this comment about the other guys in the band, sounds like him and Dave couldnt get on the same page as far as new music ?? There was a poster on here a couple of months ago who seemed legitimate and on the inside and indicated Dave and Ed weren't on the same page as the type of new music.

Doesn't anyone in VH management screen these things before they hit print ? If they are truly planning on another tour next year, these kinds of comments certainly aren't going to help attendance.

All the recent positives over the last couple of years go down the drain with the terrible comments he just made. I wouldnt be surprised at all if the tour doesn't go off next year.

Number 47 · 11.08.09, 06:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brownnation

Tom Petty said it best:

The paper said Ed always played from the heart... a rebel without a clue

& Their A&R man said "I don't hear a single" The future was wide open

Paulsitive · 11.08.09, 06:41 AM

I'm still just amazed that he mentioned the 3 BOBW tracks with Hagar considering how much the modern VH likes to pretend certain things never happened (VH 3, Hagar reunion, Michael Anthony)

Menlow · 11.08.09, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Van_Heineken

I`m going to reserve final judgement until I read the actual article, but if Ed truly said he may never record new VH music again, it`s not surprising.

The man recorded one full album sober and it bombed horribly by his standards. He`s stated time and again that for him, making music was inextricably tied to drinking during the band`s heyday. If that`s true, it`s quite possible that he simply doesn`t have confidence in his ability to deliver new music of the caliber of classic VH while sober. The other possibility is that he`s a supremely creative artist while soused and a veritable dry well when not. The heavy metal Charlie Parker. The third possibility (and the one everyone is leaping too) is that he`s a greedy scumbag who won`t release new music unless it`s a guaranteed success. All 3 scenarios are equally bleak.

Before we rush to judgement however, we should consider the possibility that Ed is lying to himself as much as he is the fans. What we construe as blaming others is a perfectly natural defense mechanism if he can`t face the reality that his better days are now behind him or worse, he`s washed up. It`s the same old story. There`s only one direction left after you reach the top...

The thing I don`t get is, given the obvious mental and/or creative block, why is someone not advising him to release music outside the Van Halen band moniker? If it tanks, he can simply write it off as a shits n giggles side project ala Star Fleet.

I can certainly understand the disappointment and animosity given the false hope he`s been raising (the outright hatred is a lot harder to rationalize), but certainly there must be some perfectionists onboard who understand what an insurmountable challenge it must seem topping your best work when age and wealth have stolen your drive. Bottom line, if Chickenfoot doesn`t fire him up to prove something. What will?

Great post. I don't quite get the outright hatred either.

jimmy · 11.08.09, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Number 47

& Their A&R man said "I don't hear a single" The future was wide open

Tom also said theat some days are diamonds...some days are rocks...and we aint' getting either lately

Eddymon · 11.08.09, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raldo

Just curious about one thing. If Ed does a total 180 and puts out some new music with Dave, will others on this board do the same thing (ie. Eddymon) regarding how they feel about Ed at this moment?

Some folks have taken this article pretty hard. I'm wondering if things turned around in VH land would people change their mind or still rip on Ed.

Yes I will and this is from one of my first "Anti-Eddie" posts I made a few pages back. "HE MISLED HIS FANS, even myself who has been one of the biggest Ed apologists on this board has now soured against him and I will not buy a ticket for the next tour nor will I buy the fucking lame ass video game that he has his son on trying to be classic VH. It would all change if this were just some big shitty misinterpretation of an interview and there actually is new music coming but I have lost hope of it."

I hope this is a big misunderstanding or something that we only got a brief snippet from and the whole thing is out of context. I hope Eddie did not say this shit and mean it. Because if he did, he shit on every fan of his that has been waiting "relatively" patiently as one can get for something new from him when he kept on telling us for a few years that he was not done yet.

On a somewhat related note, I was watching THAT METAL SHOW last night with a good buzz going and Eddie Trunk was interviewing Chickenfoot and he posted the question first to Chad about what he would do if the RHCP called to get it going again and he evaded the question. Of course he (Eddie) then asked Sam the same question in regards to VH and Sam flat out said no that he was done and not again. Then it was Mike who was asked and Sam said that he was waiting for the real VH reunion (Dave, Ed, Al & Mike). Mike pretty much said that he was also done in regards to VH. So maybe he was reached out to by the VH camp and he said no. Maybe Ed isn't totally wrong here? Then it got a bit funnier when Trunk asked Joe if he had a son that he could bring into Chickenfoot to play bass on if Mike changes his mind. And they all laughed.

But make no doubts about it, Ed is the one that put VH in the spot they are today and he has only himself to blame, not the fans. It was pretty evident by fan attendance on the 2004 and '07-'08 tours and even on the III Tour that the fans still care about this band. All he has to do is remove himself from all control aspects of the recording process and let someone else in to do that work. He is a musician/songwriter, not a top notch producer.

Eddymon · 11.08.09, 08:36 AM

Also on that same episode Steve Vai was the studio guest and after the Chickenfoot segment he mentioned that maybe he and Dave should get a group together again and call themselves the "Cockheads" and tour with Chickenfoot.