Here's The Deal

[I Coulda Hada VH]

Call me delusional. Call me myopic. Call me an optimist. Call me crazy. Call me anything you want. Just wait until March 5, 2002.

Despite all of the recent information and "evidence" to the contrary, I am predicting right here at approximately 7:00 P.M. PST on Monday, February 11, 2002, that the greatly anticipated reconvening of The Mighty Van Halen with original frontman and Master of Ceremonies, Diamond David Lee Roth, is not only happening, but will be announced on or before March 5, 2002.

My source. Common sense and uncommon hope. When one considers all of the lies, half-truths, rumors and other "information" from the past 27 months, it is almost impossible to come up with a scenario that fits everything that has been "revealed."

Let's review:

11/99: Gary Cherone leaves VH. DLR rumors begin.

05/00: Stories surface of Eddie's tongue cancer.

12/00: Dweezil Zappa is quoted as saying that Eddie and Dave are currently in the studio.

01/01: Michael Anthony, at NAMM, when asked if they are working with Dave, responds, "You know I can't answer that question." Why not??? He also promises announcements "very soon" and an album by the fall of 2001.

08/01: Eddie, in an interview with his close friend from Maximum Golf Magazine, reveals that VH did indeed record 3 songs with Dave in the summer of 2000. He also says that the reunion is "not up to me, it really isn't. I don't know what goes on in other people's realities, and I don't try to figure it out. Dave has my number. He knows where I live."

10/01: Dave says a Van Halen reunion is inevitable. He also says it will, hopefully, be soon, before our clothes go out of style.

11/01: Michael Anthony, at a car show in Arizona, reportedly tells Rolsguitars and FullBugAZ, two longtime posters and well-respected members at VH's official website, that VH will be releasing a new album in the spring of 2002, will probably start touring before that, and, that Dave is going to do it "this time." What exactly does "this time" mean? More on these two very important words later.

The next day, Brad Starks, VH's official Webmaster and Public Enemy #1 to the band's most fanatical fans, comes on to the site and proclaims that he spoke with Michael and everything that Rolsguitars and FullBug AZ said is "Bullshit" and that Michael never said those things.

01/02: I call an acquaintance of mine, who happens to be a blood relative of Michael Anthony. MA's relative tells me that he/she spoke with Michael in person around Christmas and asked him about the status of the band. Michael responded that they, meaning VH, were going to announce something major very soon. When this relative pressed Michael for informatin, Michael replied, "Oh no, I already got into trouble once for jumping the gun. You're just going to have to wait."

To me, this is the most important piece of evidence that we have. This statement Michael made to his blood relative, that was in turn relayed to me, seems to totally support the stories of Rolsguitars and FullBugAZ.

01/02: Van Halen and Warner Bros. part ways. The general consensus is that WB dumped VH because the band would not work with DLR. According to Brad Starks, this split actually occurred sometime in December of 2001, likely before Michael Anthony's above conversation with his relative.

Now, let's get to the heart of the matter. If WB indeed dumped VH because they wouldn't work with Dave, and VH, as almost everyone here thinks, is in total limbo with no plans for the future, why would Michael Anthony tell his relative, who by the way, is only a casual fan of the band, that they were about to announce something major very soon? IMO, he wouldn't. It would serve absolutley no purpose for him to lie to a blood relative who is only a casual fan of his band.

When Michael told Rolsguitars and FullBugAZ that Dave was going to do it "this time", I believe that he unwittingly gave us a huge clue about what has really been the reason for all of the ongoing silence and cloak-and-dagger secrecy. Here it is:

David Lee Roth would basically give his left nut to be back in Van Halen. Warner Bros. wanted more than this. Whether it was royalties to Ray Danniels, Gary Cherone or Sammy Hagar, or an unreasonable cut of the reunion pie, I don't know. I just believe that Dave said, "No Fucking Way" to something. After Dave was played for the fool back in 1996, he was going to make damned sure that it didn't happen again. He was going to get his fair share this time.

I believe Dave convinced Eddie, Alex and Michael to go along with the ruse that they tried to reunite and it didn't work. All they had to do was convince Warner Bros. that they were not going to get back together and then ask Warner Bros. to release them from their contract. Remember, that while Eddie is a musical genius, Dave is the one with the business savvy.

I also believe that Van Halen has a completed CD with David Lee Roth on vocals. I believe that we will hear a single from this new CD on or before March 5, 2002. They will tour by late spring or early summer of this year.

In summary, I believe that Van Halen and Diamond Dave are about to pull off one of the great stings of all time. All of the people that religiously rip the band, and in particular Eddie Van Halen, will gladly eat crow and watch The Mighty Van Halen return and give us (the majority of us, anyway) what we've been dying for since 1984.

We'll know if any of the above is true in 22 days or less. Let's keep the faith.

P.S. That took me a hour and five minutes. I really need to get a life!!!

[ February 11, 2002 at 08:09 PM: Message edited by: I Coulda Hada VH ]</p>

[dj88]

I hope you're right. I'll gladly eat crow if that means I get Van Halen back with Dave!

The scary thing is that kind of makes sense. The only question I have is where did you get the exact date from?

[BREW CREW]

March 5th? This year? [img]graemlins/scared.gif[/img] WOW

[tap1966]

Originally posted by I Coulda Hada VH:


I believe Dave convinced Eddie, Alex and Michael to go along with the ruse that they tried to reunite and it didn't work. All they had to do was convince Warner Bros. that they were not going to get back together and then ask Warner Bros. to release them from their contract.

Call me a sceptic, but I find it hard to believe that you can get out of a multi-million dollar contract by pretending something isn't ever going to happen and then revealing that you've been recording all along and release an album 3 months later.

Ray Luzier is in for a shock too.

[dj88]

Originally posted by Jonathan:
Ray Luzier is in for a shock too.

Yeah, it looks like things are going full speed with Dave's band. Why would he get a new guitarist if he's just going back to VH in March. That doesn't add up...

[I Coulda Hada VH]

I think this whole thing with The DLR Band is just more of the smokescreen. Who really wants to see DLR with Toshi What's His Name?, James Lorenzo and Ray Luzier?

I have a feeling that DVD will never materialize, either.

[tap1966]

Originally posted by I Coulda Hada VH:
I think this whole thing with The DLR Band is just more of the smokescreen. Who really wants to see DLR with Toshi What's His Name?, James Lorenzo and Ray Luzier?

Edward Van Halen maybe? I think the smokescreen theory is somewhat optimistic at this stage. I hope you're right, but my "source" claims that Eddie has killed any chance of a reunion permanently. We'll see at some point I guess.

I have a feeling that DVD will never materialize, either.

Possibly. I'm sure Dave thinks it rules but I wouldn't be surprised if it never hits the stores.

[Glenn]

I just can't understand why people are so adament that Dave wouldn't work under the WB umbrella. Dave isn't a fool; he knows that a lot of money in the music industry goes to people who don't do a whole lot in terms of creativity. What does he care whether an asshole at WB is making too much off of VH's reunion or an asshole at Sony is making too much off of VH's reunion? The outcome is identical, why waste time and energy trying to stick it to 'the man', just so someone else can become 'the next man'. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss!

Plus, there's no way in the world that VH could have completed (start to finish) an entire album with David Lee Roth while at the same time convincing WB that the reunion is never going to happen. NO WAY they could pull that deception off, even if they wanted to.

This is an interesting trip out on a limb, but you'll forgive me for sending it to the Opinions/Speculation forum. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Eddymon]

Time will tell.

[JMJ]

i agree with the split from wb, that there was way too much money haggling going on there.

anyone remember that post...the smokeecreen, the sting, and a voice of reason?

there was shit going on with ed and dave for that matter, as far as being called "van halen" that led to the split from wb,imo. me thinks something went down, but i don't know what. but i do think it involved some negotiations of sort.....there's way too much money floating around a vh reunion for them to stay at WB. aol/time warner lost over a billion dollars last year. and what better way for them to cash in than with a vh/dave reunion, and leaving vh, especially dave, with jack squat. except now, dave said fuck that ed, we need to go elsewhere.

of course ed said what he did in the maxim golf magazine. if there's negotiations going on and stuff, he's not gonna say so. and he's not gonna say dave and i are trying to get to another label to do this OUR way. all he said was he didn't know what goes on in other people's realities and he doesn't try to figure it out. i think this was before they figured they should split WB. in other words, ed was getting frustrated with dave again cuz ed just assumes get the show on the road if we're gonna do it. but, ed then realizes, hey no shit!! dave is right, let's see if i can get with my lawyers and see what we can do.

you see, it went from, i don't know what goes on in dave's realities, to....we now have a new lawyer and we left WB, and neither we (VH) or dave have said the reunion will not happen. see where i am coming from with this? if ed didn't think it wasn't gonna work with dave, why can yer old lawyer and leave WB? well you may say if dave wasn't in WB wanted no part of it. i say maybe not. they'd still take vh with sammy cuz WB needs the money!!! vh don't need the money from what i understand, and dave doesn't wanna get shafted again, ala 1996. besides, wb doesn't have time to concentrate on vh because they aren't mainstream right now and letting em go doesn't hurt them right now. me thinks if WB and aol/time warner were financially stable and daniels wasn't a aprt of that band, vh would still be on there.

so, it is possible we may be in for a shock soon...

JMJ

[I Coulda Hada VH]

JMJ raises another critical point: Not one of the following four people have said that a reunion with DLR is off:

David Lee Roth
Eddie Van Halen
Alex Van Halen
Michael Anthony

Why hasn't any one of these guys just come out and said that the reunion is not happening? Why are we getting DLR's "future plans" from Ray Luzier? Probably because it will be a lot easier for Dave to just come out and say "things changed" when the reunion is announced than if Dave himself were the one talking about "future plans" that are not going to happen.

[Glenn]

Originally posted by I Coulda Hada VH:
David Lee Roth
Eddie Van Halen
Alex Van Halen
Michael Anthony

Why hasn't any one of these guys just come out and said that the reunion is not happening?

In Dave's case, it's obvious. If he's got a DVD and/or an album to sell, he's only going to benefit from being spoken of in the same breath as Van Halen.

If Dave had released an album a year ago when the rumors were the hottest, he'd have sold a hell of a lot more records as he'll sell a year from now if he publicly pulls the plug on VH immediately. The Van Halen name will always generate more interest than any of the individual names involved in it, past, present or otherwise. Dave benefits by remaining close to that flame; no point in him cutting the cord if VH don't.

As for VH, since when have they been known to have any PR skills?

[tap1966]

Originally posted by I Coulda Hada VH:
JMJ raises another critical point: Not one of the following four people have said that a reunion with DLR is off:

True. But only one of them has (allegedly) said it's on to begin with.

David Lee Roth

Dave has nothing to gain by saying a reunion is definitely off. Whatever has been happening with VH, Dave's profile is definitely higher in the last couple of years because of the rumours.

Eddie Van Halen

Eddie doesn't say anything much these days except to Golf magazines. I'm not sure he gives a fuck what people think or believe.

Alex Van Halen

Has anyone even seen Alex since the 3 tour?

Michael Anthony

This is the weird one. If it wasn't for the stuff you (and Rols and FBAZ) heard, it would look inevitable there was no reunion coming. I still don't think there is anyway, but I can't work out why Mike would be saying these things.

[BREW CREW]

Originally posted by I Coulda Hada VH:
JMJ raises another critical point: Not one of the following four people have said that a reunion with DLR is off:

David Lee Roth
Eddie Van Halen
Alex Van Halen
Michael Anthony

Why hasn't any one of these guys just come out and said that the reunion is not happening? Why are we getting DLR's "future plans" from Ray Luzier? Probably because it will be a lot easier for Dave to just come out and say "things changed" when the reunion is announced than if Dave himself were the one talking about "future plans" that are not going to happen.

Maybe they don't know what THEY are doing!
On a different note: I coulda hada Vh: where are you originally from? My ex-lead singer ALWAYS said your "linker name" just before we played Poundcake. Brings back a lot of great memories!
I am just wondering.

[I Coulda Hada VH]

Brew Crew,

I'm originally from the suburbs of Los Angeles. There was a radio station in L.A. called KMET that used to have a morning show where they would name the various rock bands that they were about to play after breakfast foods and beverages. For example:

Eggs Benatar (Pat Benatar)
Cheerios Speedwagon (REO Speedwagon)
VH Juice (Van Halen)

I know, these are very stupid, but the VH one just stuck in my mind. This was back around 1981.