Dave On Carson... long but worth it

[Voxmaraya]

Ok... recovering from the weekend here... I sing down @ Murphy's Law Los Olas in Ft. Lauderdale, FL with my band FUNKETTE check out the picture galleries for the debauchery that goes on down here, ha ha... ok I digress...
I know this thread is already on the board, but screw it I want to start my own that sounds a bit more intelligent... (after reading it I hope it does...)

This afternoon I popped in my tape of Dave on Carson and cranked up the home entertainment system to get a full vibe on the songs... the interview was Dave being Dave, enough said... what do people want, the Eddie Vedder self depriciating sh*t that makes for a mopey visual... nope, not me... that's why you tuned into see... DAVE...
NOW... for the people who are bitching, saying Eddie is rolling on the floor... I have to ask... WHAT THE F**K were you watching??? I was absolutely pleased with the performance... could Dave have done maybe 4 less screams? yes, but that's about it... the opening screams were short and total balls, and had attitude - vintage!!!... plus the sound was great and the vibe was on man!!! (believe me, a good sound man is EVERYTHING... from 1993-1998 I toured with several big bands with my orignal band MARAYA ... in Europe we would listen to the board tapes of Metal Church after an unbelievable night, and on the tapes "direct" the singer would sound less than flattering, but we would always say "that's not what it sounded like in the house" , guess that's why we took their sound man on the road with us as well... sorry, digressing again... but my point is a good mix helps alot... Yes, I am a total Dave mark from the beginning, but even I was into Sammy's versions of his Van Hagar tunes when I saw them @ West Palm Beach... but people, what the HELL do you want? Dave has NEVER been about being a perfect singer (and he will never be Sammy in the "vocal talent" department) but based on what Dave sounded like 20 years ago, and from the concerts I have, was there THAT much of a difference??? I can count on one hand the number of singers who have really kept there voices over that time frame... Sammy, Paul Stanley, Halford (sometimes), Dio, Tyler... but Plant, Daltry, Gillian... all the other "legends" have also lost a bit as well... with the exception of the screams coming a bit easier 20 years ago, Dave was Dave... I was actually a bit surprised how well it sounded, all being what it is...
now don't get me wrong... I was the FIRST one to say Dave was through a few years ago... anyone who listens to Howard Stern will remember the opening montages he used to play with Dave doing his Vegas gig, or whatever it was... the board tapes were F**KIN AWFUL!!! Being a singer, I give Dave 100% credit for working his voice back into the shape it's in now from what it was... I think he realized that maybe he did screw things up back in 96, and took the gig a bit more seriously the past couple of years... again, is he Pavorotti? no and never will be... he is DAVE... 20 years after the fact... and I think all things considered he sounded (as well as the guys in his band) killer... with a good sound man and VH behind him - musically and vocally, maybe gigging every other night ( and with a few less screams that don't need to be there) I think he could do the job... now if Eddie wants to keep his "musical integrity" crap, then fine, go find VH4's new singer and flop away... but come on, rock and roll and VH is all about attitude and fun... could Kurt Cobain really sing that great live? seriously... it's all about the attitude and I think we would dig the 21st century VH with Dave...

sorry about rambling, but I mean SERIOUSLY... I want to know what people were expecting... real fans who know VH from the beginning... all you others must all be in that "fantasy" baseball/football group, because you really have made up some "fantasy" version of Dave's VH... with the exception of father time doing his natural course, what was that different??? ok, maybe the hair, but you know what? a be-weaved Dave gives him that "DAVE" look, and I say more power to him!!! better than that F**KIN hat and short hairdo he had a few years ago... if I want to keep up with the times (are you listening Eddie?) I will listen to the multitude of bands out today that look and sound the same... me?
I want my VAN HALEN...

Respectfully yours...
FALCO

[ September 15, 2002, 04:48 AM: Message edited by: Voxmaraya ]

[VHwasCoolestWithDLR]

I think he sounded good too. I think some people just dont want him o sound good. He obviously still has what it takes for a reunion.

[Voxmaraya]

No prob... drop me an email...
just listened to a bunch of MP3's from 1977 - 1983... not much of a difference I have to say... some nights a bit more powerful than others... but that goes with ANY vocalist...

FALCO

[EUX4Life]

It was tough to watch Carson Daly after a LONG Friday night, but Dave was great. I thought he carried himself well and when he played, he sounded even better. Good stuff

[Top Jimmy 1]

I agree, Dave sounded really good on Last Call. He acted more like the old Dave as far as stage movement goes too. Good grief, I'm so tired of people crying about how Dave can't sing or whatever. Dave sounds fine. Sammy sounds fine. Sammy will probably be back in Van Halen, and it will be a mistake. I like Sammy with VH, but I like VH better with Dave. To tell you the truth, what they should do, is give Dave and Sam both a shot. Do a album/tour with Dave, and then next year, do an album/tour with Sammy. He who sells the most records, and concert tickets has VH bragging rights. In the event of a tie, they go three rounds in the ring, or measure to see who has the biggest schlong. (Just kidding folks)

[DreamIsOver]

I thought the show was pathetic.The "interview" section was a joke.Dave's hipster raps used to be self confident bravado, now it's just nonsense.
As for "Mean Streets" it was musically pedestrian.The band knew their parts but didn't jell as a collective group.Dave indeed does sound the same as the eighties but without Eddie adding to and expanding the songs live with extra fills, different feels, etc. it just sounds like a bad cover band.
I saw Dave live in '86 doing classic VH with Steve Vai and it was awesome.Until Dave gets a guitarist who has the imagination and freedom to stray from the "note for note" performance it will be stale and sterile.Does Dave even know the names of the guys in the band?I saw Sam and Dave this summer and saw no interaction between Dave and the band at all.
I think Dave is becoming a modern day Chuck Berry.Pick up a band ,play the hits ,pick up a check ,goodbye.
The original VH had an intangible spark ,some magic that came from those 4 people together.I find it amusing that he wants to recreate that with VH but ignores this with his latter day solo bands.

[Diver Down]

Definitely worth staying up late to see Dave. Thought he was very comical during the interview. Voice sounded very good in the beginning of mean street. I think his voice ran out of gas a little during Panama. He is very entertaining none the less. His band was awesome. Overall, much better than anything on the MTV music awards. My only complaint is the hair. I think he should put it in a pony tail.

[cyberfiddl]

Originally posted by Top Jimmy 1:
I agree, Dave sounded really good on Last Call. He acted more like the old Dave as far as stage movement goes too. Good grief, I'm so tired of people crying about how Dave can't sing or whatever. Dave sounds fine. Sammy sounds fine. Sammy will probably be back in Van Halen, and it will be a mistake. I like Sammy with VH, but I like VH better with Dave. To tell you the truth, what they should do, is give Dave and Sam both a shot. Do a album/tour with Dave, and then next year, do an album/tour with Sammy. He who sells the most records, and concert tickets has VH bragging rights. In the event of a tie, they go three rounds in the ring, or measure to see who has the biggest schlong. (Just kidding folks)

GREAT!! That's all we need to do. PERFECT!! You just turned music (an art form) into a fuckin foot race. However, I would like to see Dave kick the shit outta Sammy.

[VHwasCoolestWithDLR]

Everyone keeps crying around about how Dave's just isnt the same as Eddie Alex and Mike. Well, you should blame Eddie and Alex Van Halen for that. This is pretty much all the man can do if they wont take him back.

[Harris]

I said it in the other post, I'll say it again. Give Dave credit for going on the show and performing. It was about friggin' time though. When was the last time Dave performed live on TV? The people bashing Dave saying he isn't what he was in the early 80s, are the same people that would call him great if the original line up was backing him Friday night. Quoting Joe Perry about the Aerosmith break up years, "Dynamite's ingredients, when stood alone, are not dangerous at all. Put them together and you've got something explosive." Same goes for David Lee. Dave without the Van Halen lineup is good but not what we want him to be. Dave and his band rocked and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Those that didn't already had their minds made up before the first chord.

[Crazy from the Hemp]

I must say that I was surprised at how well Dave sang on Carson. Based on the DLR Band cd and some boots from this summer's tour, I thought Dave was washed up vocally and started a thread along those lines a couple weeks back.

However, after hearing him on Carson, I would have to agree that he's done a lot to get his voice in shape since Vegas/DLR Band and if I had to base it on this single performance, I would say that he's vocally strong enough to be in VH again. He's lost some power off the screams, but he's as good as could be expected at this point in his career.

Having said that, I do find DLR's persona during public appearances to be increasingly bizarre and I can understand how Ed would have difficulty working with him.

Did anyone else notice how he completely zoned off onto his own tangent a couple times, and Carson had to wait patiently while he got back on track? Once he laughed it off referring to it as a sub-text to the conversation. What sub-text were you talking about Dave, because apparently you were the only one that got it? I too got the impression that the crowd was laughing at him instead of with him at certain times, especially with a comments like "24 letters in the alphabet."

I do think Dave, who has always admitted to having a vaudevillian influence, has to realize that canned shtick doesn't work in today's era of the global village where everyone's heard the lines a million times before. At times I find Dave to be very engaging and extremely positive. Let's face it, he could be pretty bitter at this point if he chose to be. But I will also say that he's not the shrewd, with it, rebel that he was in his younger days. At times it appears that the hard-living's taken it's toll, and he relies on his pat answers when the old cpu simply isn't processing for him. Just once, at this point in his life, I'd like to see him drop the 'Diamond' shtick and be himself.

[SpanishFly Guy]

Dave showed on that show that he still can bring the music to you. They all sounded great, his band is tight. The interview was classic Diamond Dave, he goes in his own direction. Either you roll with him or he loses you in the blink of an eye.

Playing Mean Street was actually a great choice for him to showcase himself along with his band. The to finish the show with Panama was even better. But I have to agree with TT, chances are that if there is a reunion, it will be with Sammy. Mike showed you on this tour who his vote is for. I am a fan of the Dave and would love to see him play with van halen again, but hope is diminishing daily.

[famac@nuveen.com]

Mike's vote? Mike doesn't have a vote, dude. My only wish is that the band would figure out how to play the intro to Panama with the proper timing on the chords. The play it all of the beat and there are some funky changes in the original. And I can play it, so what the f*ck! I suck!