things got so bad that "even Alex started hanging out with us"

[voivod]

Hagar showcases Van Halen's Michael Anthony

By Regis Behe
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, July 6, 2006

You can find a lot of worse things to do than be on the road with Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony on their current tour.

Infinitely worse.

Stopping at the Post-Gazette Pavilion on Sunday, the cavalcade features a replica of Cabo Wabo Cantina, Hagar's utopian Mexican retreat where the skies are always sunny and the parties never end.

It's especially good, Hagar insists, in comparison to the last time Hagar and Anthony joined forces: The Van Halen reunion tour in 2004, where things got so bad that "even Alex started hanging out with us," Hagar says.

Alex, for those who have been avoiding rock 'n' roll for the last three decades, is the drumming half of the Van Halen brothers; his brother, the wondrous guitarist Eddie, is the other half. That tour, according to both Hagar and Anthony, was beyond unbearable.

"The b.s. that was going on," Anthony says. "Aside from when we were on stage, I myself rarely saw the Van Halens. Sammy and I, we'd go out to dinner, but Eddie, nobody ever saw him. He was hiding out a lot."

Such was Van Halen's desire for control over the situation that Anthony was asked to sign over all of his rights to Van Halen royalties prior to the tour. He did so because he felt he had no other choice. And he did it because he couldn't imagine the music he loved so much being played without him.

"We never succumbed to any trends," Anthony says of Van Halen's body of music. "We always wrote music that we enjoyed. You look at it, especially something like our No. 1 single, 'Jump' and you'd think we tried to that. But we never considered ourselves a singles band. We wrote music that we loved, and I think it holds up."

Sometimes forgotten, according to Hagar, is Anthony's contribution to the band. Sure, fans loved Eddie Van Halen's guitar wizardry and Hagar and David Lee Roth's showmanship. But Anthony's contributions, he thinks, also were important.

"That first version of 'Running with the Devil,' that sound, that's Michael Anthony," he says. "That sound he created with his background vocals, that was absolutely uncanny. ... He's one of the only singers I know who can do that, create a sound with background vocals. Not only is he a great bass player, but no one can sing like he can."

Such is Hagar's esteem for his friend that's he pushing him into the limelight for the portion of the show that features Van Halen songs. Allowing that he's still gets a bit nervous about being the center of attention, Anthony says "I don't consider myself a lead singer," noting that he had sung in bands previous to joining Van Halen. "

"When I joined the band I thought it was a good opportunity to just kick back and play bass," he says.

But Hagar isn't allowing that to happen, at least on this tour.

"I want him to give it everything he's got," Hagar says. "Having Mike come out front for an hour or so is an awesome experience. I want to share the spotlight with him. He brings so much to the music. I think he's so talented and he's never really gotten his due."

Anthony and Hagar both promise that the Van Halen portion of the show will feature some well-known chestnuts, and some obscurities. Anthony would only say that the set list changes night to night, but Hagar allowed that past shows have relative obscurities like "Amsterdam" in addition to a set of Hagar's solo material.

What is guaranteed, however, is fun. Both Anthony and Hagar allow the only thing that made the last Van Halen tour bearable was the response they received each night from fans. And now, they intend to give even more back to the fans in the way of sideshow attractions, such is their happiness.

"I'm the luckiest s.o.b. in the world," Hagar says, noting that he's pouring -- no pun intended -- some of the money he makes from his premium tequila into the Cabo Wabo Village experience which features "four truck loads of fun" including a mariachi band, beach volleyball and some bikini-clad attendants. "You'll be walking around it that day just like we do at Cabo Wabo."

[LLFHS]

Michael needs to shut the fuck up.

[Van Squalen]

3/4

[Little Dreamer]

Well God has decided we must suffer, what else can I say. The guys don't talk, we suffer. The guys start talking, we suffer. The guys tour, suffering - at least for some of the fans. The guys don't, more suffering. Pain, pain, pain.

[Raldo]

Sometimes the truth can hurt but I'd rather live with that than a lie.

And Sammy is right in what he says about Mike. So underappreciated (at least by Eddie).

[sickman]

Why does Mike need to shut the fuck up. Maybe Eddie needs to get his head out of his Ass. I love Eddie too but Who has done more for the fans in the last decade? Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony. Shit even during the 04 tour being in the Golden Rings and doing the 5 star packages Mike and Sam and some times Al were the only ones to consintantly interact with the people who made them so successful.
Mike can say what ever the fuck he wants to say. Until we here that loud popping sound come from california Sam and Mike will continue to pay tribute to the legacy of the best fuckin rock-n-roll band on the planet.

[RKVH5150]

Just remember to some it's never Eddie's fault, to some it's never Dave's fault & to some it's never Sammy's fault. Also to some it's always one of the aboves fault.

For a group of people who obviously love Van Halen, is there a damn thing that we can agree upon? Is this what 10 years of virtual inactivity except for 1998 & 2004 do to a fan base?

[BradS]

Such was Van Halen's desire for control over the situation that Anthony was asked to sign over all of his rights to Van Halen royalties prior to the tour.

If this is true, fuck Eddie and Alex. What pieces of shit.

[voivod]

If this is true, fuck Eddie and Alex. What pieces of shit.

You missed those four different threads on that one topic last month??

My guess, Mike is not even a "member" anymore and is relegated to "hired musician" status...

[Greenpaw]

Maybe Al's eyes are sensitive to lemon juice.

[chain]

I'm sure Mike didn't sell his royalties. He didn't say this in the interview a few weeks ago. Only rights to the name VH, logo, etc. If he did sell his royalties, he got a VERY pretty penny for them. I think the reporter has the two confused. It's not like he would have given them away anyway. The brothers probably saw this as an opportunity to have complete control of the name, corporation and possibly all publishing and royalty money. It might explain why he took less money in performance money for the tour. He sold the brothers his rights for a boatload, and took less from the tour. Hell, it sounds like a business decision. Might even make sense from a taxation perspective. Mikes a great guy and he's certainly no dummy. He knows full well what his royalties are worth. I don't believe for a minute that Mike would give up his retirement plan (royalties) without being paid handsomely just for the sake of playing on the potentially last VH tour.

[vh_chick]

OK, so I never understood this. What exactly is it that Mike gave up? What can't he do anymore, now that he signed whatever rights away?

Shari

[BradS]

You missed those four different threads on that one topic last month??

My guess, Mike is not even a "member" anymore and is relegated to "hired musician" status...

Yeah, I did miss them...I have kind of been out of the loop here lately.

[Wickett]

OK, so I never understood this. What exactly is it that Mike gave up? What can't he do anymore, now that he signed whatever rights away?

Shari

The way I understand it (and I could be WAY wrong, anyone feel free to correct me) is that Mike gave up rights to the VH name, logo, etc. For example (and only and example) Mike could not tour under the name "Van Halen, featuring Michael Anthony."

He can't use VH name or logo on Micheal Anthony merchandise, etc.

My understanding is he did not sign away publishing royalties. If he did, I would think he got a pretty penny for it.

[Van Squalen]

Maybe Al's eyes are sensitive to lemon juice.