Casual music fan interests in CVH Renuion?

**dropdeadlegs** · 11.05.06, 03:40 PM

Let me play the devil's advocate. Aside from us Van Halen fans on the 'Links, Army and few other places, what percentage of the general public would be interested or even willin' to go see Van Halen with all original members? I got the idea for this thread from another one, where I suggested the success of any CVH reunion may lie with older fans. I got to thinkin' even with older fans and new ones. Will this be enought to guarantee a successful tour. I think back to the reception the band got at the '96 MTV Awards: I can't believe very many of those people were rabid Van Halen fans but were still excited when Dave walked out with the rest of the band. Quite frankly, I'm not sure the likes of us are enough to guarantee a successfully tour. What do you think?

**Menlow** · 11.05.06, 03:50 PM

Originally Posted by dropdeadlegs

Let me play the devil's advocate. Aside from us Van Halen fans on the 'Links, Army and few other places, what percentage of the general public would be interested or even willin' to go see Van Halen with all original members? I got the idea for this thread from another one, where I suggested the success of any CVH reunion may lie with older fans. I got to thinkin' even with older fans and new ones. Will this be enought to guarantee a successful tour. I think back to the reception the band got at the '96 MTV Awards: I can't believe very many of those people were rabid Van Halen fans but were still excited when Dave walked out with the rest of the band. Quite frankly, I'm not sure the likes of us are enough to guarantee a successfully tour. What do you think?

VH is one of the top selling acts in United States history. CVH is still played in regular rotation on every classic rock station in America. The original band hasn't played together since 1984. It has all the ingridients to be a huge tour that could capture the interest of the average fan. What really happens is up to the band and how this is all executed.

**Brett** · 11.05.06, 03:52 PM

The casual fan doesn't give a shit. I hate to break it to you. People know the songs, they don't care about the band anymore.

**Rovus** · 11.05.06, 03:58 PM

If it's promoted well, I think it still could be successful. Maybe not as good as it could've been in 1996.

**NOaverageJOE** · 11.05.06, 04:07 PM

With good promotion, it will sell a little more than the '04 shows, but not much.

**wombattt** · 11.05.06, 04:18 PM

Originally Posted by Brett

The casual fan doesn't give a shit. I hate to break it to you. People know the songs, they don't care about the band anymore.

I was just gonna say pretty much non-existent...but this is alittle more to the point

**Menlow** · 11.05.06, 04:22 PM

Originally Posted by Brett

The casual fan doesn't give a shit. I hate to break it to you. People know the songs, they don't care about the band anymore.

I disagree with that. VH was one of the most popular bands of the 80's. A full reunion done the right way will be very successful. I think the 1996 KISS tour is a barometer of the appetite for such a reunion tour.

Of course KISS had all four members and generated quite a bit of pre tour publicity....

**Brett** · 11.05.06, 04:27 PM

The 80's are a long way ago, most people moved on from Van Halen.

Kiss is a totally different animal and situation.

And if VH does a tour based on the casual fan who doesn't care what they do, I say "fuck you" to them.

**empyre44** · 11.05.06, 04:31 PM

i agree with ya Brett, I dont think the casual fan really gives a crap anymore. VH just hasnt really "aged" well and they really dont have the imfamous kind of vibe that Motley had when they got back together to tour last year.

**Brett** · 11.05.06, 04:32 PM

All their own fault too. It's a sad day when VH can't garner more attention than fucking Motley Crue.

**empyre44** · 11.05.06, 04:38 PM

but it could be fixed with some good marketing ploys to play up how wild the early VH was, like the Crue did with The Dirt and a handful of VH1 specials...no matter what age, people knew how crazy the Crue was and how Tommy & Vince hated each other. but when they got back together there was that special where it showed they hated each other still but wanted to try and make it work and they built some "respect" for each other so it didnt really look like a money grab. Ed & Dave could easily build this type of thing to make it seem more genuine and thats its not a one shot deal and they could build the basis to be a touring band for a "long" time.

**Van Squalen** · 11.05.06, 05:00 PM

Originally Posted by Brett

And if VH does a tour based on the casual fan who doesn't care what they do, I say "fuck you" to them.

Heh. That sorta sums it up.

Doesn't matter, though. Those who believe America is eagerly awaiting the return of the mighty Van Halen are fooling themselves. The casual fan would go for nostalgia's sake, while the tour was in their neck of the woods, and little else. The casual fan will barely notice a new Van Halen album on the shelves, much less go out of their way to see its songs performed live.

It's a sad state of affairs when acts like Bon Jovi and KISS and Motley Crue are more in the public's general consciousness than Van Halen. Time changes all things. Stagnation and hibernation aren't the best ways to go about staying relevant. Ed made this bed, and now he's laying in it.

But it's just a rock and roll band...er, the remains of a rock and roll band, rather.

**Brett** · 11.05.06, 05:09 PM

Van Halen's commercial day is way past. If they did an album with Dave, they'd be lucky to hit platinum, hardly anyone outside of a diehard VH fan would even notice. People just need to face reality, it's 2006 and Van Halen just doesn't matter to that many people anymore.

**Menlow** · 11.05.06, 05:17 PM

I agree that a new album would be met with a collective who cares.

However, I still maintain, given the right promotion and publicity--RARHOF for instance, a classic reunion with all four members would be a successful tour. I don't think they'd have any trouble getting 15,000 people each night to listen to Panama, Dance The Night Away, Jamie's Cryin', etc. It may not be what the die hard VH fan wants, but its exactly what the casual fan would go see. It would probably appeal to them more not to have any new songs to listen to.

I certainly think they would far outdo Motley Crue.

**Van Squalen** · 11.05.06, 05:29 PM

Originally Posted by Menlow

I agree that a new album would be met with a collective who cares.

However, I still maintain, given the right promotion and publicity--RARHOF for instance, a classic reunion with all four members would be a successful tour. I don't think they'd have any trouble getting 15,000 people each night to listen to Panama, Dance The Night Away, Jamie's Cryin', etc. It may not be what the die hard Vh wants, but its exactly what the casual fan would go see. It would probably appeal to them more not to have any new songs to listen to.

I certainly think they would far outdo Motley Crue.

I'm not convinced they'd outdo Motley Crue. A lot more young folk dig the Crue than Halen. Perhaps they'd draw equal attendance.

Certainly the tour wouldn't lose money.

I know it's been said enough, but who the hell cares what the casual fan thinks anyway? If Ed's not doing this for his ever-dwindling core fanbase as it is, then it's gonna be a joke anyway. Bullshit no Mike no new music cash run? Pass. It'll be embarassing if Dave AND Ed both sell out just to get in the Hall of Fame or make a few bucks. Technically speaking, Ed hasn't quite - albeit a near thing - actually toured without at least a bit of new tunes, even '04's lackluster tracks, unless you count the second leg OU812 tour after Monsters in '88 or the RHRN live tour (live rehash of FUCK).

But if Dave goes out without Mike...if Ed tours with NO new music whatsoever...then they both break longstanding claims of purist musicianship.