let's get somethin straight..

**JMJ** · 12.21.06, 02:01 PM

some of you guys crack me up

you say you'll believe the tour when you see it when dave actually is on stage with ed. yet you see the cover of the guitar world magazine and say well there it is, wolf is the new bassist, mike is gone.

if we've learned anything guys over the years, nothing is ever set in stone with these guys, things can change.

what will we all do if this never even gets off the ground? tell me then? my guess is all the bitchin will stop and brett will have a serious decision to make about keeping this place open. i don't like the current situation any more than many of you. however, it is what it is. this is what we have. and it sure is hell is better than nothin.

things change, and don't rule out mike yet

we've been down this road before. if it weren't for the hof this coming year, we wouldn't have any of this at all, nothin. we'd just be doing our annual what awards show will vh show up at this year?

so basically- we're lucky we have anything right now. might not be what we all want, but what the hell? what we want don't really matter...

happy holidays people

-brother J

**Vince G.** · 12.21.06, 02:07 PM

If they get inducted into the RRHOF, it'll be interesting as hell to see them onstage with Mike, given everything that's gone down the last few months. It'll be their usual fake smiles and hugs before they all go their separate ways again.

It all reminds me of how Plant and Page treated JPJ after Zeppelin broke up. They left him out of a lof stuff, treating him as some of pariah. It was nice, seeing JPJ throw some shit back their way when, I think it was at their RRHOF induction, he said "It was ncie to see that my former bandmates remembered my phone number this time around." Plant had a total egg-on-his-face look right after JPJ said that.

I still think it's fucked they don't include Gary, though.

**Vinnie Velvet** · 12.21.06, 02:13 PM

Originally Posted by Vince G.

I still think it's fucked they don't include Gary, though.

Gary's contribution to VH was VERY limited and minimal.

ONE album and tour that TANKED! And its obvious VH themselves would like to forget it happened (no songs from VH3 were represented on Best of Both Worlds).

He doesn't deserve to be inducted with VH.

**Brett** · 12.21.06, 02:16 PM

I actually agree with that, but Cherone got a raw deal. He was in a no-win situation no matter how good VH 3 was.

**It's Mike** · 12.21.06, 02:32 PM

Originally Posted by Brett

I actually agree with that, but Cherone got a raw deal. He was in a no-win situation no matter how good VH 3 was.

agreed. Nice to hear someone say that.

**It's Mike** · 12.21.06, 02:37 PM

Originally Posted by Vinnie Velvet

Gary's contribution to VH was VERY limited and minimal.

ONE album and tour that TANKED! And its obvious VH themselves would like to forget it happened (no songs from VH3 were represented on Best of Both Worlds).

He doesn't deserve to be inducted with VH.

and their original greatest hits didn't include any material from Diver Down.
Does that mean the band regrets recording that album too?

The Gary topic has been talked to death, I think we all agree though that he tried his best to make an impossible situation work. I think for that it would be nice if he was invited and included in some way, but knowing the type of guy he is he'd likely decline the invite. That day is for Ed, Al, Mike, Dave and Sam not for Gary. They made the band what it was.

**DoHalen5150** · 12.21.06, 02:39 PM

I enjoyed the gary and Ed stuff, I just wish they called it something other than Van Halen, and perhaps it wouldn't have done so bad in the public eye. Might have had a fighting chance, if it were a "new band" instead of an "old band" with a "new singer"

I'm in a "quotation" using mood.

**twonabomber** · 12.21.06, 02:43 PM

Originally Posted by it's me

and their original greatest hits didn't include any material from Diver Down.
Does that mean the band regrets recording that album too?

Ed has always stated his dislike of Diver Down.

as for Cherone...there are no new artists in interviews saying that they had to get into the music biz because Cherone's work on III inspired them.

**Otis5150** · 12.21.06, 02:57 PM

Originally Posted by JMJ

i don't like the current situation any more than many of you. however, it is what it is. this is what we have. and it sure is hell is better than nothin.

so basically- we're lucky we have anything right now. might not be what we all want, but what the hell? what we want don't really matter...

What the hell are you talking about? We don't have anything!

**It's Mike** · 12.21.06, 02:59 PM

Originally Posted by twonabomber

Ed has always stated his dislike of Diver Down.

as for Cherone...there are no new artists in interviews saying that they had to get into the music biz because Cherone's work on III inspired them.

i think we're in agreement. The band that will be get inducted owes nothing to VH3. I simply think an invite to Gary (which i reckon wouldn't be accepted) would be a classy gesture.

**BREW CREW** · 12.21.06, 03:01 PM

Originally Posted by Brett

I actually agree with that, but Cherone got a raw deal. He was in a no-win situation no matter how good VH 3 was.

Originally Posted by it's me

agreed. Nice to hear someone say that.

I think most of us agree with that AND that the 3 tour sounded better than BOBW tour.

**Number 47** · 12.21.06, 03:04 PM

I'm sure the whole VH situation looks a lot different through Ed's eye's. He might not even see things being as crazy and convoluted as we can sometimes make them out to be.

He might not have a clue about all the hubb-bubb!, but at least he's peekin' his head out of his shell and hopefully becoming aware.

**Zahzoo** · 12.21.06, 03:05 PM

Thanks for the wake up call JMJ!!

**AJHV** · 12.21.06, 03:22 PM

Ummm no I prefer nothing, or else I m going to feel bad for Alex Van Halen. Didn’t he make fun of Sam for going on tour with Dave?

1. Dave tour a train Wreck ( W/ 15 Year old that has only been playing Bass for 3 months)
2. Van Halen as a 3 Act (Hell no….)
3. Leave VH until they can all get along!

3 is my choice.

**Van Squalen** · 12.21.06, 03:33 PM

Originally Posted by JMJ

you say you'll believe the tour when you see it when dave actually is on stage with ed. yet you see the cover of the guitar world magazine and say well there it is, wolf is the new bassist, mike is gone.

if we've learned anything guys over the years, nothing is ever set in stone with these guys, things can change.

I think the underlying premise with that distinction is that it's a direct EVH endorsed interview in print with an established music rag, rather than some new porn stuntwoman girlfriend making a half-assed press release. You're absolutely right, things are NEVER set in stone with Van Halen, but now, Ed's running a larger risk if he backpaddles and offers Mike a spot at the table, plus it's his SON he'd be re-replacing. Once it's picked up in mainstream rock media as a finality, there's really no going back, only forward, not without losing a lotta face and more importantly, possibly hurting his child's feelings.

In short, bud...what we don't know for sure is if they're gonna tour and who's gonna sing...but sadly, what has become more likely than not is whatever they do or don't do, it ain't gonna involve Mad Anthony.

Which is, by far, the biggest blunder Ed has made to date with Van Halen. And that's saying something. A big fuckin' something.