Alex Van Halen 2007

**Vanhalen** · 02.15.07, 05:51 PM

With all this BS about Wolfie not being good enough, Eddie = nuts, Dave being submissive & obedient, Mike is Van Halen, Alex is more replaceble, etc............. anyone has imagine how good Alex is gonna play this summer?

Man, we heard Ed, Sam, Mike, & even Dave in the past 2 years... but Big Al?!!?

Is gonna be amazing, just to see him on stage playing those drums like the amazing musician he is!!

**Phatie** · 02.15.07, 05:56 PM

Drum players are not musicians, they're percussionists; there is a difference.

**Vanhalen** · 02.15.07, 06:08 PM

Originally Posted by Phatie

Drum players are not musicians, they're percussionists; there is a difference.

What? That´s an old misconception!! Don´t tell drummers they are not musicians, because they are!! Besides if you think drummer are musicians or not, is irrelevant! Alex is a musician, or you think otherwise....... (I don´t think so!)

**MF5150** · 02.15.07, 06:34 PM

Al has been solid forever. I can't imagine him dropping the ball. It always amazes me that in these interviews it's always Dave and Ed are the magic. So if people say that Mikey isn't a necessary part of VH...fine...but I guess Al isn't either. Because nobody talks about him being necessary to the sound or the..."magic".

The bottom line to all these arguments is that Al has the last name. If Mike did nobody would be making these comments about him not being part of the magic. the fact that Mikey doesn't have the last name Van Halen is something these people can hang their hat on. They can say inside, "god it sucks that they are doing this without Mikey...BUT...wait a minute...his last name isn't Van Halen...yeah!...he's not part of the magic".

**wham bam will rock** · 02.15.07, 06:42 PM

Al is the only one of the four I ain't worried about.

The guy is a badass drummer and will be ready to 'go to work'.

**tequilahotsauceandvh** · 02.15.07, 06:46 PM

I really hope we get some real news soon, some of these threads are getting SO boring.

**ZORBA5150** · 02.15.07, 06:59 PM

Originally Posted by EvH_316_5150

Al has been solid forever. I can't imagine him dropping the ball. It always amazes me that in these interviews it's always Dave and Ed are the magic. So if people say that Mikey isn't a necessary part of VH...fine...but I guess Al isn't either. Because nobody talks about him being necessary to the sound or the..."magic".

The bottom line to all these arguments is that Al has the last name. If Mike did nobody would be making these comments about him not being part of the magic. the fact that Mikey doesn't have the last name Van Halen is something these people can hang their hat on. They can say inside, "god it sucks that they are doing this without Mikey...BUT...wait a minute...his last name isn't Van Halen...yeah!...he's not part of the magic".

Alex is a great drummer, who is more crucial musically to the band, than Mike, vocals aside. Whoever said Alex isn't necessary to the sound of the band? Ed has mentioned the opposite from day one- they make each other click

**lil'devil** · 02.15.07, 07:00 PM

well ... regarding the drummer/musician comment, here are some categorizations:

- alex van halen: musician, absolutely emazing feel for music.

- john bonhan: musician, absolutely amazing feel for music, not a terrible amount of high level skills.

- neil pert: human drum machine, not a single musical bone in his body ; and there are quite a few examples of these types of players.

bottom line: some drummers are musicians, others aren't. the same can be said for a great many guitar players despite the fact they can play in time.

**forrestjump** · 02.15.07, 07:13 PM

Originally Posted by Phatie

Drum players are not musicians, they're percussionists; there is a difference.

So, if YOU were in the show "STOMP", what would you call yourself then?? A percussionist, or a musician?

**MF5150** · 02.15.07, 07:17 PM

Originally Posted by ZORBA5150

Alex is a great drummer, who is more crucial musically to the band, than Mike, vocals aside. Whoever said Alex isn't necessary to the sound of the band? Ed has mentioned the opposite from day one- they make each other click

When in the last couple months has anybody said he has be crucial. People here seem to think that it is Dave and Ed...that's where the magic is.

**Spool** · 02.15.07, 08:11 PM

Originally Posted by lil'devil

well ... regarding the drummer/musician comment, here are some categorizations:

- alex van halen: musician, absolutely emazing feel for music.

PERFECT!

I am listening to MWM right now and is there ANY, ANY other drummer on the planet that could pull off the feel he has on this track ... BIG FAT NO!

After 10 years the hair still stands up on the back of my neck and I get chicken skin just listening to him play, especially this track, that alone is enough for me to buy a tkt to the 2007 shows to see this man behind the kit.

One day soon I will just close my eyes for moment and just feel the music at a Live Van Halen show and I cant freakin wait.

**Pacfanweb** · 02.15.07, 08:45 PM

My general feeling is that of the original 4 members, Alex would be missed the least. Maybe Eddie would miss him because of their "connection"...but I believe that's a load of crap.

We would know if Eddie wasn't playing guitar, obviously.
We would know if Dave wasn't singing...obviously. Or Sammy, for that matter.
We are going to know that Mikey isn't playing bass and singing backup.

But if you closed your eyes, is there anything to tell you who's banging the drums?
If Alex was really sick and couldn't tour, and VH temporarily hired...say, Tommy Lee, and Tommy practiced up on the VH stuff and learned how to play it just right....would anyone be able to close their eyes and hear the difference?

I say no. Still, I'd rather have the original four up there, but if we had to lose one of the four from the band, Mikey wouldn't be who I'd choose.

**Van Murphenstein** · 02.15.07, 08:50 PM

Originally Posted by Phatie

Drum players are not musicians, they're percussionists; there is a difference.

This sounds like something a Non-Musician would say.. The singer he's just a vocalist, and so on.

Bottom line is, if you write music, you're a musician.

**Van Hampshire** · 02.15.07, 08:59 PM

Originally Posted by Pacfanweb

My general feeling is that of the original 4 members, Alex would be missed the least. Maybe Eddie would miss him because of their "connection"...but I believe that's a load of crap.

We would know if Eddie wasn't playing guitar, obviously.
We would know if Dave wasn't singing...obviously. Or Sammy, for that matter.
We are going to know that Mikey isn't playing bass and singing backup.

But if you closed your eyes, is there anything to tell you who's banging the drums?
If Alex was really sick and couldn't tour, and VH temporarily hired...say, Tommy Lee, and Tommy practiced up on the VH stuff and learned how to play it just right....would anyone be able to close their eyes and hear the difference?

I say no. Still, I'd rather have the original four up there, but if we had to lose one of the four from the band, Mikey wouldn't be who I'd choose.

Boy I think you underestimate the power of Alex. Alex has a feel for that band and music that can not be replaced. Toomy Lee would sound horrible in VH. In fact if any was to go I would say Dave. Alex Ed and Mike are the best trio in the business.(when Ed's on his game). I play drums in a VH tribute and let me tell you that it is not easy replicating the parts like Alex. I'm not just talking technique but pure feel. If rock has swing to it then Alex is like Buddy Rich. Lastly drummers, or many are most definately musicians.

**venom thrust** · 02.15.07, 09:05 PM

Originally Posted by Pacfanweb

My general feeling is that of the original 4 members, Alex would be missed the least. Maybe Eddie would miss him because of their "connection"...but I believe that's a load of crap.

We would know if Eddie wasn't playing guitar, obviously.
We would know if Dave wasn't singing...obviously. Or Sammy, for that matter.
We are going to know that Mikey isn't playing bass and singing backup.

But if you closed your eyes, is there anything to tell you who's banging the drums?
If Alex was really sick and couldn't tour, and VH temporarily hired...say, Tommy Lee, and Tommy practiced up on the VH stuff and learned how to play it just right....would anyone be able to close their eyes and hear the difference?

I say no. Still, I'd rather have the original four up there, but if we had to lose one of the four from the band, Mikey wouldn't be who I'd choose.

Alex is 10 times better than Tommy Lee!!