Sammy says Alex is in charge

[Brett]

Uhh, show me where I said I wanted a box set. I was just pointing out the absurd negativity that consumes so many people. VH can't do that, they can't do this. They are, though you would never know it from some on here, one of the most popular and successful bands ever. But, hey, gotta be "realistic."

I don't want a box set, but I do think VH could put one out if they wanted. I'd rather have unreleased tracks, demos, live footage from the CVH era, etc. Maybe we get nothing, and that's ok, too. I wouldn't blame Alex one bit if he didn't want to do anything after his loss. I simply disagree with the "can't can't can't" attitude with regards to VH.

By saying everyone is negative it is inferring that you want one. I don’t know how you’re not seeing that. I’m telling you why I believe bands put out box sets. Bands that don’t have the gigantic following will do it for some money. A band like Thin Lizzy putting out a box set of just their albums probably wouldn’t make anyone buy it, but putting out a ton of unreleased material would generate some interest in them again and some cash for the members. I think the only reason Van Halen ever put out any greatest hits albums is so they would have a vehicle to #1 tour behind, and #2 release just a few new songs without needing to do an entire album.

Van Halen could do whatever they want, but you know full well they won’t do something like this because it’s not their mo. Now you’ve taken Ed out of the equation, and you’re basically hoping that Alex and Wolfgang want to get into something like this, which I don’t know that either will want to because it is very emotional to go through the music. And I have a feeling it will be emotional for many years.

All I’m saying is I think there’s nothing wrong with being realistic about the future of us getting anything from the band. Without Ed it’s very unlikely. No matter what the guys have said who are left. It is one thing to say it, it is another thing to go and do it and have to put in the hours and deal with all the emotional feelings behind the music.

I think the best chance to get unreleased music is to hope that whatever Warner Bros. has access to they feel like they can put out. Maybe cleaner versions of the pre-Van Halen 1 demos is something that could happen, but I’ve heard that they have never found the masters for those. I could be wrong there.

[japeape]

Okay, i kinda see both points.

Motorhead recently released a box set of the classic Ace of Spades (every member
of that lineup is deceased, so Motorhead did not actually release it).

Sabbath just released the boxset edition of "Paranoid," deluxe with CD, vinyl, book, singles,
in time for xmas.

Vol.4 boxset is coming in April (Does anyone really know Vol.4 except the diehards, like me?)

Thin Lizzy put out a really good boxset, to be honest, with a bunch of stuff i actually hadn't
heard & wanted.

So JD DOES have a point in all of this.

I still think VH missed that golden period, the mid 90's, but they are still putting these
things out, geared for late middle agers like us.

[Brett]

I’m absolutely fine with Van Halen putting out a box set. They can do whatever they want. I just think it’s unrealistic to think it’s going to have a bunch of unreleased recordings on it, because it’s just not something the band has ever done. Now you don’t even have Ed around, and you have to hope that the remaining members feel like digging into the vault and dealing with the emotional toll of listening to all of that music that Ed created. It’s going to be hard for a long time. I don’t think what I’m saying is unfair or untrue.

If it’s just a box set of all the albums and maybe all the extra songs, I don’t see why anyone would want that. And that’s what many bands have done too.

And the other big thing is that people don’t buy CDs like they used to. Most people just want digital music. Hell even I’m more apt to buy something digitally than a bunch of CDs now. And I am the CD-era music fan. Unless I’m going to buy something on vinyl, I just assume buy it digitally and be done with it. I don’t see the point of a CD anymore. Our house is just littered with CDs, I wish I could just throw them all away. I actually could but then I’d feel like man I wasted all that money and I just threw them away. So I don’t do it.

I’m not being negative I’m just trying to be realistic. I would love for Van Halen to give us discs of unreleased material. But I think it’s crazy to think that would ever happen, or anything close to that. If that makes me a curmudgeon or a negative nelly about the band, then so be it I suppose. I would love to be proven wrong. Please prove me wrong!!

[PrideofPasadena]

Yeah, CD box sets are still being released at a pretty high level. Of course everyone except VH joined the party. The vinyl sets are big now.

I do believe we are discounting the youth of today a little, though. While, rock died this century, Youtube is changing the game. I'm seeing a lot of teens with Youtube channels talking about classic rock. From all over the world. New fans are created everyday.

It's no different from when we first heard the 60's bands, in 1980, that were done a decade before. It's not an ideal climate but fans are still coming aboard for the very first time. Just like all you parents that created VH fans the last go rounds. I made my sister a rock fan in the early 90's.

Yes, most schools around the world, the majority will be listening to the music of now. But in most every school there will be SUBDIVISIONS.
The misfits who don't conform and like Zeppelin and VH.....Add them up around the world and it's a pretty good chunk of fans. Which, with all these Youtube channels from young and old alike...seems to be growing.

[Ian Sane]

I do think any releases are more likely to come from the Warner Bros. archives, than from the band themselves.
I don't really care for a box set, but cleaned up demos would be nice, or perhaps a live recording from the CVH years.
Gene Simmons could always release the demos he recorded for the band.

[Heisenberg]

VH fans box set comments are forgetting or oblivious to the simple fact that VH has always long been deeply resentful of the Warner Brothers Record Company. They recieved penny's on the dollar for several years & both Edward & David have made several comments in interviews throughout the years.

2015 Tokyo Dome release was THE FINAL ' contractual obligation' of the original WB contact.

VH fans wonder " Why?" is Tokyo Dome such a half assed package....lousy artwork....no pictures of the band....basically a live feed recording of the show....couldve been a bootleg radio broadcast. Very raw. No work. Slap it together lickedey split without consideration. Fuck Warner Brothers. Tokyo Dome is the last easy money they will get from that lousy WB deal.

It was a contractual obligation.

VH does not want to help WB make more easy money from them & rip them off.

So VH are not going to sign off on giving WB the thumbs up to put out a box set which WB would read most of the profits.

Not gonna happen.

Simple as that.

[Brett]

VH fans box set comments are forgetting or oblivious to the simple fact that VH has always long been deeply resentful of the Warner Brothers Record Company. They recieved penny's on the dollar for several years & both Edward & David have made several comments in interviews throughout the years.

2015 Tokyo Dome release was THE FINAL ' contractual obligation' of the original WB contact.

VH fans wonder " Why?" is Tokyo Dome such a half assed package....lousy artwork....no pictures of the band....basically a live feed recording of the show....couldve been a bootleg radio broadcast. Very raw. No work. Slap it together lickedey split without consideration. Fuck Warner Brothers. Tokyo Dome is the last easy money they will get from that lousy WB deal.

It was a contractual obligation.

VH does not want to help WB make more easy money from them & rip them off.

So VH are not going to sign off on giving WB the thumbs up to put out a box set which WB would read most of the profits.

Not gonna happen.

Simple as that.

Pretty sure Warner Brothers does not own the rights to the unreleased music that is in Eddie’s studio.

Van Halen renegotiated the royalties years ago when Sam joined the band and that applied to the back catalog as well. So those days of getting nothing are long gone. The band has been making good royalties off their music for a long time.

Their contract with Warner Brothers ended years ago hence why ADKOT was released on Interscope. They had no contractual obligation to Warner Bros. The live album was only thrown out there so the band would have something to tour behind which is something Ed always liked to do. It was thrown together because clearly the band didn’t really care about it. Ed didn’t even care what show they used. Had nothing to do with Warner Bros. And they certainly had no obligations from anything from the Dave years. When he left, it ended, hence why it was renegotiated when Sam joined.

Only thing that will prevent Van Halen from putting anything like this out is Van Halen.

[PrideofPasadena]

VH fans box set comments are forgetting or oblivious to the simple fact that VH has always long been deeply resentful of the Warner Brothers Record Company. They recieved penny's on the dollar for several years & both Edward & David have made several comments in interviews throughout the years.

2015 Tokyo Dome release was THE FINAL ' contractual obligation' of the original WB contact.

VH fans wonder " Why?" is Tokyo Dome such a half assed package....lousy artwork....no pictures of the band....basically a live feed recording of the show....couldve been a bootleg radio broadcast. Very raw. No work. Slap it together lickedey split without consideration. Fuck Warner Brothers. Tokyo Dome is the last easy money they will get from that lousy WB deal.

It was a contractual obligation.

VH does not want to help WB make more easy money from them & rip them off.

So VH are not going to sign off on giving WB the thumbs up to put out a box set which WB would read most of the profits.

Not gonna happen.

Simple as that.

Maybe Alex will see it in his heart one more time to throw us a bone.
Considering WB seems to have the best stuff, hopefully, they get clearance.

[JUNGLE DRUMMER]

By saying everyone is negative it is inferring that you want one. I don’t know how you’re not seeing that. I’m telling you why I believe bands put out box sets. Bands that don’t have the gigantic following will do it for some money. A band like Thin Lizzy putting out a box set of just their albums probably wouldn’t make anyone buy it, but putting out a ton of unreleased material would generate some interest in them again and some cash for the members. I think the only reason Van Halen ever put out any greatest hits albums is so they would have a vehicle to #1 tour behind, and #2 release just a few new songs without needing to do an entire album.

Van Halen could do whatever they want, but you know full well they won’t do something like this because it’s not their mo. Now you’ve taken Ed out of the equation, and you’re basically hoping that Alex and Wolfgang want to get into something like this, which I don’t know that either will want to because it is very emotional to go through the music. And I have a feeling it will be emotional for many years.

All I’m saying is I think there’s nothing wrong with being realistic about the future of us getting anything from the band. Without Ed it’s very unlikely. No matter what the guys have said who are left. It is one thing to say it, it is another thing to go and do it and have to put in the hours and deal with all the emotional feelings behind the music.

I think the best chance to get unreleased music is to hope that whatever Warner Bros. has access to they feel like they can put out. Maybe cleaner versions of the pre-Van Halen 1 demos is something that could happen, but I’ve heard that they have never found the masters for those. I could be wrong there.

I'm not inferring anything except I think it's ridiculous when VH fans always say VH "cant" do something. You should probably not put words in my posts that aren't there. As I said, I don't disagree that it's a good possibility we don't get anything from Al and Wolf, and I'd understand that. But I disagree with the notion that VH "can't" do something because they aren't popular enough or they have no market. And no, I'm not saying they would get on the charts with anything, but in reality virtually no rock band is getting on the charts. But what VH does have, like a few other bands have, is a built in audience.

[Heisenberg]

Pretty sure Warner Brothers does not own the rights to the unreleased music that is in Eddie’s studio.

Van Halen renegotiated the royalties years ago when Sam joined the band and that applied to the back catalog as well. So those days of getting nothing are long gone. The band has been making good royalties off their music for a long time.

Yes exactly, THAT is the ONE thing VH had control over....is approval. WB cannot release VH complilations without VH's agreement consent.

But- Maybe you are referring to something else....let me guess....something read in Sammy's book about Ed Leffler....

Nevermind that....was over 20 years ago....THE original WB contract was still devoid of ONE compilation/live release with DLR up until 2015.

Tokyo Dome fufilled that old contract. There's nothing more due to WB. They can't release anything without VH approval.

[Brett]

I'm not inferring anything except I think it's ridiculous when VH fans always say VH "cant" do something. You should probably not put words in my posts that aren't there. As I said, I don't disagree that it's a good possibility we don't get anything from Al and Wolf, and I'd understand that. But I disagree with the notion that VH "can't" do something because they aren't popular enough or they have no market. And no, I'm not saying they would get on the charts with anything, but in reality virtually no rock band is getting on the charts. But what VH does have, like a few other bands have, is a built in audience.

Don’t get your feathers ruffled. Just because you don’t expressly say something doesn’t mean you aren’t inferring it. I’m not putting words in your mouth, you are the one commenting the way you are. I’m sure I’m not the only one that read your post as someone who was for it but was knocking people who are against it.

As I said now I don’t know at least three times, Van Halen can do anything they want. The point is they probably won’t because it’s not something they’ve ever wanted to do. Now you take Ed out of the equation AND add in the emotional baggage accompanied with going through his music, and it is very doubtful anyone will feel like doing anything for a long time. I think that’s a completely fair analysis of the situation and is probably very true.

Not everything is an attack on Van Halen. Some things just aren’t pragmatic, and this box set idea is one of them. I’m pretty sure we all realize the gigantic audience Van Halen has available to them, and so does the band. Has that ever driven them in any situation? No.

[Brett]

Yes exactly, THAT is the ONE thing VH had control over....is approval. WB cannot release VH complilations without VH's agreement consent.

But- Maybe you are referring to something else....let me guess....something read in Sammy's book about Ed Leffler....

Nevermind that....was over 20 years ago....THE original WB contract was still devoid of ONE compilation/live release with DLR up until 2015.

Tokyo Dome fufilled that old contract.

I never read Sammy Hagar’s book so I don’t know what’s in it. I just know the contract was renegotiated. It’s pretty much common knowledge that it affected the back catalog as well. I don’t know how many interviews Ed gave talking about it and I can remember several interviews when Mike talked about it. It obviously happened, despite your denial. Of course Sam talked about it a lot as well, but anything Sam says is a lie, I get it.

If you have info to the contrary I would love to see some links about Van Halen owing Warner Bros. any albums from way back.

Seems completely unlikely since the band’s first desire was to release demo music for 2015, but couldn’t put together good enough quality recordings, so they just did the live album just to release something they could tour behind. I have no idea where you’re getting this old unfulfilled contract thing you keep bringing up. The band had no contract with Warner Brothers at all in 2015. Show me otherwise.

Warner Bros. didn’t want a brand new studio album from them in 2012, but they were screaming in 2015 about some hundred year old deal they made for a live album? That doesn’t make any sense whatsoever.

[JUNGLE DRUMMER]

Don’t get your feathers ruffled. Just because you don’t expressly say something doesn’t mean you aren’t inferring it. I’m not putting words in your mouth, you are the one commenting the way you are. I’m sure I’m not the only one that read your post as someone who was for it but was knocking people who are against it.

As I said now I don’t know at least three times, Van Halen can do anything they want. The point is they probably won’t because it’s not something they’ve ever wanted to do. Now you take Ed out of the equation AND add in the emotional stress accompanied with going through his music, and it is very doubtful anyone will feel like doing anything for a long time. I think that’s completely fair analysis of the situation and is probably very true.

Not everything is attack on Van Halen. Some things just aren’t pragmatic, and this box set idea is one of them. I’m pretty sure we all realize the gigantic audience Van Halen has available to them. Has that ever driven them in any situation? No.

You said I wanted a box set, which is untrue, unless it was only unreleased tracks, of which I doubt there'd be enough to make a box set. It's not worth arguing over. Especially I agree with your analysis. But that analysis is very different from the Eeyore crowd I was talking about.

[Brett]

You said I wanted a box set, which is untrue, unless it was only unreleased tracks, of which I doubt there'd be enough to make a box set. It's not worth arguing over. Especially I agree with your analysis. But that analysis is very different from the Eeyore crowd I was talking about.

I don’t know how you can blame any fan feeling the way they feel. Van Halen isn’t exactly the most fan-friendly band, nor have they done anything based on the fans thinking it’s a good idea. We expect so little and with good reason, that it’s hard not to be negative about the band doing anything like this. And now without the most important member of the band not around to help with it, it seems even more unlikely.

[Heisenberg]

Gene Simmons could always release the demos he recorded for the band.

NO- He cannot. Gene Simmons offered those master tapes to EVH in exchange for EVH's, & AVH's permission to release the other 1977 Gene Simmons demo's of the 3 songs, " Christine Sixteen, Have Love Will Travel, ( Got Love For Sale), & Tunnel Of Love, " , on Gene Simmons Big Vault box set a few years ago.

Gene mentioned it at the time in an interview back then.