MR

All I can say is WOW. Just reading the excerpts on the link on Andrew's front page has me wanting into Barnes & Noble when the doors open on 3/15!!!

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/photo ... 04/0343199

I can't wait!

Just finished it in less than 24 hrs. Outstanding read! He really came from hard knocks to superstar. Totally impressive person!

Just met him and got the book in Huntington Beach. The line sailed through in less than 30 minutes. I was told he had done 600 in one hour at other signings. There weren't a ton of people there (maybe a couple of hundred). Talked to him for a brief second and he was cool. After Keith Richard's 500 page plus book, I'm a little bummed out the book is only 234 pages. Seems like it could have been at least 400. The excerpts I've read online and the Rolling Stone issue have been great. It looks like a great read for sure. Standing in line over and hour was cool too, because I met a guy from an Aerosmith tribute I know and have bought music gear from. (He has a local store).

a little disappointed in the book, too short, and not sure why he finds the need to run down dlr, and say vh werent big before him

Sammy didn't run down DLR. He told the truth about him. Dave has an ego the size of the moon, and he's not that talented musically. All which is true.

And he never said VH wasn't big before he joined.

I think VH was a much better band talent wise with Sammy. He was a better singer, lyricist and Musician than DLR.
Everything Sammy said was probably as close to the real truth as you are ever going to get from this band. Don't expect Ed to tell you the truth!

Love the book...Love the insight...

Sammy admits that he probably 'puts a lot of people off' but says that Roth rubbed HIM the wrong way...that's just being honest...

I also never heard where he said they were nothing before him...he basically says he was ready to hang it up, but they were so big that he changed his mind...

I don't know why VH fans bash Sammy so much...it's clear listening that the music really matured with him there and the fact that roth's solo career faded so fast gives a hint (IMO) of what would have happened to VH without Sammy...hell, how many albums have they made since he left? They did one 'retro' tour, of which not one song was played that wasn't 25 years old...

I respect the VH stuff prior to Sammy, but I think without him they would have been forgotten by '86...

im a big as sammy fan as there is , but van halen were the biggest band in the world, and probably made more in merch on the 84 tour than sammy made the prior 5 tours., i just didnt think he should talk abou vh prior to his joining, since he wasnt there, and anyone in the business knows, the monsters of rock tour was a huge disaster, the band may have made money off thier gaurantee, but the toured arenas after to make it up to promoters who lost thier ass, and i wish he would have spent a little more time on hsas

the van hagar stuff stands on its own, but more pop oriented than the dave vh stuff ,and i prefer the solo sammy to the vh sammy

Love both versions of VH...

But while Sammy brought the band... DLR brought the SHOW...

Loved the story he told about Alex, the 10 tall beers and the broomstick. "He never let go of the broomstick. We had to take the broomstick from his hands."

Hmmm. He's on the Carolla podcast. Said go to You Tube and you will hear 2004 clips of Eddie playing bad. So the first clip I find is Dreams and Sammy sounds awful, out of tune, and Ed's playing is fine. Second clip I find is Unchained and Eddie plays fine on that.

I'm a fan of both eras...but I do get cracked up when the Roth purist, say the Sammy era was more pop...

I mean really? Listen I love the songs, but how much more pop can you get than Jump and I'll Wait?

And "I'll Wait" is one of my favorite all time songs....but let's be honest here...The music moves toward pop, because that is what Music did at that point....

But it was moving that way for Van Halen long before Hagar....

It's not an insult...I mean take Motley...compare "Shout at the Devil" or "Live Wire" with "Don't Go Away Mad"...it's just what happened...heck, even listen to Ozzy and Metallica....again...it's what happened...

Eyeof wrote:I'm a fan of both eras...but I do get cracked up when the Roth purist, say the Sammy era was more pop...

I mean really? Listen I love the songs, but how much more pop can you get than Jump and I'll Wait?

And "I'll Wait" is one of my favorite all time songs....but let's be honest here...The music moves toward pop, because that is what Music did at that point....

But it was moving that way for Van Halen long before Hagar....

It's not an insult...I mean take Motley...compare "Shout at the Devil" or "Live Wire" with "Don't Go Away Mad"...it's just what happened...heck, even listen to Ozzy and Metallica....again...it's what happened...

True to a point. Van Halen on the album you mentioned (1984), was their first album with the advent of the new MTV. I know that with that in mind, they set out

to reach a brand new audience with 1984 & they damn well did! With a mixture of "Big Rock" tunes, the videos of "Jump", "Panama" & "Hot for Teacher", took

them to new heights. Face the facts. Van Halen was ALL about the party and what came after the party, Pussy. 1984 was geared to show the visual Van Halen

thru MTV & their videos. The rest of the Roth era Halen was down & dirty "Big Rock". From "Take your Whiskey home", "Sinner's Swing", "Dirty Movies" was

the real Van Halen!

it's just kind of funny to me the roth apologist...if it's more pop or slow and it Hagar it's 'pu$$y', if its roth then it's 'trying to reach a new audience'...

My point is, not one song off 5150 is 'softer' than Jump or I'll Wait.....

I mean, even look at Roth solo, do you find "Just like Paradise", "Just a Gigalo" and "California Girls" to be huge rockers?

Yeah, I can name lots of song VH sung with Roth that are hard, but I can do the same with the sammy era as well...

right?

By the way...has anyone seen the top of the New York Times Best Seller List?

http://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/2011-04-03/hardcover-nonfiction/list.html

FYI - Roth's failed to even make the list a few years ago...although I know that has nothing to do with anything...

sniper16 wrote:im a big as sammy fan as there is , but van halen were the biggest band in the world, and probably made more in merch on the 84 tour than sammy made the prior 5 tours., i just didnt think he should talk abou vh prior to his joining, since he wasnt there, and anyone in the business knows, the monsters of rock tour was a huge disaster, the band may have made money off thier gaurantee, but the toured arenas after to make it up to promoters who lost thier ass, and i wish he would have spent a little more time on hsas

the van hagar stuff stands on its own, but more pop oriented than the dave vh stuff ,and i prefer the solo sammy to the vh sammy

What did Sammy say about HSAS? Anything about PlanetUS?

Well i bought the book this week and it's a great read.I do agree that just over 200 pages is a little short for me.

But after reading the book,It just goes to show what a total fuckwit EDVH is.I mean just being an ass to the fans and telling them they pay his rent and so on is nothing short of a jerkoff.

As well as being introduced to some country musicians who wantd to meet him he was damn rude.I know some of you might find it hard to believe that it is your hero that's acting like a tool,But i'll say this,3 singers can't be wrong.Edvh has ruined one of the greatest rock bands on the planet.He is a bullshit artist and a complete drunk.

As for Sammy,Good on him.He has told the truth from his own eyes and i'd believe him and Roth anyday over EDVH.

As for anybody wishing to buy the book,It is a great read.

I enjoyed leafing through it. To be honest, I never got the "Roth" vs "Hagar" divide. I enjoyed songs from both eras.

I didn't find that he ran down David Lee Roth in a way that was unexpected. He talked about him being a jerk and egostical - but I've always found that to be the case with DLR in interviews. He's a fun personality but he also comes across as an arrogant SOB. Certainly Hagar wasn't referring to Roth as "my bitch" like Roth has done in public interviews.

As for Roth's talent, I gotta agree with Hagar on that. He's a fun showman but I've always thought he was an awful live singer.

I understand VH hardcore fans who loved them from the beginning loving Dave. I get it.
But come on. As far as musical talent.... Singing, Writing and playing....Sammy is SOOOOOO much more talented than Dave.
And as far as the songs being "softer" during the Sammy era, just remember who wrote the MUSIC?? It was EDDY!!
And there are so many hard-rocking VanHagar Songs that never got airplay. Find me a DLR song that rocks as hard as
"Source of Infection" or "Get Up" or "Judgement Day" or "Good Enough".

Bought it, read it in one night, great. Really cool to read about Sammy growin up. I dont think he burned Eddie, just told us what the deal is. What a pain in the ass it had to be dealin with his stupid antics.

The new Chickenfoot Single kicks ass! Love the Mikey/Sammy harmonies.