What should VH do to get back to the top?

[Fernando Ramirez]

I think that they need to start working faster. The three new songs on BEST OF BOTH WORLDS seem very spontaneous. In fact, VAN HALEN's best work embodies the spirit of spontaneous action. That's the best thing about Eddie's guitarwork... the feel, the emotion... his best work embodies the "reckless abandon" he talks about, and his studio work has gotten away from that.

Think about it. The last few albums have slowly moved to a heavier production style with more "studio sheen", but his best albums are the more "off the cuff" ones.

Eddie and Alex need to start working that way in the studio. They need to be more spontaneous, and to work faster. They need to get new product out (at least a new CD every year) to stay in the public eye.

I think that they've gotten lax having endless hours in their own studio, with noone to give them deadlines. Then there's no studio bill to pay, time is not an issue to them. They need someone like Ted Templeman to put his foot down, and help them with their productivity.

I, like most other people here, don't want to have to wait another 1-2 years for new product. Time is of the essence... their stature has gone down because of all the inactivity. It's time for spontaneous action.

[WardyS3]

Maybe getting Eddie in line would help. Regardless of the recent posts I'm still certain he's lost the plot somewhat. I'm not suggesting metallilike therapy, just sort his shit out.

Yes, then new material. good material and I agree an independant body to govern them might assist.

Quit the lamearse lyrics (Up for breakfast... yuck!) and go for the more Dreams/Rightnow/Humansbeing and all lyric. At least more grown up!

[Kenny]

Yes I think an outside influence, (someone that Ed respects and trusts) is essential......Templeman would probably fit the bill.
Start from scratch, just four guys in a room, and jam out some tunes - get Sam to do some lyrics 'on the fly'.
They need to remember what it was like when it was all about music, without all the peripheral crapola.

[Mr.Rock]

Someone should also tell them that there is a fan base outside of the USA. They are after all a Global band with many fans.

[Paul_UK]

Amen to that Mr Rock, as do bands like Journey, Aerosmith and Kiss that have also ignored the UK on recent tours.

[M. J. Perry]

I think Van Halen should start doing away with solos during their concerts. I did not pay $$ to see Eddie Van Halen sit on his ass or lay down near his amps during his lame ass solo. I was not impressed and so where others who I talked to that attended the Seattle, WA show. Michael Anthony's solo was not all that great. Now when he sang "Somebody Get Me A Doctor" that was good, but the solo, no. Alex Van Halen and Sammy Hagar had pretty good solos. But with all the great music this band has put out over the years, they can at least either cut down or cut out the solos. Just my opinion.

[ek88]

MJ:

I saw VH in Omaha this past summer and I have mixed feelings about the solos. I agree with you about the band having such great music that the solos are not really necessary, but I do prefer VH solos to those of other bands I've seen live. I guess I'd probably go along with shortening them. I suppose for all those who prefer just hearing songs, the solos probably seem to go on forever

[Gaffguitars]

What should VH do to get back to the top?


David Lee Roth.


Sorry Sammy, I love ya and everything but after the last VH tour I'd rather see you with the Waboritas.

[piecesofeight]

It needs to start with EVH getting cleaned up-once and for all.
Everyone always wants the original lead singer back, and that may help some, but not many classic rock groups can tour today with another known opening act and do fantastic. I go to a lot of concerts and even the one's that have more than one other well known act are not selling out shows.
Maybe there is something to having all the original members, or at least the key ones. Bon Jovi and U2 still do very, very well.
I agree too, you gotta' go overseas and maybe even start over there.

[ltbob]

There is no recovery,unless Ed grows up and gets over Roth. Smashin guitars on stage,what an ass. Maybe he is mad cause he can't play like he used to, or knows he needs to PRACTISE. Sammy could blow him away<and thats not to knock Sammy he has progressed a great deal over the years>. He has went from the brown sound to the mushsound, gets lost in the middle of his own songs, and plays like a kid in a store tryin to be him.

[Fernando Ramirez]

Well based on what I've read here and there... here's what VH has to do to get back on top:

Eddie needs to stop drinking
Eddie needs to stop smoking
Eddie needs to make the peace with the others in his band
Eddie needs to find the brown sound again
Eddie needs to create new music for all of us to enjoy

In that order. They have to happen in that order.

[StevePerryRocks]

What should VH do to get back to the top?

Bring Steven Tyler in to try to talk Eddie into getting back into a rehab.

[NUBMAN]

I think if they knew, they would be doing it. There is tons of anger and finger pointing going on in this band. Sammy is not the saviour that everyone hoped would make a difference. Sam is great, but a super Sam still cannot compete with a crappy Ed.
Sam's energy and voice is what kept this last tour alive and made it successful. Ed is a mess and seems at times to be washed up. Sam IS better off doing his own thing. His band got along, respected each other and had fun. Putting up with Ed and his BS has gotta be tough.
Sam should leave and teach him a lesson.

GET DAVE. TOUR. PACK IT IN.

[Fernando Ramirez]

I think if they knew, they would be doing it. There is tons of anger and finger pointing going on in this band. Sammy is not the saviour that everyone hoped would make a difference. Sam is great, but a super Sam still cannot compete with a crappy Ed.
Sam's energy and voice is what kept this last tour alive and made it successful. Ed is a mess and seems at times to be washed up. Sam IS better off doing his own thing. His band got along, respected each other and had fun. Putting up with Ed and his BS has gotta be tough.
Sam should leave and teach him a lesson.

GET DAVE. TOUR. PACK IT IN.

As much as we would like it... I don't think getting Dave back and touring is going to fix Ed's problems. If he's dealing with alcohol abuse... it doesn't matter if he has the greatest singer that ever lived... the tour would be a mess because HE's a mess. If he's not getting along with Sammy, then he most definitely wouldn't get along with Diamond Dave. I can see Sammy at least trying to get along... not so with the Diamond one.

At least Sam got to bank a little, and put some money in the warchest... maybe to continue financing some of his other projects.

As I stated before, Eddie needs to clean himself up. The fact that he played erratically during this last concert tour, and the fact that he "lost" it during his last show proves that his demons are affecting his public appearances. I saw some photos of him, and he does *not* look healthy. He looks like he's in his mid 60s... totally different from what he looked like 5-6 years ago. Granted, he's been through a lot recently... certainly life-changing things... but he needs to find some peace.

I wouldn't be opposed to him just retiring... and maybe giving us some of that unreleased material they have in the vaults... classic DLR concerts... the unreleased Simmons material... a really nice box set... some DLR era live concerts.... there's a lot he could do to keep VH in the public eye without recording anything new.

[Rockindeano]

Tour with another monster 80's act, fill up huge stadiums and really become a touring FORCE....

I was thinking a co headlining tour with Journey. Now Neal and Sammy are buddies and maybe Neal can kind of perk up Eddie to play to the level that Eddie should be playing to...The Top. Right now, Neal is playing far superior, but I know Ed can back there too. Hell, at the end of the night, both bands could come on and do a dual jam...Neal, Sammy, Eddie, Deen and Michael...

.Hmmmm

[Gaffguitars]

Right now, Neal is playing far superior, but I know Ed can back there too. Hmmmm

I agree. Saw them twice on this tour. Totally disappointed. I love Eddie but he needs to get his shit together.

[Fernando Ramirez]

Tour with another monster 80's act, fill up huge stadiums and really become a touring FORCE....

I was thinking a co headlining tour with Journey. Now Neal and Sammy are buddies and maybe Neal can kind of perk up Eddie to play to the level that Eddie should be playing to...The Top. Right now, Neal is playing far superior, but I know Ed can back there too. Hell, at the end of the night, both bands could come on and do a dual jam...Neal, Sammy, Eddie, Deen and Michael...

.Hmmmm

That'll never happen. Eddie totally screwed Neal recently with the SOUL SIRKUS gig thing. Granted, maybe 'cause the SOUL SIRKUS camp were a bit premature in releasing info that they would be opening. Whatever the reason, I don't think Eddie would be willing to help Neal.

[NUBMAN]

Certainly good points.

The question I have is, Would you prefer a crappy version of VH, than no VH at all?

Fernando is correct. Ed is a total mess. The band lives and dies by his performance. That was evident on this past tour. Sam is great, but a sloppy Ed makes for a terrible show.

I always have faith that people can get themselves together and be productive. If Ed is drunk and difficult to work with, this may be the end of the road for VH. I sure hope not. I guess we will have to wait and see.

[cuznred]

they need to get Ralph Saenz from the Atomic Punks as singer, the Only Van Halen is Roth Era VH, Period! VH with Sammy is a fagot ass pop rock band.

[Fernando Ramirez]

Certainly good points. The question I have is, Would you prefer a crappy version of VH, than no VH at all?

As much as it hurts, I'd rather not have any VH. The crappy one would hurt the image of the band too much. Truth be told, I think reports that Eddie was crappy on some of the recent tour dates have been exaggerated. But it does sound like he's not at peace... witness the destruction of the guitars on his last date... it wasn't done "jimi" style, but out of anger. He needs to find some peace.

[Kenny]

they need to get Ralph Saenz from the Atomic Punks as singer, the Only Van Halen is Roth Era VH, Period! VH with Sammy is a fagot ass pop rock band.

How constructive.......

[Serendipity]

I don't care who the singer is, I like both versions. IMO they need to do some decent live shows, also outside the US, for affordable prices (can't remember I've ever heard so many complaints about ticket prices as with the recent Van Halen tour) and preferably write a new album with some cool songs... None of that is very likely anymore, so I'm afraid it would be better they would just call it quits, in order not to trample on their legacy.

[M. J. Perry]

I was not impressed with Eddie when Van Halen performed in Seattle, WA. Sammy, Michael, and Alex sounded pretty good but Eddie at times seemed to be somewhere else. His solo was not impressive at all. Rumors have it that he been on the bottle, showing up late at sound checks, and what ever else he has been doing. The only way like others have been saying in this thread is for Eddie to clean up his act once and for all. Maybe someone from the outside needs to get involved for him to get some serious help along with his band-mates, friends, and family. If Eddie will be sloppy there is no point in doing a Van Halen album because it will tarnish this band even more than what it is Right Now.

[Abitaman]

"GET DAVE. TOUR. PACK IT IN."

And this is going to help? Eddied will still be a drunk and playing awful. I does not matter up is up front on vocals, Ediies has a problem, and untill this problem is fixed, Eddie will not be up to his par.

Dave will only add to the problem. Dave and Ed are not friends. They do not get along. Dave is an ego monster, and unless the universe centers around him, he will not be happy.

Sammy is more level headed and seems to have his act togrther, and seems to be a better music man than Eddie (at this time) and always been better than Dave.-ERIC

[NUBMAN]

Let me clarify the GET DAVE. TOUR. PACK IT IN COMMENT.

Dave & Ed can travel separately. Dave wont care whether or not Ed shows up on time, because they will both be late. They dont have to speak, just play the old stuff. Roth wont care about the future, the quality of Ed's performance, and will likely only care if he is front & center. He wont criticize Ed at all. Dave's self centered attitude may be what Ed wants (speculation). If Ed is drinking, do you think he wants someone telling him to stop? Most alcoholics try to avoid that. Dave will send over a bottle of wine for each show I'll bet.
This scenario is tongue and cheek of course. Plus it would never happen. I guess it is a WTF? kind of response. VH has been a puzzle for the last 6 years. The longer it goes, the less I really care.
Ed makes us all wait for years, has a vault of 10 cd's worth of material, and delivers 3 throw away tunes. I'll bet that those songs on ANY new record with Sammy wouldnt even make it if an outside producer was at the helm.
I beleive Ed can get himself corrected. But if he doesnt beleive it then we may all be disappointed (again).

[Abitaman]

"The longer it goes, the less I really care"

You got that right!!! People are going to only put up with so much, and in todays world were bands have one or two big cds, then dissappear forever, VH should be happy that anyone came to their shows at all. And the new songs on their poorly throw together hits cd, YUCK...........ERIC

[Gaffguitars]

I just think classic Van Halen is what the world wants. The classic rock stations are constantly playing Roth era stuff. Almost hourly. Every now and then we get some Van Hagar. Usually on a two for Tuesday after a Roth song. Even if they make a new album with Sammy it's gotta be special. I mean the way 5150 was special back in 1986. Otherwise it's over. The three new songs are OK but not of the caliber we expect from VH. I'd say they need a Dave tour. Who cares if he can't sing. He couldn't sing back in the day either.

[cuznred]

Bottom line is this, regardless of who the singer is at the moment VH made their best music when Roth was in the band. Their 1st 4 albums are by far the best music they have ever done or will do. Can any of you honestly say that any of the Van Hagar shit stands up to classics like Somebody get me a DR? Or Unchained? I don't think so. I saw Vh with Sammy on the Balance tour and they played only 2 Roth era songs. The fans want to hear the old stuff too.

[Kenny]

I think a lot of the Van hagar shit stands up to the Roth era stuff....
Songs like Dreams, 5150, Mine all mine, Right now, Judgement day......all great stuff - just different.

[Gaffguitars]

I think a lot of the Van hagar shit stands up to the Roth era stuff....
Songs like Dreams, 5150, Mine all mine, Right now, Judgement day......all great stuff - just different.

Absolutely. They did great stuff with Sammy. I just think the time is right for an original VH tour. I don't want Sammy singing And The Cradle Will Rock as much as I don't want Roth singing Dreams. It's time for DLR. It may never happen but I believe it's a sure bet to be the tour of the century.