OT Van Halen Tour Update

[Saint John]

Here is an interesting article on the success of the Van Halen tour and their brilliant manager Irving Azoff. Enjoy.

PS Thank you Steve Perry for not letting Journey fans enjoy the same type of walk down memory lane. Pussy.



WASHINGTON (Reuters Life!) - Their mullets may be shorn but hard rockers Van
Halen are partying like it's 1984 on a sold-out U.S. tour with original
frontman David Lee Roth - one of several baby-boomer bands back on the road
this year.

Propelled by 53-year-old Roth's clowning and guitarist Eddie Van Halen's
virtuoso rubber-band licks, the band barreled through a two-hour set
Thursday with hits like "Runnin' With the Devil" and "Hot for Teacher,"
recorded before Roth quit more than 20 years ago to pursue a solo career.

That was fine with the fans who wanted no surprises.

"I don't want to hear any new music," said art curator Anne Shires, 32, who
said she paid $260 for a floor seat.

Sales of recorded music have plunged over the past decade, but rock fans
long out of college are more willing than ever to pay top dollars to see the
now-wrinkled musicians who provided the soundtrack to their youth.

The Police and Bruce Springsteen, who battled Van Halen at the top of the
charts in the late 1970s and early 1980s, are also playing to packed houses
this fall.

"Every artist now realizes that by and large their major income comes from
touring and merchandise sales, and not from recorded music sales," said Gary
Bongiovanni, editor of Pollstar, the trade journal of the concert industry.

DEMAND EXTENDS TOUR

Van Halen has sold more than 80 million albums worldwide since its 1978
debut, but hasn't released an album of new music since 1996. The band was
dropped by its record label in 2002.

But all 40 dates this year quickly sold out, and the tour has been extended
through March.

"This tour is as successful as they get," said manager Irving Azoff, who
declined to provide revenue figures. According to the Chicago Tribune, the
band earns $1.5 million per night.

The tour comes after a decade in which Van Halen has been more of a presence
on the gossip pages than the pop charts, due to on-again, off-again reunion
rumors with Roth and squabbles with Sammy Hagar, the singer who replaced
Roth in 1985, as well as Eddie's struggles with cancer and alcoholism.

Original bassist Michael Anthony, whose harmony singing was a crucial part
of the band's radio-friendly sound, was replaced by Eddie's 16-year-old son,
Wolfgang. Hagar and Anthony are touring on their own, under the moniker "The
Other Half."

"It's a little bit strange, they've been bad-mouthing David Lee Roth for 22
years and now all of a sudden they ignore their past," said Michel Schinkel,
38, who flew from Delft, Netherlands, to see three shows.

Any lingering tension wasn't evident at Thursday's show. Roth delivered
roundhouse karate kicks, twirled his microphone stand like a majorette and
sported a succession of top hats and embroidered, matador-style jackets.

A slender, shirtless Eddie ripped off his trademark squeals and dive-bomb
runs, his fingers magnified on a giant video screen behind the stage, while
his son ably held down the bottom end.

It was exactly what the cellphone-waving fans came for.

"We're bringing back the Seventies," said mortgage broker Joe Niosi, 48,
with a laugh. "We have no rules tonight."

[Rhiannon]

Excellent post.
Kind of makes you wonder... sounds like more fun than sitting at home eating pizza and petting your cat.

[NealIsGod]

Excellent post.
Kind of makes you wonder... sounds like more fun than sitting at home eating pizza and petting your cat.

Yeah, and a lot more lucrative. $1.5 million a night. Damn.

[Saint John]

Excellent post.
Kind of makes you wonder... sounds like more fun than sitting at home eating pizza and petting your cat.

Yeah, and a lot more lucrative. $1.5 million a night. Damn.

That's a lot of cabbage. You figure that's about $300,000+ per member. Journey gets somewhere in the neighborhood of $20,000 per member. It takes Schon 15 gigs to make what EVH makes in one night. Neal should've bailed on Journey and tried to play bass for Van Halen.

[NealIsGod]

Excellent post.
Kind of makes you wonder... sounds like more fun than sitting at home eating pizza and petting your cat.

Yeah, and a lot more lucrative. $1.5 million a night. Damn.

That's a lot of cabbage. You figure that's about $300,000+ per member. Journey gets somewhere in the neighborhood of $20,000 per member. It takes Schon 15 gigs to make what EVH makes in one night. Neal should've bailed on Journey and tried to play bass for Van Halen.

Journey is probably a 25-25-25-20-5 split now.

[Pelata]

"Every artist now realizes that by and large their major income comes from
touring and merchandise sales, and not from recorded music sales," said Gary
Bongiovanni, editor of Pollstar, the trade journal of the concert industry.

Welcome to 5 years ago...

[Red13JoePa]

JMJ, Van Halen's comeback seems even bigger than we THOUGHT it would be.

I hope they stick to their world on a new album

[NealIsGod]

JMJ, Van Halen's comeback seems even bigger than we THOUGHT it would be.

I hope they stick to their world on a new album

Yeah, dust the cobwebs off of Ed's studio and give us some more like Me Wise Magic and Can't Get This Stuff No More.

[conversationpc]

Yeah, dust the cobwebs off of Ed's studio and give us some more like Me Wise Magic and Can't Get This Stuff No More.

The only song they've done since then that's anywhere near as good as those two songs, in my opinion, is "Fire in the Hole".

[RedWingFan]

Yeah, dust the cobwebs off of Ed's studio and give us some more like Me Wise Magic and Can't Get This Stuff No More.

The only song they've done since then that's anywhere near as good as those two songs, in my opinion, is "Fire in the Hole".

The other day "Humans Being" came up on my ipod. Great tune. Honestly I'm pretty confused as to what came out before or after what with that band.

[conversationpc]

The other day "Humans Being" came up on my ipod. Great tune. Honestly I'm pretty confused as to what came out before or after what with that band.

Not long after that, they put together the "Best Of Volume 1" with the two new tracks with Roth, "Me Wise Magic" and "Can't Get This Stuff no More", both awesome tracks. Then they release "Van Halen 3" with Gary Cherone. The last thing they released after that was the "Best of Both Worlds" greatest hits release with the three new tracks with Hagar.

[WickedGail]

Saw the shows in Washington, DC and Madison Square Garden, NYC and the band kicked maxium ass! Will see them in 2008, Madison Square Garden again, East Rutherford, New Jersey, and 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore MD. Gotta love it! Besides someone told "Diamond Dave" it was my birthday tomorrow on the ILLA backstage tour. ILLA says nothing about meeting the band but David came out to say "hello". He gave me a hug and a kiss and serenaded me with "Happy Birthday!" The man is just the best!!!!!

Gail

[strangegrey]

That's a lot of cabbage. You figure that's about $300,000+ per member. Journey gets somewhere in the neighborhood of $20,000 per member. It takes Schon 15 gigs to make what EVH makes in one night. Neal should've bailed on Journey and tried to play bass for Van Halen.

Seriously, I doubt the band is making that much. They're probably figuring in market value of the tickets, not face value....and if so, a very good percentage of that goes to ticket brokers.

For the band to make more than a million in a 20k seat arena, they'd have to clear $50 a head after expenses. $75 a head to make 1.5 mill. I'm not sure what ticket prices are, but whatever they are, they're NOT making $50 a head net. No fucking way. Not with the expenses of carting around a rock show these days.

Granted...having said all of that, they're probably pocketing 300k as a band, per night. Although, I suspect the split there is 100k to alex, 100k to eddie, 100k to dave and a box of krispy kreme for wolfie...

Journey is probably a 25-25-25-20-5 split now.

More like a 45 - 45 - 5- 4.96 - .04

[RedWingFan]

and a box of krispy kreme for wolfie...

Aw, hell!!

[strangegrey]

Yeah, dust the cobwebs off of Ed's studio and give us some more like Me Wise Magic and Can't Get This Stuff No More.

The only song they've done since then that's anywhere near as good as those two songs, in my opinion, is "Fire in the Hole".

The other day "Humans Being" came up on my ipod. Great tune. Honestly I'm pretty confused as to what came out before or after what with that band.

Human's Being was the last song the band completed with Sammy before sammy was fired in 96. They were rumored to be barely speaking during the filming of the video...and from what I remember, EVH did as many vocal tracks on that song, in large part because sammy was reported not available to finish the track.

Frankly, I find that to be more big-headed guitarist bullshit from the one guy with a bigger ego than the fucking DOUCHEBAG we know as Neal Schon. But you can use your own filter for this kinda crap...

[Rick]

Granted...having said all of that, they're probably pocketing 300k as a band, per night. Although, I suspect the split there is 100k to alex, 100k to eddie, 100k to dave and a box of krispy kreme for wolfie...

[Saint John]

That's a lot of cabbage. You figure that's about $300,000+ per member. Journey gets somewhere in the neighborhood of $20,000 per member. It takes Schon 15 gigs to make what EVH makes in one night. Neal should've bailed on Journey and tried to play bass for Van Halen.

Seriously, I doubt the band is making that much. They're probably figuring in market value of the tickets, not face value....and if so, a very good percentage of that goes to ticket brokers.

For the band to make more than a million in a 20k seat arena, they'd have to clear $50 a head after expenses. $75 a head to make 1.5 mill. I'm not sure what ticket prices are, but whatever they are, they're NOT making $50 a head net. No fucking way. Not with the expenses of carting around a rock show these days.

Granted...having said all of that, they're probably pocketing 300k as a band, per night. Although, I suspect the split there is 100k to alex, 100k to eddie, 100k to dave and a box of krispy kreme for wolfie...

Journey is probably a 25-25-25-20-5 split now.

More like a 45 - 45 - 5- 4.96 - .04

Serves Neal right for not learning how to read.

[strangegrey]

Journey is probably a 25-25-25-20-5 split now.

More like a 45 - 45 - 5- 4.96 - .04

Serves Neal right for not learning how to read.

LOL..."Wow, 4 hundredths!! That's like better than 400, right?!"

[Saint John]

Journey is probably a 25-25-25-20-5 split now.

More like a 45 - 45 - 5- 4.96 - .04

Serves Neal right for not learning how to read.

LOL..."Wow, 4 hundredths!! That's like better than 400, right?!"

LMAO!!! Jon-"Yes Neal, you make the most." Neal-"Fuck yeah...I'm the founding member, dude."

[Rhiannon]

Journey is probably a 25-25-25-20-5 split now.

More like a 45 - 45 - 5- 4.96 - .04

Serves Neal right for not learning how to read.

LOL..."Wow, 4 hundredths!! That's like better than 400, right?!"

LMAO!!! Jon-"Yes Neal, you make the most." Neal-"Fuck yeah...I'm the founding member, dude."

I imagine that negotiation going like the scene from Blazing Saddles with the paddleball things. "Here, hand these out to the boys in lieu of pay." Only, "Here, Neal, instead of negotiating your share, we have a piece of tin foil." ... "Neal likey shiny."

[Rick]

Journey is probably a 25-25-25-20-5 split now.

More like a 45 - 45 - 5- 4.96 - .04

Serves Neal right for not learning how to read.

LOL..."Wow, 4 hundredths!! That's like better than 400, right?!"

LMAO!!! Jon-"Yes Neal, you make the most." Neal-"Fuck yeah...I'm the founding member, dude."

I imagine that negotiation going like the scene from Blazing Saddles with the paddleball things. "Here, hand these out to the boys in lieu of pay." Only, "Here, Neal, instead of negotiating your share, we have a piece of tin foil." ... "Neal likey shiny."

This friggin thing is warped! Why do I always get a warped one?

[Rhiannon]

I imagine that negotiation going like the scene from Blazing Saddles with the paddleball things. "Here, hand these out to the boys in lieu of pay." Only, "Here, Neal, instead of negotiating your share, we have a piece of tin foil." ... "Neal likey shiny."

This friggin thing is warped! Why do I always get a warped one?

I found this for you... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRb3u0PtEZE

[Rhiannon]

I imagine that negotiation going like the scene from Blazing Saddles with the paddleball things. "Here, hand these out to the boys in lieu of pay." Only, "Here, Neal, instead of negotiating your share, we have a piece of tin foil." ... "Neal likey shiny."

This friggin thing is warped! Why do I always get a warped one?

FOUND IT!!!!

http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseacti ... id=6066907

[WickedGail]

My friends treated me to the two shows
i went to so far they went through I Love All Access and the four star was 650 and the 5 star was 1000 and their getting a cut of that. We had first in DC and third in NYC, If you have the extra coin it's worth it to get a good seat if nothing else....

Gail

[Rick]

I imagine that negotiation going like the scene from Blazing Saddles with the paddleball things. "Here, hand these out to the boys in lieu of pay." Only, "Here, Neal, instead of negotiating your share, we have a piece of tin foil." ... "Neal likey shiny."

This friggin thing is warped! Why do I always get a warped one?

I found this for you... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRb3u0PtEZE

You're the best!

[Rick]

I imagine that negotiation going like the scene from Blazing Saddles with the paddleball things. "Here, hand these out to the boys in lieu of pay." Only, "Here, Neal, instead of negotiating your share, we have a piece of tin foil." ... "Neal likey shiny."

This friggin thing is warped! Why do I always get a warped one?

FOUND IT!!!!

http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseacti ... id=6066907

Even better!

[strangegrey]

LMAO!!! Jon-"Yes Neal, you make the most." Neal-"Fuck yeah...I'm the founding member, dude."

HAHAHA

Makes me remember back to when we were first setting up the website...and we listed the names in alphabetical order....and Neal made a huge fucking stink about making sure the names were listed in order of band seniority...
What a fuckwad!!

[X factor]

Here is an interesting article on the success of the Van Halen tour and their brilliant manager Irving Azoff. Enjoy.

PS Thank you Steve Perry for not letting Journey fans enjoy the same type of walk down memory lane. Pussy.



WASHINGTON (Reuters Life!) - Their mullets may be shorn but hard rockers Van
Halen are partying like it's 1984 on a sold-out U.S. tour with original
frontman David Lee Roth - one of several baby-boomer bands back on the road
this year.

Propelled by 53-year-old Roth's clowning and guitarist Eddie Van Halen's
virtuoso rubber-band licks, the band barreled through a two-hour set
Thursday with hits like "Runnin' With the Devil" and "Hot for Teacher,"
recorded before Roth quit more than 20 years ago to pursue a solo career.

That was fine with the fans who wanted no surprises.

"I don't want to hear any new music," said art curator Anne Shires, 32, who
said she paid $260 for a floor seat.

Sales of recorded music have plunged over the past decade, but rock fans
long out of college are more willing than ever to pay top dollars to see the
now-wrinkled musicians who provided the soundtrack to their youth.

The Police and Bruce Springsteen, who battled Van Halen at the top of the
charts in the late 1970s and early 1980s, are also playing to packed houses
this fall.

"Every artist now realizes that by and large their major income comes from
touring and merchandise sales, and not from recorded music sales," said Gary
Bongiovanni, editor of Pollstar, the trade journal of the concert industry.

DEMAND EXTENDS TOUR

Van Halen has sold more than 80 million albums worldwide since its 1978
debut, but hasn't released an album of new music since 1996. The band was
dropped by its record label in 2002.

But all 40 dates this year quickly sold out, and the tour has been extended
through March.

"This tour is as successful as they get," said manager Irving Azoff, who
declined to provide revenue figures. According to the Chicago Tribune, the
band earns $1.5 million per night.

The tour comes after a decade in which Van Halen has been more of a presence
on the gossip pages than the pop charts, due to on-again, off-again reunion
rumors with Roth and squabbles with Sammy Hagar, the singer who replaced
Roth in 1985, as well as Eddie's struggles with cancer and alcoholism.

Original bassist Michael Anthony, whose harmony singing was a crucial part
of the band's radio-friendly sound, was replaced by Eddie's 16-year-old son,
Wolfgang. Hagar and Anthony are touring on their own, under the moniker "The
Other Half."

"It's a little bit strange, they've been bad-mouthing David Lee Roth for 22
years and now all of a sudden they ignore their past," said Michel Schinkel,
38, who flew from Delft, Netherlands, to see three shows.

Any lingering tension wasn't evident at Thursday's show. Roth delivered
roundhouse karate kicks, twirled his microphone stand like a majorette and
sported a succession of top hats and embroidered, matador-style jackets.

A slender, shirtless Eddie ripped off his trademark squeals and dive-bomb
runs, his fingers magnified on a giant video screen behind the stage, while
his son ably held down the bottom end.

It was exactly what the cellphone-waving fans came for.

"We're bringing back the Seventies," said mortgage broker Joe Niosi, 48,
with a laugh. "We have no rules tonight."

Good post, dude! I couldn't agree more...

[Voyager]

Excellent post.
Kind of makes you wonder... sounds like more fun than sitting at home eating pizza and petting your cat.

Yeah, and a lot more lucrative. $1.5 million a night. Damn.

That's a lot of cabbage. You figure that's about $300,000+ per member. Journey gets somewhere in the neighborhood of $20,000 per member. It takes Schon 15 gigs to make what EVH makes in one night. Neal should've bailed on Journey and tried to play bass for Van Halen.

Hahahaha. Maybe Neal shoul have hooked up with Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony. Now that would be a rockin' team. Toss Frigga and Deen in for good measure.