I heard the song this morning on my local Classic Goddamn Rock station (NPR was doing traffic 
). The local jock got reax from listeners and the first responder called the song “a suck sandwich”, basically saying the same thing: no hook, no energy, wtf.
It’s no “Hot For Teacher.”
I’m no Van Halen fan, but the first clip shows why those guys filled stadium after stadium in the 80s.
The second clip actually made me feel sorry for David Lee Roth.
I’d like to see Van Halen again. I haven’t seen for 30 years or so. :’(
Sammy Hagar was one of the bands playing before VH went on stage.
Date: September 6, 1980
Concert Title: Rocklahoma!
Location: Norman, OK
Venue: Owen Field @ Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
Bands On The Bill (In Running Order): The Cats, Sammy Hagar, Pat Benetar, Van Halen, The Doobie Brothers
I like the new song. It’s not blowing any doors down but for the mood I was in when I heard it - it worked.
I think after all these years it would be reasonable to expect them to come up with something good. I always envisioned Eddie in his studio all these years, writing all these incredible songs, he was a guitar god! Then they trot out this awful Tattoo song and it blows to say the least.
Dave looks like a tired Vegas lounge lizard on stage. He’s no frontman and his shtick/banter feels so lame. Blagh.
I might get cheap seats for a show in the upcoming VH tour. I have not heard Eddie’s guitar tone live in person at concert since the Sammy Hagar era. It was louder than sin of course…and Sammy yelled out “GOOOOD P****!!!” during one of the outros. The audience was trashed on booze of course.
It doesn’t matter who sings though. Eddie is a modern day Mozart at least when he’s clean + sober. One of the big rifts in the 80s between EVH and DLR was about doing more neo-classical material or not. Unfortunately, Eddie fired the best all time Van Halen singer, aka Michael Anthony.
I keep reading about Michael Anthony’s great background vocals. What is a good song to hear them on?
How bout “Dance the Night Away”
Okay. I was watching a live clip in which I could only see Eddie singing background on that song, but thought that might be a good example. Thanks for the verification.
That accurately describes VH for about the last decade, definitely since Sammy Hagar left.
My opinions, for what they’re worth:
1 - Eddie’s ego didn’t ruin the band, his drinking/drugging did. He is now in his late 50s, and will never, ever be the player he was, whatever positive press the band manages to drum up. That Rolling Stone article that quoted Hagar a few months ago said it, and the second clip shows it: “He just made a lot of noise.”
2 - Roth’s main attribute was neither singing nor musicianship, but showmanship. He loved being a rock star, and was damn good at it, but that in itself is not a craft. He’s not young and good looking anymore, but doesn’t have any real musical talent to fall back on either. (Unlike, say, Steve Tyler.) He’s totally washed up. Nostalgia is the only reason to pay to see him perform. I’d rather spend to see a young up-and-comer with real talent and drive, who ISN’T already a millionaire.
3 - Like Roth, Van Halen was always about joie de vivre, not classic blues roots rock, or whatever the hell it is that people keep paying to see The Rolling Stones for. Sorry VH, you can’t be a very convincing party band when you’re old enough to be grandparents. You’re just pathetic.
What’s interesting to me is that whenever there is a SDMB “Sucky Members of Great Bands” Thread, everybody trips over themselves to mention Michael Anthony.
Still, as this discussion flirts with “Van Halen Has Jumped the Shark” territory, kicking Anthony out of the band seems to be held up as one of washed-up Eddie’s great mistakes.
I actually have no strong opinion on Michael Anthony, but having seen him trashed on the SDMB before it is interesting to see him defended here.
Michael Anthony may be the “suckiest” member of Van Halen but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a decent bass player/vocalist. In a band that’s had two very charismatic front men, one of the most revered guitar players of the '80’s and Alex Van Halen it’s easy to get overlooked. Besides, his strength isn’t his playing, it’s his backing vocals. Watch the video on this page and you’ll see what I mean (it’s an acoustic version of “You Really Got Me” with the current lineup). IMHO, Anthony’s backing vocals are sorely missed here.
One thing I really like about Anthony (which has nothing to do with his playing) is how he handled the whole mess with Van Halen. His picture on the first album was replaced by a picture of Wolfgang on the VH website. He was forced by the brothers to sign away all of his rights to the Van Halen catalog in order to do the reunion tour with Hagar, and on that tour he was treated as a hired gun. EVH told anyone who would listen that he, and not Anthony, played the bass on more recent albums. Anthony had every reason in the world to go out and blast the brothers and he didn’t. He went out, hooked up with a band and started putting out music. You’ve got to respect that.
Getting back to my OP, I decided to pass on VH this time around. I can find better uses for the money I would have spent on tickets.
Tickets here start at $90 for nosebleed seats. Floor seats run $400-$800.
Fuck them. Why is it the artists that need it the least charge the most. I’ll pay $10 and go see a VH cover band instead.