Van Halen is an American rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1974. From 1975 until 1985, the band comprised guitarist Eddie Van Halen, vocalist David Lee Roth, drummer Alex Van Halen, and bassist Michael Anthony.[5]
The band went on to become major stars, and by the early 1980s they were one of the most successful rock acts of the time. 1984 was their most successful album. The lead single, "Jump", became an international hit and their only single to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The following singles, "Panama" and "I'll Wait",
both hit number 13 on the US charts. The album went on to sell over 12
million copies in the US alone. In 1985, the band replaced lead singer
David Lee Roth with ex-Montrose lead vocalist Sammy Hagar.
With Hagar, the group would release four US number-one albums over the
course of 11 years. Hagar left the band in 1996 shortly before the
release of the band's first greatest hits collection, Best Of – Volume I. Former Extreme frontman Gary Cherone was quickly recruited as lead singer to replace Hagar, and Van Halen III
was released in 1998. Cherone left the band in frustration in 1999
after the tour due to the poor commercial performance of the album.
Van Halen went on hiatus until 2003 when they reunited with Hagar for
a worldwide tour. The reunited band released a second greatest hits
collection the following year, The Best of Both Worlds. Like Volume I before it, The Best of Both Worlds
included material from both the Roth and Hagar eras but omitted any
Cherone era tracks. The album featured three brand new tracks recorded
by the reunited band, two of which were released as singles. Hagar again
left Van Halen in 2005 and in 2006, Roth returned as lead vocalist for
their highest-grossing tour, and one of the highest-grossing tours of
that year. Anthony was not invited to participate in the tour and was
essentially fired from the band, replaced by Wolfgang Van Halen, Eddie's son. In 2012, the band released the commercially and critically successful, A Different Kind of Truth, with Roth as lead vocalist. According to the RIAA, Van Halen is the 19th-best-selling band/artist in United States history, selling 56 million albums in the U.S.[6] They were also revealed at number 4 on the Billboard's top money makers list in 2013.[7][8] Van Halen is one of only five rock bands that have had two studio albums sell more than 10 million copies in the U.S.[9] Additionally, Van Halen charted the most number-one hits in the history of Billboard 's Mainstream Rock chart and they are one of the world's best-selling bands of all time, having sold more than 80 million records.[10][11]
Van Halen achieved worldwide fame for their many popular songs and
larger-than-life stage performances; unfortunately, they also became
known for the drama surrounding the departures of former members.
Controversy surrounded the band following the exits of Roth, Hagar, and
Anthony; this controversy often included numerous conflicting press
statements between the former members and the band. In 2007, Van Halen
was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[12] VH1 ranked them 7th on their list of the top 100 hard rock artists of all time.
Formation and early history (1972–77)
Born in Nijmegen, Netherlands, Edward Van Halen and Alex Van Halen
are the sons of musician Jan Van Halen. Young Edward first began
studying classical piano, and became quite proficient (although he never
fully mastered the art of reading sheet music). Eventually the brothers
started playing music together in the 1960s – Eddie on drums and Alex
on guitar. While Eddie was delivering newspapers to pay for his new drum
set, Alex would sneak over and play them. Eventually Eddie found out
about it, and out of frustration he told Alex, "OK, you play drums and
I'll go play your guitar."[13]
The Van Halen brothers formed their very first band called The Broken
Combs in early 1970s. As they progressed and gained popularity, they
started to play many backyard parties and changed the name of their band
to The Trojan Rubber Co. In 1972, the Van Halen brothers formed a band
called Genesis featuring Eddie as lead vocalist/guitarist, Alex on
drums, and Mark Stone on bass. They initially rented a sound system from David Lee Roth but decided to save money by letting him join as lead vocalist even though his previous audition(s) had been unsuccessful.[14] By 1974 the band decided to replace Stone, so Michael Anthony,
bassist and lead vocalist from local band Snake was auditioned.
Following an all-night jam session, he was hired for bass and backing
vocals.[14]
The band later changed its name to Mammoth when they discovered the name Genesis was already being used. In 1974, Mammoth officially changed its name to Van Halen. According to Roth,[15] this was his brainchild. He felt it was a name that had power, like Santana.
They played backyard parties and on a flatbed truck at Hamilton Park.
Van Halen played clubs in Pasadena and Hollywood to growing audiences,
increasing their popularity through self-promotion: before each gig they
would pass out flyers at local high schools. This sort of
self-promotion soon built them a major following.[14] Later that year, the band got its first break when it was hired to play at Gazzarri's, a formerly famous but down-at-the-heels night club on the Sunset Strip which closed in 1996.
Earlier, they had auditioned for the owner, Bill Gazzarri, but he
claimed they were "too loud," and would not hire them. But their new
managers, Mark Algorri and Mario Miranda, who had coincidentally taken
over Gazzarri's hiring, did the deal. Shortly afterwards, they recorded their first demo tape at the now-defunct Cherokee Studios in Northridge where Steely Dan
recently had completed an album. Van Halen became a staple of the Los
Angeles music scene during the mid-1970s, playing at well-known clubs
like the Whisky a Go Go.[16]
According to a January 4, 1977, L.A. Times article by Robert Hilburn,[17] entitled "HOMEGROWN PUNK," Rodney Bingenheimer saw Van Halen at the Gazzarri club in the summer of 1976, so he took Gene Simmons of Kiss to see Van Halen. Gene Simmons then produced a Van Halen demo tape with recording beginning at the Village Recorder studios in Los Angeles and finished with overdubs at the Electric Lady Studios in New York.[13]
Simmons wanted to change the band's name to "Daddy Longlegs," but the
band stuck with Van Halen. Simmons then opted out of further involvement
after he took the demo to Kiss management and was told that "they had
no chance of making it" and that they wouldn't take them.[18]
In mid-1977 Mo Ostin and Ted Templeman
of Warner Bros. Records saw Van Halen perform at the Starwood in
Hollywood. Although the audience was small, the two were so impressed
with Van Halen that within a week they offered the band a recording
contract.[19] The group recorded their debut album at Sunset Sound Recorders
studio in mid September to early October 1977, recording guitar parts
for one week and then recording vocals for two additional weeks. All of
the tracks were laid down with little over-dubbing
or double tracking. Minor mistakes were purposely left on the record
and a simple musical set-up was used to give the record a live feel.
During this time they continued to play various venues in Southern
California, including some notable concerts at the Pasadena Convention
Center produced by their promoter and impresario, Steve Tortomasi,
himself a fixture in the local rock and roll scene.
David Lee Roth era: rise to fame and commercial peak (1978–1985)
Upon its release, Van Halen reached No. 19 on the Billboard pop music charts, one of rock's most commercially successful debuts.[20] It was highly regarded as both a heavy metal and hard rock album.[21] The album included songs now regarded as Van Halen classics, like "Runnin' with the Devil" and the guitar solo "Eruption", which showcased Eddie's use of a technique known as "finger-tapping". The band toured for nearly a year, opening for Black Sabbath
and establishing a reputation for their performances. The band's
chemistry owed much to Eddie Van Halen's technical guitar wizardry and
David Lee Roth's flamboyant antics, strong points which later made them
rivals. The band returned to the studio in late 1978 to record Van Halen II, a 1979 album similar in style to their debut. This record yielded the band's first hit single, "Dance the Night Away."
Over the next few years, the band alternated album releases and touring (see Van Halen concert tours). Their Women and Children First album was released in 1980 and further cemented Van Halen's status. But in 1981, during the recording of the Fair Warning
album, tensions rose. Eddie's desire for more serious and complex songs
was at odds with Roth's poppy style. Nonetheless, Roth (and producer
Templeman) acquiesced to Eddie's wishes.
Diver Down performed better. The band then earned a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for the highest-paid single appearance of a band: $1.5 million for a 90-minute set at the 1983 US Festival.[citation needed] Despite this return to form, Roth and Eddie's differences continued, and this caused friction with other band members. Billy Sheehan, after his band Talas
completed a tour with Van Halen, claims he was approached by Eddie Van
Halen to replace Michael Anthony. The reasons for this were never clear
to Sheehan because nothing came of it.[22] During this time Eddie and Alex Van Halen contributed the score and instrumental songs to the movie The Wild Life,
starring Eric Stoltz. The score was heavy on the keyboards, similar to
the sound used on the previous two albums and much more like the sound
coming in their next album.
1984 (released on January 9, 1984) was their commercial pinnacle. Recorded at Eddie Van Halen's newly built 5150 Studios, the album featured keyboards, which had only been used sporadically on previous albums. The lead single, "Jump," featured a synthesizer hook and anthemic lyrics, and became the band's first and only No. 1 pop hit, garnering them a Grammy nomination.[24] Other singles included "Panama" (No. 13 U.S.), "I'll Wait" (also No. 13 U.S.), and "Hot for Teacher." Three of the songs had popular music videos on MTV. 1984 was praised by critics[25][26][27] and fans alike,[28][29] peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard charts behind Michael Jackson's Thriller.
The album, however, was also a breaking point for the band. In the midst of the 1984 Tour
the artistic and personal tensions among the musicians reached a fever
pitch. Reasons for the breakup vary based on the band member
interviewed, but were rooted in control of the band's sound and image.
Roth was upset about Eddie playing music outside of Van Halen without
checking with the band, and his alleged drug abuse that allegedly
prevented the band from viable practices. Roth was also launching a
successful solo career with two hit songs off his Crazy from the Heat EP, a remake of The Beach Boys classic "California Girls" (#3 U.S.) and the old standard "Just a Gigolo" (#12 U.S.). Roth was also offered a $20-million film deal for a script entitled Crazy from the Heat. Roth hoped Van Halen would contribute the soundtrack; however, the film deal fell through when MGM Pictures was sold in 1986.
Sammy Hagar era: changing style and a string of number one albums (1986–1996)
Eddie invited Patty Smyth of Scandal to replace Roth but she declined. Eddie was then introduced by an auto mechanic to Sammy Hagar, formerly of a 1970s band Montrose, and at that time a solo artist coming off a very successful year. His hit single I Can't Drive 55 came from his 1984 album VOA, produced by Ted Templeman who had also produced Hagar's first album Montrose,
as well as all of Van Halen's albums up to that point. Hagar agreed to
join and also serve as a rhythm guitarist on stage to add to the Van
Halen sound. The 1986 Van Halen album 5150 was a huge hit, becoming the band's first No. 1 album on the Billboard charts, driven by the keyboard-dominated singles "Why Can't This Be Love" (#3 U.S.), "Dreams," and "Love Walks In"
(Top 30 U.S.). To further introduce the new era for the band, a new Van
Halen logo was put on the cover. The new logo retained elements of the
original, but now the lines extending from either side of 'VH' wrapped
around and formed a ring.
Following the release of the 5150 album, a tour was launched to support it across North America. Named the "1986 Tour," the title was a homage[citation needed] to the previous "1984 Tour" in support of the 1984 album. Footage was released on VHS and DVD as "Live Without a Net." In the tour Hagar wanted to minimize the use of pre-Hagar Van Halen songs in the set,[citation needed]
other than the band's best known classics. This was a trend that
continued, with the expanding repertoire of Hagar-era songs slowly
whittling away at the number of Roth-era songs on the set list.
All four studio albums produced during this period reached No. 1 on the Billboard
pop music charts and 17 singles breached the top 12 of the mainstream
rock tracks chart. During that era, a single taken from 1988's 'OU812', "When It's Love," reached the Top Five, peaking at No. 5. In addition, Van Halen was nominated for two Grammy Awards, winning the 1992 Best Hard Rock Performance with Vocal award for the album For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge. Van Halen continued to enjoy success throughout the mid-90s. In 1995, Van Halen released the album Balance and supported Bon Jovi on their European Summer stadium tour. They also made a live album called *Live: Right Here, Right Now*. During the recording of songs for the film Twister, escalating tension between Hagar and the Van Halen brothers boiled over[citation needed] and Hagar departed on Father's Day, 1996. The band had recorded "Humans Being," a song for which Eddie claimed he had to write all the lyrics since Hagar's were "too cheesy."[citation needed] This upset Hagar,[citation needed]
and when they were to record a second song for the soundtrack, Hagar
was in Hawaii for the birth of his child. It wasn't an easy birth as the
baby was breech, so needed to be delivered via C-section.[30] He wasn't keen on doing soundtrack work[citation needed]
since it would make the music hard to obtain for fans, "abusing" them,
so the second track the band were due to record became an Eddie/Alex
instrumental, "Respect the Wind."
The band was also working on a compilation album. This led to conflicts with Hagar and the group's new manager, Ray Danniels, (Ed Leffler's replacement and Alex Van Halen's
former brother-in-law), even though it was former manager Ed Leffler
who had renewed their contract with Warner Bros. Records and had added
in the Best Of album option years before. Hagar was reluctant to work on
a compilation album before a new album came out and the band fell out,
leaving the management siding with Eddie and Alex. Hagar also had
concerns over comparisons on an album which featured both his work and
Roth's.
Hagar claimed that he was fired; Van Halen claimed that he had quit.
A temporary reunion with Roth (1996)
David Lee Roth called Eddie to discuss what tracks would be included
on a planned Van Halen compilation (work on which had actually begun
before Hagar's departure). They got along well, and Eddie invited him up
to his house/studio. Shortly afterwards, David Lee Roth re-entered the
studio with the band and producer Glen Ballard. Two songs from those sessions were added to the band's Greatest Hits album and released as singles to promote it.
In September, Van Halen was asked to present an award at the 1996 MTV
Video Music Awards. They agreed, and on September 4, 1996, the four
original members of Van Halen made their first public appearance
together in over eleven years. This helped to bring the compilation to
No. 1 on the U.S. album charts. However, unknown to Roth, Eddie and Alex
were still auditioning other singers, including Mitch Malloy.[31][32]
The band's appearance on the 1996 MTV Video Music Awards fueled
reunion speculation. But several weeks after the awards show, it was
discovered that Roth was out of Van Halen again. Roth released a
statement in which he apologized to the media and the fans, stating that
he was an unwitting participant in a publicity stunt by Van Halen and
manager Ray Danniels. The next day, Eddie and Alex released their own
statement, claiming they had been completely honest with Roth and had
never suggested he was guaranteed to be the next lead singer.[33]
Eddie Van Halen would later explain (in regard to the MTV Video Music
Awards appearance) that he had initially been embarrassed by Roth's
antics while on camera behind Beck,
who was giving an acceptance speech for the award that Van Halen had
presented to him. Immediately following this, the band had been taken to
a backstage press conference where press queries about a reunion tour
were met with Eddie Van Halen saying that he needed a hip replacement
and would have to record an entire new studio album before any tour. In
private Roth told Eddie to avoid talking about negative things like his
hip and the two almost came to blows, thereby shattering any chance of a
full-scale reunion.[34]
Gary Cherone era: decline in popularity (1996–99)
Van Halen's next lead singer was Gary Cherone, frontman of the then-defunct Boston-based band Extreme, a group which had enjoyed some popular success in the early 1990s.[35] The result was the album Van Halen III.
Many songs were longer and more experimental than Van Halen's earlier
work. It was a notable contrast from their previous material, with more
focus on ballads than traditional rock songs ("How Many Say I," with
Eddie on vocals). Sales were poor by the band's standards, only reaching
Gold certification, despite the album peaking at No. 4 on the US
charts. However, Van Halen III did produce "Without You," a hit and
another album track, "Fire in the Hole," appeared on the Lethal Weapon 4 soundtrack. The album was followed by a tour. The III Tour saw Van Halen playing in new countries, including first ever visits to Australia and New Zealand.
Shortly afterwards, Van Halen returned to the studio and in early
1999, they started work on a new album. Working titles of songs included
"Left for Dead," "River Wide," "Say Uncle," "You Wear it Well," "More
Than Yesterday," "I Don't Miss You...Much," "Love Divine," and "From
Here, Where Do We Go?".[citation needed] The project was left unfinished when Cherone left the band amicably in November 1999.[citation needed] Citing musical differences, it is likely III's
poor sales and critical reception had a big impact. None of the
material from these sessions has ever been released, and in fact the
band released no new material at all (aside from three new songs
included on the 2004 Best of Both Worlds
compilation) in the years following until January 10, 2012. Lyrics that
Cherone had written for the Van Halen III follow up would be used in
his next project with Tribe of Judah.
Touring with Cherone had proven disappointing in terms of attendance. Eddie would later admit that "the powers that be" (Warner Bros.)
had forced his hand in parting with Cherone. Unlike with the previous
two singers, there was reportedly no bad blood behind the breakup, and
Cherone remained in contact and on good terms with Van Halen. As when
Hagar left, speculation resumed on a Roth reunion.
Hiatus from public (1999–2003)
Eddie recovered from his hip surgery in November 1999, but from 2000
to early 2004 no official statements were made by Van Halen and no music
was released. However, information about members past and present
trickled in. The Van Halen brothers continued writing at 5150 studios,
Gary Cherone recorded an album and toured with new band Tribe of Judah.
One of the songs that Cherone had written for the scrapped second album
with Van Halen entitled "Left For Dead" would see its lyrics set to a
completely new musical arrangement with Tribe of Judah. Meanwhile, Hagar
and Roth continued their solo careers.
As Reported by Slawterhouse, in 2000 at 5150, the band worked with
David Lee Roth writing new music before falling out again. Eddie kept
quiet, but made a rare appearance at the Los Angeles Police Department
charity golf tournament during May 2001. Any band progress would have
been interrupted on October 15, 2001, when Eddie and his wife of 21
years, actress Valerie Bertinelli,
separated (though the couple would not file for divorce until December
8, 2005). In November 2001, Anthony claimed Roth had been working with
the band again for a few months, but lawyers had shut it down. Anthony
later denied this. The band was also dropped from Warner Bros. Records,
which had first signed them in 1978. More positively, Eddie underwent
treatment for cancer and announced his recovery on Van Halen's website
in May 2002.
Eddie's only live performances during this period were joining Mountain
to play "Never in My Life" in August 2002 and participating in a
private audience jam at NAMM in January 2003. This jam took place at the
Peavey booth (Peavey produced Eddie's signature "Wolfgang"
model guitar). When word quickly spread through the NAMM show that
Eddie was to play at the Peavey booth, he attracted a large number of
people. But Eddie showed up late and drunk, and when he finally
appeared, he was incoherent. As a result, Peavey chose not to offer an
extension on their contract with Eddie, and thus stopped producing any
EVH-signature products. Fender, which had purchased Charvel-Jackson,
began a licensing deal with the EVH brand, including producing new amps
and signature guitars, such as a copy of Eddie's famous "Frankenstein"
Strat-style guitar.
In the summer of 2002, David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar teamed up in the Song For Song, the Heavyweight Champs of Rock and Roll
tour (also known as the 'Sans-Halen' or 'Sam & Dave' Tour). The
joint tour headlining both former lead singers attracted media and
audience fascination because it seemed more improbable than even a Van
Halen tour with Roth or Hagar could be. The tour drew large crowds and
featured no opening acts, Roth and Hagar alternating opening as the
first act during the tour. In an interview, Roth contrasted his
personality with Hagar's, saying, "He's the kind of guy you go out with
to split a bottle with a friend. I'm the kind of guy you go out with if
you want to split your friend with a bottle." Michael Anthony guested
with Hagar's band, The Waboritas, numerous times and sometimes
even sang lead vocals. During performances, Hagar would tease Anthony by
asking, "Do the brothers know you're here?" Anthony never played with
Roth. Gary Cherone appeared on occasion. Hagar released a live album (Hallelujah), featuring vocals by Mike and Gary, and a documentary DVD, Long Road to Cabo, about touring with Roth. Next, Hagar joined with Joe Satriani and Journey
guitarist Neal Schon to form a side project, Planet Us, along with
Michael Anthony and Deen Castronovo (also of Journey) on drums. The band
recorded just two songs and played live a few times before dissolving
when Hagar and Anthony rejoined Van Halen. While the two lead singers
promoted the tour and publicly claimed mutual respect, rumors of bitter
acrimony and mutual loathing between the two singers swirled. The
allegations were later supported in back stage video, which showed Roth
and Hagar camps maintaining strict separation.
On July 4, 2004, Roth performed with one of the world's most popular orchestras, the Boston Pops, at United States' annual Pops Goes the Fourth celebration in Boston. Hagar remained active, releasing five albums and creating his own merchandising brand Cabo Wabo, which lends its name to his line of tequila, as well as his franchise of cantinas. He reunited with Montrose
in 2003 and 2005 for a few performances and maintained contact with
Michael Anthony, often playing with him. With Van Halen inactive,
Anthony set up a website and worked on merchandising projects such as
his signature Yamaha bass and range of hot sauces.[36] He became involved with the annual music industry NAMM Show.
Reunion with Hagar (2003–2005)
During January 2003, the VHND (Van Halen News Desk) website reported
that Sammy Hagar was working with the Van Halens. No official
confirmation came for an extended period of time. In late March 2004,
Van Halen and Sammy Hagar announced that Hagar would reunite with the
band for a new compilation release and a Summer concert tour of the USA.
In July 2004, Van Halen released a new 2-CD compilation featuring
three new songs with Hagar: "It's About Time," "Up For Breakfast," and
"Learning to See." These new songs were credited to Hagar/Van Halen/Van
Halen, which was unusual since normally the entire lineup, which also
included Michael Anthony, would be credited. However, the performance
was credited to the entire band. Michael Anthony would later reveal in
interviews that Eddie Van Halen had in fact not wanted him to be a part
of the reunion and for this reason Anthony had not been allowed to
perform in the sessions (explaining his lack of a songwriting credit),
with Eddie playing the bass parts himself instead. However, Anthony did
provide backing vocals for the three tracks. Though it was the only new
album since the band's first Greatest Hits, no songs with Gary Cherone
from Van Halen III were included. It was certified platinum in the USA in August 2004.
The Summer 2004 tour
grossed almost US$55 million, and Pollstar listed Van Halen in the top
10 grossing tours of 2004. Professional reviews of the tour, however,
proved to be mixed. On some shows, Eddie's son Wolfgang came onstage and
played guitar with his father during "316," a song dedicated to his
son, taking its name from his birthday. During the later stages of the
tour, stories of Eddie being drunk began to surface along with fan-shot
video footage of poor playing. At the band's final show of the tour, in
Tucson, Eddie smashed one of his guitars at the end of the show.
After the tour, things broke down. At first Hagar stated he had yet
to decide what he would be doing with Van Halen, although he was still
an official member of the band. Soon after, however, both Hagar and
Anthony admitted that Eddie had problems with alcohol during the tour
that affected everyone involved. Hagar stated that he was "done with Van
Halen" and wished that everyone would have "taken it more seriously."
Despite this, Eddie later described himself as "satisfied" with the
tour.
After the tour ended, Hagar returned to his solo band The Waboritas,
and Anthony appeared with him on tour occasionally. The band quickly
faded from view after Hagar left again. In December 2005 Michael Anthony
revealed in an interview with Mark & Brian that he had not talked with the Van Halens and was unsure of their plans.
Second reunion with Roth (2006–2008)
Rumors of a David Lee Roth reunion re-emerged and on January 3, 2006,
Roth explained during an interview that he had spoken to Alex Van Halen
the previous week and a reunion was "inevitable."[37]
However, he also said that Eddie Van Halen was "off in his own little
world" recently. When asked if any problems occurred with Sammy Hagar
during the 2004 tour Eddie Van Halen answered, "Sammy is Sammy, and for
the most part that's just fine." Roth persisted with suggestions of a
reunion,[38]
saying, "People want the reunion," and "No one will pay respect to what
any of us do [musically] until we get the reunion out of the way." In
May 2006, he told Billboard.com, "There's contact between the two
camps."
On June 3, Michael Anthony began a successful tour with Hagar billed
as "The Other Half" (a reference to them being half of Van Halen with
the other half being Eddie/Alex), with Anthony singing lead vocals
sometimes. Meanwhile, on June 19 the Van Halen brothers jumped onstage
with Kenny Chesney at The Home Depot Center performing "Jump" and "You Really Got Me."
This unusual performance was their first onstage since the 2004 tour.
This was followed by another Eddie Van Halen performance on July 19,
2006, at the House of Petals in Los Angeles, playing new material. He
followed this with an announcement on July 27, 2006, that some of his
new music would be released on the soundtrack for the pornographic film Sacred Sin.
In March 2006, Michael Anthony spoke to Japanese rock magazine Burrn!,[39]
claiming the brothers did not want him on the 2004 reunion tour,
although Hagar did (and would not play without Anthony), but he had to
agree to reduced royalties and end absolutely all association with the
band after the tour in terms of rights to using the name to promote
himself.[40] It was in this same interview he admitted he was not involved in the new songs on Best of Both Worlds and only recorded three tracks for III.
On September 8, 2006, Howard Stern's
Eddie Van Halen live interview broke the band's long silence. Eddie
said he was willing to reunite with Roth and revealed a solo album in
the works. Michael Anthony's departure was confirmed with Eddie's son,
Wolfgang, taking his role. Wolfgang had played bass guitar alongside his
father on some 2004 concerts. When queried about The Other Half tour,
Eddie said Anthony could "do what he wants" now. This shocked and
offended many fans.[41]
In November, Eddie's spokesperson, Janie Liszewski, claimed the Van
Halen family was writing/rehearsing for a Summer 2007 tour, which Billboard
magazine's website shortly confirmed. However, the Van Halen website
remained in the state it had been in since the Hagar reunion.[42]
On December 11, 2006, Eddie Van Halen stated to Guitar World magazine that David Lee Roth had been directly invited to rejoin the band.[43]
However, on December 28, Roth announced that he had not talked to Eddie
in two years, and a reunion with Van Halen could result in a "Jerry Springer style fight."[44]
In January 2007, Van Halen was announced as one of that year's inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The Van Halen brothers, Anthony, Hagar, and Roth were inducted, though
only Hagar and Anthony appeared at the induction ceremony on behalf of
the group.[45] Billboard announced on January 24, 2007 that Van Halen would reunite with David Lee Roth for a US tour.[46] This was confirmed shortly after on the official Van Halen website.[47]
The Van Halen News Desk announced on February 15, 2007, that a Van
Halen "Best Of (1978–1984)," a single-disc compilation of Van Halen's
David Lee Roth era, would be released by April 3. Shortly after,
information arrived in a flood. Various sources claimed the tour was
shut down as was the new "Best Of" CD.[48][49]
On March 8, 2007 Eddie announced on Van Halen's website that he was in
rehab. Along with the announcement, a change was made to the website.
The logo at the top of the page changed to the original Van Halen logo
from their 1978 debut album.
As the band's Hall of Fame induction drew near, media focus shifted to that. Velvet Revolver would induct the band and speak on their behalf. On March 12, 2007, the band was inducted at a ceremony held at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. Anthony and Hagar were the only inductees in attendance. Velvet Revolver played "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love", and Anthony and Hagar performed "Why Can't This Be Love" with Paul Shaffer.
At a post-induction press conference, Hagar said he would love to work
with Van Halen again but that the Van Halens should tour with Roth
first.
On April 21, 2007, Eddie Van Halen served as an Honorary Race Official for the NASCAR race at Phoenix International Raceway. On May 24 posted a note to the Van Halen website confirming that he had completed rehab successfully.[50]
After nearly 10 months of speculation and rumors, Van Halen (and David Lee Roth separately via his own website[51])
said that the band would be going on a tour of North America. Roth
claimed in the press release that, "the idea is that this will continue
on and on and on" and also that a world tour and a new album were both in the works.
Press reaction to the reunion was largely warm, but the re-designed
website sparked controversy when Michael Anthony was removed from images
of old album artwork.[52] The album covers were restored to their original condition a day later without a word. The Fall 2007 tour was originally 25 dates, but was extended into 2008 with a second leg.
Van Halen started their new tour on September 27, 2007, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Playing to sellout crowds, the tour generated positive reviews.[53]
Amid rumors of Eddie being back in rehab, multiple dates of the tour
were postponed. The official reason was the need for medical procedures
to be run on Eddie.[54]
On March 5, 2008, World Entertainment Weekly to CBS News
reported that the reason the tour had been interrupted was Eddie Van
Halen's needing to reenter rehab. The report also indicated that it had
been a "furious backstage bust-up in Florida with his 17-year-old son
and bandmate Wolfgang" which had motivated Eddie to seek help once
again.[55]
In response to rumors about Eddie Van Halen being back in rehab Valerie Bertinelli
said that "he is not in rehab." She did not, however, say if he had
recently been in rehab, stating only that he wasn't currently,[56]
a statement echoed by Wolfgang Van Halen during the 2008 Kids Choice
Awards. Eventually, the tour started back up April 17 at the Reno Events Center in Nevada.
The tour ended on June 2, 2008, at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
During the show Roth stated multiple times that this would not be their
final show and that they would "see everyone next time." At this show
the arena sign was altered to read "VAN HALEN ARENA." According to the
Van Halen News Desk, the reunion tour with Roth was the highest grossing
in the band's history, raking in almost 93 million dollars.
On July 3, 2008, Van Halen headlined the Quebec City Summer Festival in front of a crowd of 85,000.
A Different Kind of Truth (2009–present)
In an interview with Guitar World,
posted on November 12, 2008, about the making of his upcoming new EVH
Wolfgang guitar from Fender, Eddie Van Halen said, in regard to new Van
Halen music, "I'll be making music 'til the day I die. I've done all
kinds of stuff, and more is coming. I can't tell you exactly when right
now. Wolfgang is in the 12th grade and he needs to graduate first. Then
I'm getting married in June. We'll pick it up after that."[57]
Eddie underwent surgery on his left hand in 2009, following some treatment for arthritis as he felt pain in his fingers during the 2007 tour.[58]
In an interview with Glide Magazine appearing in the May 2010 issue, Dweezil Zappa
commented that Eddie had played him "new stuff from his record." It was
not clear from the interview if the music was intended for a new Van
Halen record.[59]
In August 2010, Warner/Chappell Music extended its administration
agreements with Van Halen (specifically Eddie and Alex Van Halen). Under
the agreement, Warner/Chappell will continue to administer their
catalog of works. This press release also stated that the group is
currently in the studio recording an album with Roth, that is due for
release in 2011.[60]
Van Halen entered the Henson Studio C with producer John Shanks
on January 17, 2011. Shanks posted on his Twitter account that he was
in the studio with the band and posted a picture of one of Eddie Van
Halen's signature amps.[61] The new album would be the first full-length Van Halen album since 1998's Van Halen III
and the first new music from the band since the three new songs from
the 2004's "Best of Both Worlds" compilation. It would also be the first
Van Halen album to feature Eddie's son, Wolfgang Van Halen,
on the bass in place of Michael Anthony. This would also be the first
full-length album to feature Roth on vocals in over 27 years, and the
first new material with him in 15 years, since the two new songs with
him on the Best Of – Volume I.[62] It would also be the first recorded music from Roth since 2003's Diamond Dave.
On June 16, 2011, Creed and Alter Bridge guitarist Mark Tremonti
claimed that he had been invited to 5150 studios and that Eddie, Alex
and Wolfgang Van Halen performed the album live, in its entirety, for
Tremonti and Creed touring guitarist, Eric Friedman.[63]
Producer/engineer Ross Hogarth claimed on July 31, 2011, that "[t]he whole Van Halen record has been recorded."[64]
On September 5, 2011, it was reported that the mixing on the new album
had been completed in mid-August, and production had progressed to the
mastering stage.[65]
Their official website was updated on December 26, 2011, announcing that tickets for their 2012 tour would be available starting January 10, 2012. On January 5, 2012, Van Halen played an intimate club gig at New York City's Cafe Wha? which received widespread praise from media and fans.[66] On January 10, the band's first single, titled "Tattoo," made its premiere on radio stations. The following week, the single debuted at No. 67 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart.[67] The band's new studio album from Interscope Records, entitled A Different Kind of Truth,
was released on February 7, 2012. It was Van Halen's first studio
release since 1998 and first with David Lee Roth on lead vocals since
1984.
On February 8, 2012, Van Halen performed a "friends and family" dress
rehearsal at the L.A. Forum in Inglewood, California. The show featured
many classics as well as several new songs from their latest release, A Different Kind Of Truth, which was released officially the day before in the United States.[68]
Despite Van Halen's long lay-off between studio albums, A Different Kind of Truth sold 188,000 copies during its first six days of release, debuting at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart.[69] There was an overwhelmingly positive critical and fan response to A Different Kind of Truth,
which helped to fuel the album's long run in the upper reaches of the
U.S. Billboard 200 Album Chart; additionally, it earned the band its
highest-ever charting album in the United Kingdom (debuting at No. 6).[70][71]
Despite an average ticket price of approximately $150, Van Halen's "A Different Kind of Truth Tour" proved to be a commercial success as well, with nearly all U.S. arena shows "either sold-out, or close to it." [72]
Critically, the band received mostly positive reviews, particularly
when performing throughout the U.S. Northeast and West Coast. R&B
legends Kool and the Gang were hand-picked by frontman David Lee Roth to open the first two legs of Van Halen's tour.[73]
On May 17, 2012, Rolling Stone reported that Van Halen was postponing all tour dates after their June 26 show in New Orleans, Louisiana.[74][75]
Shortly thereafter, the Van Halen News Desk revealed that the band's
members were in good health, had not been arguing with each other, and
that the reason for the postponed tour dates was to take a break after
18 months of non-stop recording and touring as well as to allow the
group the opportunity to enhance its concert presentation before
resuming the tour in the late summer of 2012.[76] However, the postponed dates were officially listed as cancelled shortly thereafter.[77]
August 30, 2012, Eddie Van Halen was diagnosed with diverticulitis and underwent surgery postponing the shows in Japan initially scheduled for November 2012.[78]
On April 20, 2013, the Roth-fronted Van Halen played its first show
outside North America since 1984, and their first in Australia since
1998, at the Stone Festival in Sydney.[79] This was followed by one show each in Tokyo and Nagoya, and two in Osaka, from June 18 to 26.
In February 2015, Van Halen fansite VHND.com announced that Van Halen
would be releasing their first ever live album with original vocalist
David Lee Roth, Tokyo Dome Live in Concert on March 31, 2015. It was also reported that the band would be releasing newly remastered versions of their 1978 debut and 1984 on CD, digital, and vinyl.[80]
In February 2015, In an interview when asked about the status of Van
Halen, Eddie Van Halen responded by saying "I'd love to make a studio
record. Depends on everybody's timing. I don’t know what Dave Lee Roth
is up to now. I don't know if he’s living in New York or Japan or
wherever he is."[81]
On March 24, 2015, Van Halen announced a 39 date tour with Roth to take place from July to October 2015 across North America.[82][83] In April 2015, Eddie Van Halen told Rolling Stone that the band will "probably hunker down and do a studio record" after their tour.[84]
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