Originally Posted by htismaqe:
Well you can't change the past. I wouldn't be the player I am today without it. But I'm a BETTER player today without it.
I'll tell you one thing though. One time I took an Adderall for a work thing or something and played at some point. It was amazing and perfect. Freaked me out kinda. [Reply]
I never liked Van Halen because of Diamond Dave. I saw Sammy Hagar with MONTROSE in 1976 at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium as the warm up band for THE SWEET. Van Hagar didn't do much for me either. Sammy Hagar wrote a book titled "RED" which he talks about his time in Van Halen. A MUST READ FOR ANY ROCK 'N ROLL FAN! Some unbelievable stories. That being said here is a great interview with Eddie Van Halen 5 years ago. -> http://youtu.be/yb26D8bBZB8 He came to AMERICA with just a couple of bucks and "LIVED THE AMERICAN DREAM". R.I.P. EDDIE VAN HALEN :-) [Reply]
Originally Posted by eDave:
I'll tell you one thing though. One time I took an Adderall for a work thing or something and played at some point. It was amazing and perfect. Freaked me out kinda.
Originally Posted by SuperBowl4:
...Sammy Hagar wrote a book titled "RED" which he talks about his time in Van Halen. A MUST READ FOR ANY ROCK 'N ROLL FAN! Some unbelievable stories. That being said here is a great interview with Eddie Van Halen 5 years ago. -> http://youtu.be/yb26D8bBZB8 He came to AMERICA with just a couple of bucks and "LIVED THE AMERICAN DREAM". R.I.P. EDDIE VAN HALEN :-)
I read RED when it came out about 8 years ago, very interesting book. He said they would jam in Eddie's garage all day and the brothers would go through a case of beer and the ash tray would be full of butts a couple of times a day. I could see a person being somewhat turned off by that and I took away the biggest friction was over the club in Mexico. How the brothers complained that Sammy got them into such a bad investment so he bailed them out by buying back their share. Then he goes and fixes the place, fires the bum that was running the place and puts in good people and good entertainment and the place takes off. Then the brothers think he's been sandbagging and now they been ripped off again.
I saw Sammy solo in '84 open for ZZ Top Eliminator Tour and his opening was 90 minutes and was fantastic. If all opening acts were as good as he was, all shows would be better, and ZZ Top was way better than I expected. Overall one of the best shows I've seen. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DeepPurple:
I read RED when it came out about 8 years ago, very interesting book. He said they would jam in Eddie's garage all day and the brothers would go through a case of beer and the ash tray would be full of butts a couple of times a day. I could see a person being somewhat turned off by that and I took away the biggest friction was over the club in Mexico. How the brothers complained that Sammy got them into such a bad investment so he bailed them out by buying back their share. Then he goes and fixes the place, fires the bum that was running the place and puts in good people and good entertainment and the place takes off. Then the brothers think he's been sandbagging and now they been ripped off again.
I saw Sammy solo in '84 open for ZZ Top Eliminator Tour and his opening was 90 minutes and was fantastic. If all opening acts were as good as he was, all shows would be better, and ZZ Top was way better than I expected. Overall one of the best shows I've seen.
Originally Posted by scho63:
I apologize if someone already posted this but here is a real cool Eddie Van Halen factoid:
Quincy Jones asked him to come play some riffs on Michael Jackson's "Beat It" , he showed up with nothing prepped and then ad-libbed one of the greatest guitar riffs on one of the world's most recognizable songs. The speakers staring smoking and caught on fire at the end due to the power coming out. Awesome stuff! :-)
Really a cool combo! Both are together now doing an encore.
RIP to one of my favs growing up.
Quincy jones ain't dead, oh you mean Michael. Gross. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DeepPurple:
I read RED when it came out about 8 years ago, very interesting book. He said they would jam in Eddie's garage all day and the brothers would go through a case of beer and the ash tray would be full of butts a couple of times a day. I could see a person being somewhat turned off by that and I took away the biggest friction was over the club in Mexico. How the brothers complained that Sammy got them into such a bad investment so he bailed them out by buying back their share. Then he goes and fixes the place, fires the bum that was running the place and puts in good people and good entertainment and the place takes off. Then the brothers think he's been sandbagging and now they been ripped off again.
I saw Sammy solo in '84 open for ZZ Top Eliminator Tour and his opening was 90 minutes and was fantastic. If all opening acts were as good as he was, all shows would be better, and ZZ Top was way better than I expected. Overall one of the best shows I've seen.
Sammy sold his Cabo tequila business for more money than he ever made in Van Halen. He called it "Fuck you Money" because he is so rich now. Red is a great book. [Reply]
That's really good to hear. And I'll add to Dane's comments about the negative influence of drugs that business/money might be just as bad. He's shown that to be the case here as well. [Reply]
Comparing EVH to a guy like John Williams is like comparing Ansel Adams to Basquiat...
Williams is like the best plumber on the planet...there is nothing cathartic in his work. EVH types reinvent the schematics...and is individualized.
Frankly, most of the influential artists that I respect, made their best work when they were on the "sauce"....high, drunk, cocaine...on acid...junk.
When they sobered up...it was like part of them was missing.
Art doesn't care about being functional or liked...it more like fire that burns everything in it's path until nothing remains.
People glamorize making art...but its actually an ugly, ruthless process....most dont have the balls or flagrant disregard for peripheral damage to invest properly...its an unconscious activity anyways....driven by "higher sources". [Reply]
Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud:
You missed the point entirely. And EVH was not a prolific songwriter, either.
Van Halen basically released every song the ever wrote. There isn’t some secret stash of incomplete songs, unfortunately.
From an "art" stand point Van Halen isn't really on my radar...EVH, from a "rock guitar" microcosm is about as good as it gets though. DLR added a LOT to his success...his music with out him is kind of generic and forgettable. Contrasting chemistry is a real thing...
Like I said...I hadn't thought of VH in a long time...until this news broke...it brought back some sentimental memories of being a kid.
That said...you mentioned being a producer. Was curious what "in the box" plugs you like...I'm in a small, private forum with music producers....one helped engineer the last NIN album/Bird Box soundtrack...Richard Divine is on there occasionally.
