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Post by kds on Sept 14, 2022 12:39:29 GMT
The guitarist does a pretty admirable job tackling EVH. Vocally, that's about as good as one can hope for modern day DLR.
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Post by Kapitan on Sept 14, 2022 15:06:04 GMT
I thought it was pretty good overall. I have no real need for it—a good, latter-day semi-self cover?—but it showed DLR and band to be solid.
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Post by kds on Sept 14, 2022 15:36:57 GMT
Yeah, I don't know why Roth is suddenly releasing new versions of VH classics. I wonder if a tour announcement is forthcoming.
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Post by Kapitan on Oct 22, 2022 0:20:33 GMT
Van Halen as 20-year veterans introducing their third, "and final" era, featuring third singer Gary Cherone. They are on Matt Pinfield's MTV show.
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Post by kds on Oct 22, 2022 0:43:21 GMT
I remember that special. I might have even taped it back then.
And I remember, even though they only played a brief snippet from each song, thinking "uh oh."
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Post by Kapitan on Feb 4, 2023 23:45:49 GMT
My brother raised a question/topic that I have to admit never occurred to me. Everybody knows about the Roth-to-Hagar drama, and how after the Gary Cherone interlude, that drama recontinued.
But putting aside the generally poorly considered Cherone album Van Halen III, what was the live band like? I had no idea. My brother asked specifically how Cherone must have sounded on the more vocally demanding Hagar material. Again, no idea.
I did see this tonight. And there are only two Hagar-era songs, "Why Can't This Be Love" and "Right Now." The former actually has both Michael Anthony and Eddie Van Halen taking verses. Interesting.
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Post by kds on Feb 5, 2023 1:32:15 GMT
In 98, MTV played an hour (probably 40 mins with ads) of a Cherone lead show. I thought it was a good mix of all three eras. Obviously, I could live with less of the VH3 songs.
That tour was supposed to be my 1st concert, but the friend I trusted to buy tickets said it sold out. I later found that was far from the truth.
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Post by kds on Feb 22, 2023 16:57:43 GMT
ultimateclassicrock.com/van-halen-without-you/A couple days ago marked the 25th anniversary of the release of the first single from the Gary Cherone lead Van Halen - Without You. This article is a remainder that there actually was some optimism about the new version of the band, and plenty of hyperbole from Eddie about the singer who'd be out of a job in just under a year. I remember I was pretty excited when I first heard it. And, I still think it's a decent song.
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Post by Kapitan on Feb 22, 2023 17:35:36 GMT
I remember being pretty excited when the album was announced, though I'm trying now to remember the timeline. I know they did that awards show (VMAs?) appearance with Roth shortly after Hagar left, I think coinciding with a greatest hits album. But I can't recall how much advance press there was about Cherone joining, or how long that lasted. I do remember seeing the video for the first time and not loving it ... but not hating it.
It was disappointing because I'd been a huge Van Halen fan for literally almost as long as I could remember: 1984 was absolutely gigantic on MTV and other video shows, and all over radio, so I was 7-8 years old and hearing them all over (as well as being exposed to some earlier stuff). Then the breakup, Dave's solo work, Hagar joining (and those massive albums)...I mean, they were the group for me, the same way U2 might have been to a different crowd in a similar time frame.
And Extreme came along later, of course, but when I was really getting into music in a more serious way. I was on board from the debut album, having seen the video for "Kid Ego" and hearing "Flight of the Wounded Bumblebee" and "Play With Me" somewhere or other before buying the tape. Loved them.
So it seemed like a really promising match to me. Alas, the album just didn't work. I think part of that is their styles, and part of it is just the timing of it all. I'm not sure EVH knew what he wanted, and I'm pretty sure the industry and the public all had other ideas, anyway. It just wasn't clear what the balance of things would be commercially, artistically, etc. That's my sense anyway.
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Post by kds on Feb 22, 2023 19:07:26 GMT
I think the MTV appearance with Roth happened at the 1996 VMAs, which was probably in September, and they were about to release Greatest Hits Vol 1 - which included two new songs with Dave.
If Wikipedia is true, then it was announced in Nov 1996 that Cherone would be VH's third lead singer. That feels about right because I do remember there was some build up between the announcement and the album.
I also don't think Eddie would've admitted it, but I feel like Van Halen were another late 70s / 80s hard rock band that got sucked into the 90s mud. It seemed like they tried to go darker on Balance and continued that path on VH3. I honestly think had Eddie, Alex, Gary, and Mike been able to do a follow up, they could've turned in one of those 2000s era return to form albums that we saw from the likes of Scorpions or Iron Maiden.
But, it just wasn't to be.
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Post by Kapitan on Feb 22, 2023 19:57:29 GMT
Speaking of things I doubt Eddie would have admitted (to himself or anyone else), even if he were at the top of his game at the time--which I do not think he was--Van Halen was always a more collaborative band than he probably wanted to admit. Roth brought a showbiz flair and lyrics; Hagar brought a strong voice and songwriting chops. They weren't just singers, they were co-leaders, really. Second fiddles, maybe, but still key.
Cherone was being hired to help with lyrics and to sing, but I don't think anyone considered him an equal member ... and I don't think he had the personal charisma or chops to really stand toe-to-toe with EVH. He wasn't in the same league. I do think he could have gotten on stage with them and sang the hell out of those classic tunes. He brought a younger energy. And yeah, he could write rock lyrics. But I just can't imagine him as being on that level, as a relative equal. To me, it would be like if Led Zeppelin hired Steve Whiteman to replace Robert Plant.
And Eddie, at least in the latter '90s, wasn't in any condition to be the band (just as he seemingly tried to be more and more of it himself).
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Post by kds on Feb 22, 2023 20:07:26 GMT
Speaking of things I doubt Eddie would have admitted (to himself or anyone else), even if he were at the top of his game at the time--which I do not think he was--Van Halen was always a more collaborative band than he probably wanted to admit. Roth brought a showbiz flair and lyrics; Hagar brought a strong voice and songwriting chops. They weren't just singers, they were co-leaders, really. Second fiddles, maybe, but still key. Cherone was being hired to help with lyrics and to sing, but I don't think anyone considered him an equal member ... and I don't think he had the personal charisma or chops to really stand toe-to-toe with EVH. He wasn't in the same league. I do think he could have gotten on stage with them and sang the hell out of those classic tunes. He brought a younger energy. And yeah, he could write rock lyrics. But I just can't imagine him as being on that level, as a relative equal. To me, it would be like if Led Zeppelin hired Steve Whiteman to replace Robert Plant. And Eddie, at least in the latter '90s, wasn't in any condition to be the band (just as he seemingly tried to be more and more of it himself). Nice pull with Steve Whiteman. I think that's an issue in general when you bring in a younger singer to an established band. When Hagar joined, Van Halen hadn't really been around all that long in the grand scheme of things, and Hagar had actually been in the business longer. Fast forward to 1998, VH had been around 20 years, Cherone was only 27 at the time, joining a legendary band. Arnel Pineda, whose been in Journey now longer than Steve Perry was, has voiced his frustration with not being considered a "full member." I don't think Cherone ever would've been on the same level of Roth or Hagar, but I think, given the opportunity, he could've at least been able to have a working relationship similar to a Pineda.
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Post by Kapitan on Feb 22, 2023 20:13:01 GMT
I agree, and being a Pineda is certainly a great gig for somebody to get. And fun for fans. But to me, that does change what the band is. It's not so much a top-level, living band anymore at that point. It's like KISS going from the originals to having hired employees as "members." It's just different at that point. And I think EVH wanted Van Halen to be a living, breathing, top-level rock band ... he just didn't know how to do it at that point, and probably didn't want to share control at that point.
I thought you might like the Whiteman example!
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Post by kds on Feb 22, 2023 20:40:09 GMT
I agree, and being a Pineda is certainly a great gig for somebody to get. And fun for fans. But to me, that does change what the band is. It's not so much a top-level, living band anymore at that point. It's like KISS going from the originals to having hired employees as "members." It's just different at that point. And I think EVH wanted Van Halen to be a living, breathing, top-level rock band ... he just didn't know how to do it at that point, and probably didn't want to share control at that point. I thought you might like the Whiteman example! That must be why Eddie decided to close up shop for a while then try to solider on with Gary, or even a fourth vocalist.
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Post by kds on Apr 27, 2023 13:29:38 GMT
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