Pretty crazy couple days in Van Halen world. First yesterday my podcast with Sammy Hagar made world news when Sammy revealed VH are trying to prevent him from playing songs from his era of the bands history. This needs to be clarified some because many don’t get how this works in the music business. Nobody can stop anyone from playing any song live. That’s not the issue. The issue is when it comes to having that performance released on a platform such as a DVD or played on a TV show. That’s a different set of rights and all people involved in publishing must sign off. That’s what Sammy was talking about if you actually listen to my podcast with him. It is not an uncommon problem on bands that had issues. Slash and the Guns camp have had this battle in the past behind the scenes as well. Playing things live at a concert can’t be stopped, but if that material is televised, sold or used in films then there becomes legal stuff. Sam explained VH blocked him from playing those songs on Live At Darryl’s which is a TV show. Then the new shoe to drop happened today when a new interview with EVH came out. MANY interesting revelations in that and you can read it on the news on this site. It is not surprising to me at all that DLR and EVH are on different planets and not friends. They operate totally separate from each other. I think at this point VH realizes they need DLR and they just deal with it. Eddie also tool shots at Michael Anthony who took the high road. But Sammy fired back today in a major way on Youtube defending Michael his friend and bandmate. Some have said all this is for hype. I 100% disagree. I know Sammy well. He is a straight shooter, wears it on his sleeve, and tells it like it is. The timing of the EVH interview today and my podcast with Sam yesterday were not planned at all. In the end it’s sad to see this all unfold, but there is another side of me that likes how honest and transparent it is. In a world of PC garbage and carefully worded PR statements I love seeing raw unfiltered truth come out. I am a fan of all eras of VH. I do not know the VH camp at all. I do know Sammy and Mike fairly well. So I can only say they are two of the most fun, real, stand up good guys I have ever met in this business. That’s not me trying to take sides, it’s just my vantage point from what I have seen for years. Sammy was like that long before he was ever in VH. Who knows, maybe in this crazy world when the dust settles this clears things some and paves the way for a better relationship one day. But I doubt that will be the case. But Sammy 100% should play that material he was such a huge part of. It’s the only way you will ever hear it live and for many it is their version of VH just as much as the DLR era.
All new radio show this weekend. Catch Eddie Trunk Rocks debuting tonight 11P-2A ET on Q104.3 NYC and WAAF Boston. Both stations stream. Joe Satriani is the guest. Full list of affiliates on this site under Live & On The Air.
I will be at Blackthorn 51 in Elmhurst NY tomorrow night for my speaking show. I’ll be on stage around 10. Kiss tribute KISS IT plays after me. Tickets at the door. Hope to see you!
14 Responses
To all the people mad that Van Halen, rightfully so, doesn’t sing the Hagar stuff…were you mad during the Hagar era when they only played 2-3 vintage songs per tour? In ’91, they played Jump and Panama. That sure doesn’t seem right considering the encyclopedia of classics the Roth era created!
Eddie Van Halen doesn’t like anyone, cause Eddie doesn’t like Eddie…just sayin”
Van Halen is my favorite band and I would love to see those guys get in a room together and not only write but do those jams like they did on the early records. You have to be in a room together jamming to come up with stuff like Bottoms Up and Romeo Delight.