BASSIST MICHAEL ANTHONY SAYS HE HAS NOT SPOKEN TO ANYONE IN VAN HALEN IN 14 YEARS
iheartradio reports:
On the heels of David Lee Roth‘s recent comments about playing Yankee Stadium in 2019, our very own Eddie Trunk speculated that Alex and Eddie Van Halen were interested in again working with their former bassist, Michael Anthony.
When iHeartradio asked bassist Michael Anthony if there was any truth to the rumors that he will be rejoining Van Halen.
“The only comment I have is that I haven’t spoken to any of the guys since we last played together back in 2004,” Anthony told Premiere.
He added that while he did run into Alex Van Halen “a few years back,” the two didn’t get into anything more than small talk.
Anthony last performed with Van Halen in 2004. He was replaced in the band by Eddie’s son Wolfgang in 2006.
Trunk made it clear that what he related on his Sirius/XM radio show was merely a rumor, but he added that it was from a source within the music industry.
“The rumors from reliable sources — but still rumors that are unconfirmed — is that the band will tour in 2019 with the original band, which would mean the return of Michael, and that there is gonna be some sort of stadium package,” Trunk said at the time.
Van Halen last toured in 2015. Trunk says that there have been unfounded rumors of a new tour each year since then. While he acknowledged that what he’s heard this year seems more credible than what he’s heard in the past, he did not dive into why the Van Halens might be considering bringing back Anthony.
Since leaving Van Halen, Anthony has been busy collaborating with Sammy Hagar on a number of projects, including Chickenfoot and the pair’s latest band, Sammy Hagar & The Circle, which will release its debut album, Space Between, in January.
Hagar lobbied for a Van Halen reunion including himself, Anthony and Roth for years. He said last year, however, that he had given up trying to communicate with the Van Halen brothers after they didn’t reach out to him on his 70th birthday.
source: sixxsense.iheart.com
January? I heard the new Circle album was being released in February or March, but January is good! 😉 The sooner the better!
Hopefully if Michael goes back to VH, Sammy can get Mona back on bass!
While it’d be cool to see Michael up there again, I’m not surprised. The only thing Edward has to do is let VH fans know what’s going on, besides DLR’s cryptic statements. Never going to happen though.
Michael made the unthinkable mistake of not condemning Sammy’s existence after Eddie branded him with the scarlet VH badge of scorn. Michael clearly should have burned a likeness of Sammy on his front yard while declaring him the son of a motherless goat.
I saw them twice with Wolfgang and he is very competent on the bass. Where they miss Michael is on the backing vocals and he has a very strong stage presence especially for a bassist. I saw CHICKENFOOT as well and Michael Anthony is a star in his own right. Either way VH always does a fun show so one last time, count me in. If Michael and Sammy are there, all the better. Also, thanks to Dana for choosing a good picture of Michael after that debacle with the Roth photo.
LOL, Michael.
There weren’t too many current Roth pictures to choose from, I have a decent one, but it is quite a bit older.
D 🙂
if it’s true, great! mike seems like a very cool guy.