VAN HALEN FRONTMAN DAVID LEE ROTH SAYS NEW SONG “AIN’T NO CHRISTMAS” COULD BE ABOUT THE BAND
David Lee Roth says that his new song, in which he offers a sad goodbye against a low-key guitar accompaniment, could be about Van Halen reports blabbermouth.net.
Lyrically, Ain’t No Christmas sounds like Roth is closing the door on the current Van Halen reunion, with lines that include, “Sure looked good on paper, once upon a lie. Happily never after, and I’m not okay to drive.
Let’s put the pin back in this one, and say we both survived. Last blank space on the map I think we’ve arrived…
“Quittin’ while you’re ahead ain’t quittin’, and I’m quittin’.”
After initially denying that the song was about Van Halen — telling the Van Halen News Desk that “It’s poetry. It has nothing to do with Van Halen.” Roth has since released a follow-up message, saying, “On second thought, if all work is autobiographic, maybe this song is about Van Halen…”
Greg Renoff, author of the new book Van Halen Rising, was one of many fans who thought Ain’t No Christmas was the singer’s goodbye message to Van Halen. Renoff said, “Roth’s vocal performance here is mournful and somber. His lyrics express feelings of bitterness and regret. My take is that the lyrics provide a commentary on Roth’s recent months with Van Halen and perhaps a window into the future of Van Halen.”
It’s awfully cryptic, but then it wouldn’t be DLR if it wasn’t.
After hearing about the Eat ’em and Smile band trying to play a gig not that long ago, I figured that the DLR Van Halen was at an end. Dave wouldn’t have showed up to a one off solo gig with his old band if there VH on the table, but I could be wrong.
On the other hand, as a fan of all eras of VH (don’t mention that on VHND, they’ll rake you over the coals) I’m fine with that if it’s over. I saw the last tour twice and while the band sounded great, and dave was as off as usual, it seemed really business like, no chemistry. Dave seemed pissed off or irritated when I saw him. Looking back at the old videos of gigs 1984 and prior, there is so much energy. Yeah, I know everyone is older, but something was missing. Sorry.
One more time I’ll add that Van Halen is Michael Anthony as well. ED’s son seems to have grown into a great guy, and is super talented, and IS a solid bass player/backup singer, but it’s not VH. Not his fault, he just doesn’t fit in, never did.
Now, I’ll get to ADKOT, which everyone gushed over when it came out. Playing it back today, especially after hearing the original demos many of the songs came from, they really didn’t do much to the songs besides Dave’s lyrics/melodies here and there. In fact, the older versions have a funk/snap to it that they produced right out of it. Now obviously there was no interest in writing an entire album of music with Dave, for whatever reason, so in the end, looking back it seems like it was all a bit hollow.
The last time Ed wrote and released any large amount of music was VHIII in 1998. That’s a long time folks. I just hope Ed gets out with whomever and jams, Alex too. Call up Mike, shake hands and flip the amps on. I don’t care who you have to sing, just play.
Sammy time !
Here we go again….Does it ever occur to any of the “Paul is dead” conspiracy theorists that Dave was probably just amused by all the fans snorkeling in the kiddie pool trying to find VH-related meaning in the song, and just said what he said yesterday as a dry, sarcastic joke? His management team has already said that the song has nothing to do with VH. There’s no big story here, people!
Bring on the “Eat Em and Smile” reunion tour and new album!!
I’d love for this to replace “unchained” as alex’s “gong” song on the next vh tour. dave would play this song solo as the van halens try to show restraint before one of them gongs him.