DLR is frustrated...

[Jer]

It's hard to see these guys not living up to our memories.

Every time I see or hear someone rip on Lynch, I get irritated until I stop and realize he hasn't put out anything I've dug on since Wicked Sensation. Couple that with the fact that his playing obviously isn't what it once was and it's hard to defend the now with those memories. That doesn't diminish his past playing but things are what they are now.

I think the same applies to EVH and many others but that's just life I guess.

Personally I'd rather have the music and memories that established these guys as guitar heroes for me and let that be that. I have no interest in seeing VH or anyone else I've loved put out new material if it isn't going to be at least close to their prime.

Hope I didn't offend anyone, just stating my opinion.

 

[Stramm8]

Unless something completely crazy happens (like EVH kills a busload full of infants), I'll always take his side over DLR and I'll tell you why. First off, in alot of the videos I've seen of them live (including the show I attended in Pittsburgh last year), Eddie kicked total ass and was having a blast onstage. DLR was out-of-key and bitching about the "fucking P.A. guy" or the "fucking air conditioner is blowing on me". At the show I saw they were into "She's the Woman", just the second song of the night, and he was already trying to humiliate the camera guy for hogging all of the fans' space at the front of the stage. His routine was the same every night.

I think Eddie sober is a different person obviously than Eddie drunk. In the past I'm sure he caused issues with everyone but he finally seems to be on the right path.

With the EVH gear, the great new album, sold-out shows, etc. it is a shame that this is going to once again turn into a typical EVH situation. Eddie's playing was so great when I saw them in Pittsburgh. Blew me away.

Well put. As much as I love DLR's wit and swagger (especially back in the day), he really can't sing anymore. After the sad performance he put on during that tour, if I were Ed I'd be avoidig him too To further expand on my earlier comment, I get the feeling that EVH is a guy who after getting sober is finally growing up and trying to get beyond all of the drama and weirdness. After the last album and tour, I don't feel like he has anything left to prove. He cam back from the edge of disater and killed it. He's still the man in my book

For awhile I thought for sure that after this latest fling with Dave he would hook back up with Sammy and do another reunion with him and maybe MA. But I think he's realized that Sammy's a bigger douche than Dave. So my predicition is after the Japan tour (if that happens) they will move forward with WG on vox and do a power trio ala Cream which is what he's probably wanted all along. Or he will kick back, enjoy life and focus on nurturing his kid's career. It's pretty clear that one of the reasons for brining WG into the band was to provide a springboard for his career or to showcase his talent. The kid has chops on multiple instruments and is now positioned to do whatever he wants musically with or without VH.

And as much as I like MA's backing vocals, the grooving chemistry they have in the latest incarnation is undeniable. Even WG's bass tone kills...Is there a line on any of this stuff in Vegas yet?

 

[aftec]

Just my 2 cents:

Ed played better on the last record than the last 2 Van Hagar record
Almost no new songs, everything came from the demo from '76
Dave cannot sing. He never did. He's an MC
I don't really hear anything new nowdays, just recycling, in music.
What's new is "da brootz", tuned to X#, it kinda fun for approx 10 seconds, then it gets progressively boring, like Yngwie
Where are the songs?

 

[Atropos_Project]

It's hard to see these guys not living up to our memories.

Every time I see or hear someone rip on Lynch, I get irritated until I stop and realize he hasn't put out anything I've dug on since Wicked Sensation.

That pretty much nails this argument (and others like it) for me.

Folks like VH that have done great things in the past should get their nods for doing these things. But they, and all associated with them, have seemed to be less about new material and more about drama than anything else, year after year. I'm glad they got back together and toured, regardless of when the songs had actually been written, but there's a bit of 'momentum' that needs to be carried by most artists to stay in people's minds..... hell, even Tool needs to release a new disc every 6 years or so .

So either get to writing, or move on to something entirely new. Drama sells tabloids, not music. IMO.

 

[Rock Bodom]

I've always wondered why the Eddie school of playing hasn't translated as much into today's music.

From the old school, I still hear for example plenty of overall thrash influence, the Helloween/Maiden styles for power metal, the Fates Warning/Queensryche styles for prog, and more Yngwie clones than ever. For those of us who love these types of music, we can still find a Blind Guardian or Symphony X or Municipal Waste and life is still good, and we can bypass da brootz if we're not feeling it.

So I'd actually argue modern metal itself is probably doing just fine, you can find pretty much anything you want from retro thrash to tech deth metal and endless bands to chose from. Hard rock is a different matter, the aforementioned Steel Panther is actually musically right on the money, comedy bit not withstanding, and there are a few more like them out there, but haven't seen this really explode.

Maybe that will be the next trend, what I think it would bring to the table (besides making some of us old time fans happy) are better mid-rangy types riffs...Eddie may be a great lead player, but I really miss the influence of his rhythm playing, the whole fretboard was his playground.

 

[rupe]

Unless something completely crazy happens (like EVH kills a busload full of infants), I'll always take his side over DLR and I'll tell you why. First off, in alot of the videos I've seen of them live (including the show I attended in Pittsburgh last year), Eddie kicked total ass and was having a blast onstage. DLR was out-of-key and bitching about the "fucking P.A. guy" or the "fucking air conditioner is blowing on me". At the show I saw they were into "She's the Woman", just the second song of the night, and he was already trying to humiliate the camera guy for hogging all of the fans' space at the front of the stage. His routine was the same every night.

I think Eddie sober is a different person obviously than Eddie drunk. In the past I'm sure he caused issues with everyone but he finally seems to be on the right path.

With the EVH gear, the great new album, sold-out shows, etc. it is a shame that this is going to once again turn into a typical EVH situation. Eddie's playing was so great when I saw them in Pittsburgh. Blew me away.

I was at that show and Eddie truly did bring his A-game...I've seen him many times and this show was right there with what I considered his best performance that I ever saw (Civic Arena in '86). I don't recall DLR's bitching though Then again, I was heavily focused on Ed as well as scrutinizing Wolfie (who did a great job IMO even though I would prefer to see MA back in the fold).

Every time I see or hear someone rip on Lynch, I get irritated until I stop and realize he hasn't put out anything I've dug on since Wicked Sensation. Couple that with the fact that his playing obviously isn't what it once was and it's hard to defend the now with those memories. That doesn't diminish his past playing but things are what they are now.

I was one of those "rippers" for quite some time and really didn't like anything after the early 90's (Lynch Mob albums and Sacred Groove). I walked out of a solo gig of his in '05...his playing and tone were beyond awful. That said, I really dig some of his playing on the new T&N album...IMO it completely debunks the myth that he no longer has "it".

 

[ttosh]

Looks Like LSD (Lead Singer Disease) is creeping its ugly head.....
Guess he didnt learn last time eh?

I am not sure where you get this, EVH has more LSD than any lead singer out there...and he isn't even a lead singer. You mean last time EVH blamed DLR...or the last time EVH blamed Sammy, or the last time EVH blamed Gary, or the last time EVH blamed Mike?

This ^^^^^^

 

[ttosh]

Read Roth's autobiography if you get a chance. Up until I read it, I though Roth was the jerk, but after reading it, I measured all the articles in which EVH slammed Roth and then read Roth's take and my mind changed.

Roth was a big part of the reason VH sounded that way. If you have trouble believing that sound was what Roth wanted, listen to what Van Halen sounded like as soon as Roth was out of the picture and listen to Roth's "Eat Em and Smile" and see which one sounded more like the cool VH era.

His autobiography changed my mind also, and good point about tone. Eat em and Smile was grand, loved when that came out and Via was like, eat this bitch!!!!

 

[gmcelroy]

I love VH but what I saw in the reunion and last album was not "for the fans"... if that was the case then Michael Anthony would have been on that tour; what I saw was Ed launching his new EVH brand of guitars and amps! Up until VH announced a reunion tour with DLR EVH was pretty much a washed up "has been" and had become just as irrelevant as to the rock world as Limp Bizkit. Now, after the album and reunion look at where the EVH brand is at, one of the most in demand new brands out there! I hate to say it but without Ed getting out there again with the publicity he received I doubt that the EVH brand would have been able to get off the ground as fast as it did. I don't think it's a secret now that Ed is currently using most of his time and resources now building a brand instead of playing music.

 

[Rogue]

Poor Michael Anthony is more popular not being in VH than he was when in VH.

 

[marvcus]

Name one rock band that is better overall in their 50s/60s than they are in their 20s/30s.
Name one athlete that is better in their 50's than in their 20s. It's just the way it is.

Eddie was KING in the 80s and early 90s. He is still the innovator. Why should he be expected to keep reinventing himself? He's already
done his part.

It's like The Dark Knight -- he can't do it forever, he wants someone to take up the mantle. "Either you die a hero or you live long enough
to see yourself become a villain." true words, Mr. Nolan....

 

[ejecta]

Poor Michael Anthony is more popular not being in VH than he was when in VH.

Who's this Michael Anthony you speak of?

 

[shredhead7]

I've always wondered why the Eddie school of playing hasn't translated as much into today's music.

From the old school, I still hear for example plenty of overall thrash influence, the Helloween/Maiden styles for power metal, the Fates Warning/Queensryche styles for prog, and more Yngwie clones than ever. For those of us who love these types of music, we can still find a Blind Guardian or Symphony X or Municipal Waste and life is still good, and we can bypass da brootz if we're not feeling it.

So I'd actually argue modern metal itself is probably doing just fine, you can find pretty much anything you want from retro thrash to tech deth metal and endless bands to chose from. Hard rock is a different matter, the aforementioned Steel Panther is actually musically right on the money, comedy bit not withstanding, and there are a few more like them out there, but haven't seen this really explode.

Maybe that will be the next trend, what I think it would bring to the table (besides making some of us old time fans happy) are better mid-rangy types riffs...Eddie may be a great lead player, but I really miss the influence of his rhythm playing, the whole fretboard was his playground.

There are a lot of melodic AOR type bands out there, a ton in Sweden right now, that sound like the hair bands of old. Just go to melodicrock.com and you'll see what I mean. With that said, in my older age, I prefer the newer power/thrash/speed/prog metal to hair metal. It's just more intelligent as far as the song structures and riffs.

 

[Rock Bodom]

There are a lot of melodic AOR type bands out there, a ton in Sweden right now, that sound like the hair bands of old. Just go to melodicrock.com and you'll see what I mean. With that said, in my older age, I prefer the newer power/thrash/speed/prog metal to hair metal. It's just more intelligent as far as the song structures and riffs.

Most excellent, I'll definitely be spending some time on that site
But yeah, lotta love for the newer power/thrash/speed/prog metal too!