Wolfgang Van Halen praised the talents of Michael Anthony during a recent interview with Guitar World. Below is an excerpt from his interview with Guitar World's Bass Player Staff featuring his comments on Anthony and Van Halen. How old were you when you got started on bass? “It was shortly after I picked up guitar, so it was probably around 13 or 14. I just started … [Read more...]
Exclusive Interview: ‘Eruption: Conversations With Eddie Van Halen’ Authors Brad Tolinski & Chris Gill
Brad Tolinki (L), Chris Gill (R) The Van Halen News Desk had the chance to talk with Brad Tolinski & Chris Gill, authors of the much-anticipated book Eruption: Conversations with Eddie Van Halen, which is released today! Tolinski and Gill collected over 50 hours of unreleased interviews with Eddie - most conducted at his legendary 5150 studios in Los Angeles … [Read more...]
‘Eruption: Conversations with Eddie Van Halen’ is the New Book Based on 50 Hours ‘Intimate and Wide-Ranging Talks’
A new Eddie Van Halen biography entitled Eruption: Conversations With Eddie Van Halen will be published by Hachette next month. Due October 5, the book has been written by Brad Tolinski and Chris Gill who – as former editors of Guitar World and Guitar Aficionado, respectively – spent a huge amount of time speaking directly to the legendary … [Read more...]
LISTEN: Unearthed 1991 Australian Radio Interview With Eddie Van Halen [RARE VIDEO INCLUDED]
A rare 1991 interview featuring Eddie Van Halen on an Australian radio station has surfaced. The interview took place in July of '91 while Van Halen was rehearsing for their upcoming tour to support the For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge album. Van Halen fan Adam Roach not only uploaded the interview (above) but also included some rare video he filmed of Eddie and his bandmates … [Read more...]
George Lynch: ‘Eddie Van Halen Was A Super-Sensitive Guy, Which Allowed Him To Be This Incredible Musician’
There was a side of Eddie Van Halen most never had the chance to see, according to guitarist George Lynch. During his appearance on the Appetite for Destortion podcast, Lynch (Dokken, Lynch Mob) talked about the impact Eddie’s death had on him. "I mean, David Bowie, I mean, George Michael, all these people - Prince - these giants - Tom Petty - all at once it seemed like,” … [Read more...]
Sammy Hagar On Adding Van Halen Songs To Upcoming Setlists, The Story Behind ‘Poundcake’
Sammy Hagar continues to promise a setlist heavy on Van Halen songs during his upcoming concerts. During a recent Instagram live chat with The Washington Post's Geoff Edgers, Hagar said he and Circle bandmate Michael Anthony have been adding more and more songs from Hagar's time in Van Halen to upcoming shows. "We're goin' heavy on Van Hagar lately," said Hagar. … [Read more...]
Miles Copeland On Eddie Van Halen, Sammy Hagar & Hagar’s One-Time Opening Act Steven Seagal
Legendary music manager and label owner Miles Copeland has worked with many of the biggest artists in music history including The Police, The Go-Go's, The Bangles and R.E.M. One musician he wishes he could have worked with but never had the chance to was Eddie Van Halen. "He's an artist I would have liked to have worked with because he really was a great guitar player and he … [Read more...]
Sammy Hagar To Play All Of Van Halen ‘OU812’ Album During Las Vegas Residency
Sammy Hagar said he'll be playing Van Halen's 1988 album OU812 in its entirety during his upcoming Las Vegas residency. Hagar revealed the news to Ultimate Classic Rock's Matt Wardlaw. "The idea is to start doing things like playing a whole album," Hagar said. "Like, we’re going to play the Montrose record for the first half of the show. Things like that. We’re … [Read more...]
Wolfgang Van Halen On Being Chosen By GNR For Summer Tour, What He Misses Most About Dad Eddie
For Wolfgang Van Halen, being able to finally take his band Mammoth WVH out on tour is exciting enough. To be chosen as the supporting act for Guns N' Roses? That's taking excitement to a whole new level. "It’s insane," said Wolfgang during a recent interview with Audio Ink Radio. "I can’t believe- it’s the highest honor that they thought of us and want to take us out. I … [Read more...]
Van Halen Author Greg Renoff Interview At Sunset Sound Recorders
Author/Van Halen historian Greg Renoff sat down for in-depth interview at the site of Van Halen's classic early recordings - Sunset Sound Recorders in Hollywood. Renoff, the author of Van Halen Rising: How A Southern California Backyard Party Band Saved Heavy Metal and Ted Templeman: A Platinum Producer's Life in Music, had plenty of stories to tell regarding Van Halen's … [Read more...]
SPIN Revisits 1986 Interview With David Lee Roth
The summer of 1986 was quite an interesting time for Van Halen fans wasn't it? It was hard not to come across something on the TV, radio or on a local newsstand with something related to either the band's new lineup with Sammy Hagar or the now solo David Lee Roth. This week SPIN magazine revisited an April 1986 cover story with Roth in honor of the 35th anniversary of his … [Read more...]
Mick Jones On ‘Intense But Very Special’ Experience Producing ‘5150’
Mick Jones said producing Van Halen's 1986 album 5150 may have been an exhausting experience but it was also equally as rewarding. "I was completely exhausted at the end of it,” Jones recently told Guitar World. "We were running a bit late -- and the band had a tour booked. So there was pressure…It was a pretty intense experience but we achieved something very … [Read more...]