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Van Halen News Desk - latest updates: | |||
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October 4, 1996 - This is a transcript of the radio interview with Edward and Alex Van Halen on the Mark & Brian show on Friday October 4, 1996. Thanks to Michael (aka The Full Bug) from the VHML who transcribed and typed it. Earlier on the show, as a joke, they had someone (Darrell's grandma) singing horribly over Jump. This is where the references to "Darrell's grandma" in the interview come from. Also, just before the interview they played Me Wise Magic, but cut it off at the end.
MB = Mark and Brian VH: Hey, good morning MB: So, not much going on lately, huh? EVH: Well we stayed up a little late last night jammin' with Darrell's grandma. MB: You heard that? (Oh my god) Could you believe how well that fit? EVH: Hey, she's (unintelligible) MB: Yeah, she's (unintelligible) MB: Uh, you do need to consider that guys. She sounded good. MB: Fellas, first of all thanks for coming on the air with us man. This is the top of the news... EVH: How come you didn't play the whole song? MB: Because she was singing over Eddie's lead. MB: Eddie, Alex, talk to us a little bit about what we've been talking about most of the week and that is the departure of David, the Extreme situation, lead singer for you guys. What can you tell us at this point as to where things stand? EVH: Uh, wow, the departure of Dave, that's a tricky one because he was never alluded to or anything about being in, you know, being permanently in the band. It was just a project for the greatest hits. It started out as one song, then two, then a possible couple of videos which ended up not happening. And Gary Cherone, yes, 99.999% he will be in - there are some contractual things that need to be ironed out. And if those things happen, then he's in. But, contrary to any rumors or belief, I'd not even met Gary till after the MTV awards. MB: Really. EVH: Yeah, never even met the guy. MB: I'm sure you've seen the letter, the press release that David Lee Roth sent out and, explain this, this was very... EVH: Wait, wait, wait, why don't you explain it? 'Cause he's contradicting himself right in... MB: That's what I was... EVH: So I don't get it. I have no idea. MB: The very first part of the damn thing... EVH: I am not a doctor... MB: ...it said, yes... EVH: ...nor a psychiatrist. MB: ...it said, look they kept telling me during reheasals, "Dave don't get your hopes up, Dave this isn't gonna-it's not a long term thing," and then he goes on and... EVH: I had to tell him every other day, "Dave, stop putting the cart in front of a horse that doesn't exist yet." I mean he pulled a muscle in his leg preparing for a tour. And I'm going, "who ya going on tour with?" MB: Alright... EVH: I mean, the guy was a trooper in the studio. You know, he hadn't sang in, like, seven months. And Glenn Ballard and I, you know, it took a little longer than expected, but he pulled it off, did a great job. You know, but it was a project for the greatest hits and that was it. MB: Just for the two songs though, was it fun just for those two songs? You knew what the situation was, but was it fun to have him back for those two songs? Was it playing, was it playtime? AVH: It was like the eleven year we had been apart never existed. Ed had run into Dave a couple of times in the last eleven years and I had not seen him for eleven years. And when I saw him it was like time all of a sudden stood still. Nothing had changed. MB: Alright, talk about Gary and how did you come about, how did this happen, when did you start considering this guy? EVH: Ray had mentioned him. Ray Danniels, our manager. And I guess because Extreme was...I guess Nuno's doing a solo record. And Gary's just basically been sitting around for a year and a half waiting to do another Extreme record. MB: Great voice. AVH: No, what really happened was that Ed and Gary had the same car mechanic. (laughs) MB: That's actually more interesting. (It's a small world) AVH: Actually, after Darrell's grandma didn't quite work out we had to start somewhere. The problem was, she was a lousy cook. MB: Alright, listen, it's October 22 the Best of Vol. 1 is going to be in the stores. And then... EVH: And I guess Me Wise Magic is out? MB: Yeah. EVH: Why didn't you play the whole song? MB: 'Cause you called. EVH: Oh, well we'll hang up. (Unintelligible). We'll call you back. (laughs) MB: So, now, what are, we're assuming that unless something really wild happens Gary is not going to, or is going to be in the picture. So, as the "Best of..." comes out, you guys go into the studio or on tour? EVH: We are in the studio now. Actually, we're having a hole cut in the drum room to make the studio bigger and as soon as that's done... AVH: That's because I need a bigger hat size now. (laughs) I demand a bigger room. MB: Eddie, we talked to Valerie a couple of weeks ago and she mentioned your hip surgery. When do you go in for that? EVH: December 16th. MB: Now, what happened? EVH: What happened? MB: Why do you need the hip surgery? EVH: It's called Avascular Necrosis. It's from years of jumping and pounding on it. It's like Bo Jackson, you know, at the same time it's something that can happen at any age. Bo Jackson had it at the age of 22. It's just caused by trauma. Constant pounding on it, jumping. MB: Don't take this wrong, but Darrell's mother never had to have it. EVH: I know, but did she ever jump? (laughs) AVH: She had other problems. MB: Are you nervous about it? Or is it something that you... EVH: No, actually not. I'm looking forward to it because it's painful and I don't like taking painkillers. You know, I've been sober for two years, October 2nd, two days ago... MB: Congratulations. Happy birthday. EVH: I've slipped a few times in between but...ninety...you know...whatever. AVH: We're human beings. You work a long day and afterwards you sit down with a couple of buddies and have a beer with dinner. EVH: You maybe, not me. MB: Alex, have you considered going to garlic anonymous? AVH: I'll tell you what, I still have the garlic (something) you gave me the last time we were there. EVH: OK, it does smell like an Italian restaurant on stage. MB: Listen, are you guys, you know, with David, you know, being that he was the lead singer there was such a signature sound to the band, and then Sammy, a totally different, yet great signature sound to the band, are you guys a little nervous as to how Gary is going to find his niche in the band and if that niche will be what people want to hear? EVH: No, no, not at all. I mean... AVH: We can get serious for just one second. MB: Sure. EVH: Alex first. AVH: We can get serious for just one second. And that is the band makes the music. And whoever happens to fit in as a vocalist is fine. I hear these stories about Dave saying that "my songs," and then Sammy saying "his songs," when in reality they were all a group effort. You know, it was not his songs or anybody else. The music that we made together at the time was very special, we were very happy to do it, but there comes a time when things just don't quite go as you think they would. It's like a marriage or something, you know? What do they call it? Irreconcilable differences. And there's nothing you can do to change that. You know, you cannot force another person to do something that doesn't quite fit in with the big picture, so to speak. And basically what happened was I think that with Sammy in particular things just ran its course and he was in a different place in his life and we respect that. What we felt was kind of odd though was that he quit and then he gets mad. I'm not a psychiatrist, but something's wrong with that. (I think AVH says "It doesn't add up" here). EVH: OK, put it this way, if I would've told Alex, Sammy, and Mike I'm going solo is that me quitting or is that firing me? MB: Right. EVH: You know, I don't get it. MB: And then he gets angry afterwards. EVH: Our last conversation was very amicable. I just said "Hey Sam, you gotta be a team player." When Glenn Ballard comes up here, or Bruce Fairbairn, and suggests something, or I do, or Alex does, or anybody does, you know, we don't want you to be our puppet, but at least try if we ask you to, change a line here and there just to try and see if it makes it better or not. I mean, I'm open to anything. If Bruce asks me, "hey, why don't you try a six string bass solo on the song," even thought I've already done what I want to do, I try it anyway to see if it works. But you can't be a solo artist within a band. So, all I ask was to be a team player and be open. And he said, "I'm frustrated, I want to be a solo artist." And that was it. And I said, "thank you for being honest," and the very last thing he said to me was "let's remain friends. And if you ever change your phone number please call me, give it to me." And I said vice versa. And I said great man, see ya. And then all of a sudden, he puts out a press release saying he quit the band. And then, three days later I read the Calendar section (unintelligible) ousts him and he's been conned into this and that. I don't know what's wrong with this guy, or Dave. You know, they should start a band - Sam and Dave, you know. (laughs) That would probably last you two seconds. (Unintelligible) MB: You know, with all the controversy guys, you've gotta admit one thing though, I mean it really shows... EVH: Hey look, I prefer to remember the good times with both of them. Including the two songs we just did with Dave. AVH: Absolutely. EVH: I mean, we had a good time. But somewhere along the line he, I think two minutes of public adulation at the MTV awards, he assumed he was in. But he was never told he was in. MB: Well, again, he referred to that at the beginning of his letter so it was kind of like... EVH: Yeah, I mean, read the letter. It contradicts itself right there. MB: It really did. It went from "Eddie did it". EVH: (Unintelligible) He's not in the band. AVH: I haven't read the letter in its entirety... EVH: And Gary had not been auditioned. I'd never even met the guy yet. AVH: ...anyway... EVH: Well, I just want to clarify that one last time. AVH: I just want to tell you that I have not read the letter in its entirety, but I do know that it's very simple to call up your publicist and make up anything you want and put it in print. MB: Sure. AVH: And to fight, or to deny, or to defend against something which I basically call a phantom, or lies, is impossible. Because then you get sucked into the same thing. MB: Alright, happier stuff... AVH: I can make up some funny stories too. MB: Well, that would be happy. Tell us one. We're going to take a nap. Tell us one. Happier stuff, once this deal is inked, if it is going to be Gary Cherone, are you looking forward to what you're going to create in there? Are you already thinking about stuff? EVH: Well, I mean things happen so quick. It's like when you connect with somebody, I mean just in a weeks time we've written seven songs. MB: Wow EVH: And it's mind boggling. I mean, Glenn Ballard came by and Erwin Musper, our engineer, and they just said "Holy you-know-what, we had no idea you could take it to another level." MB: So it really, really does sound good. EVH: Yeah, and Glenn Ballard's definitely going to be involved because after working with him there's no point in working with another producer so I wanted him to test drive with the singer is to and he was just floored. MB: Listen guys, we would be remiss if we didn't bring this up and this doesn't call for a yes or a no answer from you but it is something you can check your schedules and see. On December 6th this year we have the Mark and Brian Christmas show. It's going to be at night this time as opposed to in the morning. And if you guys are at a place whether in the recording studio or whatever that you'd like to unplug your stuff and come down and plug it into our stuff, and let us take a... AVH: I've seen that drum set you have in the studio, I think it's horrible. (laughs) MB: We'll get you something else! AVH: I see, the color's nice. MB: It is pretty, isn't it? Well that's the important part. But, I mean, for us to be able to introduce the new Van Halen to our stage would be...it would be the most incredible thing we could do. Yeah, and Alex, we might even buy you a Sabian cymbal. (laughs) AVH: Thanks a lot. MB: Sure, baby. AVH: I'm a Paiste man myself. I got a product endorsement. MB: Now we know you're going to receive an award this weekend. Can you tell us about that? EVH: That's about all we know, really. AVH: Yeah. MB: That's all we knew. OK. Well, Rita didn't know what award it was, but we were just wondering what, if you knew. EVH: I think they're starting like a not a walk of fame, but, you know, like the stars on Hollywood Blvd. except on Sunset Blvd. And ...what is it... SR: It's at the Palladium now. EVH: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Scotty Ross just ran in and said it's at the Palladium now, not in front of the Whiskey. But the thing is, it's like a walk of fame. It's like a star on...whatever. MB: It's the Foundations... EVH: Rock and Roll bands on Sunset Blvd. and I guess we're the first ones. MB: It's the Foundations Forum award. EVH: Yeah. MB: That's what you're getting. Oh cool. EVH: So it's an honor, and...yeah. MB: Alright, is it too early to talk about a tour? EVH: You know, that depends on my hip. You know, the doctor told me complete recovery would be anywhere from four to six months. MB: Wow EVH: So, I don't know. But recording-wise, I will do it in a wheelchair, laying on my back in bed, I don't care. You know. We will forge ahead, move forward, and go back to having fun. MB: Love the way you were talking about you've already written seven songs, that just excites everybody to hear that. You sound like you're having fun. EVH: And it's smokin'. I mean, I don't know if I can say this on the radio, but this guys got elephant balls and he can sing like an alien, like a, like an angel too. MB: Wow AVH: Like an alien? EVH: Alien, yeah (laughs). MB: Hey listen, Eddie, one more thing. In the, just tell Valerie this for us. In that TV movie she did a couple of weeks ago... EVH: It was good, wasn't it? MB: She was incredible. I think that was the best I've ever seen her do. EVH: And I got to see the real scenes with her and Colleen together. (laughs) MB: Wow. Eddie, how do you like her as a blond? EVH: She's been visiting a lot lately. Actually, they just completed a short film for the Sundance Film Festival. MB: Yeah, it seems to be really kind of, she took some time it appeared and was a full-on, full-time mommy, but now it seems like she's... EVH: Now she's getting down to business again, yeah. MB: And it's rockin' too, man. Just tell her congratulations for us. EVH: Well, Wolfgang's five and a half now and he's just started school. And he's his own man. He's a grown man now. MB: Is he picking up guitar, you know, super-talented parents? EVH: Yeah, yeah. I have a, I just came out with a guitar, the Wolfgang, which Peavey makes, God I don't mean to push my guitar, but I had a miniature identical copy made for him and I tune it in a chord, and he plays it every day. MB: Listen, Eddie... EVH: He loves it. I mean, thank God he got, they always say that, oh God I don't mean to slam my, uh, Andy Bertinelli, but they claim that the genetics come from the grandfather. And I'm glad that he got my dad's musical genetics. MB: Well, listen, a little advice for you Eddie, I have three kids, when Wolfgang comes to you for help with his homework, here's what you respond with: "Go ask your mother." EVH: That's right. MB: Works like a charm. EVH: I tell ya, man, he already, he's way beyond me on the computer. It's incredible. MB: These kids, they go man. Hey guys, you do us a favor and tell Michael we said hi too? EVH: We sure will. MB: Alright, we miss him. EVH: OK, he's hangin' out with Darrell's grandma, so (laughs) AVH: He likes older women. MB: Let me just say, "ewww." AVH: We want to say one thing kind of quasi-serious. MB: Yes sir. AVH: And that is Ed, Mike, and I have nothing but the utmost respect for Dave and for Sam. And I think that's part of the reason why we were kind of blind sided, or hit from the side by some of the things that were said in the press. Because, I'll tell you, either we weren't there, or they weren't there. Because... EVH: Anybody that was involved... AVH: But again like I said... EVH: Their reality is not what reality is. AVH: I respect those people, both of them, for the years that we were together creatively. EVH: Oh, yeah, we had great times together. Wrote some great music together. And lets leave it at that, you know. I mean, I'm not, I think we've learned our lesson that you can't win a pissing match with a skunk, you know? AVH: Both get stinky. (laughs) EVH: No, that's the whole point. MB: Which is the second single. EVH: So why bother, you know? I mean, they can say whatever they want. I know what the truth is. In their hearts I think, hopefully they know what the truth. But the man upstairs knows what happened. MB: Alex, Eddie, you guys have always been a class act. You really have. And you've represented yourselves very well through this whole ordeal. So it's time to drop it and move on and make great rock and roll. AVH: There you go. EVH: Exactly, that's it. MB: Listen, thank you for coming on the air with us guys we really appreciate it. EVH: Now play Me Wise Magic, play the whole damn song, will you. (laughs) MB: We'll do it. You know what, we'll take a break and we'll come back and we'll do exactly that. EVH: Thank you, 'cause I want to hear it. (Alex is saying something in the background). Yeah, and I'll tell you, 'cause it's just as exciting as when I first heard You Really Got Me on the radio. MB: And plus now, plus we'll just go ahead and let you guys know, the version of Me Wise Magic that we have... EVH: Oh, you have the edited version? MB: Well there is a... EVH: Uh-uh, play the long one. MB: We're doing the long...alright, we got a thumbs-up, we're doing the long one. EVH: Thank you. MB: And then right at the end of it there's a special vocalist, a special vocalist guest right at the end of the song that nobody else has but us. And so... EVH: What? MB: Yeah, yeah, it's a new mix Ed, it's a great new... EVH: Oh, oh, oh, you mean you guys did it. (laughs) MB: We're calling Atlanta again, baby. EVH: It's Darrell's grandma, ok. MB: OK. Guys, thanks so much. Best of luck. EVH: Thank you, Mark, Brian. Thank you so much. MB: See you guys. EVH: Have a good day. |
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VHND News Archive - Table of Contents
2008:
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec
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| VH on TV |
| Nothing scheduled. |
| Rumour File |
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01/08: antiMUSIC 12/07: MJ Message 10/30: Melodicrock 10/13: KNAC.COM 8/23: KNAC.COM 8/09: HardKnockz 8/01: Miss Truth 7/24: Hard Radio 7/24: Mtl. Hammer 7/24: Metal Edge 7/18: HardKnockz 7/15: NY DailyNews 7/13: Melodic Rock 6/12: Miss Truth 6/07: Miss Truth 5/20: Rolling Stone 5/16: KNAC.COM 5/10: DLR Army 5/02: Melodic Rock 5/02: KLOS 4/03: Chicago S-T 4/02: Orange C-R 4/01: NY Post 3/31: ChartAttack 3/30: WMMS 3/24: Daily Breeze 2/29: Allstar 2/25: Miss Truth 2/22: Miss Truth 2/14: NAMM Review 2/14: HardRadio 2/14: KNAC.COM 2/09: KNAC.COM 1/31: Sonicnet 1/31: KNAC.COM 1/31: Jam! 1/28: Rolling Stone 1:28: Launch 1/27: Allstar |
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