Eddie Van Halen says he regrets one song

[gscout]

That was the name of the headline I stumbled upon, anyway.

Here's the Spinner link:

http://www.spinner.com/2009/06/11/eddie ... critics%2F

He says he dislikes "Top of the World", but likes "Jump."

Interestingly, the intro riff to "TotW" is the outro riff to "Jump", albeit in a different key.

[soundgardener75]

That's not what he said back in '91. Now he's sounding like a douchebag.

[shoot2thrill]

That's not what he said back in '91. Now he's sounding like a douchebag.

I like his music, i just hate him as a person.

[S3John]

In a GW article a few years ago he was hating all of the covers that they had done with Roth. SoTotW he/they at least wrote. It would figure that it would be a Van Hagar era song.

I like both versions of VH, (Gary was only in for a second) but they are two different animals. All of the shit that Eddie says about Mike and Sammy just makes himself look bad.

All of the money that he has made from the Van Hagar era and the 3/4 reunion tour has turned him into Howard Hughs...

[metronome_jones]

Its an EVH tradition to slag off the ex-bandmates.

When DLR left & Hagar joined he swore up & down that his life was beginning anew then! Then the breakup happens & he swore he'd been putting up w/ him & would now have nothing to do w/ Hagar. Just the same dude says he put up w/ Roth only to get those 2 reunion songs out. Then Cherone joins & EVH snipes at his ex-singers again so as to establish that VH wasn't a true band til Cherone joined. I don't remember reading about him going off on Cherone after that didn't work out, but I remember him going off on Michael Anthony when dude refused to sit around & do nothing while EVH got his physical shite together. Nowadays its open season on MA & Hagar.

Typical, typical EVH. He's definitely got that addict's tendency to blame everyone else for his problems. How long before he turns on his kid??

[soundgardener75]

Its an EVH tradition to slag off the ex-bandmates.

When DLR left & Hagar joined he swore up & down that his life was beginning anew then! Then the breakup happens & he swore he'd been putting up w/ him & would now have nothing to do w/ Hagar. Just the same dude says he put up w/ Roth only to get those 2 reunion songs out. Then Cherone joins & EVH snipes at his ex-singers again so as to establish that VH wasn't a true band til Cherone joined. I don't remember reading about him going off on Cherone after that didn't work out, but I remember him going off on Michael Anthony when dude refused to sit around & do nothing while EVH got his physical shite together. Nowadays its open season on MA & Hagar.

Gary's a class act, so EVH figured not to say anything, since he (Cherone) never slagged him (or anybody) in the press.

Typical, typical EVH. He's definitely got that addict's tendency to blame everyone else for his problems. How long before he turns on his kid??

*imitates EVH* I can't believe you're still fat. Look at your mom now, if she can do it, so can you!!!





I had to do it...

[blackhell1]

Personily. I like Jump. I can't stand Top of the World. Hell, I can't stand most Van Hagar stuff. Too much synth in the Hagar years. I like that rock N' Roll style that the Roth era had.

[shredinred]

That's not what he said back in '91. Now he's sounding like a douchebag.

I like his music, i just hate him as a person.

Interesting you say that. My guitar teacher worked for Kramer back in the 80s building guitars. He said that all the big name guitarists of the day would come in to visit the factory, but they'd all come in and worry about their hair and go right to the offices, totally ignoring the guys building the guitars, even though they had to walk past them to get to the offices. Then one day, in 1984, Eddie van Halen came in, and, instead of being like the other guys, he walked in with a Heineken in his hand, went straight to the guys who were working, slammed down the beer, then went around spent time talking and playing with every single guy out there building guitars. He came over to my teacher, talked for awhile, took a nearby guitar my teacher thought was crap, played for a second and goes "Man, this thing's a piece of shit" and threw it to the side. My teacher said as a person, he's the nicest guy, but he can't stand his music

Of course, shortly after that, my teacher got fired because he has a really high quality standard, and the Kramers being made kept using cheaper and cheaper parts, and he got to the point where he was rejecting more guitars then he was passing, so he was let go. And then, just a short time later, the plant closed, no surprise.

[73roadrunner]

Theres nothing wrong with someone changing their opinion on something, what he's saying about not liking a certain song now or how the band was a new band with the addition of someone new is just what he's feeling at the time. I'd say shit about DLR too, he's a good frontman but he's not really a great singer & he's kind of a douche. He also may have reasons we don't know about for saying stuff like that, theres more than meets the eye.

[woodytone]

Ed's a true artist. Don't expect him to make sense or be consistent (verbally) 100% of the time. Just stand back and be amazed.

[73roadrunner]

Its unfortunate that such a talented musician gets so much shit because everyone thinks they are a critic..... Its also a shame to say that if EVH died sometime back in the 80's or 90's he wouldn't have such a bad rep.

[Casper]

I remember when I was a kid and all the bands in the top fourty or on college radio were basically Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Nine Inch Nails, Ministry, Tori Amos, PJ Harvey, Sonic Youth...

For some reason I felt ashamed to own something as fake and unfashionable as the CD F.U.C.K. and tended to hide the item if friends or musicians were at my house. In saying that though, the chords to Poundcake are interesting sounding, even though they basically recycle the changes to Ramble On from Led Zeppelin II and the tune Right Now is, well, easily as confident and professional (ie: fake) as the musicianship on the Toto 4 album.

I don't mind Standin' on Top of the World - but if you get a chance, read the book the Van Halen Saga by Ian Christe - it basically points out the obvious, but in greater detail - that David Lee Roth was hilarious, and that from 1977 - 1982 Eddie Van Halen and Alex were actually taking rock music to 'the next level' etc - but then from 1993 onwards they seemed incapable and made mostly negative headlines.

Classy guitar though, but also, its a Van Halen guitar - who would want it???

[73roadrunner]

Fuck being fashionable... Rock n roll isn't about being fashionable & following the grain, its about saying fuck you & doing what the fuck you wanna do. Plus, I'd rather have a Van Halen guitar than a Kurt Cobain guitar.

[blackhell1]

I remember when I was a kid and all the bands in the top fourty or on college radio were basically Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Nine Inch Nails, Ministry, Tori Amos, PJ Harvey, Sonic Youth...

For some reason I felt ashamed to own something as fake and unfashionable as the CD F.U.C.K. and tended to hide the item if friends or musicians were at my house. In saying that though, the chords to Poundcake are interesting sounding, even though they basically recycle the changes to Ramble On from Led Zeppelin II and the tune Right Now is, well, easily as confident and professional (ie: fake) as the musicianship on the Toto 4 album.

I don't mind Standin' on Top of the World - but if you get a chance, read the book the Van Halen Saga by Ian Christe - it basically points out the obvious, but in greater detail - that David Lee Roth was hilarious, and that from 1977 - 1982 Eddie Van Halen and Alex were actually taking rock music to 'the next level' etc - but then from 1993 onwards they seemed incapable and made mostly negative headlines.

Classy guitar though, but also, its a Van Halen guitar - who would want it???

I got it, and I can't put it down.

[Aunt Meely]

I have had the distinct honor of meeting Eddie Van Halen three times in person. (March 1998 at Virgin records Megastore, May 1998 at MSG, and August 1998 at Jones Beach.) Anyone who met him or had the opportunity to spend time with him can tell you he is the nicest most down to earth person. Valerie Bertinelli often mentioned that during their marriage, she was always uncomfortable with people staring or whispering around her in public places or asking for autographs. She said Eddie was always the opposite. He would talk to every kid or any adult and would sign autographs all day if he was able to. My experience was quite on par with that. He is very much the guy next door. I forgot in a matter of seconds that was I graced by the presence of one of the few guitar players who touched God.

That being said, Eddie has always gone on record saying that Diver Down was his worst record. He hated doing covers especially at that time because he had most of the 1984 songs already in the can when Dave wanted to do a covers album.

Eddie has panned Top of the World before but the only Van Hagar album I ever remember him complaining about was Balance. (Which was a really good album to me.) That was the album that all the friction started and then after the Humans Being soundtrack, they were done with Sammy until the Best of Both Worlds tour.

In closing, with all that has been said, Eddie is a wonderful human being. Like all mortals, alcohol, cancer and divorce would upend and ravage any disposition and talent. In regards to the music, he wrote every last note of their original material through all three eras. In essence, his talent and song writing made three different singers top 5 Billboard artists. he can say what he wants about the band and its music.