Eddie Van Halen on David Lee Roth: ‘He Does Not Want to Be My Friend’

[big dog cowboy]

This is actually getting old. To think that VH was my all time favorite band about 30+ years ago. With all the mud slinging over the decades I can't listen to their music anymore without thinking of this ongoing fued and it has really tarnished my memory of how good they once were.

Eddie Van Halen on David Lee Roth: ‘He Does Not Want to Be My Friend’
Wendy Geller
Senior Editor
September 25, 2015

Iconic guitarist Eddie Van Halen is just weeks away from the start of his band’s North American tour; which means he’ll be playing 38 dates with his brother Alex, son Wolfgang, and his on-again, off-again frontman David Lee Roth – the latter of whom, as it turns out, is going to be a bit of a prickly one to share the road with.

“He does not want to be my friend,” Van Halen told Billboard in an exclusive cover story, adding, “Roth’s perception of himself is different than who he is in reality. We’re not in our 20s anymore. We’re in our 60s. Act like you’re 60. I stopped coloring my hair, because I know I’m not going to be young again.”

He continued with more stinging words about his bandmate: “It’s hard, because there are four people in this band, and three of us like rock ’n’ roll. And one of us likes dance music,” he says. “And that used to kind of work, but now Dave doesn’t want to come to the table.”

Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/music/s/eddie-van-halen-on-david-lee-roth-he-does-not-121933811641.html

 

[trickblue]

From what I've read, Eddie isn't a very likable guy either, so it is what it is...

 

[YosemiteSam]

I don't listen to this stuff. Might as well watch the Housewives shows. I hate reality TV and reality bands. haha

 

[Idgit]

From what I've read, Eddie isn't a very likable guy either, so it is what it is...

Eventually, when you have problems with DLR, and then with Sammy, and then with Michael Anthony after 30 years or so, you start running out of people to blame the problem on. It seems surprising, because Eddie looks like he really enjoys what he does so much, but behind the scenes, he must just be a giant pain in the butt to work with.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Eventually, when you have problems with DLR, and then with Sammy, and then with Michael Anthony after 30 years or so, you start running out of people to blame the problem on. It seems surprising, because Eddie looks like he really enjoys what he does so much, but behind the scenes, he must just be a giant pain in the butt to work with.

I'm pretty sure EV and Roth are awful to work with.

 

[Idgit]

I'm pretty sure EV and Roth are awful to work with.

I can't imagine Roth is anything different from what you see. That guy can't be more than half an inch deep. But, yeah, he seems like he'd be a pain in the butt, too.

 

[Aggie87]

The quote originated back in June before the current tour started (https://www.google.com/search?q=edd...:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=fflb)

Somehow Yahoo is posting it as if it's new, which is odd.

At any rate, Eddie will always be an a-hole in my book, for kicking Mike Anthony out of the band for no reason whatsoever.

 

[trickblue]

Eventually, when you have problems with DLR, and then with Sammy, and then with Michael Anthony after 30 years or so, you start running out of people to blame the problem on. It seems surprising, because Eddie looks like he really enjoys what he does so much, but behind the scenes, he must just be a giant pain in the butt to work with.

Exactly what I was talking about...

By most accounts, Sammy is as easy to get along with as there is, and Anthony is known as one of the nice guys in rock...

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

My fav bands from the 80's were The Cult and Janes Addiction. And they are still performing today and it's about the music, not the nick nack fueds.

 

[KJJ]

I think Roth is upset that he ended up joining a band that's named after someone else.

 

[darthseinfeld]

I can't imagine Roth is anything different from what you see. That guy can't be more than half an inch deep. But, yeah, he seems like he'd be a pain in the butt, too.

That could be one of the issues

 

[SultanOfSix]

I'm a big Van Halen fan. I like them best with Sammy. I still listen to their music, if not daily, on a weekly basis.

Roth seems like a ******. EVH has his head in the sky, but he's Eddie. I can understand why he can be a pain in the *** to work with. I can only imagine how awesome it must be for his son to be riding off of his father's fame touring and playing in front of thousands.

Sammy and Michael now play in a band with another one of my favorite guitarists, Joe Satriani, called Chickenfoot. I met Joe back in 1997 at Guitar Center on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, CA when he was doing a signing for his album "Crystal Plane". From what I can tell, he seems like a really cool, laid back, humble, and nice person.

 

[Fletch]

My fav bands from the 80's were The Cult and Janes Addiction. And they are still performing today and it's about the music, not the nick nack fueds.

I was more of a Boy George and Wham guy myself. 1 and 1a. Then there was Duran Duran, a close second.

 

[CyberB0b]

They're 100. Who cares?

 

[CF74]

Top 5 Worst Breakup EVER!!!!!!!!!!

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

I was more of a Boy George and Wham guy myself. 1 and 1a. Then there was Duran Duran, a close second.

Ya, I remember when Duran Duran was pretty big. They were on MTV a lot.

 

[Fletch]

Ya, I remember when Duran Duran was pretty big. They were on MTV a lot.

I was kiddin about Boy George and Wham. Lol Duran Duran was okay. The Reflex was the only song I really liked from DD.

You didn't judge. Props.

 

[JoeKing]

I was kiddin about Boy George and Wham. Lol Duran Duran was okay. The Reflex was the only song I really liked from DD.

You didn't judge. Props.

I did.

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

I was kiddin about Boy George and Wham. Lol Duran Duran was okay. The Reflex was the only song I really liked from DD.

You didn't judge. Props.

If you said Disco, then I'd probably be...otay. lol.

 

[JohnnyTheFox]

Starting in 1979 ive seen the band around 10 times with Roth and twice with Sammy. Especially from inception until 84 the band live and on record was a wonderful experience not only audiowise but visually as well. The original {and best} lineup really didn't fit into any category because all the the older bands were established with some being on the way out, you had disco and punk, then you had what I call your 2nd tier bands your Journeys Styxs and Foreigners, Hair Metal had not become popular yet but was heavily influenced by Classic Van Halen, from the blonde frontman to the hotshot guitarist that played a strat style guitar with a locking tremolo with a crazy paintjob. VH was quite an influence on many.
I used to worship this band much in the same way older folks called Elvis Presley their own and its a darn shame they ruined lotsa time with drama and nonsense.