You Know What's Funny: Van Halen
But Not 'Ha Ha' Funny
by Trent McMartin

How much more can Van Halen fans take? First David Lee Roth was out,
though red rocker Sammy Hagar turned out to be more than a suitable
replacement. Then Hagar leaves (or was fired) and the band brings back
Diamond Dave for a doomed brief stint before settling on Gary Cherone,
who lasted one unsuccessful album, 1998's Van Halen III - the album
for which longtime bassist Michael Anthony reportedly played on only
three tracks. It's enough to make you ask, "Where have all the good
times gone."

I remember seeing that MTV awards ceremony back in '97 with Roth and
Van Halen and it reeked of nothing more than a cash grab. The nineties
were the golden age of reunions, with many groups like the Eagles,
Fleetwood Mac, Jane's Addiction and KISS getting their classic line ups
back together. The tours and coinciding greatest hits compilations
brought in a lot of money and proved that dinosaurs of rock could
reclaim their past glory, though if only for a brief time. Nostalgia
can only take you so far.

Van Halen's second reunion came after a disastrous album and tour with
ex-Extreme front man Gary Cherone. After that debacle, the group went
on hiatus for a few years only to unexpectedly reappear with Hagar in
2004. After the '04 tour, Hagar finally had had enough of EVH's erratic
behavior (reportedly fueled by alcohol abuse) and he left the band once
again. Bassist Michael Anthony soon followed and was replaced with
Eddie's teenage son, Wolfgang Van Halen, last year.

Line up changes are a normal occurrence in rock music, some bands
experience it more than others - just take Black Sabbath and Guns N'
Roses for example. Van Halen was no exception. They survived Roth's
original departure and actually became more successful without him,
earning four number one hit albums and winning multiple awards
including the 1992 MTV Video of the Year award for their "Right Now,"
music video.

Now with Hagar currently out of the picture, there's been speculation
that David Lee Roth will join the group for a third outing (his
mid-nineties turn lasted all of a few days, if that). Even a summer
tour in the works, though, like anything with Van Halen, it's all up in
the air.

Speaking to Rolling Stone recently, Eddie Van Halen couldn't (or
wouldn't) fully commit to Roth being welcomed back into the group,
saying he is waiting on Roth, not the other way around. It's been
widely known that Roth has wanted to get back into Van Halen for years,
especially after his solo career stalled, and even recently Diamond
Dave was quoted as saying a reunion was 'inevitable'. Reportedly, Roth
has even stood in on a few informal jam sessions with the Van Halens
(Eddie, Alex, and Wolfgang)

But the lack of assurance on EVH's part is leading to speculation that
a reunion is farther away than originally reported. The brothers Van
Halen revealed to Rolling Stone that a summer tour is first and
foremost on the agenda and will occur with or without Roth. "Whoever
the singer is, they'll be surrounded by Van Halens," Alex Van Halen
remarked.

Which begs the question, does anyone actually care anymore? The band
has put their fans through hell and the thought of a new tour is more
laughable than celebratory. Those fans hardened from a decade worth of
fiascos may still care, but they're small in number. Most have moved
on, including myself, a self-professed former 'Van Halenite.' It was
Van Halen, and more specifically Eddie Van Halen, that made me fall in
love with the guitar, even inspiring me to pick it up, though only
briefly (I learned a few chords and a couple John Denver tunes). Other
than a handful of other bands, I cannot think of any one group who
actually influenced me more musically than Van Halen - they were my
first big concert (Northlands Coliseum, 1991).

As of now, the group is rehearsing, evidently without Roth, and getting
prepared for their March 12th induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of
Fame. Despite DLR not being present much during recent jam sessions,
the energetic singer will attend the induction ceremony along with his
replacement Sammy Hagar and original bassist Michael Anthony, which
could make for an uncomfortable setting. No word yet if Gary Cherone
will be there, but I'm guessing it's unlikely. He's saving himself for
the 2012 Van Halen reunion tour - 'The Return of Cherone' - and the
follow-up 2015 tour, which will feature all three singers.

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