DLR talks about Michael Anthony

[BawanaRik]

I'm thinking that the riffs are more part of the arrangement than the song. The song gets the royalties. Does anyone know better/different? Please chime in.

If you haven't watched the Ginger Baker movie there's a wealth of info in the film, and more about band business than I ever knew before.

Originally Posted by eriky4003

From what I've read, the band split the writing royalties four ways even though Eddie came up with most of the riffs. When the boys went out on tour with Sammy (2004?), the management had Michael sign away some(?) or all of the back royalties as a condition to tour. Nasty. I'm just hoping MA didn't get totally screwed out of everything going forward. His playing and singing definitely added to the band's sound.

[RCCollins]

Originally Posted by eriky4003

From what I've read, the band split the writing royalties four ways even though Eddie came up with most of the riffs. When the boys went out on tour with Sammy (2004?), the management had Michael sign away some(?) or all of the back royalties as a condition to tour. Nasty. I'm just hoping MA didn't get totally screwed out of everything going forward. His playing and singing definitely added to the band's sound.

This is correct. Mikey no longer gets credit or royalties for his VH recordings. But something tells me he got a pretty sweet deal, that he doesn't have a lavish lifestyle, and that he's set up to be happy as heck for the rest of his life. Especially with the brothers van halen off his ass!

[eriky4003]

Maybe I should qualify riffs. I believe the songs were structured around the riff of the song. It was the starting point. Dave would add lyrics and the vocal melodies. Based on this, Mikey's songwriting input may have been limited - either intentionally or his input wasn't necessarily used. The 'Van Halen Story' also indicates when the band was first signed they agreed to split the royalties four ways - later Eddie realized he did most of the songwriting. I can see both sides of the MA arguement.
I also recall For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge an interview with Eddie and he defended Mikey on that recording. The writer of an article suggested Ed played bass and Eddie shot back that Mike's a great player and it's all him. As far as VH recording are concerned, this cd actually had way more bass in the mix. To me, it sounded great.

[RCCollins]

Ed played bass on Fair Warning. Mike still got credit and royalties (at the time).

[eriky4003]

Originally Posted by RCCollins

Ed played bass on Fair Warning. Mike still got credit and royalties (at the time).

Awww, really? I hadn't read that before. The bass playing on that cd was really in the pocket and, again, as far as VH recordings go, the bass was up front.

[Sonicfrog]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Eddie considered it a sign of disloyalty that Mikey went out on tour with Sammy Hagar after Sammy got canned from Van Halen. I don't know that he's entirely wrong, either. I might consider it a bit of a slap in the face, too. But Mikey seems quite happy with Chickenfoot, and Eddie's quite happy with Wolfie and Wolfie's doing a very good job these days, so personally I've gotten way over the whole Van Halen thing.

Yep. Wolfie has developed into a pretty good player, too! At first, the way he played, his technique, you could tell he was a guitar player on bass (people know I'm a bass player on guitar when I go guitaring). But he's grown accustom to the low end.

[avvie]

Originally Posted by RCCollins

Ed played bass on Fair Warning. Mike still got credit and royalties (at the time).

Huh?
Verification please.

[Bigfoot414]

I wonder if Ed and Alex still talk Dutch to eachother

[Signs]

Originally Posted by mcm

Eddie is a prick. Outta be punched in the mouth.

Yeah, that...

I loved Van Halen growing up, and especially Michael Anthony on bass, and Ed VanHalen on guitar. But it became apparent that almost no one who isn't family is not going to get along with Eddie. Is it any wonder Sammy and Michael ended up together?

And for one of my all time favorite groups, they absolutely stunk live. Drunk, stoned, whatever (the band not me!!!) it was the worst concert I ever went to back in around 1981 or so. And I had been to a bunch of concerts at this venue where different groups sounded really great live. But with VH it was a bunch of noise where you couldn't even tell what song it was and they were just stumbling around on stage. Pathetic...

[Warmuth]

Eddie is apparently one of the greatest aholes of all time if even half of the stories are true. It's a shame because it really wears thin on people and he seems such a shell of himself anymore. MA may or may not be the greatest bass player ever but he didn't need to be. His vocals were a big part of the sound and he actually carved out a persona for himself as a bass player on the same stage as one of the most famous guitar players there will ever be.
However things worked out for him with Eddie he had one hell of a run with VH and he's still got work.

[jaywa]

So does Wolfie cover MA's old vocal parts then when they play live? Or do they tour with a couple of hot chick singers a la Motley Crue? Or do they not even try?

[SactoBass]

Originally Posted by Warmuth

Eddie is apparently one of the greatest aholes of all time

+1

What an over-inflated ego he has.

Btw, I recently watched a vid on YT of one of their recent concerts, and Eddie's guitar playing sucked wangus and swallowed. You would have to pay me to sit and listen to such garbage for two hours, and even then I would say "thanks but no thanks...I don't need money that badly".

[etechstan]

Originally Posted by Signs

Yeah, that...

I loved Van Halen growing up, and especially Michael Anthony on bass, and Ed VanHalen on guitar. But it became apparent that almost no one who isn't family is not going to get along with Eddie. Is it any wonder Sammy and Michael ended up together?

And for one of my all time favorite groups, they absolutely stunk live. Drunk, stoned, whatever (the band not me!!!) it was the worst concert I ever went to back in around 1981 or so. And I had been to a bunch of concerts at this venue where different groups sounded really great live. But with VH it was a bunch of noise where you couldn't even tell what song it was and they were just stumbling around on stage. Pathetic...

I saw them in Cleveland in '81. DLR was too drunk to remember the words to the songs, EVH was screwing up all over the place. Its the only concert I ever walked out of mid-show.

[DigitalMan]

Jumped the shark in the early 80's and never recovered. Even 5150 was a desperate attempt to recapture their summertime beach band fun vibe from the VH2 era. EVH has never understood the actual appeal of VH. It's about a good time attitude, not musicianship. MA, DLR, and SH each epitomize VH's appeal far more than EVH or AVH ever will.

[mjac28]

I wish each member of the band would come on this forum and put everything on the table.

[4001]

I used to love listening to VH (Van Halen-1984) and knowing all of this makes it a bit more difficult to listen to them now just knowing how crappy they treated Michael Anthony. Don't get me wrong, I still listen to them once in awhile but this crap really tarnishes the good vibes I used to have listening to them.

[troy mcclure]

If anyone was disloyal it was the brothers. According to Hagar, they made him and Mike sign deals that cut them out of royalties big time. Mike needed to gig, that is what bass players do, so of course he went off with Sammy. The brothers also turned down the Cabo Wabo deal and got jealous Sammy made boatloads of money on it.

[mjac28]

I don't understand how and why did they sign away their rights?

[Floyd Eye]

It's all moot now.



http://kimgordonsrealage.tumblr.com/...ves-group-says

[hensonbass]

Pretty funny!