Seems like such a cool dude, definitely one of my fav underrated bass players... I'd love to have just a brief convo with him!
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Anyone meet Michael Anthony in real life??
- Thread starter Cadillac_Mike
- Start date
I interviewed him for Bass Player magazine in 2017. Still have his personal phone number saved in my phone.
I met him at a NAMM show years ago. Very nice guy, basically an “everyman” with a weird job. He reminds me of a guy on my high school football team who was friendly and cool with everybody, not just the athletes and elite cliques.
He’s one the least affected and non-pretentious rock stars out there. That said, he’s aware of the position he occupies. At the NAMM show, it was easy to see that he fully appreciates fans and respects the history he’s part of.
He’s one the least affected and non-pretentious rock stars out there. That said, he’s aware of the position he occupies. At the NAMM show, it was easy to see that he fully appreciates fans and respects the history he’s part of.
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I've read several books on Van Halen recently, and Ted Templeman's book (which was incredible). They all confirm this.
With him being one of my biggest bass idols I would love to meet him. I seen Van Halen many times live. I have always used him as role model when playing bass with all the bands I have played with. A solid good groove bass player with great back up vocals.
Smooth_bass88
vaxx!
- Oct 31, 2006
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Definitely NOT an underrated bass player. Not sure why people say that. One of my favorite bass players. One of my colleagues met him at NAMM. Said he was super cool, and had him autograph a picture with a personalized message to me.
It must be a Van Halen morning. In the interviews I got that vibe too. Here's a pick from the Golden Bear in Huntington Beach, CA in January 1977 opening for Y&T (credit FB). I miss the Golden Bear... I am a HB native and went there a few times as teenager. I did not attend this show unfortunately.
Attachments
Used to go there quite a bit when I was at UCI and stuck around Irvine for a few years after that; 76 - 83. It was a sad day when the Bear closed. Good times! Never saw VH there though.
D
I've met him at a get together at Capitol Records. I literally into him again in the hallway coming out of a studio bathroom. He stepped on my foot.
At that time I was not into Bass or Bassists. He seemed to be a nice guy.
At that time I was not into Bass or Bassists. He seemed to be a nice guy.
Unfortunately, no. Although he was local, he never visited The Bass Centre in the late 80's/early 90's, but Eddie Van Halen did (he came as a goof pretending he wanted to pawn a MusicMan StingRay 5 prototype.) When we were at our original in Calabasas a few years before, Alex Van Halen came in with Glyn Thomas (the original distributor of Simmons Drums) as they were just across the street. I was bummed Michael couldn't find the time for a visit.
Michael lived only about 10 minutes away from me for years, but our paths never crossed.
The closest I got was meeting his bass tech Kevin Dugan at NAMM about 15 years ago.
Michael lived only about 10 minutes away from me for years, but our paths never crossed.
The closest I got was meeting his bass tech Kevin Dugan at NAMM about 15 years ago.
It really was. Not enough places like that anymore. Being on PCH just down from Main in HB, it was so cool. BTW-Caught a few shows at UCI back in the 80's and 90's. That place rocked and considering it was Irvine, I always felt I was getting away with something, the police there... ouch! I lived in West Park in the 90's.
Saw Gabriel on his first tour after leaving Genesis in the gym my freshman year. Lots of great OC memories.
I've always admired how Michael Anthony has chosen to not answer the Van Halen brothers' often vicious screeds about him in kind or in public. He must have endured a lot trying to keep a career with paranoid semi-functional alcoholics. A real shame they could never let the music speak for them instead of airing more dirty laundry than a commercial dry cleaners.
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When I interviewed him for the article, we ended up talking for about 90 minutes. It sounded like he was emptying his dishwasher in the background at first. 
He was very personable and down to earth, and even joked about having me ghostwrite his autobiography (which, needless to say, I would have loved to do, but he doesn't want to do one).
He talked about his favorite players, including Roger Glover and Felix Pappalardi. He has a vintage EB1 because of his love of Felix's playing. Also discussed his love of the blues, which began with Harvey Brooks' playing with Electric Flag. When he heard "Texas" off that album, all he wanted to play was blues and that was his main focus for a couple years.
The interview is in the Feb. 2018 issue of BP. It includes a transcription of "Poundcake."
He was very personable and down to earth, and even joked about having me ghostwrite his autobiography (which, needless to say, I would have loved to do, but he doesn't want to do one). He talked about his favorite players, including Roger Glover and Felix Pappalardi. He has a vintage EB1 because of his love of Felix's playing. Also discussed his love of the blues, which began with Harvey Brooks' playing with Electric Flag. When he heard "Texas" off that album, all he wanted to play was blues and that was his main focus for a couple years.
The interview is in the Feb. 2018 issue of BP. It includes a transcription of "Poundcake."
I met him in 2007 while I was vacationing in Cabo. He was down there for a "surprise" Hagar gig at his club. I first ran into him in an elevator at our resort - him and his kids, his kids were laughing about having "a famous dad" - they were all super cool and really nice, his son ran back to the hotel room to grab some pics (bass pics) for me.
I ran into him again on the beach, we hung out for a bit and did some tequila shots. At the gig he saw me and gave me a quick into to Sammy and Joe. They played a long time, jammed on all sorts of Van Halen, Hendrix, Zeppelin ... Needless to say he is a super nice guy, very gracious and cool.
He was having dinner on the beach . I just saw him and said hi and he was like "hey! Come over and do a shot!!" (edit for clarity - this was after I met him in the elevator).
I have pics somewhere but I have to photo shop my ex wife from them lol.
I ran into him again on the beach, we hung out for a bit and did some tequila shots. At the gig he saw me and gave me a quick into to Sammy and Joe. They played a long time, jammed on all sorts of Van Halen, Hendrix, Zeppelin ... Needless to say he is a super nice guy, very gracious and cool.
He was having dinner on the beach . I just saw him and said hi and he was like "hey! Come over and do a shot!!" (edit for clarity - this was after I met him in the elevator).
I have pics somewhere but I have to photo shop my ex wife from them lol.
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How on earth did a guy like him survive in the egomaniac atmosphere that was the rest of VH?
Did fame and fortune make it more tolerable?
Did fame and fortune make it more tolerable?
Welcome to the entertainment biz, where getting along with unstable people is a common hazard. Reminds me of a guy I knew in a meat department who was in his 70s; he said "Keep your head down, your mouth shut, and work"How on earth did a guy like him survive in the egomaniac atmosphere that was the rest of VH?
Did fame and fortune make it more tolerable?
Never met him but I have bought his hot sauce.
After I moved to SoCal, in ‘91, I barely knew my way around LA when I flew down(well, not really, 405 and all)to UCI to see the Cocteau Twins with Galaxie 500 opening, something that would have never happened in the midwest where I came from. I don’t know how I actually found it, having driven through some sort of weird storm that I later heard included a mini-tornado, but it was quite a trip.
How he was treated towards the end of VH was pretty ugly, really turned me off EVH, the guy was a mess. Mike took it like a gentleman, I doubt I could have been as chill in his shoes. Alex VH doesn’t have much to say about him in his book, I get it, brotherly loyalty, but u wonder what actually went down.
