It's 5150 Time!!!! Sammy Hagar Re-Joins Van Halen

Melodicrock.com ^ | 11-20-03 | my favorite headache

[My Favorite Headache]

Thursday, November 20, 2003

VAN HALEN WILL RETURN IN 2004 - AT LONG LAST!: Van Halen is on the verge of a long awaited comeback. Long tortured fans are about to be put out of their misery, as the band looks ready to fire in 2004. Details are still sketchy as plans are still in the very early stages of development and are therefore continuing to change as issues are sorted through.

Sammy Hagar is set to return to his role as Van Halen's lead vocalist. Original frontman David Lee Roth is not associated with this re-union.

Here's what's been happening, pieced together from a couple of my well known and reliable sources.

It's not clear who initiated first contact. I was told that Eddie & Alex Van Halen called Sammy Hagar, while it was also suggested to me that it was Sammy that called the brothers out of the blue. Either way, contact was established and an attempt to bury the hatchet was made. Sammy Hagar then made a trip to Eddie's house and the 5150 studio. The idea was to see if Sammy, Ed and Alex could in fact put the events of the last 7 years behind them and work together again. It was also a chance for Sammy to hear the material that has so far been written and recorded by Eddie and Alex. I'm told there have since been a few more meetings – which were apparently both good and bad, but issues are being dealt with and a future discussed. Hagar has apparently already told members of his solo band of his plans to re-join Van Halen. Hagar's legal team is already in discussion with Van Halen's legal team.

I was told that bass player Michael Anthony was not present at the first meeting and I am not yet aware of him meeting again with Ed and Alex, who he hasn't talked to for a couple of years now. But I was told that Sammy has insisted that Michael is part of the re-union line-up.

There is no timetable in place as yet for this re-union. As I said, this is still in the very early stages of being developed. A few ideas are still being considered – such as playing a few shows to get things started before recording/finishing a brand new studio album. What is almost definite though are plans for a new studio album – hoped to be ready for mid-2004, but possibly not until late 2004 - followed by a tour.

News leaked overnight of the band's intention to sign a new management deal with Irving Azoff Management. Azoff's office has made the official "no comment" on the matter, but expect this high profile management company to confirm their equally high profile signing soon. Irving Azoff is a well known and powerful manager, who currently has The Eagles, Christina Aguilera, Seal, Jewel and of course Journey on his roster. Azoff has also been Sammy Hagar's solo manager for the last couple of years.

As far as record labels go, Warner Brothers still has a relationship with the band, given that every album they have released has been with the label. I'm told that they will certainly be the first in line to sign the band should everything work out as planned. Irving Azoff also has a strong relationship with the label. Sanctuary Records is being talked about as a possible home for the band, but don't expect that to happen. Hagar had a solo deal with that label, but only for the Greatest Hits Live release and a yet to eventuate re-issue of his solo albums Ten 13 and Not For Sale, which should still happen when the current deal with the two issuing labels for those albums finish.

Not so good news for fans of the Diamond one. David Lee Roth is apparently out of the picture. It seems another attempt to work with him was made after the denied at the time get together in 2000. Once again it didn't work out and the Van Halen brothers have seemingly ruled out any future attempt to work with him. This is the first contact the brothers have had with Hagar since he departed the band in a storm of ill-feeling in 1996.

Planet Us, the all-star project featuring Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony, Neal Schon, Deen Castronovo and Joe Satriani is all but over – and has been for some time. The project has been left in the hands of guitarist Schon and drummer Castronovo. One rumor is that Neal Schon is still interested in such an album and has another singer in mind. The guys only recorded two tracks together – Vertigo and Peeping Through A Hole – neither of which has been released officially.

There is still more to come. I had planned to gather more information over the course of this week and the weekend, but the leaked news of the Azoff management deal by the music industry website Hits Daily Double has moved the timetable forward. A new Greatest Hits album was one of the rumors leaked in association with the management news. But, to date I have heard no mention of such a plan, unless the band wants to get something into the public's hands while they work on a new studio record. I personally do not see such a thing happening. Could it be time for the Van Hagar CD re-masters to be re-issued?

This is a slowly developing situation and of course, nothing has been announced officially. When this will happen is another major question. The answer is one I hope to bring to you in due course, along with further developments and details of any firm plans that have been put in place. It's nice to be able to bring such positive news to long suffering Van Halen fans. It's news I have the utmost confidence in.

[StoneColdGOP]

I like "Mas Tequila"...

I also like the song of the same name.

[BethWoodfin]

Rock-on Boyzzzzzzzzzzzz....I could use a little "Ice-Cream-Man", or can Sammy even sing that one? Doesn't matter the music is where it's at anyway :)

[gawatchman]

Cool. I problably haven't looked hard enough. If you could steer me to one of those sites, that would be great. I also really liked "Dominoes", and "Wined and Dined" from Barrett.

[dennisw]

Diamond Dave is indeed Jewish, he was actually born in Bloomington, Indiana where his father, Dr. Nathan Roth, was a podiatrist

The internet confirms this. I am sure I read David Lee Roth's claim he was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Which is black now but used to be Jewish. I always felt it didn't sound right. Seems he was putting on the interviewer about Roxbury.

[Skooz]

I can't rememebr the ones I used to visit. You might want to try http://members.aol.com/Rayman260/pinkroio/pfroio.html

or

http://www.pf-roio.de/

and a good link site at http://www.vic.uklinux.net/music/pfroio.html

Do a google search of Pink Floyd ROIO and you can find dozens of them. Some let you download all you want, others want to trade.

[Charles Martel]

Van Halen kept to himself and his own area, except where he got suckered by that inveterate/serial pedophile Michael Jackson on "Beat It". He was never paid for his performance, BTW.

Never knew about that... add Eddie Van Halen to the list of people "stiffed" by Michael Jackson. ;^)

The radio and MTV really played Beat It into the ground, but I never got tired of listening to that guitar solo. IMO, it was the only worthwhile part of the tune.

[larlaw]

Guess all that hard rock and heavy metal I was obsessed with in high school paid off. lol

[pdunkin]

It seems to me as if you can hear Sid losing his mind in the music that follows the last verse of Bike on their first album

[dennisw]

Dang, I was impressed at your memory for such information. And unfortunately I too used to bleed my time reading ye ol' Circus magazine.

 http://www.trouserpress.com/ too used to rock.

 

[Sabertooth]

(I'm not SabERtooth, Im SabREtooth.)

Glad you cleared that up, I couldn't remember making that post
(thought the Alzheimers' was kicking in early).

[muleskinner]

ZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.........

[pdunkin]

A lot of people said the same thing when Sid left ( or was asked to leave - thrown out - whatever). I think they were at their best when they all contributed, albeit with Waters contributing the bulk. But to me the greatest Floyd moments revolved around either Gilmour's vocals (Us & Them being my fav) or his guitar work. That being said his song writing is suspect.

[Sabretooth]

I fear that may be my tag line for the rest of my days here on FR.

I get alot of posts that are meant for you.

We must educate these ignorant masses.

[rintense]

Sammy is actually one of the best guitar players in rock, with one hell of a voice. When he joined VH the first time, his guitar skills added a richer sound to the group. Of course, with Eddie's ego being what it is, Sammy didn't last long. Nor did Dave. Nor did that one guy...

[Laura Earl]

Who from that era is not a cliche? Are you a hunchback or is that your behind on your shoulders. Tis better to be a has been than a never been ; )

[Mr. Buzzcut]

Van Halen back? Maiden never went away!

[My Favorite Headache]

LMAO

[michaelt]

Does anybody do concerts in football stadiums anymore?

They would need a football stadium for the necessary distance between dressing rooms - one for Dave, far away from the one for Sammy, one for Michael, all on the other side from the ones for Eddie and Alex.

Having said that, I wish Van Hagar the best.

[michaelt]

Damn, Steel Breeze - that's a name that I haven't heard in a while. I lived in Sactown in the early 80s, growing up with KZAP.

[NMFXSTC]

Nope...