David Lee Roth: ‘I’m throwing in the shoes. I’m retiring’

Las Vegas Review-Journal ^ | October 1, 2021 | John Katsilometes

[Texan4Life]

“I’ve got a band that is doing what Al and I used to call a ‘block,’ that means 75 rehearsals for one show,” Roth said. “We are bringing it in classic VH style. Alex and I are the only version, that was his message. There is no other variation. There is no torch being passed. There is no other side to this coin. This is classic, in-your-face Van Halen.”

“I’ve given you all I’ve got to give. It’s been an amazing, great run, no regrets, nothing to say about anybody. I’ll miss you all. Stay frosty.”

[ponygirl]

That guy looks like he lived in Van Nuys, worked in porn, and his pickup line in the clubs was, “Hey babe, I’m a Sagittarius, wanna get high?”

[Bullish]

His fans left him decades ago.

[bramps]

Orpheum. First row balcony. Priceless show.

[Magnatron]

Good looking when young (even with the wig), great singer, total weirdo whack-job as a person…

There’s a reason Eddie dumped him — twice.

[Salamander]

LOLOL

[LS]

I never got to see them live.

[kelly4c]

Thanks, going to look up the lyrics. I believe I’ve heard that slang before.

[cport]

Never missed a VH concert with DLR since my first one. The women and children first tour and 1984 tour were pure, unadulterated, rock and roll entertainment st it’s best. Last one I saw was 1984 tour, then no mas. See then open for the stones in the early 80s steel wheels tour after they did diver down; definitely a contrast in styles. I only saw the van Hagar iteration once; 87 at the Cow Palace in Frisco. Good concert, Eddie still way worth the price of admission and Hagar and the band did gel well together, but it wasn’t the same without Diamond Dave.

[DoodleBob]

A guy here, so I can't speak to the girl stuff.

I saw Van Halen three times in the Diamond Dave period, once with Sammy, and twice in the Wolfgang years. They were basically three different bands.

I also saw DLR on his first solo tour with Steve Vai, Billy Sheehan and Gregg Bissonette. That was the tightest band ever, and they musical pyrotechnics were quite a sight. Full disclosure: I'm a biased Zappa fan and Vai is a guitar legend.

What many people didn't know, was that the Van Halen support staff went with Dave...producer Ted Templeman and the live stage crafting left the VH camp. For example. Here is the 1982 stage...

...now here is 5150 (pretty boring)...

....and Dave in 1986...no comparison...

I will say that Dave's Achilles was that he didn't know when to stop interrupting the flow of the VH shows in the 80s. Rapping to the audience a little is fine...but by 1982 it felt like Dave HAD to interject in the middle of every song. I totally understand why he was fired. Ironically, he was less of a talker in 1986.

The 1986 DLR vs Van Hagar shows were a rock and roll acid test on who was the main ingredient in Van Halen...and while I love Eddie and his innovations and Michael Anthony's background vocals (Alex is meh) and Sammy is an outstanding rocker, it was clear that Dave Was Van Halen.

The Wolfgang shows were ok, but Wolfe had nothing to do with the decay (and his haters should take a long walk off a short pier)...Dave was simply a sad shadow of his former self. I mean, they played some deep cuts and Eddie was still awesome, but the Sun had clearly Set on VH after 1984.

Was Dave a ham? Yes. Was he over the top? Of course. Was he obnoxious? Uh huh. Was he the best frontman ever? You betcha.

[dfwgator]

Was he the best frontman ever? You betcha.

Freddy Mercury may have something to say about that.

[DoodleBob]

Freddie was absolutely wonderful. And he owned Live Aid and the Wembly (and world?) audience. That performance is easily one of the top five moments in rock history.

But Freddie was also very British (I know he wasn't from England...work with me). This....

...is not this...

....and thankfully so. I love a world where Freddie AND Dave both exist. They are a bit like Bjorn Borg vs John McEnroe. As I wrote before, Dave was molten hot when he was on but he got pretty tiresome in live shows in the early 80s. The schtick wears on you after a while. Freddie was always on.

Bottom line, Freddie never grated on me like Dave could, but his peaks didn't approach Dave's. In rock and roll, I tend to like roller coasters more than bumper cars...your mileage may vary.

[COBOL2Java]

Another senior citizen who is still touring is Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones, with his new group "Them Crooked Vultures"

[dfwgator]

Paul Rodgers still sounds great.

[cport]

Was Dave a ham? Yes. Was he over the top? Of course. Was he obnoxious? Uh huh. Was he the best frontman ever? You betcha

And all of that is what made DD exactly what he was, the best frontman ever.