Hey, everyone: I am so happy you dug the lengthy conversation with Alex. Honestly, I thought maybe it was too long to put up the whole interview when I first thought about posting this. But then I realized if I was going to put it up, I had to include every word. I loved this conversation because it did happen back in real time when Alex's memories and thoughts and opinions were clear and honest and not obstructed by the passage of time. Your reactions and emotional responses are what feeds me. Thank you.
thank you so much Steve. I am hearing this for the first time in 2024. I've been a big fan of VH since the first album. Alex always seemed to like his privacy. I guess Eddie kinda did too. This is GOLD! I look forward to reading Alex's book soon. I will always view the VH brothers as 2 of my favorite musicians and influences! They are some great people! Eddie lives on....
Outstanding! Absolutely LOVED every minute of this six-part detailed interview with Alex Van Halen (such a cool name); I love how straightforward and honest Alex is; amazing questions too; this was an extremely rare treat (to hear all of this); it’s exactly what the fans have always wanted… authenticity.
Wow! That clarinet got me!! I was wondering if it was Jan, their dad. It had to be! He would pass away the following year sadly. I knew that was Eddie going to McDonald's. His voice is so recognizable. Gosh, the dynamics of bands in general. It really is a difficult, long-term acheivement to keep a band together. In 2024, as we all view this, we know that Alex and Roth "made up" so that's the good news. But, boy howdy, it wasn't a positive "break up!" Emotions were high. Eleven years is a long relationship. I'm glad Sammy brought light and joy back to the band at least in the beginning. Anyway, what a brilliant interview Steve! You were right in the thick of everything. How lucky we are that you saved these tapes and that they actually played and weren't damaged! Thank you so very much! And again, thank you to Adam Roach who did the work to get them up on youtube! Thank you Alex! Long Live King Edward! ❤🤍🖤🎸🥁✌🤘
Was it ED who was going down to McDonalds ? ….I thought it was Patrick (Val’s brother)….Can you imagine someone working behind the counter in there who knew VH being asked for an order by ED ? …lol….I heard once that Edward was in a record store in LA once and in there they were playing on the shop speakers ‘Beat It’ …And during the solo this customer said out loud to a friend -‘sounds like they got in a guitarist to play a solo like Eddie Van Halen’ …And Ed standing behind them overheard this and tapped the guy on the shoulder and said to him - ‘actually, this really IS ME’….😉🤣😅
You did us all a huge favour, as well as music history!mALL segments were great! I’m so grateful and feel blessed to hear this! Thank you good sir! I will be buying a copy of the book. Great title, TONECHASER!!! They both were! His piano sound was amazing too later on, he had an ear as did Al that the rest of the music community wish they had! What a gift you gave us! Thank you again Mr Rosen! Or Steve, but I just want to say….all love and respect! It’s amazing! Thank you so much more! ❤❤❤❤❤
Steve, again, I just want to thank you so much for posting these interview videos. I have enjoyed every minute listening to these at work. Thanks again.
Another awesome segment. Clicking the subtitles button worked well for recognizing some parts of the audio that were a bit unclear in previous episodes.
As a drummer whose first hero was alex. This is. Gold. I have every drum magazine he's ever done and it's only a few. Including the european ones. It's interesting because I always thought he had more to do with the song writing process.
Fascinating to hear about Monk and Sparkomatic and all that. Alex sounds like almost as much of a dickhead as the people he’s trashing. He was the drummer. Comes across as an arrogant prick who thinks he should have been the manager? Sounds like a wacko control freak. I think he was a big part of the reason Ed vanished creatively for the last 20 years of his life.
I remember reading that chapter. I forget the story exactly, but upon reading Monk’s book, I can’t help but to wonder how much of what he’s saying could be over-exaggerated, or even complete bullshit. I think it’s all mostly true, but with some things overstated for the sake of making Al look like a cocaine-addled alcoholic villian who was out of his mind from doing too much coke and enough rest and eating right
I remember those sparkomatic car stereos. They had them at kmart and they were garbage. But better than nothing. Back then Pioneer stereos had damn good sound. I had a pioneer with 2 6x9 pyle drivers and a clarion equalizer booster. Wore out 3 or 4 Van Halen cassettes.
The best insight into the history of Van Halen ever. I know Eddie and Alex much better now. Musicians from the get go. Alex playing with dad. A young Eddie winning the piano competitions and not giving a rip. Awesome stuff.
Thanks for all of these interviews. You allow the guys to talk and don't interject yourself into it like many in your field. Ask great questions and get them to really open up. These stand the test of time.
This really sheds some true light on previous info, especially the Noel Monk book. I'm not sure how much of this was common knowledge amongst other die-hard VH fans prior to this interview being released, but for me it's mind blowing. Obviously, Alex was there for all of it, so I personally take his word , the most gospel above the rest. That said, the part where he insults the wife of Noel Monk, may have been unfair. That is, if what Noel mentioned in his book "Running With the Devil" is true. Again, assuming the info from these most recent Alex Van Halen interviews weren't known prior, this is eye opening. Thank you @SteveRosen for releasing this set of interviews at a perfect time, giving time for the dust to settle on the Noel and Sammy books. I would have loved to hear Steve's commentary upon reading the Noel book especially,.. after spending time with and interviewing Ed and Al face to face, having their honest take on what actually happened. Great stuff! Thanks!
Listening to this, it really is amazing they reunited with DLR in 2007 but it came as no surprise. They really had no choice at that point since the fans weren’t going to accept another new lead singer. After Van Halen III failed it seemed inevitable. I used to check VHND every day for any new updates. I was actually shocked when they got back with Sammy in 2004. Anyway, these interviews are incredible! Can’t wait for Alex’s book.
Thanks Steve. Alex answered a lot of questions. Always wanted to know about parents. Only thing I got from Eddie and it was very cool. Was when Eddie went to school here kids said they all hated their parents. Eddie goes “” I love mine wtf “ and u see how he carried that to wolfie . But Alex gave a lot more detail s
@@godbyone The details Alex went into with regard to the Roth split I'm still trying to assimilate ....Omg. Ed never even told Steven about THIS stuff.
@@godbyone Yes , I remember that Ed interview by Jas Obrecht in 1980.....Ed was expressing his love for his parents & his brother. That interview was originally printed in Guitar Player Magazine in 1980 but recently godbyone did you hear the UNEDITED audiotape interview Jas released of these interviews ? .....Ed went into details way,way beyond what was printed back then & you can hear the loving ENTHUSIASM Ed had for his family which you could never get from just reading it in print. He talks about what a near genius achiever Alex was at school, & how much his Father meant to him & how he wanted to do everything he could to help him out because he never got the breaks his talent deserved to get. That's why in recent DLR podcasts it made me really angry to hear Roth claim -'Eddie was always saying he hated his Brother' and 'Eddie hated Valerie Bertinelli's family just like I did' ....Both of which are clearly B/S & just NOT true (and could be upsetting both Wolf & Valerie) ....Since Ed has left us DLR is currently trying to go for Wolfgang to get attention despite the fact that if it wasn't for WOLF in 2006 he would never have got another shot at lead vocalist in VH....Roth is claiming that Wolf is all 'nepotism' (with that 'Jesus' interview) but ALEX would know how much natural talent Wolf has because He, his Brother & Wolf worked together to become the tightest triumvirate Rock Unit imaginable live onstage. I know because I've got all the bootleg dvds of most of the gigs. I always thought DLR was always JEALOUS of the REAL musicians in VH whether this was happening in 1985 or in 2024.
Ive always thought Van Halen was dysfunction junction but hey, thats rock and roll. This stuff is so awesome! Thanks Steve for these interviews. RIP Ed.
Almost 40 years later and its still tough listening to this. "The Mighty Van Halen" were America's greatest Hard Rock band. Ego, Coke, Booze & hubris ruined them. Tragic.
A fitting end and full of great reveals! Alex is being honest about his emotions and I respect that. An authentic journalist wouldn't have wanted any less... And he respected you enough to let you in. (If you've never spent a lengthy amount of time around narcissistic people, then you wouldn't understand.) What I'm most intrigued about most, is the tape he mentions of Dave singing on some of the 5150 material. I wonder if he still has those?😊 Also, thank you personally for documenting a piece of American history. Although I have read many of your interviews in guitar mags, hearing them speak in their own words is priceless.
I agree..When you don’t just read interviews in print but hear their voices and intonation and nuance in them it’s a totally different experience…Alex was being very honest and candid to Steven about his emotions, even painfully honest at times. It’s no wonder none of this was made public at the time because it would have turned things in the media press war ‘thermonuclear’….As for the recordings of both Dave and Sammy singing different versions of the SAME songs on the 5150 album I remember Edward saying that there were ‘Dave versions’ of ‘Summer Nights’,,,, ‘Good Enough’ and Ed also had written a bit of of Dreams but no vocals…Incidentally, somebody was commenting here calling Alex a jerk for going for DLR ….Alex shouldn’t have spoken about contemplating physical violence against Dave to Steven , Alex went too far there….He should have stopped and controlled his anger despite all those pent up years. But before the person posting here discounts Alex here and attacks him he must remember there were OTHER interviews in 1986 which Steven Rosen did with someone else chronicling Roth’s insufferable narcissistic behaviour. When Steven also interviewed MIKE ANTHONY…..Now Mike could be possibly the decisive source of information on DLRs behaviour because whereas Ed and especially Alex could get carried away with their emotions on Roth by contrast Mikey was always a PEACEMAKER in the camp who always took the high road to avoid drama as a pure musician who just loved to play…In order for Mike to be provoked to say stuff about someone they must have been really bad because Mike was never a shit stirrer (like DLR) and to this day Mike STILL isn’t….he’s always been consistent. In the 1986 Steven Rosen interview with Mike ,,Mike went into details about how Roth had bullied both him and Edward during the first era of the band….Ed described Noel Monk as DLRs ‘puppet’ only looking out for Roth’s interests …. But Alex here went several stages further and was much more heated. But Mike was kind of more diplomatic about Noel Monk years later describing him as ‘a piece of work’ but laughing as he was saying it so he wasn’t being mean spirited in the remark at all.
@@walterevans2118 I think the timing couldn't have been better for Van Halen. I went through and watched Dave's solo videos and I kept wanting to cover my eyes. It was like watching a Pee Wee Herman skit. All that MTV fame from 1984 must have gone to his head.
@@Blizofoz45 In the videos he was doing everything to destroy other ‘music Stars’ in his videos wasn’t he ? ….From punching Boy George’s hairdresser to electrocuting Billy Idol.
Was Uncle PAT in the background here ? ....So much for Dave's B/S claim that Edward 'hated' Valerie's family.....Val's brother Patrick helped Ed to actually BUILD the 5150 studio.
@@sweetwilliam5150He does…I met him at Mammoth WVH’s headlining show in Houston a few months back. He takes pictures and posts things on social media and is Wolf’s buddy on the road. A very nice man…
@@sweetwilliam5150 He does indeed….In fact Uncle Pat is in some of Wolf’s VIDEOS…..Mind you, so is Garrett, and even his MUM …..lol …We need to get Valerie’s CATS in the videos too …..lol 🐈🐈⬛
It sounds like the “mystery person” at the end could be Edward himself. Edit: Sorry I commented that before your Outro section. Amazing interview series
Thank you for this wonderful set of interviews with one of the best drummers on the globe: so thanks for sharing this awesome footage. It is very clear why they did not want to extend the contract with Noel Monk: I would never buy Monk's book because he always seemed too arrogant to me.And I can immagine what things were like for VH with him being the manager.Listening to Al telling about DLR: it is pretty much what Ed told in about the situation and you could almost touch Ed's relief when he left the band and Sammy took his place.Al said something about the difference between their music taste : he liked Def Leppard/Ozzie O. and of course he did, instead of DLR who likes Fred Astaire and it made me laugh out loud because he could not find better words to explain their differences 😂As said before, it was a lovely series of interviews with a lot of information ❤
Thank you Steve. This AvH interview was amazing. Dave could of made his movie (which never happened) and came back to VH. I wonder if he would do things differently if he could go back. But from the sounds of what Alex has said, I dont think VH would of lasted with DLR anyway.
These six part interview was an out of this world experience for us fans, thanks forever and ever Steve! 🙏❤🖤🤍 What I can't cope with though... is the way Alex shit-talks about Noel... I read Noel's biography 3 times (just to be sure I didn't miss a thing 😅) and if the truth lays in the middle... well, Alex should have, at least, shown a little bit more respect for him. Things like "He earned money for doing nothing!", "He's a fat pig." or "He belongs to an asylum." pissed me so much! Alex could go on stage every night, without having to worry about a damn thing expect playing... because of people like Noel had his shoulder covered. Plus, Noel was the one who made it possible for them to become rich, getting them out of the worst deal ever. The t-shirt merchandising earned them an insane amount of money! Anyhow... absolutely amazing interview Steve. A pure historical VH's treasure! 🤩
Well yes, possibly Alex might have gone too far there. And Noel Monk passed away so he is no longer here to defend himself. In terms of the VH band's commercial success Noel Monk was certainly the important 1st stage of the Apollo Booster Rocket.
Noel Monk renegotiated VH out of their original bad record contract by expired options Warner Brothers did not pick up into a new & way better contract earning millions more and that is the thanks & lack of gratitude Alex gives Noel Monk kids.
I thought the same thing.Because I read Noel's book also. And the sparkomatic deal was dave cancelling that. Also alex tried messing with noel's wife at one point. You could tell he's just bitter at that point in his life. They were furious that Roth ditched them.
Well, the book RED Sammy wrote did a lot of damage. & their differing opinions about the role Ray Daniels played in managing the band. But if Alex & Sammy could navigate around that then they might become pals again like they were onstage in 1986 during 'Live Without a Net' .🙂
I knew Alex didn't like Roth but DAMN didn't realize just how much he hated him. Very strong words. This interview was almost 40 years ago so I wonder how sober 70 year man feels about things in hindsight. Perhaps we'll find out when his book is released later this year. Really enjoyed interviews.
Roth is & always has been 'out of control' ....He sees it as all being 'rock & roll' 'game for a laugh' but his ego & need for attention can override ANY moral & ethical restraint. & God help anyone who is on the receiving end of it....Alex knew then & he knows it now. Roth crossed the line many times & has come close to pushing people over the cliff....Even the old VH manager Noel Monk who was on his side thought he was a loony. Throwing bottles up in the air onstage at a UK gig which cracked open a poor guys head,,,Slamming plates down on Mike Anthony's dinner to intimidate him,,,Threatening Edward not to talk about his hip replacement operation,,Being nice to Wolf when he wanted to get back into VH but now calling Wolf a 'nepotist ' just because he was born with the name VH.....Making up FICTIONS about people & trying to get idiots in public to believe absolute crap like with poor Valerie & her marriage ...(when in interviews she still wells up with tears when talking about Ed saying 'I loved his SOUL' ) Attacking Ed's Son & Ed's soulmate in public now he knows that Edward is no longer here to defend them. When I think of how cruel he is capable of being his uproarious manic laughter literally gives me NIGHTMARES at night.
This was a great series of interviews.Wow Alex didn't hold back in his thoughts about DLR. Considering the time frame when the interviews took place it's understandable. They hadn't even recorded 5150 yet when you spoke with him. Did you need to get Alex's approval to post these? And what happened to the book that was supposed to come of this?
This last segment is not so much Alex talking about ED but is definitely the MOST COMPREHENSIVE account of the 1985 VH split with DLR I have EVER HEARD......Ed never covered this in all his interviews. I'm still SHELLSHOCKED trying to take it all in 😳😳...With the stuff about Noel Monk being like Peter Grant with Led Zep with strong arm tactics on bootleggers what Alex was saying here in 1985 has been subsequently confirmed by Noel Monk's own biography with stories of Police arrests & his security staff & stories of his heavies trying to put the frighteners on Ronnie Montrose at soundchecks......The stuff with ALEX vs DLR is just bewildering in its blast furnace.......In interviews Ed did say Noel Monk was totally Roth's puppet and wanted more money but Ed NEVER went into the details ALEX expounds HERE.... I never had any idea the fracture went this deep & the details Alex goes into precisely WHY it happened are STARTLING... Alex gets a bit SCARY in some points in this interview because clearly the anger had been building up in him for YEARS😟🙁😔🤐 He was angry about the way DLR had hurt his little brother,,,,angry with his ego,,, angry with his tactics,,,,,Its best I don't say anything else on this really....What was nice was when Alex talked about how ED had first met VALERIE....That was NICE.
And as of today Al is holding a grudge against Sammy on how he talked about Ed in his book. Difference was Sammy was being honest on how Ed was in 2004 which was his lowest point of addiction. Al has not spoken with Sammy since 2004.
@@MrDuds1984 Even if some of Sammy's book chapter 'Crazy Eddie' was honest Sammy should not have included them in his book. He should not have put on display to sell his book Ed's worst moments in the grip of alcohol addition.Also Sammy wrote his comments in a worded way that lacked empathy for Ed....Possibly because Sammy was angry about the past with VH band politics....Sammy should have said to himself before he published the book -'God, even if Ed reacted in ways that were out of line should I really be putting this information out there ? ...It could hurt Edward & Alex considerably.' Sammy should have remembered that Ed was drinking to excess worse than ever before for a REASON. He was trying to use alcohol to blot out the fear for that cancer which kept coming back. (Paul)
Great audio, I believe Alex completely about what Ted Templeman said and thought about Dave...if you noticed Dave never worked with anyone for very long... Dave is a problem, even Gene Simmons told the brothers to get rid of Dave back in the 70's. Simmons saw that Dave was going to be a problem and he was very interested in the brothers and not Dave. That's has been common knowledge in numerous peoples thoughts and documented in numerous books. It's refreshing to hear Alex just telling the truth.
@@walterevans2118 Gene did that's why he recorded many Kiss demos like Christine Sixteen with just Alex and Edward ...he wanted to get rid of Peter Criss and Ace Frehley and replace them with the van Halen brothers. Gene had no use for Dave. Gene thought he was a good front man but didn't like the cocaine and drinking drama that came along with Dave. If you read David's book, he talks about Gene wanting to take the Van Halen brothers and get rid of Dave (him).
@@brian-ld4vd Gene flew VH over to NY to cut these preWarners demos possibly because he’d heard how good ED was after he’d played on those Kiss demos in 1976 …What happened then was Gene wanted to get VH signed to Casablanca like Kiss were but Kiss’ manager Bill Aucoin rejected them. Alex in these interviews said that the manager had someone shine his shoes in his office in front of them. I understand that Gene was BEWILDERED by the Kiss management not trying to back VH and realising how brilliant they were ….Gene may even have started to doubt the legitimacy of Kiss’ OWN management at this point because they failed to back a band as brilliant as VH. Gene set the band free though. He said he tore up their contract allowing them to get a deal elsewhere with Warners and Mo and Ted. God knows what would have happened if Gene hadn’t done that. In these interviews of Alex in 1985 Alex clearly had a lot of time for Gene because he knew Gene realised their potential very early on and tried to steer things right for them. Gene was a very astute figure in the industry and not just with the money but with RECOGNISING the TALENT. …Unlike the Kiss management.
I dont know why they got back with Roth in 2007..... Those last 3 tours were cringe. It was like Rosanne Bar singing the national anthem. My ears were murdered and I almost cried.
The first tour had Dave trying like crazy, and then he became the “artist” type and did whatever he wanted, as he wrote the lyrics….so that mentality showed. 2015 showed how good Al and Ed played once again. He(Ed) was on fire! Alex is a master of all things time and space. Roth, well he did his schtick and I love the chemistry from the early days. Wolf was great too. He made his father happy, and gave us some more VH….and I’ll take that even with the singing! VH forever!
Interesting that Michael McDonald’s name come up in this whole saga. At the same time I find that out of character of Michael McDonald to demand money for helping Dave out for I’ll Wait
They could have fired Dave years sooner if he was that horrendous to be around. They probably didn't feel that they could make it without him. Instead Ed was considering leaving his own band
In defense of Noel Monk being tough on bootlegging, Van Halen were ruthless when it came to bootlegs! VH wanted every bootlegger stopped! So yeah' jus say'n
In what way was he 'full of it' ? There were other people & subsequent testimonies that back up what Alex was saying here. For instance Noel Monk's strong arm tactics as a manager which he condemned Noel Monk went on to brag about in his book .....And the problems that DLR caused at that time were confirmed by Mike Anthony who was never a stirrer but always a peacemaker in the band.
Alex comes across as a jerk in this interview. He threatens to beat up DLR if he ever sees him in public. He calls Monk's wife a fat pig. He begrudgingly acknowledges that Monk bolstered their merchandise sales but he gripes about the crackdown on bootlegged t-shirts. Al was too drunk to plan the tour but he complains about the tour expenses after the fact.
Alex didn't sound that inebriated in this interview. He shouldn't have threatened DLR like that though. Or made the comment about Monk's wife. I think the reason Alex was so angry was because stuff had been building up between them for years & in 1985 it reached 'flashpoint' & in this then 'off the record' interview Alex's anger at Roth was all coming out.
@@walterevans2118 Al also complained about having to pay Michael McDonald for his songwriting help on I'll Wait. The interviewer even noted that Al was drinking a lot of beer but Al just said he was thirsty. According to interviews with Monk, Hagar and Roth, Al was a bully who influenced Ed through fistfights or arguments in Dutch. I've met a lot of alcoholics who are mean drunks and I've read that Alex was a maintenance alcoholic. .
Man Alex really is a dick sometimes…he is threatening a Roth with violence, that’s the way a drunk talks 😂 I think there was jealousy towards Dave. I get it. Dave is a true artist, in terms of the lifestyle. And I think he prioritized fun, but he came from an affluent background and Ed and Alex came from a poor background, hence their affinity and attention paid to money. He’s such a drag to listen to at times. This is why they needed Dave so much to enjoy the success they had. The fans had to believe it was all about how Dave portrayed the band, not Alex here. Very interesting contrast. Clearly Alex sounds like an angry, bitter drunk here. Glad he sobered up a year or two later.
@@godbyone I know that quite well. I think that’s why the jealousy was so crazy high. The brothers dumped off Anthony too. A guy that was easy to work with in the 80’s and 90’s. Different visions of success that actually made this band appealing to me: the brothers coming into money for the first time in their lives and Roth having a real platform for his showmanship The brothers would later say that Dave ditched them to do his own thing. But Eddie was doing his own thing at this time too. I have no doubt that when the camera wasn’t rolling Roth was impossible to deal with..and I say this absolutely loving everything about Roth.
@Aright Actually, when Alex was threatening DLR with violence I felt queazy & psychologically unsettled by that myself...It was a bit silly Alex saying Noel Monk was crazy doing strong arm tactics on the fans & then 40 minutes later into the interview the Drummer is talking about 'beating the sh*t out of the ex singer'.🤔🤐...I think Alex lost the moral high ground there... But as someone said here it was the anger OF THE TIME. According to Roth he & Alex have spoken on the phone where they 'laugh like Pirates'...lol ...Hopefully they will be laughing at all this.
a lot bitterness at that time. fact of the matter is roth was a huge part of early vh and his voice was a unique part of the over all sound of vh. period. the truth is drugs alcohol and egos between al ed n dave became an issue and part of the split. and if dave never left the band would have carried on.
I like. Dave years more but it was good. To hear the band revamp with Sammy . ( but Sammy is more annoying with. The backhanded insults every 3 month. “ I love eddie but blah blah I wrote 4,500 songs. I made it with 34,000 women a year. Dave only had 33,000 . I have 5,000 homes. Dave only base 4,000. He always has to list everything he owns. wtf .
@@godbyone Yes, Sammy did have that - 'I love Eddie, BUT...' syndrome didn't he ? ...lol...I think possibly with Sammy he began to become more of a businessman than a musician at one point though he still writes great stuff. I can only imagine what Edward thought of all that 'I've got more $$s than you have' stuff....lol ...It could get quite funny sometimes....'I've got 15 toilets in my abode,,,,Roth needs to tour because he's only got 5 pots to piss in.....If it had been Roth with the 15 toilets Sammy would have been saying - 'Well Dave you've got more toilets than me because in your latest podcasts you are MAKING A LOT MORE CRAP THAN YOU'RE GIVEN CREDIT FOR' ......lolol
It's cool to hear Alex talk about how much he loved hanging out with DLR!
If Dave knew his solo career was going to sink like a rock, he would have figured out how to work with those guys. They all needed a break.
He and Al were tight in the early days
Steven Rosen these interviews with AL are amazing. Thank you
You can't hear "A Different Kind Of Truth" on your streaming service due to DLR. What a prick!
@@Blizofoz45His ego was not his amigo. It was a matter of time.
Hey, everyone: I am so happy you dug the lengthy conversation with Alex. Honestly, I thought maybe it was too long to put up the whole interview when I first thought about posting this. But then I realized if I was going to put it up, I had to include every word. I loved this conversation because it did happen back in real time when Alex's memories and thoughts and opinions were clear and honest and not obstructed by the passage of time. Your reactions and emotional responses are what feeds me. Thank you.
Loved it
So glad you posted this!
Thanks again, it was Historic for any Van Halen fan, let alone an Alex Van Halen fan. It’s a great story that needed to be told.
thank you so much Steve. I am hearing this for the first time in 2024. I've been a big fan of VH since the first album. Alex always seemed to like his privacy. I guess Eddie kinda did too. This is GOLD!
I look forward to reading Alex's book soon.
I will always view the VH brothers as 2 of my favorite musicians and influences! They are some great people! Eddie lives on....
Thanks for this great material !!!!!
I dug it for sure! Thank you so much!
Outstanding! Absolutely LOVED every minute of this six-part detailed interview with Alex Van Halen (such a cool name); I love how straightforward and honest Alex is; amazing questions too; this was an extremely rare treat (to hear all of this); it’s exactly what the fans have always wanted… authenticity.
Wow! That clarinet got me!! I was wondering if it was Jan, their dad. It had to be! He would pass away the following year sadly. I knew that was Eddie going to McDonald's. His voice is so recognizable. Gosh, the dynamics of bands in general. It really is a difficult, long-term acheivement to keep a band together. In 2024, as we all view this, we know that Alex and Roth "made up" so that's the good news. But, boy howdy, it wasn't a positive "break up!" Emotions were high. Eleven years is a long relationship. I'm glad Sammy brought light and joy back to the band at least in the beginning. Anyway, what a brilliant interview Steve! You were right in the thick of everything. How lucky we are that you saved these tapes and that they actually played and weren't damaged! Thank you so very much! And again, thank you to Adam Roach who did the work to get them up on youtube! Thank you Alex! Long Live King Edward! ❤🤍🖤🎸🥁✌🤘
Was it ED who was going down to McDonalds ? ….I thought it was Patrick (Val’s brother)….Can you imagine someone working behind the counter in there who knew VH being asked for an order by ED ? …lol….I heard once that Edward was in a record store in LA once and in there they were playing on the shop speakers ‘Beat It’ …And during the solo this customer said out loud to a friend -‘sounds like they got in a guitarist to play a solo like Eddie Van Halen’ …And Ed standing behind them overheard this and tapped the guy on the shoulder and said to him - ‘actually, this really IS ME’….😉🤣😅
So well stated; thanks for your thoughts here. 😊
These have been killer, Steve. Thanks for this full interview (and I enjoyed Tonechaser too 👌👍)
oh man i would kill to hear some 5150 demos with DLR singing on them, I've always wondered about what that would've sounded like
Most Impressive! We are so fortunate to hear these tapes! Rock On!
You did us all a huge favour, as well as music history!mALL segments were great! I’m so grateful and feel blessed to hear this! Thank you good sir! I will be buying a copy of the book. Great title, TONECHASER!!! They both were! His piano sound was amazing too later on, he had an ear as did Al that the rest of the music community wish they had! What a gift you gave us! Thank you again Mr Rosen! Or Steve, but I just want to say….all love and respect! It’s amazing! Thank you so much more! ❤❤❤❤❤
Steve, again, I just want to thank you so much for posting these interview videos. I have enjoyed every minute listening to these at work. Thanks again.
My pleasure!
Awesome interview
Thank you Steve!
Another awesome segment. Clicking the subtitles button worked well for recognizing some parts of the audio that were a bit unclear in previous episodes.
I thoroughly enjoyed these tapes. Thank you for sharing them!
You're welcome.
Guys - we’re just passing through history. THIS IS history.
Nice "Raiders" reference!
Amazing recording once again… and good autro you added details at the end too🎉🎉🎉🎉
I find all the background sounds like planes taking off, sirens going off, and people walking by and asking questions quite entertaining.
Thank you🙏
I really didn’t want this to end - Alex is sure enough a fascinating, articulate, and intelligent feller!
As a drummer whose first hero was alex. This is.
Gold. I have every drum magazine he's ever done and it's only a few. Including the european ones. It's interesting because I always thought he had more to do with the song writing process.
The Sparkomatic thing.. read Monk's book. He explains it as being blocked by Dave..
Fascinating to hear about Monk and Sparkomatic and all that. Alex sounds like almost as much of a dickhead as the people he’s trashing. He was the drummer. Comes across as an arrogant prick who thinks he should have been the manager? Sounds like a wacko control freak. I think he was a big part of the reason Ed vanished creatively for the last 20 years of his life.
I remember reading that chapter. I forget the story exactly, but upon reading Monk’s book, I can’t help but to wonder how much of what he’s saying could be over-exaggerated, or even complete bullshit. I think it’s all mostly true, but with some things overstated for the sake of making Al look like a cocaine-addled alcoholic villian who was out of his mind from doing too much coke and enough rest and eating right
I remember those sparkomatic car stereos. They had them at kmart and they were garbage. But better than nothing. Back then Pioneer stereos had damn good sound. I had a pioneer with 2 6x9 pyle drivers and a clarion equalizer booster. Wore out 3 or 4 Van Halen cassettes.
Should have treated Michael Anthony better = a very important component to Van Halen’s sound & backbone
The best insight into the history of Van Halen ever. I know Eddie and Alex much better now. Musicians from the get go. Alex playing with dad. A young Eddie winning the piano competitions and not giving a rip. Awesome stuff.
Thanks for all of these interviews. You allow the guys to talk and don't interject yourself into it like many in your field. Ask great questions and get them to really open up. These stand the test of time.
Fascinating stuff. And I was going to ask about the clarinet music. Thanks for sharing Steve.
Could it be JAN possibly ? (Ed & Alex's Father) ...I'm sure Jan was still with us in 1985 ...I think he passed away in late 1986.
This really sheds some true light on previous info, especially the Noel Monk book. I'm not sure how much of this was common knowledge amongst other die-hard VH fans prior to this interview being released, but for me it's mind blowing. Obviously, Alex was there for all of it, so I personally take his word , the most gospel above the rest. That said, the part where he insults the wife of Noel Monk, may have been unfair. That is, if what Noel mentioned in his book "Running With the Devil" is true.
Again, assuming the info from these most recent Alex Van Halen interviews weren't known prior, this is eye opening.
Thank you @SteveRosen for releasing this set of interviews at a perfect time, giving time for the dust to settle on the Noel and Sammy books. I would have loved to hear Steve's commentary upon reading the Noel book especially,.. after spending time with and interviewing Ed and Al face to face, having their honest take on what actually happened. Great stuff! Thanks!
Its not really appropriate to go into what Noel Monk's book claimed in his book. Since it might not be true & Alex could have been innocent of it.
Listening to this, it really is amazing they reunited with DLR in 2007 but it came as no surprise. They really had no choice at that point since the fans weren’t going to accept another new lead singer. After Van Halen III failed it seemed inevitable. I used to check VHND every day for any new updates. I was actually shocked when they got back with Sammy in 2004. Anyway, these interviews are incredible! Can’t wait for Alex’s book.
Thanks Steve. Alex answered a lot of questions. Always wanted to know about parents. Only thing I got from Eddie and it was very cool. Was when Eddie went to school here kids said they all hated their parents. Eddie goes “” I love mine wtf “ and u see how he carried that to wolfie . But Alex gave a lot more detail s
Stay tuned for Part 5 where we go into more detail about his parents!
Best overall. Van Halen interview
@@godbyone The details Alex went into with regard to the Roth split I'm still trying to assimilate ....Omg. Ed never even told Steven about THIS stuff.
@@godbyone Yes , I remember that Ed interview by Jas Obrecht in 1980.....Ed was expressing his love for his parents & his brother. That interview was originally printed in Guitar Player Magazine in 1980 but recently godbyone did you hear the UNEDITED audiotape interview Jas released of these interviews ? .....Ed went into details way,way beyond what was printed back then & you can hear the loving ENTHUSIASM Ed had for his family which you could never get from just reading it in print. He talks about what a near genius achiever Alex was at school, & how much his Father meant to him & how he wanted to do everything he could to help him out because he never got the breaks his talent deserved to get. That's why in recent DLR podcasts it made me really angry to hear Roth claim -'Eddie was always saying he hated his Brother' and 'Eddie hated Valerie Bertinelli's family just like I did' ....Both of which are clearly B/S & just NOT true (and could be upsetting both Wolf & Valerie) ....Since Ed has left us DLR is currently trying to go for Wolfgang to get attention despite the fact that if it wasn't for WOLF in 2006 he would never have got another shot at lead vocalist in VH....Roth is claiming that Wolf is all 'nepotism' (with that 'Jesus' interview) but ALEX would know how much natural talent Wolf has because He, his Brother & Wolf worked together to become the tightest triumvirate Rock Unit imaginable live onstage. I know because I've got all the bootleg dvds of most of the gigs. I always thought DLR was always JEALOUS of the REAL musicians in VH whether this was happening in 1985 or in 2024.
@@walterevans2118thanks. I’ll try to find. From a distance. People got mad about wolfie but. Wolfie got Ed to play
really enjoyed em all thank you!
This is the best talk Al ever layed down.
Ive always thought Van Halen was dysfunction junction but hey, thats rock and roll. This stuff is so awesome! Thanks Steve for these interviews. RIP Ed.
I enjoyed all six segments, very fun at looking into their mindset then.
Hey man...great release...I enjoyed learning about this man.
I am very impressed with these tapes. I was glad to hear his side about Noel Monk's dismissal.
Thank s Steve. I wrote nice review on Amazon Because these. Interview s. We’re so great. Very grateful
Nice one 👍
Fantastic!
Another great interview! Thanks Steve. I found it hilarious, that Alex admitted that Roth couldn't sing anymore, lol. Peace, from Florida.
These are great tapes
Alex being brutally honest.
Almost 40 years later and its still tough listening to this. "The Mighty Van Halen" were America's greatest Hard Rock band. Ego, Coke, Booze & hubris ruined them. Tragic.
Great music comes at a high price Sometimes son
@@tomlewis5542amen to that! It’s so true!
Meh, it was time for Roth to leave. His talents were dimishing as well.
@@Vibeagain Right. 1984 is their biggest seller. Would have been awful to see where they would have gone from there.
@@tomlewis5542 Thanks, slugger.
Outstanding tapes/history
Thank you !✌️
This is the first time I ever saw a 4 kick drumset. Although the ends are just extentions. It blew me away at the time
Love it.
A fitting end and full of great reveals! Alex is being honest about his emotions and I respect that. An authentic journalist wouldn't have wanted any less... And he respected you enough to let you in. (If you've never spent a lengthy amount of time around narcissistic people, then you wouldn't understand.) What I'm most intrigued about most, is the tape he mentions of Dave singing on some of the 5150 material. I wonder if he still has those?😊 Also, thank you personally for documenting a piece of American history. Although I have read many of your interviews in guitar mags, hearing them speak in their own words is priceless.
I agree..When you don’t just read interviews in print but hear their voices and intonation and nuance in them it’s a totally different experience…Alex was being very honest and candid to Steven about his emotions, even painfully honest at times. It’s no wonder none of this was made public at the time because it would have turned things in the media press war ‘thermonuclear’….As for the recordings of both Dave and Sammy singing different versions of the SAME songs on the 5150 album I remember Edward saying that there were ‘Dave versions’ of ‘Summer Nights’,,,, ‘Good Enough’ and Ed also had written a bit of of Dreams but no vocals…Incidentally, somebody was commenting here calling Alex a jerk for going for DLR ….Alex shouldn’t have spoken about contemplating physical violence against Dave to Steven , Alex went too far there….He should have stopped and controlled his anger despite all those pent up years. But before the person posting here discounts Alex here and attacks him he must remember there were OTHER interviews in 1986 which Steven Rosen did with someone else chronicling Roth’s insufferable narcissistic behaviour. When Steven also interviewed MIKE ANTHONY…..Now Mike could be possibly the decisive source of information on DLRs behaviour because whereas Ed and especially Alex could get carried away with their emotions on Roth by contrast Mikey was always a PEACEMAKER in the camp who always took the high road to avoid drama as a pure musician who just loved to play…In order for Mike to be provoked to say stuff about someone they must have been really bad because Mike was never a shit stirrer (like DLR) and to this day Mike STILL isn’t….he’s always been consistent. In the 1986 Steven Rosen interview with Mike ,,Mike went into details about how Roth had bullied both him and Edward during the first era of the band….Ed described Noel Monk as DLRs ‘puppet’ only looking out for Roth’s interests …. But Alex here went several stages further and was much more heated. But Mike was kind of more diplomatic about Noel Monk years later describing him as ‘a piece of work’ but laughing as he was saying it so he wasn’t being mean spirited in the remark at all.
@@walterevans2118 I think the timing couldn't have been better for Van Halen. I went through and watched Dave's solo videos and I kept wanting to cover my eyes. It was like watching a Pee Wee Herman skit. All that MTV fame from 1984 must have gone to his head.
@@Blizofoz45 Well yes, after DLR left VH in 1985 his sight and sound video productions did go kind of CLASSIC TUNE COVERS meets THE BENNY HILL SHOW 🤔😳
@@Blizofoz45 In the videos he was doing everything to destroy other ‘music Stars’ in his videos wasn’t he ? ….From punching Boy George’s hairdresser to electrocuting Billy Idol.
Great interviews.
Cool to hear Uncle Pat tell the Shreveport 1980 story!
Was Uncle PAT in the background here ? ....So much for Dave's B/S claim that Edward 'hated' Valerie's family.....Val's brother Patrick helped Ed to actually BUILD the 5150 studio.
@@walterevans2118Correct.
I am pretty sure that Uncle Pat plays a key role in Wolf’s operation now as well.
@@sweetwilliam5150He does…I met him at Mammoth WVH’s headlining show in Houston a few months back. He takes pictures and posts things on social media and is Wolf’s buddy on the road. A very nice man…
@@sweetwilliam5150 He does indeed….In fact Uncle Pat is in some of Wolf’s VIDEOS…..Mind you, so is Garrett, and even his MUM …..lol …We need to get Valerie’s CATS in the videos too …..lol 🐈🐈⬛
It sounds like the “mystery person” at the end could be Edward himself.
Edit: Sorry I commented that before your Outro section. Amazing interview series
I enjoyed this series
Steve this is awesome
Thank you for this wonderful set of interviews with one of the best drummers on the globe: so thanks for sharing this awesome footage. It is very clear why they did not want to extend the contract with Noel Monk: I would never buy Monk's book because he always seemed too arrogant to me.And I can immagine what things were like for VH with him being the manager.Listening to Al telling about DLR: it is pretty much what Ed told in about the situation and you could almost touch Ed's relief when he left the band and Sammy took his place.Al said something about the difference between their music taste : he liked Def Leppard/Ozzie O. and of course he did, instead of DLR who likes Fred Astaire and it made me laugh out loud because he could not find better words to explain their differences 😂As said before, it was a lovely series of interviews with a lot of information ❤
Thank you Steve. This AvH interview was amazing. Dave could of made his movie (which never happened) and came back to VH. I wonder if he would do things differently if he could go back. But from the sounds of what Alex has said, I dont think VH would of lasted with DLR anyway.
I can't believe how they managed to make 6 albums. Alex, Mike and Ed felt pure hatred towards Dave.
Alex cracks me up...im sure dealing with Roth was a big pain in the ass...but he did get the band to sell tickets and albums..lol
These six part interview was an out of this world experience for us fans, thanks forever and ever Steve! 🙏❤🖤🤍 What I can't cope with though... is the way Alex shit-talks about Noel... I read Noel's biography 3 times (just to be sure I didn't miss a thing 😅) and if the truth lays in the middle... well, Alex should have, at least, shown a little bit more respect for him. Things like "He earned money for doing nothing!", "He's a fat pig." or "He belongs to an asylum." pissed me so much! Alex could go on stage every night, without having to worry about a damn thing expect playing... because of people like Noel had his shoulder covered. Plus, Noel was the one who made it possible for them to become rich, getting them out of the worst deal ever. The t-shirt merchandising earned them an insane amount of money! Anyhow... absolutely amazing interview Steve. A pure historical VH's treasure! 🤩
Well yes, possibly Alex might have gone too far there. And Noel Monk passed away so he is no longer here to defend himself. In terms of the VH band's commercial success Noel Monk was certainly the important 1st stage of the Apollo Booster Rocket.
Noel Monk renegotiated VH out of their original bad record contract by expired options Warner Brothers did not pick up into a new & way better contract earning millions more and that is the thanks & lack of gratitude Alex gives Noel Monk kids.
I thought the same thing.Because I read Noel's book also. And the sparkomatic deal was dave cancelling that. Also alex tried messing with noel's wife at one point. You could tell he's just bitter at that point in his life. They were furious that Roth ditched them.
I still have Noel as a FB friend I'm not deleting it
Noels book Alex seeing Penises in his dreams 😊
A VH skill talking down The passed members and Talking Up the New guys
They are like most organizations. When you Leave you get shit on
I'd like to hear what Alex thinks about Hagar these days. I'll bet his opinion has changed quite a bit.
Well, the book RED Sammy wrote did a lot of damage. & their differing opinions about the role Ray Daniels played in managing the band. But if Alex & Sammy could navigate around that then they might become pals again like they were onstage in 1986 during 'Live Without a Net' .🙂
I knew Alex didn't like Roth but DAMN didn't realize just how much he hated him. Very strong words. This interview was almost 40 years ago so I wonder how sober 70 year man feels about things in hindsight. Perhaps we'll find out when his book is released later this year. Really enjoyed interviews.
Roth is & always has been 'out of control' ....He sees it as all being 'rock & roll' 'game for a laugh' but his ego & need for attention can override ANY moral & ethical restraint. & God help anyone who is on the receiving end of it....Alex knew then & he knows it now. Roth crossed the line many times & has come close to pushing people over the cliff....Even the old VH manager Noel Monk who was on his side thought he was a loony. Throwing bottles up in the air onstage at a UK gig which cracked open a poor guys head,,,Slamming plates down on Mike Anthony's dinner to intimidate him,,,Threatening Edward not to talk about his hip replacement operation,,Being nice to Wolf when he wanted to get back into VH but now calling Wolf a 'nepotist ' just because he was born with the name VH.....Making up FICTIONS about people & trying to get idiots in public to believe absolute crap like with poor Valerie & her marriage ...(when in interviews she still wells up with tears when talking about Ed saying 'I loved his SOUL' ) Attacking Ed's Son & Ed's soulmate in public now he knows that Edward is no longer here to defend them. When I think of how cruel he is capable of being his uproarious manic laughter literally gives me NIGHTMARES at night.
So pissed off with Roth that Ted worked on Eat 'Em and Smile.
So producers never take high dollar gigs with shitheads? Hmnm
Ah well,,,,Donn working with ED did a great job on their own creating the 5150 album anyway.
I would love know what 5150 and 812 would have sounded like with the Ted Templeman treatment.
@@sweetwilliam5150 Yes indeed. I believe TED came back on board alongside Andy Johns for VHs 1991 For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge.
This was a great series of interviews.Wow Alex didn't hold back in his thoughts about DLR. Considering the time frame when the interviews took place it's understandable. They hadn't even recorded 5150 yet when you spoke with him. Did you need to get Alex's approval to post these? And what happened to the book that was supposed to come of this?
If he knows these interviews have been put up here by Steven I sincerely HOPE Alex doesn't mind ? 🤥
As a band, they sounded a lot better live with Sammy than they ever did with Dave.
Great interview. Al seems. No.ego. and that's. Probly impossible IN show biz. It's says alot about his parents. N how he was raised
37:46 such a burn on DLR!
The brothers were such pricks. Good Alex has matured a little bit. Ed arguably never did, he never made up with Mike.
This last segment is not so much Alex talking about ED but is definitely the MOST COMPREHENSIVE account of the 1985 VH split with DLR I have EVER HEARD......Ed never covered this in all his interviews. I'm still SHELLSHOCKED trying to take it all in 😳😳...With the stuff about Noel Monk being like Peter Grant with Led Zep with strong arm tactics on bootleggers what Alex was saying here in 1985 has been subsequently confirmed by Noel Monk's own biography with stories of Police arrests & his security staff & stories of his heavies trying to put the frighteners on Ronnie Montrose at soundchecks......The stuff with ALEX vs DLR is just bewildering in its blast furnace.......In interviews Ed did say Noel Monk was totally Roth's puppet and wanted more money but Ed NEVER went into the details ALEX expounds HERE.... I never had any idea the fracture went this deep & the details Alex goes into precisely WHY it happened are STARTLING... Alex gets a bit SCARY in some points in this interview because clearly the anger had been building up in him for YEARS😟🙁😔🤐 He was angry about the way DLR had hurt his little brother,,,,angry with his ego,,, angry with his tactics,,,,,Its best I don't say anything else on this really....What was nice was when Alex talked about how ED had first met VALERIE....That was NICE.
And as of today Al is holding a grudge against Sammy on how he talked about Ed in his book. Difference was Sammy was being honest on how Ed was in 2004 which was his lowest point of addiction. Al has not spoken with Sammy since 2004.
@@MrDuds1984 Even if some of Sammy's book chapter 'Crazy Eddie' was honest Sammy should not have included them in his book. He should not have put on display to sell his book Ed's worst moments in the grip of alcohol addition.Also Sammy wrote his comments in a worded way that lacked empathy for Ed....Possibly because Sammy was angry about the past with VH band politics....Sammy should have said to himself before he published the book -'God, even if Ed reacted in ways that were out of line should I really be putting this information out there ? ...It could hurt Edward & Alex considerably.' Sammy should have remembered that Ed was drinking to excess worse than ever before for a REASON. He was trying to use alcohol to blot out the fear for that cancer which kept coming back. (Paul)
@@walterevans2118 I don’t disagree Sammy probably should have kept it private.
Great audio, I believe Alex completely about what Ted Templeman said and thought about Dave...if you noticed Dave never worked with anyone for very long... Dave is a problem, even Gene Simmons told the brothers to get rid of Dave back in the 70's. Simmons saw that Dave was going to be a problem and he was very interested in the brothers and not Dave. That's has been common knowledge in numerous peoples thoughts and documented in numerous books. It's refreshing to hear Alex just telling the truth.
I never knew Gene said that. He actually had access to VHs early demos before they were signed to Warner Bros.
@@walterevans2118 Gene did that's why he recorded many Kiss demos like Christine Sixteen with just Alex and Edward ...he wanted to get rid of Peter Criss and Ace Frehley and replace them with the van Halen brothers. Gene had no use for Dave. Gene thought he was a good front man but didn't like the cocaine and drinking drama that came along with Dave. If you read David's book, he talks about Gene wanting to take the Van Halen brothers and get rid of Dave (him).
@@brian-ld4vd Gene flew VH over to NY to cut these preWarners demos possibly because he’d heard how good ED was after he’d played on those Kiss demos in 1976 …What happened then was Gene wanted to get VH signed to Casablanca like Kiss were but Kiss’ manager Bill Aucoin rejected them. Alex in these interviews said that the manager had someone shine his shoes in his office in front of them. I understand that Gene was BEWILDERED by the Kiss management not trying to back VH and realising how brilliant they were ….Gene may even have started to doubt the legitimacy of Kiss’ OWN management at this point because they failed to back a band as brilliant as VH. Gene set the band free though. He said he tore up their contract allowing them to get a deal elsewhere with Warners and Mo and Ted. God knows what would have happened if Gene hadn’t done that. In these interviews of Alex in 1985 Alex clearly had a lot of time for Gene because he knew Gene realised their potential very early on and tried to steer things right for them. Gene was a very astute figure in the industry and not just with the money but with RECOGNISING the TALENT. …Unlike the Kiss management.
I dont know why they got back with Roth in 2007.....
Those last 3 tours were cringe.
It was like Rosanne Bar singing the national anthem.
My ears were murdered and I almost cried.
I thought it was GOOD actually.
@walterevans2118 it was good... except for the singing.
When there's a demand for it $$..its like corporations rock n roll...sad these bands members don't even talk to each other
The first tour had Dave trying like crazy, and then he became the “artist” type and did whatever he wanted, as he wrote the lyrics….so that mentality showed. 2015 showed how good Al and Ed played once again. He(Ed) was on fire! Alex is a master of all things time and space. Roth, well he did his schtick and I love the chemistry from the early days. Wolf was great too. He made his father happy, and gave us some more VH….and I’ll take that even with the singing! VH forever!
Interesting that Michael McDonald’s name come up in this whole saga. At the same time I find that out of character of Michael McDonald to demand money for helping Dave out for I’ll Wait
25:00......😂😂😂😂😂 hysterical i needed that laugh So bad 😅😅😅..... 25:15 😂
They could have fired Dave years sooner if he was that horrendous to be around. They probably didn't feel that they could make it without him. Instead Ed was considering leaving his own band
At 41:37 is that PATRICK ? ...Val's brother ? ......Patrick said hello & he went off to get some good ol' FISH and CHIPS ......lol
In defense of Noel Monk being tough on bootlegging, Van Halen were ruthless when it came to bootlegs! VH wanted every bootlegger stopped! So yeah' jus say'n
Alex does exaggerate Noel left when the change came about All Companies change management ALL THE ONES I KNOW
It’s nice that Al harbors no bitterness……LOL
😖😖🥴 lol
💚2024✨Thank you Mr. Rosen
🎠🌈🌈🌈💍🌈🌈🌈🔥
Daniel 12 Revelation 21
🎸 keeping the Faith 💜😎
Alex the mean drunk
Alex is so full of it. Wonder what he thinks of Monks book.
In what way was he 'full of it' ? There were other people & subsequent testimonies that back up what Alex was saying here. For instance Noel Monk's strong arm tactics as a manager which he condemned Noel Monk went on to brag about in his book .....And the problems that DLR caused at that time were confirmed by Mike Anthony who was never a stirrer but always a peacemaker in the band.
Alex comes across as a jerk in this interview. He threatens to beat up DLR if he ever sees him in public. He calls Monk's wife a fat pig. He begrudgingly acknowledges that Monk bolstered their merchandise sales but he gripes about the crackdown on bootlegged t-shirts. Al was too drunk to plan the tour but he complains about the tour expenses after the fact.
Alex didn't sound that inebriated in this interview. He shouldn't have threatened DLR like that though. Or made the comment about Monk's wife. I think the reason Alex was so angry was because stuff had been building up between them for years & in 1985 it reached 'flashpoint' & in this then 'off the record' interview Alex's anger at Roth was all coming out.
@@walterevans2118 Al also complained about having to pay Michael McDonald for his songwriting help on I'll Wait. The interviewer even noted that Al was drinking a lot of beer but Al just said he was thirsty. According to interviews with Monk, Hagar and Roth, Al was a bully who influenced Ed through fistfights or arguments in Dutch. I've met a lot of alcoholics who are mean drunks and I've read that Alex was a maintenance alcoholic. .
Roth was right - spark o matic was a shitty car stereo system and should NEVER be associated with Van Halen.
Man Alex really is a dick sometimes…he is threatening a Roth with violence, that’s the way a drunk talks 😂 I think there was jealousy towards Dave. I get it. Dave is a true artist, in terms of the lifestyle. And I think he prioritized fun, but he came from an affluent background and Ed and Alex came from a poor background, hence their affinity and attention paid to money. He’s such a drag to listen to at times. This is why they needed Dave so much to enjoy the success they had. The fans had to believe it was all about how Dave portrayed the band, not Alex here. Very interesting contrast. Clearly Alex sounds like an angry, bitter drunk here. Glad he sobered up a year or two later.
You have to understand the timing. This interview was done at the time of break up. Not recently
@@godbyone I know that quite well. I think that’s why the jealousy was so crazy high. The brothers dumped off Anthony too. A guy that was easy to work with in the 80’s and 90’s. Different visions of success that actually made this band appealing to me: the brothers coming into money for the first time in their lives and Roth having a real platform for his showmanship
The brothers would later say that Dave ditched them to do his own thing. But Eddie was doing his own thing at this time too. I have no doubt that when the camera wasn’t rolling Roth was impossible to deal with..and I say this absolutely loving everything about Roth.
@Aright Actually, when Alex was threatening DLR with violence I felt queazy & psychologically unsettled by that myself...It was a bit silly Alex saying Noel Monk was crazy doing strong arm tactics on the fans & then 40 minutes later into the interview the Drummer is talking about 'beating the sh*t out of the ex singer'.🤔🤐...I think Alex lost the moral high ground there... But as someone said here it was the anger OF THE TIME. According to Roth he & Alex have spoken on the phone where they 'laugh like Pirates'...lol ...Hopefully they will be laughing at all this.
@@walterevans2118I hope so. Money has been made. Life choices, and this is the past. Rock on! VH 4ever!
a lot bitterness at that time. fact of the matter is roth was a huge part of early vh and his voice was a unique part of the over all sound of vh. period. the truth is drugs alcohol and egos between al ed n dave became an issue and part of the split. and if dave never left the band would have carried on.
I like. Dave years more but it was good. To hear the band revamp with Sammy . ( but Sammy is more annoying with. The backhanded insults every 3 month. “ I love eddie but blah blah I wrote 4,500 songs. I made it with 34,000 women a year. Dave only had 33,000 . I have 5,000 homes. Dave only base 4,000. He always has to list everything he owns. wtf .
He DID contribute to the band indeed considerably but he generated a lot of conflict & unease too sadly.
@@godbyone Yes, Sammy did have that - 'I love Eddie, BUT...' syndrome didn't he ? ...lol...I think possibly with Sammy he began to become more of a businessman than a musician at one point though he still writes great stuff. I can only imagine what Edward thought of all that 'I've got more $$s than you have' stuff....lol ...It could get quite funny sometimes....'I've got 15 toilets in my abode,,,,Roth needs to tour because he's only got 5 pots to piss in.....If it had been Roth with the 15 toilets Sammy would have been saying - 'Well Dave you've got more toilets than me because in your latest podcasts you are MAKING A LOT MORE CRAP THAN YOU'RE GIVEN CREDIT FOR' ......lolol