OU812
10-10-2003, 01:10 PM
Chad: I just want to say thanks for taking the time to do this interview and how are you feeling these days?
Eddie: Thank you for asking. I've never felt better, I'm thankful every day that I've been given a second chance in life. Not too many people win the fight (with cancer).
Chad: Let's get something out of the way from the start, you're phone must ringing off he hook, it seems everyone wants to know what's going on with Van Halen. You've been silent since you came out an announced your clean bill of health a few years ago, why so quiet?
Eddie: Honestly my phone has been pretty quite the past twelve months, if an interview opportunity had come along I would have done it on a few conditions.
Chad: Conditions?
Eddie: Well, the press loves to twist what you say or add to it. They always put a clause in that grants power to edit what you say and publish it as they see fit, whatever they think will help sell magazines. With our agreement I know you're not going to do that.
Chad: So tell me what the life of Eddie Van Halen has been like the last few years.
Eddie: (Laughing) You want to cover it all with one question huh? I'd say the last two years have been kind of prolonged rebirth. I've had to face a lot of changes in my personal life and that kind of puts your world in spin, I'd say I'm still adjusting.
Chad: Your relationship?
Eddie: I would say relationships. You know people change, things happen. It's hard to keep anything low profile when you have fans. But there's a human side to everyone.
Chad: Do you think you've been judged?
Eddie: Ha, You should see some of my fan mail. A lot of fans are supportive, but a lot of people hate me. That's something I've had to some to deal with the past few years.
Chad: Well there have been rumors that you've fallen off the wagon again and that may have been the cause for your split, do you want to address any of those things?
Eddie: The reasons Val and I split up are very personal, she would be the first tell you they have nothing to do with substance abuse or any kind of abuse for that mater. We've been able to keep the details out of the media, and that forces people to make shit up, I've gotten to where I don't pay much attention anymore. People have their own realities where the celebrities they love either can do no wrong or must do horrible things. I will say this, the truth of it is no ones business, but if all the details were out the story wouldn't be news worthy, it would be way too boring.
Chad: So have been working on any new material lately?
Eddie: Honestly, I haven't picked up a guitar in a few months. At this point we have a few albums worth of material, it's mostly rough tracks, but it's ready for the next incarnation of Van Halen or whatever comes next for us, when the time is right it's waiting. When I get inspired I'll pick up the guitar and l ay down some new tracks.
Chad: Any ideas how long that will be?
Eddie: Fans aren't going to want to hear this, but it's going to be a while longer. I know I've made false promises before, but situations change. There's quite a bit to all of it. Aside from the legal hassles, I'm still waiting for the magic to happen again. You know a lot of fans are going to hate anything that doesn't have Dave or Sammy on vocals and I may think that's ashamed, but what I feel isn't going to have much impact on a record label's decision to promote us or not.
Chad: No one wants a repeat of Van Halen III
Eddie: Exactly and that's still my favorite album we've done. I think the production quality had a lot to blame for its failure, but a lot of my close friends agree that it was our best work.
Chad: Speaking of Dave and Sammy, what did you think of their tour?
Eddie: Those guys are more a like than anyone knows. It's funny to me that the fans are split so down the middle, both of them have giant egos, they lie. It's all about me-me-me.
Chad: Did it upset you that they were playing mostly Van Halen covers?
Eddie: No, I thought it was kind of pathetic. Dave's fans buy into his bullshit of being a classy mother****er, in reality he has no class. Think about it, when the reunion didn't happen he assembled a Van Halen covers band and went on tour.
Chad: and Sammy?
Eddie: He isn't any better, just less secure.
Chad: So I don't suppose there's any chance of a reunion at this point?
Eddie: I don't want to give false hopes, so I'll just say no. All the cards are on the table, we aren't secretly meeting or exchanging phone calls, none of that bullshit. I believe people can change so I won't say never, but to say that gives false hopes.
Chad: What about Mike Anthony?
Eddie: I haven't talked to Mike in a long while, last I heard he was a part time member of Sammy Hagar's band, I think he's made his own decision there.
Chad: Would you fire him for that?
Eddie: It's hard to fire someone who makes a statement like that. The jury is still out. But at this point it's questionable if we're going to even keep the (Van Halen) name. If the name changes then Mike probably won't be back, not because we don't want him, but because the time has come to move on to something new. We talked about this a while back, and if it's not Van Halen he's not interested.
Chad: Any chance of a Santana type album?
Eddie: (Sigh) It's funny you should ask that. I had that concept a long time ago, if you go back and read Guitar World interviews you'll find a quote where I'm talking about doing an album with a different singer on every track. I still think it would be a great idea, guess we'll have to wait and see.
Chad: If that were to happen, who would you pick to be on it?
Eddie: Well, I like a lot of new music, I mean if you want to survive you have to listen to new material to stay on top of things. Seal has a great set of pipes, Pink, Mike Shinoda (Linkin Park), Dexter Holland (Offspring), too many to mention.
Chad: I've heard you're friends with Dexter Holland and Fred Durst
Eddie: I've only met Dexter once.. Fred is a friend we've jammed a few times.
Chad: Any chance of Fred taken up lead vocals for you guys?
Eddie: (Laughing) I'm sure the fans would love that. Actually I don't give a shit at this point, so maybe. Now everyone is scared. No seriously, why would he do that? I think I'd be more likely to join his band at this point, but that's not going to happen either. You can be friends with someone and know that you wouldn't work out in a band together.
Chad: Are there any new guitarist around right now that blow you're mind?
Eddie: Blow my mind? I'd have to think about that one.
Chad: Well thanks for the interview, I have one last question: Where do you see yourself and your music ten years from now?
Eddie: Impossible to say. People change. Not to draw a references, but I never really understood Clapton's unplugged until recently. I think a lot of people love that album and don't really get it. It all came back full circle for him and for me it was Clapton's earlier work that I cut my teeth on and early punk stuff. I think you'll definitely see a vast departure in style at some point, but I can't predict when that happens, I'm just going to keep letting the music take me where it leads.
Eddie: Thank you for asking. I've never felt better, I'm thankful every day that I've been given a second chance in life. Not too many people win the fight (with cancer).
Chad: Let's get something out of the way from the start, you're phone must ringing off he hook, it seems everyone wants to know what's going on with Van Halen. You've been silent since you came out an announced your clean bill of health a few years ago, why so quiet?
Eddie: Honestly my phone has been pretty quite the past twelve months, if an interview opportunity had come along I would have done it on a few conditions.
Chad: Conditions?
Eddie: Well, the press loves to twist what you say or add to it. They always put a clause in that grants power to edit what you say and publish it as they see fit, whatever they think will help sell magazines. With our agreement I know you're not going to do that.
Chad: So tell me what the life of Eddie Van Halen has been like the last few years.
Eddie: (Laughing) You want to cover it all with one question huh? I'd say the last two years have been kind of prolonged rebirth. I've had to face a lot of changes in my personal life and that kind of puts your world in spin, I'd say I'm still adjusting.
Chad: Your relationship?
Eddie: I would say relationships. You know people change, things happen. It's hard to keep anything low profile when you have fans. But there's a human side to everyone.
Chad: Do you think you've been judged?
Eddie: Ha, You should see some of my fan mail. A lot of fans are supportive, but a lot of people hate me. That's something I've had to some to deal with the past few years.
Chad: Well there have been rumors that you've fallen off the wagon again and that may have been the cause for your split, do you want to address any of those things?
Eddie: The reasons Val and I split up are very personal, she would be the first tell you they have nothing to do with substance abuse or any kind of abuse for that mater. We've been able to keep the details out of the media, and that forces people to make shit up, I've gotten to where I don't pay much attention anymore. People have their own realities where the celebrities they love either can do no wrong or must do horrible things. I will say this, the truth of it is no ones business, but if all the details were out the story wouldn't be news worthy, it would be way too boring.
Chad: So have been working on any new material lately?
Eddie: Honestly, I haven't picked up a guitar in a few months. At this point we have a few albums worth of material, it's mostly rough tracks, but it's ready for the next incarnation of Van Halen or whatever comes next for us, when the time is right it's waiting. When I get inspired I'll pick up the guitar and l ay down some new tracks.
Chad: Any ideas how long that will be?
Eddie: Fans aren't going to want to hear this, but it's going to be a while longer. I know I've made false promises before, but situations change. There's quite a bit to all of it. Aside from the legal hassles, I'm still waiting for the magic to happen again. You know a lot of fans are going to hate anything that doesn't have Dave or Sammy on vocals and I may think that's ashamed, but what I feel isn't going to have much impact on a record label's decision to promote us or not.
Chad: No one wants a repeat of Van Halen III
Eddie: Exactly and that's still my favorite album we've done. I think the production quality had a lot to blame for its failure, but a lot of my close friends agree that it was our best work.
Chad: Speaking of Dave and Sammy, what did you think of their tour?
Eddie: Those guys are more a like than anyone knows. It's funny to me that the fans are split so down the middle, both of them have giant egos, they lie. It's all about me-me-me.
Chad: Did it upset you that they were playing mostly Van Halen covers?
Eddie: No, I thought it was kind of pathetic. Dave's fans buy into his bullshit of being a classy mother****er, in reality he has no class. Think about it, when the reunion didn't happen he assembled a Van Halen covers band and went on tour.
Chad: and Sammy?
Eddie: He isn't any better, just less secure.
Chad: So I don't suppose there's any chance of a reunion at this point?
Eddie: I don't want to give false hopes, so I'll just say no. All the cards are on the table, we aren't secretly meeting or exchanging phone calls, none of that bullshit. I believe people can change so I won't say never, but to say that gives false hopes.
Chad: What about Mike Anthony?
Eddie: I haven't talked to Mike in a long while, last I heard he was a part time member of Sammy Hagar's band, I think he's made his own decision there.
Chad: Would you fire him for that?
Eddie: It's hard to fire someone who makes a statement like that. The jury is still out. But at this point it's questionable if we're going to even keep the (Van Halen) name. If the name changes then Mike probably won't be back, not because we don't want him, but because the time has come to move on to something new. We talked about this a while back, and if it's not Van Halen he's not interested.
Chad: Any chance of a Santana type album?
Eddie: (Sigh) It's funny you should ask that. I had that concept a long time ago, if you go back and read Guitar World interviews you'll find a quote where I'm talking about doing an album with a different singer on every track. I still think it would be a great idea, guess we'll have to wait and see.
Chad: If that were to happen, who would you pick to be on it?
Eddie: Well, I like a lot of new music, I mean if you want to survive you have to listen to new material to stay on top of things. Seal has a great set of pipes, Pink, Mike Shinoda (Linkin Park), Dexter Holland (Offspring), too many to mention.
Chad: I've heard you're friends with Dexter Holland and Fred Durst
Eddie: I've only met Dexter once.. Fred is a friend we've jammed a few times.
Chad: Any chance of Fred taken up lead vocals for you guys?
Eddie: (Laughing) I'm sure the fans would love that. Actually I don't give a shit at this point, so maybe. Now everyone is scared. No seriously, why would he do that? I think I'd be more likely to join his band at this point, but that's not going to happen either. You can be friends with someone and know that you wouldn't work out in a band together.
Chad: Are there any new guitarist around right now that blow you're mind?
Eddie: Blow my mind? I'd have to think about that one.
Chad: Well thanks for the interview, I have one last question: Where do you see yourself and your music ten years from now?
Eddie: Impossible to say. People change. Not to draw a references, but I never really understood Clapton's unplugged until recently. I think a lot of people love that album and don't really get it. It all came back full circle for him and for me it was Clapton's earlier work that I cut my teeth on and early punk stuff. I think you'll definitely see a vast departure in style at some point, but I can't predict when that happens, I'm just going to keep letting the music take me where it leads.