Van Halen: Finished recording, now mixing new studio album with Roth

[Amerigo Vespucci]

The Van Halen rumor mill is in full gear, with differing reports regarding the status of the band’s new album popping up everywhere. Producer Ross Hogarth, who should know better than nearly anyone exactly what’s up, has offered an update from the studio, reporting they’ve “just started mixing the album.”

Hogarth says “The whole Van Halen record has been recorded and we’re all excited… I’m really stoked about it, as it is the original band, Eddie and Alex with Wolf playing bass, and David Lee Roth singing.”

(Author's note: didn’t the “original band” also include Michael Anthony? We digress.)

Alter Bridge guitarist Mark Tremonti, who is friends with Wolfgang Van Halen, shared that the band had found inspiration for the new songs by working from material that they had previously demoed in the ‘80s. Of the new material, Hogarth told Ultimate Guitar that “it’s the killing side of Van Halen at the top of their game again with Diamond Dave, and the band on fire.” There’s still no release date attached to the new material, although word continues to circulate that a new single might hit radio airwaves soon. Recently, Roth updated his official website with the cryptic message, “get ready.”

http://ultimateclassicrock.com/van-halen-at-the-top-of-their-game-on-fully-recorded-new-album-says-producer/

[MilesColtrane]

1. Track Listing:

Again With the Runnin' and the Devil

Jamie's Still Cryin'

You Really Had Me

Eruption Dormancy

Sleep the Night Away

Beautiful Post-Menopausal Women

Everybody's Had Some

[Amerigo Vespucci]

2. "working from material that they had previously demoed..."

You'd better believe they went back to the first album and deconstructed every song and said "how can we change these just enough to con the rubes into thinking it's "new" material?"

Roth is still Roth...he may have lost some of the edge in his voice due to age, but I think he can still "be" Roth.

Eddie appears to be clean and sober, so maybe he got his chops back too. I've seen far too many clips from the Roth tours where he was out of tune, sloppy, all over the place. He'd probably a different guy in the studio, where everything can be "fixed."

Michael Anthony's harmony vocals played a key role in the original sound. I don't think he was the world's most distinctive bass player, but unless Wolfie can hit Anthony's high notes, they'd better hire some background singers.

And Alex? A fucking punk. Eddie likes to praise him as being a 21st Century John Bonham. He's just a fucking punk who likes to pound things.

My prediction: the album will sell in record numbers, just out of the curiosity factor. If it actually has substance, these guys will never have to work another day in their lives (depending on how well they managed their money from the "glory days," that might be true right now).

[Iggo]

3. Prediction: Iggo will buy tickets for the tour.

Hopefully, L.A. would be on the first leg of the tour, because I can easily this thing falling apart before too long.

[MilesColtrane]

4. Yeah, the highest praise I could give Michael Anthony would be that he was competent.

But, he was part of the sound of the band, and Eddie firing him and replacing him with his son is the height of dickery.

I agree about Alex. He's a neanderfuck.

[Iggo]

5. A ton of the credit for Van Halen's sound goes to the vocals...

...both lead and backing.

To have a more than competent bass player with really really good backing vocals (I believe Michael Anthony sings the highs, right?) is a helluva thing and a bonus.

If Wolf can't sing, they're gonna need to hire someone.

[Tabasco_Dave]

6. Florida set to the song panama. n/t