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.

[HonkyTonkMan]

I always thought Danny Joe Brown from Hatchet sounds like the alien from Bugs Bunny. (esp on Whiskey Man)

[Skooz]

I predict a massacre on Sunday. The Raiders are down, and the Chiefs don't mind kicking them when their down one bit.

I think the Chiefs are upset about losing last Sunday and will take it out on their next hapless victim, the Raiders.

Chiefs will score at least 35, probably 40.

[Axeslinger]

I agree completely on Hatchett's front man. As a side note, my last band opened for MH a couple years ago. There is not a single original member. The original members sold everything (songs, name, etc.) and now the replacement MH tours.

Re: Van Halen, Hagar, Vai. As a guitar guy, I couldn't really give a flip about who sings what. As long as it's in key. Singers are only there to make the guitarists look good anyhow. As far as Eddie goes, while he can be credited with nearly single-handedly reviving rock guitar, he has always struck as an absolute raving a$$hole.

[NMFXSTC]

With all this hype and commentary, I wonder if anyone actually knows what "5150" really is/means? Just a question....

[gawatchman]

Yeah the dreadful final cut which was basically a Roger Waters solo album. I think a Momentary Lapse of Reason which followed w/o Waters was much better where the other members actually got to work as a group again. Actually, though I go much farther back, and say that Syd Barrett was the real genius as the first 2 Floyd albums were never matched.

[discostu]

Oooh the return of Van Hagar.... they were a more entertaining band with Roth no matter what a jerk he was.

[grumple]

Journey is still around

I've seen them in concert three times over the last two years. All excellent, all sold out. Neal Schon is rippin' the strings better than ever. The difference being a new singer (Steve Augeri) who sounds almost identical to Steve Perry, but has alot more charm, personality and charisma than Perry ever had.

[dfwgator]

You know, there's something about 50+ aging rockers singing "Hot for Teacher" that's just a bit unstable.

[discostu]

Which one would have bigger liner notes to help me start a fire? Both Carnal Knowledge and Eat Em are horrid albums. VH was a better band with Dave, more fun and the sound worked better with his crappy voice; much like how Black Sabbath was a better band with Ozzy than with Dio.

Probably the thing that loses the most points to me for Van Hagar is that we not only lost Van Halen, we also lost Sammy Hagar his stuff with them wasn't nearly as good as his solo efforts. I really wish Roth could sit on his ego long enough for a reunion tour of the real thing.

[dfwgator]

He's Jewish/ born in Roxbury Massachussets.

I didn't know Dave was Jewish until Adam Sandler mentioned it in the "Hannukah Song."

[dfwgator]

And the Who wasn't the Who after Moonie died...And Genesis wasn't Genesis after Gabriel left....

[Pappy Smear]

A case can be made for DLR to be the best rock n roll frontman ever. His singing may be suspect, but the dude knew how to rock n roll.

If they could put animosity aside, I would like to see a tour of Van Halen, with both DLR and Hagar. They could each sing their respective songs, and don't have the strain on their voices after doing a 3 hour show. DLR could open one night, and close the next. That would be huge! It could fill football stadiums. Does anybody do concerts in football stadiums anymore?

[Pappy Smear]

The Final Cut seems to draw love it or hate it, and nothing in the middle. I know a lot of people hate it, but I think it is great. If stranded on a desert island with one Floyd CD, I might just choose that one. But then if I had to listen to it 100 times while bored on some island, I would probably end up blowing my brains out too.

[BlueNgold]

I have been told that one of the greatest concert moments one could hope to enjoy are the times when Sammy goes back stage and returns with the (in)famous Red Rocker Flying V ... and he and Eddie start to duel. Two of the greatest guitarists in rock history whaling away... I can't even imagine the energy that must create. Just one more reason I hope they get it worked out and tour again ... commitments in the Arabian Gulf kept me from seeing the last tour, I won't miss the next one ...

[Freebird Forever]

I wonder if anyone actually knows what "5150" really is/means?

IIRC, it's police code for an escaped mental patient.

[pro libertate]

I think you're close. If I recall it's code for a danger to self or others, or gravely disabled.


As a side note I used to run into Sammy in Marin County a lot during the 80s. He was always cool. I remember one time we were stopped behind him (he was in a Ferrari) at a
light and cranked up "I can't drive 55." He turned his head, laughed, waved, and floored it when the light turned green.

I saw both versions of VH several times and always enjoyed them both and was in the "Top of the World" video. Sammy was always best doing his acoustic version of "Eagles Fly"

[JETDRVR]

"and he and Eddie start to duel. Two of the greatest guitarists in rock history whaling away... I can't even imagine the energy that must create."

You got that right bro! I had an opportunity of a lifetime to transport VH stateside and Canada for 94-95 Balance tour. Absolutly KICKASS!

[pro libertate]

I really enjoy "Piper at the Gates of Dawn," but have to disagree about their 2nd album, "A Saucerful of Secrets."
Barret is credited with only 1 track and he was starting his slide. "Let There Be More Light" is a great opening track and there are other tracks of note on the album, but it doesn't seem to flow as a whole. I wouldn't call it bad, but it's not as good as some of the other early albums in my opinion.

If stuck to choose one album, I'd have to go with "Meddle."

[pchuck]

Come on Dave, gimme a break.

One break, comin' up.

Van Hagar ain't Van Halen.

[wireman]

"David Lee is a modern day Frank Sinatra"

Bite your tongue!