The Black Keys on Van Halen

[mistersully]

the only thing he's achieved is making himself look lame

 

for the record i like the black keys... particularly their early stuff

[DavidMgT]

He can say what he wants - just an opinion, everyone has one.

[Zappa74]

Pat is just salty because he knows what it's like to be left out of your own band.

 

Dan didn't even tell him he was recording a solo album until it was all done. That made Pat angry

[kayd_mon]

Everyone keeps commenting on which band sucks or not, but all his comment proves is that he is an asshole. It doesn't matter if his band sucks or if they're awesome. He said things only a pompous asshole would say, and therefore proves himself to be such.

[kayd_mon]

On a side note, since Van Halen replaced a member with another Van Halen, I think it's passable.

[Sillypeoples]

Reminds of walking into a persons house and seeing a John Lennon poster so I said 'Who's dead and wants to hold your hand?' ...goes over like a lead balloon.

 

The same could be said of commenting on Jimi Hendrix, EVH, ect...so many people really feel connected to certain bands, get all personal about them. My impression is this..

 

1- Who are The Black Keys? Seriously, I have no idea who they are.

 

2- It's pretty unprofessional to be ripping on other bands at that level...this guy just alienated from his band all the Van Halen fans for absolutely no reason...

 

3- While I think M.A. did a fine job with VH back in the day, no one is bitching the Wolfie isn't getting it done, and all the VH haters who have been making photoshop hate pictures, talking trash have slinked back under the house now that VH has A- come out with new music b-the songs rock c- the concerts are doing really well.

 

4- I suspect some of these newer bands are pissed that the senior citizens from the 80s bands still fill stadiums, thinking Kurt Cobain is still alive, thinking that 80s metal and actually knowing how to play guitar is passe'. Sorry it's not. Your high priest of 80s metal hate killed himself. The big boys are back playing stadiums, showing the little boys today, that don't want to grow up, just how it's done. Grow up.

[smorgdonkey]

On a side note, since Van Halen replaced a member with another Van Halen, I think it's passable.

 

 

So, if Ed and Al replaced Mike Anthony with Ed and Al's Mom that would be passable? Come on.

 

The band wouldn't even be named Van Halen if it weren't for David Lee Roth - it was his idea.

[niceguy]

 

There are plenty of people who have been fans of the Black Keys for years. I would think that will all the attention the Black Keys have gotten during the past couple of years, it would no longer be hip to like them. And I'm not sure what detriment there will be for Patrick. Are the guys from Nickelback going to beat him up? He's talking about bands that many fans of the Black Keys probably don't like, so it's not like his fans are going to start to hate him because he hates Nickelback. His fans already hate Nickelback.

 

 

Come on now, of COURSE I'm not saying "every single fan of Black Keys is a liar." Yes, of course, there are real fans, and you're one of them. But come to Brooklyn, and if you want to hit on the perfectly-tattooed cutie who is drinking PBR at the bar while wearing perfectly distressed clothing, then you say you like Black Keys. Period. That's how it works here. This is where I live, so this is what I see.

 

When I say this idiotic talk will be to his detriment, of course I don't mean physical danger. I mean that he's cultivating a lot of negativity, and it's the negative outbursts that people remember. A lot of people (like me) are very turned off by this type of badmouthing.

[DaveAronow]

 

On a side note, since Van Halen replaced a member with another Van Halen, I think it's passable.

 

 

 

Funny how a band called Van Halen suddenly becomes less "Van Halen" by replacing a member NOT named Van Halen with a member actually named Van Halen.

 

How is that even possible?

 

Because Michael Anthony had bigger shoes to fill than people give him credit for.

 

That's how.

[kayd_mon]

 

Come on now, of COURSE I'm not saying "every single fan of Black Keys is a liar." Yes, of course, there are real fans, and you're one of them. But come to Brooklyn, and if you want to hit on the perfectly-tattooed cutie who is drinking PBR at the bar while wearing perfectly distressed clothing, then you say you like Black Keys. Period. That's how it works here. This is where I live, so this is what I see. When I say this idiotic talk will be to his detriment, of course I don't mean physical danger. I mean that he's cultivating a lot of negativity, and it's the negative outbursts that people remember. A lot of people (like me) are very turned off by this type of badmouthing.

 

 

It's trendy to drink PBR up there? That's one tough trend to follow.

[soundcreation]

 

Yes. Ed seemed like he was on the path of complete self-destruction and offered Mike a chance to hit that last tour with them in exchange for signing away his rights as a member of the band. Thinking that Ed was going to be in the dirt soon and that Van Halen would never tour again (coupled with not being in the position of negotiating) he signed. Ed royally f'd him because of Ed's own ridiculous ego.

 

 

oh please.....nobody put a gun too his head and forced him to sign anything.

 

If you can sit around and watch what happened to 3 lead singers.....and then STILL be naive enough to think that they wouldn't try to do something like that to you? Come on. You're treating MA as if he were a child who didn't know any better. He's a grown man. He made a business decision to sign the rights over. If he regrets it now he has nobody to blame but himself. Ed offered him a choice and he took it.

 

And in the end it's a stupid point anyway. Either you LIKE the music or you don't. If you're more concerned about the personal lives of the band and what they do off stage...then you might as well just watch {censored}ing entertainment tonight or read the enquirer or other such nonsense.

 

I care about MUSIC....I don't give a {censored} if the musicians I like are assholes or saints when they are not creating their music. If they put out music I like then I'll listen. Seems like many here let their personal feelings about the conduct of EVH and his brother, affect how they judge the music. So they are assholes...big deal. Plenty of those in the world. I'm not listening to Ed's ego...I'm listening to his music.

 

The black keys drummer is obviously more interested in being a gossip girl celebrity type than caring about music. "ooohhh...van halen were MEAN to michael anthony....therefore I cannot listen too or like their music...or support them in anyway..."

 

Seriously? OK....his choice.... but in my opinion that's pathetic.

[backtoblue]

Rock stars and otherwise famous people have the right to an opinion too. Why is this news?

[smorgdonkey]

 

oh please.....nobody put a gun too his head and forced him to sign anything. If you can sit around and watch what happened to 3 lead singers.....and then STILL be naive enough to think that they wouldn't try to do something like that to you? Come on. You're treating MA as if he were a child who didn't know any better. He's a grown man. He made a business decision to sign the rights over. If he regrets it now he has nobody to blame but himself. Ed offered him a choice and he took it. And in the end it's a stupid point anyway. Either you LIKE the music or you don't. If you're more concerned about the personal lives of the band and what they do off stage...then you might as well just watch {censored}ing entertainment tonight or read the enquirer or other such nonsense. I care about MUSIC....I don't give a {censored} if the musicians I like are assholes or saints when they are not creating their music. If they put out music I like then I'll listen. Seems like many here let their personal feelings about the conduct of EVH and his brother, affect how they judge the music. So they are assholes...big deal. Plenty of those in the world. I'm not listening to Ed's ego...I'm listening to his music. The black keys drummer is obviously more interested in being a gossip girl celebrity type than caring about music. "ooohhh...van halen were MEAN to michael anthony....therefore I cannot listen too or like their music...or support them in anyway..." Seriously? OK....his choice.... but in my opinion that's pathetic.

 

 

You seem pretty riled up about what someone else's opinion about the situation is for someone who "I care about MUSIC....I don't give a {censored} if the musicians I like are assholes or saints when they are not creating their music".

 

I do care if the pwerson is an asshole or not. Same with pro athletes. You don't have to give a {censored}. I do. I liked Van Halen from the early '80s and to realize how much of a dick he was to Mike Anthony after those years of backing Ed through the "I hate Dave" years on top of the other crap is enough for me. He could have had the balls to fire him up front rather than presenting him with that sh!t choice - it was an underhandede way of clearing the way for his kid and a terribly sh!tty way to treat a guy who had been around and backed him for 30 years.

 

Nice rant though.

[soundcreation]

 

You seem pretty riled up about what someone else's opinion about the situation is for someone who "I care about MUSIC....I don't give a {censored} if the musicians I like are assholes or saints when they are not creating their music". I do care if the pwerson is an asshole or not. Same with pro athletes. You don't have to give a {censored}. I do. I liked Van Halen from the early '80s and to realize how much of a dick he was to Mike Anthony after those years of backing Ed through the "I hate Dave" years on top of the other crap is enough for me. He could have had the balls to fire him up front rather than presenting him with that sh!t choice - it was an underhandede way of clearing the way for his kid and a terribly sh!tty way to treat a guy who had been around and backed him for 30 years. Nice rant though.

 

 

not riled up at all....just questioning his motives...and whether or not he actually cares about music.

 

 

 

as to your rant......OK..(and by the way... MA could have had the balls to say FU Ed! again you paint him as the powerless victim).....but what's that got to do with Van Halen's music?

 

So basically you're saying you CHOOSE to not like music if you don't like the personality of the person making it? How do you even do that? I don't understand.

[smorgdonkey]

 

So basically you're saying you CHOOSE to not like music if you don't like the personality of the person making it? How do you even do that? I don't understand.

 

 

Same as when I meet a gorgeous woman and she is a bitch - I automatically am way less attrated to her. It doesn't change her looks but that's the way it is.

[VH5150]

I mean, sure, Eddie Van Halen's son is a pretty good bass player and he's a 20-year-old kid and that's cool, but like, what the {censored} is that? That's {censored}ing retarded. If someone is able to be in a band for 30 years and then people are okay with replacing him with a 17-year-old, they're obviously mother{censored}ing assholes, right?
I mean my dad divorced my mom and they were like married 25 years but now she's out and his whore girlfriend is .....bla bla bla
man like whats the point?....{censored}ing prick....i miss my mommy

[soundcreation]

 

I'm not painting him as a powerless victim at all. I am painting him as a loyal friend and band member...one who, when asked to join Van Halen, went to one of the guys in his band at the time and said "what should I do?" because he didn't want to leave friends in a bad situation. That's the kind of guy he is. Ed looked like he was going to die and said "here, if you want to go on this tour sign up". Ed and Al just trash him like crazy though because he's hanging out with ANOTHER former lead singer who they happen to hate at the moment. Same as when I meet a gorgeous woman and she is a bitch - I automatically am way less attrated to her. It doesn't change her looks but that's the way it is.

 

 

He's lucky he quit that band back then....

 

Again...he offered MA a choice and he took it. And when have the brothers publicly dissed him? they may have..but I've never seen it.

 

 

OK...I agree with you about the woman thing...but for me that analogy doesn't carry over to this discussion. A persons art is not the same as their looks in my opinion. A melody is a melody....it's totally independent of the person who wrote it, in terms of me the listener.

[Alecto]

A couple of relevant quotes for the Eddie Van Halen/Michael Anthony feud:

 

From MusicRadar: In "a recent interview guitarist Eddie Van Halen gave to Rolling Stone - the guitarist was asked if he had heard Chickenfoot, which in addition to Anthony, includes former Van Halen singer Sammy Hagar.

 

"I'm too busy doing my own thing," Van Halen said, who then, completely unprovoked, went into this tirade: "The funny thing is that everyone who quits the band always claims they got fired by me. Hey, I'm not the bad guy here.

 

"When Hagar left the band, Mike went with him," Van Halen continued. "Then when we get back together with Dave, and all of a sudden, he wants back in. It's like, 'No, dude, you quit the band.' So my son became the bass player. But we didn't give Mike the boot to have my son play."

 

Here's Michael Anthony's interview with Rolling Stone:

 

When was the last time you saw Eddie Van Halen?

"The last time I actually spoke or saw him in person was right after we walked offstage in 2004, the last show of the tour."

 

How were things then?

"It really didn't end in total peace and harmony within the band, for whatever reasons. I'm not going to finger-point at anyone, but the tour, after eighty shows, just couldn't go on at that point.

 

How did you find out they were going to do this upcoming tour without you?

Probably like everybody else, I found out on the Internet and through word of mouth. I can understand that he wants his kid to play with him. If I had a kid like that, I'd like to have him perform with me, too. It was kind of funny when I first heard about it being a Van Halen "reunion.""

 

So they never called you?

"No, nobody ever contacted me about anything. I just kind of found out with everyone else."

 

Is it true they tried to keep you off the 2004 tour?

"Yeah. Ed didn't really want me on that tour."

 

Do you know why?

"He was always put off that I was going out and playing with Sammy [Hagar] when we weren't doing anything. It wasn't like I was doing it to spite anybody. I was just tired of sitting at home and doing nothing. Sammy asked me one day if I would like to come out and maybe make an appearance at one or two of [his] shows and have some fun, and I said, "Yeah, great." It kind of snowballed into me coming out and doing a few songs with him here and there."

 

Didn't they make you sign something to participate in the last tour?

"You're putting all the dirt in this one, huh? I gave up a lot to do [the last Van Halen] tour, as far as my percentage of what everyone was being paid. I did have to sign something at the end of the tour, that I was relinquishing any rights or claims that I had to anything that had to do with Van Halen. The reason I did the tour was: I didn't need the money, but I kind of figured if it was the last time Van Halen ever went out, I'd be kicking myself if I didn't go out onstage one last time for the fans. So I kind of sucked it up a bit."

 

Did you see that they removed your image from Van Halen's first album on their Web site?

"Yes, I did. And that was the one thing that kind of saddened me a bit, when I was pointed to that, to see that my pictures were removed off of the first album. With Women and Children First, they took the picture off completely. I couldn't figure out what they were trying to do except for brainwash the fans into thinking I was never in the band. That bummed me out quite a bit. I'm proud of all my history with Van Halen, and maybe they feel otherwise."

[deanmass]

Michael Anthony = class act

Sammy Hagar = class act with big mouth

EVH= guitar god/douchebag

AVH= great drummer/douchbag

Wolfie= hopefully learning how NOT to treat people.

[soundcreation]

 

tour, as far as my percentage of what everyone was being paid. I did have to sign something at the end of the tour, that I was relinquishing any rights or claims that I had to anything that had to do with Van Halen. The reason I did the tour was: I didn't need the money, but I kind of figured if it was the last time Van Halen ever went out, I'd be kicking myself if I didn't go out onstage one last time for the fans. So I kind of sucked it up a bit."

 

 

 

Key words there...."I GAVE UP A LOT".

 

He made a choice. I don't feel sorry for musicians who knowingly sign away their rights. He could have said "no thanks Ed...I'll keep my credits and royalties....don't want me on this tour...no problem...see you around". But he didn't....he wanted to be a part of that tour "for the fans"....VH told him the price to be a part of that tour, and he accepted. Sounds like he has...yet all his fanboys are rushing to his defense like he was mugged in a park at night or something. lol.

 

Again....Van Halen is probably and asshole...wow...shocking! He's an asshole that in my opinion writes some amazing music.

[smorgdonkey]

I have also heard Ed and Alex refer to Mike as 'Sauce Sobeleski' in interviews. Really classy.

 

 

 

Again....Van Halen is probably and asshole...wow...shocking! He's an asshole that in my opinion writes some amazing music.

 

Wrote. Wrote music. He hasn't done anything great in a long time. That's not really an issue but since we want to cover details here we may as well get that right.

 

I understand your perspective but I'll never agree with it. People who treat other people like that out of petty ego BS are not good people. Music and beauty are the same: beautiful woman with bitch personality=less beautiful.

 

Eddie Van Halen I just want to make music completely on fire guitar player turns out to be stab everyone in the back, it's all about me, put my name on everything to sell and slag other guitar players but still say I just want to make music man=I want to hear it a lot less.

[VH5150]

I have also heard Ed and Alex refer to Mike as 'Sauce Sobeleski' in interviews. Really classy. No. I still don't think you are getting it. Most people with ethics, do not respect people who don't have ethics. It isn't about 'fanboys', it's about whether or not people respect someone. Wrote. Wrote music. He hasn't done anything great in a long time. That's not really an issue but since we want to cover details here we may as well get that right. I understand your perspective but I'll never agree with it. People who treat other people like that out of petty ego BS are not good people. Music and beauty are the same: beautiful woman with bitch personality=less beautiful. Eddie Van Halen I just want to make music completely on fire guitar player turns out to be stab everyone in the back, it's all about me, put my name on everything to sell and slag other guitar players but still say I just want to make music man =I want to hear it a lot less.

 

your so full of old news and full of {censored}......and you sound like a ******do you even have a clue to what its like to be in the business? the mother{censored}er has worked hard his whole life he has the right to make money with his line of gear.....If you don't like him hit the ignore button and move on, but don't pretend you know Eddie Van Halen cuz you don't.

[soundcreation]

 

I have also heard Ed and Alex refer to Mike as 'Sauce Sobeleski' in interviews. Really classy. No. I still don't think you are getting it. Most people with ethics, do not respect people who don't have ethics. It isn't about 'fanboys', it's about whether or not people respect someone. Wrote. Wrote music. He hasn't done anything great in a long time. That's not really an issue but since we want to cover details here we may as well get that right. I understand your perspective but I'll never agree with it. People who treat other people like that out of petty ego BS are not good people. Music and beauty are the same: beautiful woman with bitch personality=less beautiful. Eddie Van Halen I just want to make music completely on fire guitar player turns out to be stab everyone in the back, it's all about me, put my name on everything to sell and slag other guitar players but still say I just want to make music man =I want to hear it a lot less.

 

 

I think it's you who doesn't understand.

 

Two brothers STARTED a band in 72. Then they HIRED Michael Anthony to be the bass player in THEIR band in 74. How is it unethical for to replace an employee in their band? Because he was there a long long time? Classless maybe...but unethical? Give me a break. They wanted to bring another family member into THEIR band so the let go of an employee. Simple as that. You can whine about it because you have some naive rock 'n roll view of "basement band members for life"...but it's a BUSINESS.

 

They presented MA with a business decision...keep your royalties but you're out of OUR band, or sign away your rights and tour with us one last time, and if you have half a brain realize you probably won't be back. He's the one who made the ASSUMPTION they wouldn't ever tour again. And come on....he knew VH didn't want him in the band way back then but they yielded because Hagar insisted he be involved. He and his fans have NO reason to be surprised that they didn't ask him back when Roth came back.

 

And you no can't even get that right. It's ONLY YOUR OPINION that he "wrote" great music. I think all the new stuff on the new album is {censored}ing brilliant therefore I think he WRITES amazing music. Sorry but there is no "right" when it comes to judging if VH's new music is "good". But hey...thanks for trying to tell everyone what to think.

 

As for you last line I can barely understand it but it looks like it pretty much proves my point. You dislike EVH so much on a publicity level that you are totally incapable of looking unbiasedly at the music he creates. And you flat out admitted it. So why should anyone take your opinion of the music seriously?

[HanSolo]

News Flash: "Aussie Spoons player to replace Patrick Carney as Black Keys drummer."

[Grantus]

 

I think it's you who doesn't understand. Two brothers STARTED a band in 72. Then they HIRED Michael Anthony to be the bass player in THEIR band in 74. How is it unethical for to replace an employee in their band? Because he was there a long long time? Classless maybe...but unethical? Give me a break. They wanted to bring another family member into THEIR band so the let go of an employee. Simple as that. You can whine about it because you have some naive rock 'n roll view of "basement band members for life"...but it's a BUSINESS. They presented MA with a business decision...keep your royalties but you're out of OUR band, or sign away your rights and tour with us one last time, and if you have half a brain realize you probably won't be back. He's the one who made the ASSUMPTION they wouldn't ever tour again. And come on....he knew VH didn't want him in the band way back then but they yielded because Hagar insisted he be involved. He and his fans have NO reason to be surprised that they didn't ask him back when Roth came back.

 

 

It's a fine line between classless and unethical. Eddie gave him a no-win option during the 2004 tour. In retrospect, Michael may have chosen the worse of two bad options, but they were both bad.

 

While music certainly is a business, most bands don't operate in quite the same way. It's not like Eddie was CEO and everyone else is his employee. (Well, maybe it is now, but probably not back in the '70s.) Bands are traditionally collaborative groups.

 

It's probably within Eddie's right to fire Michael, but it's still a {censored}ty way to treat a long-time band mate. But hey, Eddie's known for treating people badly, so it shouldn't be a surprise.

 

Patrick Carney just voiced an opinion that a lot of other people have, including a lot of people on this board.