31 January 2012
VVN Music
Michael Anthony is showing no hard feelings toward Van Halen, saying he is looking forward to hearing their upcoming album A Different Kind of Truth.
Anthony told Planet Rock that he wants to hear what they did with material on which he originally played early in the band's career. As far as songwriting credits, "I don’t want to do anything. I just let it be and, hey, it’ll be nice to hear some of those old songs again that I haven’t played in a long time."
Another ex-Van Halen member (and band member of Chickenfoot with Anthony), Sammy Hagar, is much less kind. He told Radio Metal that, member-for-member, his new band is much better.
If you take Joe Satriani versus Eddie, you take Dave Lee Roth versus me, Wolfie Van Halen versus Mikey Anthony, Chad Smith or Kenny Aronoff versus Al Van Halen…I mean, come on! You know what I mean? Man for man, who can sing the best? Dave or I, today? Who can play the best? Joe or Eddie, today? Who could play or sing the best? Wolfie or Mikey? I think it’s a joke. Sure, I love the comparison as long as it’s fair. Not because you’re a big Eddie Van Halen fan, you think that he’s God, therefore you think that he’s better than Joe; you have to be bipartisan and just listen and watch both of them play. Listen, I played with them both, I can tell you right now: there is no comparison today. Never mind the innovator that Eddie was. I’m talking about what they can play today.
British band the Happy Mondays are reuniting for a bit of touring starting in May. Even though group representatives insisted that feuding bothers/members Shaun Ryder and Paul Davis were not ready to put their problems behind them, backing vocalist Rowetta Satchell told the BBC that they had all met over the weekend and the entire original lineup would tour the U.K. this summer. "We want to put on a really good show. We decided it would only be special and work if it was the total, original line-up. We're all really excited. They are my family these boys, I've really missed them and I'm sure they've missed each other."
Neil Young has given permission for the use of his song Heart of Gold in the animated short Cadaver. The film is being made by 15-year-old fashion blogger Tavi Gevinson and will include the voices of Gevinson, Christopher Lloyd and Kathy Bates.
Young has only given permission for the use of the song a couple of times in the past.
The legendary Ryman Auditorium in Nashville is getting a new stage. The current one was installed in 1951 and, although refurbished in 1993 and 1994, it has become obvious in recent years that the oak floorboards had seen much better days.
Tradition is a major part of the Ryman in country music history and the front 18-inch lip at the front of the stage will be retained. A circle was actually taken out of the Ryman stage and moved to the new Opryland complex to be part of the the new Grand Ole Opry house.
Work will start on February 4 and will be done on February 20 for a show by the Band Perry.
