Reply To: Intersting Take on the Billboard Interview

Dutchie: Mike, Sammy and Dave have bashed Ed over the years way more than he has of them. Sammy more than the other 2 though. I dont think I’ve read an interview with Sammy without him talking smack about Eddie. I’ve never seen a reaction like this before for whatever any of those guys said. They have all be dicks to him too.

Again, I dont doubt for a second that Ed taped bass lines for Mike to learn to play them like Ed wanted. Obviously, Mike could play bass, otherwise he would not of been asked to join the band, but Ed wanted them a certain way.

Also, not everyone is a fan of Mikes BV’s. He sounds great on the albums and when he’s singing in harmony with Ed live, but those high pitched screams he used to do were woeful… I always hated them with a passion and I’m happy as fuck I dont hear them anymore.

I like Mike as much as anybody but I just dont understand how people seem to think he is the most important member of this band. Most bands have a replaceable member, Mike is that person in VH. You would think he was John Lennon the way people have been carrying on about him.

I agree with you 100%. You’ve mirrored my earlier post in that I never understood why so many people are freaking out about Mike’s vocals not being on the album or “missing” them live. I’ve been a fan my whole life and I honestly like the new sound better. I am also 100% in agreement with you that those squeals and screams Mike used to do were like a nails on a chalk board. I don’t think his singing was all that great and when Ed said he has “more soul”, I think he’s actually right, now that he quit the smokes and his voice is a little clearer. Mike had a very flat vocal and Ed’s is more gravely/gruff. I don’t think either of them are great vocalists, but Ed is right that the majority of the “Classic Van Halen” sound was a mix of Ed, Mike and Dave, not JUST Mike. And lastly, I also agree when I said before, that you’d think this guy was John Paul Jones or John Entwistle or something the way people are carrying on about the bass player not being there. Yes, it would be cool to see the original line up performing together again, but that ain’t happening. When Mike decided to start touring with Sammy when Eddie was dealing with the cancer, divorce, hip replacements, drug and alcohol addiction, etc…he sealed his fate. Ed wasn’t happy with him for a couple decades and then for Mike to go out on tour with Sam after Sam left the band was the last straw, IMO.