The tour grossed almost US$55 million, and Pollstar listed Van Halen in the top 10 grossing tours of 2004. Most of the concerts received positive feedback from professional reviewers. On some shows, Eddie's son Wolfgang came onstage and played guitar with Van Halen's father during 316 a song dedicated to Van Halen's son, taking its name from Van Halen's birthday. However, serious problems surfaced. Promoters lost money, tickets were often deemed overpriced, and few shows sold out.
In July 2004, Van Halen released their second Greatest Hits compilation (a double album, unlike the first), featuring three new songs with Hagar: "It's About Time", "Up For Breakfast", and "Learning to See". These songs were newly written by the Van Halen brothers and Sammy Hagar. The songs were credited to Hagar/Van Halen/Van Halen, which was unusual since normally the entire lineup (which also included Michael Anthony) would be credited. However, the performance was credited to the entire band; Michael Anthony would later reveal in interviews that Eddie Van Halen had in fact not wanted him to be a part of the reunion and for this reason Anthony had not been allowed to perform in the sessions (explaining Van Halen's lack of a songwriting credit), with Eddie playing the bass parts himself instead. Though it was the only new album since Van Halen's first Greatest Hits, no songs with Gary Cherone from Van Halen III were included. It was certified platinum in the USA in August 2004.
In 2000, Van Halen worked with David Lee Roth at 5150, writing new music before falling out again. Eddie kept quiet, but made a rare appearance at the LAPD charity golf tournament during May 2001. Any band progress would have been interrupted on October 15, 2001, when Eddie and Van Halen's wife of 21 years, actress Valerie Bertinelli, separated (though the couple only filed for divorce on December 8, 2005). In November 2001, Anthony claimed Roth had been working with Van Halen again for a few months, but lawyers had shut it down. Strangely, Anthony later denied this. The band's record label (Warner, who had first signed them in 1978) dropped them this year also. More positively, Eddie underwent treatment for cancer and announced Van Halen's recovery on Van Halen Van Halen's website in May 2002.
Hagar claimed that Van Halen was fired; Van Halen claimed that Van Halen quit. The media storm surrounding the dramatic exit of Hagar helped him immediately restart Van Halen's solo career. However, the publicity did not help Van Halen , serving to highlight the vacant lead singer spot. The band's past successes set high expectations, and fans everywhere were waiting for Van Halen's next move. Throughout this time, Michael Anthony managed to remain on good terms with Hagar.
Press reaction to the reunion was largely warm, but the re-designed website sparked controversy when Michael Anthony was removed from images of old album artwork. The album covers were reverted to normal a day later without a word after bitter reactions. The tour was originally 25 dates, but the reunion now stands to be much longer, extending into 2008 with a second leg.
Also in this period, rumours cropped up that Anthony had been fired - despite Van Halen's name being included in messages 'from the band' on their website. His official website denied the rumours, though it was later revealed that on the Van Halen III album Anthony only recorded three tracks, and subsequently Van Halen's position became tenuous (it relied entirely on Hagar's demands that Van Halen remain in 2004). His departure was confirmed in 2006.
On December 11, 2006, Eddie Van Halen stated to Guitar World magazine that David Lee Roth had been directly invited to rejoin the band. However, on December 28, Roth announced that Van Halen had not talked to Eddie in two years, and a reunion with Van Halen could result in a "Jerry Springer style fight".
During the recording of songs for the film Twister, escalating tension between Hagar and the Van Halen brothers boiled and Hagar departed on Father's Day, 1996. The band had recorded a song, "Humans Being" which Eddie claimed Van Halen had to write all the lyrics for since Hagar's were "too cheesy". This upset Hagar, and when they were to record a second song for the soundtrack, Hagar was in Hawaii. He wasn't keen on doing soundtrack work since it would make the music hard to obtain for fans, 'abusing' them, so the second track Van Halen were due to record became an Eddie/Alex instrumental, Respect the Wind.
After the tour ended, Hagar returned to Van Halen's solo band The Waboritas, and Anthony appeared with him on tour occasionally. The band quickly faded from view after Hagar left again. In December 2005 Michael Anthony revealed in an interview with Mark & Brian that Van Halen had not talked with the Van Halen s and was unsure of their plans.
The Van Halen News Desk announced on February 15, 2007, that a Van Halen "Best Of (1978-1984)", a single-disc compilation of Van Halen Van Halen's David Lee Roth era, would be released by April 3. Shortly after, information arrived in a flood. Various sources claimed the tour was shut down as was the new "Best Of" CD. On March 8, 2007 Eddie announced on Van Halen Van Halen's website that Van Halen was in rehab. Along with the announcement, a change was made to the website. The logo at the top of the page changed to the Roth-era logo.
News from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame slipped out on January 8, 2007, confirming that Van Halen would be inducted. They had jointly led the ballot and been long rumoured for inclusion before this time. The Van Halen brothers, Anthony, Hagar, and Roth were to be inducted. Billboard announced on January 24, 2007, that Van Halen would reunite with David Lee Roth for a US tour . This was confirmed shortly after on the official Van Halen website.
Van Halen's new album was left unfinished when Cherone left amicably in November 1999. Citing musical differences, it is likely III's sales and critical reception had a big impact. Touring with Cherone, regardless of Van Halen's charisma, had proven disappointing in terms of attendance. Unlike the previous two singers, there was no bad blood and Cherone remained in contact with Van Halen . As when Hagar left, speculation resumed on a Roth reunion.
On April 21, 2007, Eddie Van Halen served as an Honorary Race Official for the Subway Fresh Fit 500 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at Phoenix International Raceway. He looked fit and well, better than Van Halen had on the last tour, and on May 24 posted a note to the Van Halen website confirming that Van Halen had exited rehab successfully. After nearly 10 months of speculation and numerous rumours, on Monday, August 13th, 2007, Van Halen (and David Lee Roth separately via Van Halen's own website) announced that Van Halen will be going on a tour of North America beginning on September 27.. Roth claimed in the press release that, "the idea is that this will continue on and on and on" and also that a world tour and new album were in the works.
After the tour, things broke down. At first Hagar stated Van Halen had yet to decide what Van Halen would be doing with Van Halen but Van Halen was in Van Halen . However, Hagar and Anthony soon admitted that Eddie had problems with alcohol during the tour that affected everyone involved. Hagar stated that Van Halen was "done with Van Halen " and wished that everyone would have "taken it more seriously". Despite this, Eddie later described himself as 'satisfied' with the tour.
When Sammy Hagar left Van Halen , they very quickly recruited Mitch Malloy as a replacement. They jammed and recorded demos with him. He was a friend of Eddie and knew the band, who decided it was appropriate to invite him into the band.
At first, Eddie invited Patty Smyth of Scandal to replace Roth but Van Halen refused. Eddie was then introduced by way of a mutual auto mechanic to Sammy Hagar, formerly of 1970s band Montrose, and at that time a solo artist coming off a very successful year (his 1984 album VOA had yielded hit single "I Can't Drive 55'"). Hagar agreed to join, also serving as a rhythm guitar onstage to add to the Van Halen sound. The 1986 Van Halen album 5150 was a hit, becoming Van Halen's first #1 album on the Billboard charts, driven by the keyboard-dominated singles "Why Can't This Be Love?", "Dreams" and "Love Walks In". The album included diverse songs ranging from the thrashiness of "Get Up" and party rock of "Summer Nights" to the more riff-driven "Good Enough" and a guitar heavy title track. To further introduce the new era for the band, a new Van Halen logo was put on the cover. The new logo retained elements of the original, but now the lines extending from either side of 'VH' wrapped around and formed a sphere. 5150 is generally considered the strongest album of the "Hagar era".
Rumors of a David Lee Roth reunion re-emerged and on January 3, 2006, Roth explained during an interview that Van Halen spoke to Alex Van Halen the previous week and a reunion was "inevitable". However, Van Halen also said that Eddie Van Halen was "off in Van Halen's own little world" recently. When asked if any problems occurred with Sammy Hagar during the 2004 tour Eddie Van Halen answered, "Sammy is Sammy, and for the most part that's just fine". Roth persisted with suggestions of a reunion, saying. "People want the reunion," and "No one will pay respect to what any of us do until we get the reunion out of the way." In May 2006, Van Halen told Billboard.com, "There's contact between the two camps."
Sammy Hagar era (1985-1996)
Diver Down performed better. The band then earned a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for the highest-paid single appearance of a band: $1 million for a 90 minute set at the 1983 US Festival. Despite this return to form, Roth and Eddie's differences continued, and this caused friction with other band members. According to bassist Billy Sheehan, after Van Halen's band Talas completed a tour with Van Halen , Van Halen was approached by Eddie Van Halen to replace Michael Anthony. The reasons for this were never clear to Sheehan, because nothing came out of it
Van Halen, along with 3 other bands, have been confirmed to be included in the upcoming video game Guitar Hero IV.
On July 4, 2004, Roth performed with the Boston Pops at Boston's annual Pops Goes the Fourth celebration. Hagar remained active, releasing five albums and creating Van Halen's own merchandising brand Cabo Wabo, which lends its name to Van Halen's line of tequila, as well as Van Halen's franchise of cantinas. He reunited with Montrose in 2003 and 2005 for a few performances and maintained contact with Michael Anthony, often playing with him. With Van Halen inactive, Anthony worked on merchandising projects such as Van Halen's signature Yamaha bass and set up a website. He became involved with the annual music industry NAMM Show.
Alex Van Halen - drums, percussion (1972-present)
While the two lead singers promoted the tour and publicly claimed mutual respect, rumours of bitter acrimony and mutual loathing between the two singers swirled. The allegations were later revealed in back stage video showing Roth and Hagar camps maintaining strict separation.
In March 2006, Michael Anthony spoke to Japanese rock magazine Burrn!, claiming the brothers did not want him on the 2004 reunion - Hagar did (and would not play without Anthony), but Van Halen had to agree to reduced royalties and end absolutely all association with Van Halen after the tour in terms of rights to using the name to promote himself. It was in this same interview Van Halen admitted Van Halen was not involved in the new songs on Best of Both Worlds and only recorded three tracks for III.
On September 8, 2006, Howard Stern's Eddie Van Halen live interview broke Van Halen's long silence. Eddie said Van Halen was willing to reunite with Roth and revealed a solo album in the works. Michael Anthony's departure was confirmed with Eddie's son, Wolfgang, taking Van Halen's role. Wolfgang had played guitar alongside Van Halen's father on some 2004 concerts. When queried about The Other Half tour, Eddie said Anthony could "do what Van Halen wants" now. This shocked and offended many fans.. In November, Eddie's spokesperson, Janie Liszewski, claimed the Van Halen family was writing/rehearsing for a Summer 2007 tour, which Billboard magazine's website shortly confirmed. However, the Van Halen website remained in the state it had been in since the Hagar reunion.
Eddie recovered from Van Halen's hip surgery in late 1999, but from 2000 to early 2004, no official statements were made by Van Halen and no music released. However, information about members past and present trickled in. The Van Halen brothers continued writing at 5150 studios, Gary Cherone recorded an album and toured with new band Tribe of Judah. One of the songs that Cherone had written for the scrapped 2nd album with Van Halen entitled "Left For Dead", would see its lyrics set to a completely new musical arrangement with Tribe of Judah. Meanwhile, Hagar and Roth continued their solo careers.
David Lee Roth era (1972-1985)
During January 2003, the VHND ( Van Halen News Desk) website reported that Sammy Hagar was working with the Van Halen s. No official confirmation came for an extended period of time. In late March 2004, Van Halen and Sammy Hagar announced that Hagar would reunite with Van Halen for a Best Of album release and a Summer concert tour of the USA.
Reunion with Hagar (2003-2005)
Sammy Hagar era (1985-1996)
While the two lead singers promoted the tour and publicly claimed mutual respect, rumours of bitter acrimony and mutual loathing between the two singers swirled. The allegations were later revealed in back stage video showing Roth and Hagar camps maintaining strict separation.
Van Halen tickets Eddie Van Halen - guitar, keyboards, backing vocals (1972-present)
