Van Halen
Staples Center : Los Angeles
November 20, 2007
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Part two of a five part series I am doing this week on Classic Reunions. Each day I will add a new photo of a featured artist and that band’s classic reunion.
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By 1986, David Lee Roth had done his own solo EP, written a book and was talking about doing some acting. After years of tension with Eddie Van Halen, Roth left the band. The relationship had gotten so bad both sides couldn’t even agree on whether or not he left or was kicked out. After that, Van Halen hired and fired Sammy Hagar, tried a stint with Gary Cherone (that bombed big time), and then re-hired Sammy. They were supposed to do a world tour with Sammy, but wound up only playing gigs in North America. For the second time, Sammy exited the band and tensions were erupting between Eddie and Michael Anthony, who had always been close with Sammy.
The two had gotten into the food business, with Sammy selling Cabo Wabo Tequila and opening up his club in Mexico, and Michael selling his own line of BBQ Sauce called Mad Anthony’s. This seemed to really piss Eddie off, and when he kicked Michael Anthony out of the band, he complained that Sammy and Anthony were touring together, and singing songs Eddie wrote while selling food and drink. Eddie’s son Wolfgang was brought in to replace Anthony. Big offers were always flooding in for a Van Halen reunion, and even back in 1996 the band was set to do it. But even then, Eddie and Dave couldn’t get along and the plans were scrapped.
In 2007 it was announced that they were finally going to bury the hatchet, but just then Eddie entered a rehab program. None of us knew what to expect when he came out, but luckily he got out and declared the reunion was still on. Technically speaking, this was not a full Van Halen reunion as Michael Anthony was not included. Still, it was fantastic to see the dynamic team of Eddie VH and DLR once again together on stage.
Photographed from the soundboard with a Canon 5D and a Canon 400mm f2.8 lens.
Link to Cabo Wabo
http://www.cabowabo.com/
Link to Michael Anthony’s BBQ sauce
http://www.madanthonycafe.com/macstore.html
the KEVIN ESTRADA blog 
