News For Feburary 2000 News For Feburary 25, 2000 And the winner is...      Hope everyone enjoyed the Grammys Wednesday evening. It was an entertaining evening which saw the American record industry paying tribute to old school artists and the cutting edge. We got to watch a legend, Carlos Santana, and one of our favorite bad boys, Kid Rock (representin' Detroit!). There must have been quite a buzz backstage when Elton John and the Backstreet Boys retired to a private room so Elton could stroke his Grammy.     Highlights? Two words: "Jennifer Lopez." And she didn't even sing one fuckin' note! Runner up for highlight of the evening - Kid Rock's bombastic medley of tunes, ending with Grand Funk Railroad's "We're An American Band," which had him switching the chorus lyric from "We're comin' to your town/we'll help you party down" to "we're comin' to your town/we'll pull your panties down..."     Who says the spirit of Van Halen is dead?     Seems like we're forgetting something though.... oh yeah, how was the melodicrock.com after party?     We know, we know. A lot of you are walking around grumpy today because you expected to see Van Halen on the bill, though fans were told repeatedly that David Lee Roth and the rest of the band wouldn't be at the event.     As we've stated before, until official word comes from DLR or down from Van Halen Hill anything you hear on radio or television or read in the press is pure speculation. We couldn't think of a better way to illustrate it than wasting three hours in front of the TV and walking away disappointed.     So before you stroke out after reading that Van Halen will be cutting songs with Madonna and Michael Jackson instead of DLR this week, just remember, there's a couple of things you CAN be absolutely sure of:     . No matter what happens to Van Halen in the next few months, David Lee Roth is still the shit, delivering the pure, uncut stuff that you just can't get enough of.     . Dave will be back shaking his ass in front of your sweaty little faces sometime this summer when he resumes touring.     . The DLR Band will be back and bigger than ever with a release this year that is 100 percent guaranteed to kick your ass!     . That the DLR Army will be here every step of the way giving you the latest Dave news, reviews, and everything else you need to fill the musical void in your lives while Dave and co. are plotting their latest moves. News For  Feburary 19, 2000   DLR ARMY Exclusive The Atomic Punk By Dave Clark DLR Army Communications Officer     While paradise is a place where the original Van Halen never broke up and continued making great music together, having the Atomic Punks around to keep that spirit alive is just like it. The Los Angeles-based tribute phenomenon  The Atomic Punks have made thousands of fans happy with their sincere, sometimes uncanny performance of VH material. They make sure the music looks like it sounds, with the original fire and attitude intact.     Every weekend the band plays to packed clubs giving the people what they want (the Dave-era tunes) from the only place they can get it when Dave's not on tour.     Atomic Punks vocalist Ralph Saenz considers himself to be one of Van Halen's biggest fans and we're certainly not going to argue with him. I mean, how many people actually dress up and pretend to be David Lee Roth every weekend? And how many of those have gotten DLR's personal approval and endorsement?     Also featuring bass player Mike Andrews, drummer Scott Patterson and new guitarist Brian Young, the band aims to keep the magic of the original Van Halen alive with it's bombastic celebration of all things VH.     Check out Saenz's thoughts on meeting Diamond Dave, what keeps classic Van Halen sounding so vital and on the much rumored DLR-Van Halen reunion in this DLR Army exclusive! To Read The Interview Click Here News For Feburary 16, 2000 Relentless...       We don't usually respond to rumors other than saying, "until we hear something from an official source."  Rumors are fun, annoying and should be treated as hearsay. But with the latest opus unveiled by Melodicrock.com, we felt the need to once again address the issue.      Van Halen at the Grammys, touring with Dave, Best Of Vol. II, the "Sam and Dave Show"... what did we leave out?     First off, if Steve Vai and Nile Rogers can make a few bucks with their own label, we're quite confident that Van Halen could also start their own (like Motley Crue) and keep recording their little brains out without any help from Warner Brothers. Dave has formed his own label and  is happily preparing for a new release - and you can go to the bank with that one (Thanks TK).     Why anyone would ever want David Coverdale or Sammy Hagar fronting their band is beyond us, but if VH wants to go that route we say "Good luck - You're gonna need it boys." Quite frankly, if Dave's not in the band, we're not really interested anyway.     In terms of the validity of the report, we don't ever remember Van Halen making any appearance at the 1996 American Music Awards appearance. In addition, if other reports by more respected media outlets were correct then the statement, "(Hagar) is also extremely happy with what he is doing now. Warner Bros proposed a dual Sammy Hagar and David Lee Roth tour but Hagar rejected this immediately." is incorrect. Sammy was indeed the one who, as either a joke or a result of sunstroke, talked about the idea to various other magazines.     Other gaffs from the update:      "The tour will go under the before mentioned name Van Halen with David Lee Roth. I have been informed it is at this point the band intends to let David Lee Roth go." Tour with the guy and then send him walking? That's a great way to get fans to move forward. Why not just push him offstage after the last song of the last gig?  "Contact continues with Coverdale and an arrangement exists if David Lee Roth leaves the band mid tour Coverdale will step in." Talk about killing your buzz... David Coverdale couldn't replace Robert Plant and he'll never be able to replace DLR.      "Talks took place between (with) Billy Squier, Chris Cornell of Soundgarden..." Chris Cornell hates Van Halen and all bands like Van Halen. If the band is that out of it, God help em'. By the way, if you think Billy Squier, Eric Martin or the jack-off from Hardline (anyone remember them?) can fill Dave's shoes, leave this site immediately. News For 10 Feburary 2000 22 years of Runnin With the Devil By Dave Clark DLR Army Communications Officer       As the 1970s drew to a close, four Pasadena lads leapt onto America's mainstage with their debut release that officially announced, just as The Who had said earlier, the kids are alright.     These kids, however, wanted to kick your kid's ass and then sleep with his girlfriend. A new era of powerful, yet melodic hard rock began with Van Halen and it continues to inspire and amaze musicians and fans even in 2000.     Warner Brothers Records released the simply titled, "Van Halen" on Feb. 10, 1978. But what else could have described the harsh new mix of thundering blues-based guitar riffs and innovative, catchy melodies? These "Atomic Punks," who honed their craft in the bars of Los Angeles, forged an eruption of anger, humor and melody that spawned more guitar heroes than even Jimi Hendrix and wannabe frontmen than Robert Plant.     Twenty one years later, the music lives on as powerfully as ever. It's that music, and the legend of the band, that continue to keep Van Halen in the collective conscience of rock fans everywhere.     What other group loses a singer and makes the afternoon news on CNN?        Disco died. Punk died. Hair metal, New Wave and Grunge are just footnotes in music history. Yet somehow this music still sounds as solid, fresh and vital today as it did the first time some miscreant popped in the band's 8-Track tape and went lookin' for trouble in his beat-up Chevy Nova.     The songs on "Van Halen I," as fans have come to call it, still sound superior to the music which airs before and after them on rock radio.     As amazing as the musicianship of the band is (specifically the stellar guitar work), it's still hard to imagine Van Halen without its original hellion at the helm, David Lee Roth.     From the opening screams on "Runnin' With the Devil," to the band's pop turn on "Jamie's Cryin'" to his hutzpah-filled closing of "Ice Cream Man," Roth proves that while the guitar player is the one getting the critical accolades, life can be just as sweet for the musician who's made of more personality than virtuosity.     Roth came from the old school, a place you learn your chops payin' dues at clubs and neighborhood parties. Those gigs, led by Roth's party-time attitude, built Van Halen's reputation as a must-see live act. The fellas might have had all the chops in the world, but without Dave's role as bandleader and head troublemaker they might have become nothing more than local legends that just never got a break.     After creating a sensational album, it was Roth who helped re-create that mood live on stage. Whether it was making believers of the classic rock fans who paid to see Bob Seger and Ted Nugent or blowing the reigning king of metal, Ozzy Osbourne, off the stage in Europe, Diamond Dave led the rowdy charge that the Van Halens and their fans followed.     "The music has got to look like it sounds," Roth would later tell us. In its heyday Roth made the band a hugely popular concert attraction and helped inspire many of today's most vital live performers.     It's Dave's reputation on and off the stage that helped keep Van Halen in it for the long haul. Some 15 years after he left the band even the mention of a reunion captures headlines and sends drive-time DJs into a frenzy.     Besides, at the very, very least, who can seriously imagine any band selling 10.3 million copies of a record called "Mammoth"?     On this the 22nd anniversary of Diamond Dave's professional debut we salute him as well as the other members of Van Halen. Only you guys know what the future will bring, but in case that day never comes, thanks for the memories. News For 2 Feb, 2000 So this is love? Ain't talkin' bout tributes Dave Clark, DLR Army Communications Officer      Van Halen remixed and reinvented. A new take on the old classics.     I'm game, even though I like my David Lee Roth tunes just the way they were recorded in the first place. But hey you need something to tide you over until DLR Band II, right?           Maybe not.      I've heard it said the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. But hey, those are just Iron Maiden lyrics. If you really want to explore good intentions and/or Hell, then check out= "Hot For Remixes - A Tribute to Van Halen" (Cleopatra 0698-2), a garage party that celebrates the genius of David Lee Roth and classic Van Halen, hosted by a laundry list of former Roth wannabes.    You think that Dave and Ed don't like each other very much? I'd like to know what the collective Van Halen may have done to these guys to deserve this kind of treatment. Perhaps this is sweet revenge after Dave nailed one too many of their wives or girlfriends? Players frustrated they never rose to "Eddie Jr." status?      Whatever the case, this collection of certified California rock dudes presents the collected works of classic Van Halen; and then flogs it with a Casio keyboard and Radio Shack drum machine.     Great White's Jack Russell and Dweezil Zappa fare the best with their take on "Unchained." With far less of a kick than your average bootleg of one of the band's shows (not to mention the studio version), Russell manages to muster a pretty good take on Roth's passionate vocal performance. Zappa only showcases a few licks of his "My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama"-prowess.     Bullet Boys vocalist and Spanish Dave-impersonator Marq Torien turns in a fair performance of "Feel Your Love Tonight," as does former Ratt singer Stephen Pearcy on a gritty performance of "Runnin' With the Devil."     The irony of Kevin DuBrow performing "Dance The Night Away" won't be lost on most Roth fans. His version proves beyond the shadow of a doubt that, yes, that was tea in his Jack Daniels bottle. VH fans who groove on Kevin's attempt are most likely the ones perpetuating the rumor that the guy from Accept was going to be the next vocalist for the band after Cherone left. DuBrow's track is proof that the only way Quiet Riot could be better than they are now is if they became Silent Riot.     Elsewhere we find some of the 80s most forgettable bands turning in forgettable performances of your favorite songs. I mean, would it surprise you to hear that Bang Tango's electronica version of "Dance The Night Away" is almost unlistenable? Or that Guiffria's David Glen Eisley turns in a piss-poor version of "Little Guitars" and Kelly Hansen of Hurricane still sings like a girl on "Panama?"     So what about the guys who actually think they're Dave and Eddie, i.e. Bart Walsh and Ralph Saenz? Well, their techno-dance influenced "Eruption, Van Halen-The Medley" is sure a lot more fun.     From "Jamie's Cryin'" to "Bottoms Up" all the fan favorites are there. Saenz's take on Dave is embarrassing at some points on the frenzied collection and dead-on during others. Walsh nails Eddie's licks on almost every tune however. It's little wonder why Roth chose Bart to be the heir-apparent to the wayward Eddie.     Even with the cheesy keyboards and techno-squeals that punctuate the songs, the attitude and spirit of Roth and Van Halen's original compositions are here intact. Now that's something to pull off.     About half of the disc features up tempo-dance tunes while the last half, from "Atomic Punk" on, opts for a more groove oriented, Beck-esque flava. Personally I'm digging a little bit of both. Their take on "Ice Cream Man," for instance is priceless. As a matter of fact, as you listen to it, it's real easy to imagine Dave himself smiling at just the thought of it.    "Romeo Delight," Dance the Night Away and the 15 minute block of "Eruption/Ain't Talkin' Bout Love/You Really Got Me/Unchained/Feel Your Love Tonight/Everybody Wants Some" and finally "Panama" are absolutely unforgettable. If that won't make you get your ass up off the couch and dance around until your clothes fall off and you wake up spent on top of your girlfriend, well, then nothing will.     But hey, that's just me.     The bad news - this sucker is only available as an import from Japan. If the above only sounds a little appealing the $25 to $30 pricetag will turn you off completely.     Neither of these tributes are going to convert you from being card carrying members of the rock nation into a meister-of-the-dance like Dieter ("Touch my monkey") from Saturday Night Live's "Sprockets" sketch. If you've got an open mind, a couple of bucks to spare and just can't wait for new tunes from The Diamond One, give Ralph and Bart a try. -Real Audio Samples- You need Real Audio (free) to listen. 1.Beat It. 2.Dance The Night Away - Dave Clark "Eruption, Van Halen-The Medley" *** out of **** "Hot For Remixes - A Tribute to Van Halen" (Cleopatra 0698-2) * out of **** (Mega extra-special thanks to DLR's number 1 fan in Japan, Kyoko Kato, for making the Saenz/Walsh c.d. available for review To email the article you just read above to someone else {click here}

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