Also Gene’s takes on VH at that time - on DLR’s solo turn and VH being able to possibly make it work with a new singer - turned out to be spot on (and I say this as a DLR truther)
Gene said only maybe if VH found a great song writer.....they asked Patty Smyth which Gene alludes (used Valerie as example) would have been a disaster imo. But VH DID find Hagar a partly newer fan base, and made more $ than ever! Remember "Van Hagar" being thrown around by us kids at the time! It was another mystery how this would turn out and 5150 album is genius imo.
Steve. You are a brilliant interviewer. You are more like a bartender... VERY clever! 😀 Also, I want to tell you that I learned some very important things about music biz for my own very, very (very) late "career" (😂🤣🙄) as an amateur. But even if I want to earn a few bucks thrown into a wine glass, there are real lessons by Gene here. THANK YOU, Steve!!
I heard of Keel, but by 1987 I hated glam rock and turned to Satriani and got into blues and jazz. Gene 's predictions demonstrate that the music business is like the stick market, and maybe more like horseracing. Good luck, and if you do find "that band" you better milk it quick and don't stop.
I think Gene kind of predicted the split up of the Dave version of the band with his solo work creating a schism .....& Ed did indeed go on to do production himself with Donn Landee after 1985 during the 'Van Hagar' era.
Thanks so much for putting all of these interviews on UA-cam
Awesome Steve!
Also Gene’s takes on VH at that time - on DLR’s solo turn and VH being able to possibly make it work with a new singer - turned out to be spot on (and I say this as a DLR truther)
Gene said only maybe if VH found a great song writer.....they asked Patty Smyth which Gene alludes (used Valerie as example) would have been a disaster imo. But VH DID find Hagar a partly newer fan base, and made more $ than ever! Remember "Van Hagar" being thrown around by us kids at the time! It was another mystery how this would turn out and 5150 album is genius imo.
Steve. You are a brilliant interviewer. You are more like a bartender... VERY clever! 😀 Also, I want to tell you that I learned some very important things about music biz for my own very, very (very) late "career" (😂🤣🙄) as an amateur. But even if I want to earn a few bucks thrown into a wine glass, there are real lessons by Gene here. THANK YOU, Steve!!
Great interview, Steve - even with that damn beep haha
Very interesting to hear Gene's role & take on the whole Van Halen phenomenon during the DLR era 1978-1984
Such an interesting footnote in Van Halen's history. Gene was so generous and unusually humble in this interview. But sorry Gene, never heard of Keel.
I heard of Keel, but by 1987 I hated glam rock and turned to Satriani and got into blues and jazz. Gene 's predictions demonstrate that the music business is like the stick market, and maybe more like horseracing. Good luck, and if you do find "that band" you better milk it quick and don't stop.
Hey Stephen, do you have this as a podcast too? We have similar channels.
I think Gene kind of predicted the split up of the Dave version of the band with his solo work creating a schism .....& Ed did indeed go on to do production himself with Donn Landee after 1985 during the 'Van Hagar' era.