LAMONT’S MUSIC NOTES-APRIL 1, 2020..Today’s the day in 1985 David Lee Roth committed career suicide and quit Van Halen ! The way the story goes Roth and Eddie Van Halen met to discuss plans for the band after the widely successful 1984 album and tour. Eddie wanted to scale things back a bit and he and Roth disagreed on this strategy. Then Roth had proposed that he wanted to do a movie “Crazy From The Heat” and asked Eddie if he’d score the movie. Eddie said No, and then they started arguing and then decided to part ways. In an interview later on that year in “Rolling Stone” Eddie Van Halen had this to say:
“The band as you know it is over,” he said. “Dave left to be a movie star.” Confirming that Roth had suggested to Eddie that the guitarist should compose music for Crazy From the Heat, Eddie added, “He even had the balls to ask if I’d write the score for him.” Eddie then made clear that he’d moved on. “I’m looking for a new lead singer … it’s weird that it’s over. Twelve years of my life putting up with his bulls–.”
Roth was on his own to embark on a solo career. He released his version of “California Girls”. Roth’s record actually sold slightly better than the original. He then released a couple of moderately successful albums, nothing came close to his VH success. He worked his way back with the band in 2007 for a world tour, and again in 2012. Both drew well, but without Michael Anthony it wasn’t the same. Rumour has it there is a new tour in the works with the original Van Halen line-up for later this year.
Here’s DLR and California Girls