Michael Anthony discussed Eddie Van Halen‘s loud sound causing a ‘nightmare’ for sound engineers during the band’s early days in a Gear Gods interview. Alternative Nation transcribed his comments. Howard Stern revealed why Eddie Van Halen really fired Michael Anthony last week.
“I guess that kind of stems from me being old school. Growing up with the bands of the 60’s, and obviously we came out in the 70’s. We were kind of an upfront sound mixer’s nightmare, because there were times where we were so loud where we had out front guys just pull all the faders down and throw their arms up and go, ‘I don’t even need you guys at the PA because you’re so freaking loud.’
But as years go on you kind of figure out how to work around that. But yeah, I’ve got to have sound onstage. I’ve used in ears before, but they’re very kind of unnatural. When I sing, especially if I’m singing a high part or I’m screaming, it somehow breaks the seal. I feel kind of disjointed, so I’ve been wetting a little cotton and putting it in my ears, just to take some of the top end of sizzle off cymbals or whatever. That’s what I’ve been doing my whole life, and it works great. Just to feel the sound coming from behind you, that’s what it’s all about.”
Eddie Van Halen’s wife made a dementia announcement earlier this week. Sammy Hagar announced that he and Michael Anthony will go on an extensive 2020 tour with The Circle in 2020 during an appearance at the Grammy museum.
“I’m going to do a 40-city tour. I haven’t done this in a long time. This year, we made a record [‘Space Between’] and I was told, ‘You’ve got to go out and support it.’ I don’t like to go away and tour, but I love to play shows. The way we [normally] do it with The Circle, we play a couple shows a month, but I’m going to do 40 cities — a real tour — next year. I’m doubling from what I did this year.
I decided that I’ve got to do this while I still can. There’s going to be a day I wake up and go, ‘I can’t do this no more,’ not because I don’t want to in my heart, but because my knees, my back, my voice, something’s going to say, ‘Nope.’ It’s inevitable for everyone, so I’m going to go ahead and dig in.” Michael Anthony was recently called a ‘liar’ by a Van Halen bandmate.
