From tmz.com:

Eddie Van Halen Checks Into Rehab
Posted Mar 8th 2007 5:52PM by TMZ Staff
Filed under: Music

The long awaited Van Halen reunion tour will be even longer-awaited -- Eddie Van Halen has checked himself into alcohol-related rehab.

In a statement to TMZ, the rock legend explains why he's determined to clean up his act:

I would like Van Halen fans to know how much I truly appreciate each and every one of you. Without you there is no Van Halen.

I have always and will always feel a responsibility to give you my best. At the moment I do not feel that I can give you my best. That's why I have decided to enter a rehabilitation facility to work on myself, so that in the future I can deliver the 110% that I feel I owe you and want to give you.

Some of the issues surrounding the 2007 Van Halen tour are within my ability to change and some are not. As far as my rehab is concerned, it is within my ability to change and change for the better. I want you to know that is exactly what I'm doing, so that I may continue to give you the very best I am capable of.

I look forward to seeing you in the future better than ever and I thank you with all my heart.

Love,
Ed

Eddie was scheduled to join the rest of his bandmates at the Rock and Roll induction ceremony in New York on Monday, where Van Halen will be enshrined. But unlike Lindsay and Britney, Eddie will not be leaving rehab for field trips.

What a drag, another no show at the R n'R HOF show.... No VH performance now. Why not perform drunk next Monday then go into rehab after he does the show? Eddie's not thinking.....

poof

All the best to Eddie.

HelterSkelter Wrote:
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> What a drag, another no show at the R n'R HOF
> show.... No VH performance now. Why not perform
> drunk next Monday then go into rehab after he does
> the show? Eddie's not thinking.....


That's da most sense youv'e made yet HS. Actually there was a big article in the San Francisco Chronicle the other day about Sammy. He came off as total class. Predicted Eddie and Alex would not show up. Said DLR would,as well as him and Michael. The worst part though is that Velvet Revolver will be doing a medley of VH songs as an introduction for VH. Evidently the Red Hot Chili Peppers were not available. (that's a qoute from the article).

"It's just some friends of mine and they're busting down the door"

At the risk of sounding uncaring, I agree--what difference is 4 days going to make---he has been drinking excessively for decades.

Wonder if this tour will still go---very ominous comment about somethings not being in his control....

I had heard Sammy would not be going....

Alex should go.

Really sounds like Eddie looking for an excuse to stay away. Although I don't know why sammy,roth and anthony couldn't just throw together a band and do a few VH tunes.

Oh, you really can't have VH w/o Eddie, it would be like the Stones w/o Keith.

Yeah man. But it's the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Even the biggest names in the business have managed to show this event due respect. Your right Eddie should show up then say I'm going to rehab.

Yes--but the RnR Hall of Fame has not been that great to VH--they have been eligible since '03 and they have to wait for '07?? Why? Take a look at some of the "hall of famers" that made it since...

No matter what you think of VH personally, anyone with an ounce of objectivity would know they were a "no doubt about it" "first ballot" (to borrow a Baseball term) Hall of Fame band.

Looks like my theory of VH feeding big drama to the press for a year and THEN touring next year (appearing on the grammays ala the Police) is comming true.

This tour was posponed the moment the Police stole the thunder of the 80s nostalsia $$.

After a year of drama and press releases, the reunion will happen, and it will probably happen with Mike Anthony.

Time will tell....

Have a feeling no matter what, there will be no Micheal Anthony--though I hope to be wrong about that.

No slide. I think you are right about Michael. As I referenced earlier,in an interview with a SF paper. Sammy said he and Michael continue to play together. In fact Sammy is doing his annual Cinco De Mayo show in Lake Tahoe. Where he has a Cabo Wabo restaurant. Tough ticket to come by.

This may sound goofy but me thinks maybe Roth and Sammy and Michael should find a drummer that sounds like Alex (I mean, the guy does have a signiture sound) and a Guitarist that's got down the Eddie style to the T and do a tour. I'm so sick of what a TOTAL f-up Eddie is and now he's gotta screw up the once in a lifetime RnRHoF show.Like SCL (my new pal) said, Eddie wants out, he's choking !!! The man should just swallow a BIG handful of valium (blue ones of course) and GET ON WITH THE SHOW MR.CHICKEN SH*T !!! He's one of those screw everything up guys..... enough already. Make the music sound like VH, you got the 2 singers + back up singer/bass and once and for all make Eddie not needed anymore (then he can't F things up anymore).... BTW, I think there were 2 other bands that couldn't get it together for the HoF show...one was GRACE SLICK didn't show up for JEFFERSON AIRPLANE and I can't remember the other band (I'm not talking about dead members). Anyone remember who else didn't show? Was it Robbie Robertson from THE BAND? hmmm, is that it?

A drummer and a guitarist with a signature sound. ............Hmmmm....... What are Ronnie Montrose and Aynsley Dunbar doing these days?

What promoter would be excited to book a VH tour w/o the VH brothers?

That could be a tough sell---though the DLR/Sammy thing may be worth the price of admission.

Glass Slide Wrote:
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> Time will tell....
>
> Have a feeling no matter what, there will be no
> Micheal Anthony--though I hope to be wrong about
> that.


You may be right, BUT reading what Eddie said... I think he is comming around to the fact the HE is the one @#$%& up friendships.

I could believe Roth is hard to get along with, but Sammy and Mike as well.
PRETTY MUCH everyone without the last name Van Halen has fallen out of his favor. (and where is Cherone for all this hubub)

I think Eddie will do the rehab thing and listen to the fans critiques of the Wolfgang situation and eventually do an ACTUAL Van Halen reunion with the OG 4. It really is what the fans want and it is probably the difference between a $30 ticket and a $100 ticket. He will want to cash in and the OG4 will make more $$ than 3 + Wolfie. I mean the novalty of Roth and Eddie on stage will get a good amount of $$ but an ACTUAL reunion would be bigger.

EXAMPLE - Motley Crue fizzled without Vince. Eventually he came back but Tommy Lee left. You have the OG singer, bassist and guitar player and a new drummer. Sounded great, sounded like Motley Crue BUT they could only sell out theaters. fast forward 5 years and Tommy returns. The OG 4 tour (and are STILL on the road 2 years later) selling out areana worldwide and getting to open for the Stones.

People want every living OG memeber in a reunion tour. it is the difference between an actual reunion as opposed to a different version of the band.

Glass Slide Wrote:
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>
> That could be a tough sell---though the DLR/Sammy
> thing may be worth the price of admission.


Didn't they try that once?

"It's just some friends of mine and they're busting down the door"

They did in '02--played a handful of shows and then the predictable implosion occurred.

Roth and Hagar did a tour together a few years ago

I had 3rd row seats, great show

Hagar opened and Roth closed
They beat up a cardboard Eddie stand up... they did all the great VH tunes from both eras and did not miss Eddie for one second


sweetcharmedlife Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Glass Slide Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> >
> > That could be a tough sell---though the
> DLR/Sammy
> > thing may be worth the price of admission.
>
>
> Didn't they try that once?

Yeah, but those 2 are THE VOICE, and THE VOICE has A lot of pull.... have you listened to the ROGER WATERS DVD - live in Portland.... Does alot of Floyd songs and they sound DAMN GOOD. See he's THE VOICE (well sometimes) so it works...ROTH and SAMMY can pull it together..... just ANYTHING to get Eddie out of the picture, ANYTHING.....

It's definitely true that 95% of the time people identify with the vocals and there are hundreds of people who can play like Eddie.

Perhaps I am biased, but to me VH is defined by Eddie.

Ya sometimes get the feeling that Eddie is not going to live very long unless he seriously faces his demons--anyone who smokes their whole life, gets tongue cancer, loses 1/3 of their tongue and then (with a stright face, no less) blames the whole thing on metal picks (that he only used for one tour) and continues smoking, is seriously off their rocker and deep into denial---very sad.

this rehab bit sounds a bit baloneyesque to me...

also the article alludes to eddie being able to work on some issues but not work out others.. this would indicate to me the problem was money issues with david lee roth... i would not be surprised if thats what they couldn't resolve...i mean how were they going to cut the bands money??

25% alex
25% eddie
25% wolfgang
25% david lee roth

if i was david lee roth i'd have a problem with that.. i'm pretty sure it came down to money....

No doubt the "problem" with Roth stemmed from some combination of $$ and the fact that Eddie is pretty far removed from reality these days.

That said, have read several times that Michael Anthony was not one of DLR's favorites so, MA being replaced was probably not a deal breaker.

And I highly doubt Wolfie was in line to get an equal cut.

sweetcharmedlife Wrote:

> A drummer and a guitarist with a signature sound.
> ............Hmmmm....... What are Ronnie Montrose
> and Aynsley Dunbar doing these days?


I'd gladly pay for that!

a little overdue but maybe not too late, good luck EVH

never liked the band tho....

I say good for Eddie Van Halen for going into rehab, Rock 'N' Roll Hall of Fame and tour be damned. The guy has been off his rocker for years, he obviously needs some serious help to pull his shit together, and the sooner the better.

I for one can't wait to see the "old" Van Halen on the road. I've seen every incarnation except the David Lee Roth version. Although I have seen DLR solo several times. I'm glad Eddie is going to rehab and getting the help he needs. That is very important. However, I am a little confused about the timing. Yes, I'm sure he needs rehab but why not wait an extra five or six days and appear the Hall of Fame ceremony? Will it really make that much of a difference? I mean seriously, you only get one chance to get inducted into the Hall of Fame. It's not like six months from now he can relive the moment. I hope I'm not sounding insensitive but I just don't get the reasoning.

jomo297 Wrote:
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> I for one can't wait to see the "old" Van Halen on
> the road. I've seen every incarnation except the
> David Lee Roth version. Although I have seen DLR
> solo several times. I'm glad Eddie is going to
> rehab and getting the help he needs. That is very
> important. However, I am a little confused about
> the timing. Yes, I'm sure he needs rehab but why
> not wait an extra five or six days and appear the
> Hall of Fame ceremony? Will it really make that
> much of a difference? I mean seriously, you only
> get one chance to get inducted into the Hall of
> Fame. It's not like six months from now he can
> relive the moment. I hope I'm not sounding
> insensitive but I just don't get the reasoning.


I agree with every word of that post.

Who really cares about Van Halen anymore. Eddie is a clown who use to be a great guitarist. I never liked him and am very unimpressed with the groups music output. One of the most overrated bands of all-time.