Van Halen Album Still Just a Rumor
Considering that Van Halen's last studio album was released was in 1998 (Van Halen III) I guess it's only natural that even the whiff of a possibility of a new release is enough to get folks all stirred up.
At first, the latest swirl of VH "news" appeared to have some factual basis. A news release from Warner/Chappell Music trumpeted that Eddie and Alex Van Halen had renewed their publishing deal and that a new album would be forthcoming in 2011. Sounds credible enough, but it gets more than a little shaky when you give it a closer look.
First, the band has refused to comment one way or the other. Next, the news release was yanked from the Warner/Chappell website shortly after it appeared. Then, when you take a close look at the news release, more red flags pop up. For one thing, David Lee Roth is quoted as the source of the new album information, not the Van Halens or their management. And then there's the curious appearance of "Won't Get Fooled Again" on a list in the release of VH's greatest hits. That would certainly be news to The Who, and it pokes another hole in the credibility of the release.
As of this writing, everybody has clammed up. Nobody in a position to know the real story is saying anything about it. Granted, concert promoter Live Nation told a conference call for investors this week that VH would be touring next year, and that seemed to bolster the album possibility. After all, bands traditionally tour to promote a new album, right? Yes. And no. Remember VH's 2008 tour? It was just that -- a tour, with no new album.
So, where does this leave us? Pretty much right back where we were before the latest rumorstorm started. We still don't know when or if a new Van Halen album is coming but, if you believe Live Nation, the band may be touring next year. Big whoop. I'll continue to wait patiently for some actual facts.
Photo of Eddie Van Halen in 1998 by Scott Harrison/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
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