Fair Warning

If you haven't heard the rumors yet, Van Halen may be close to inking a deal to bring Diamond Dave back in to the fold for a reunion tour this year.  It sounds as if Eddie and Bro finally came to their collective senses, put Satan Sammy and that clogged pore, Gary Cherone, behind them and are ready to rock and/or roll one more time as the original (and only, if you ask me) lineup.  I know Ed's got half a tongue, a fake hip and looks more like Estelle Getty than anything you'll find on the back of those first few albums, but, this is some pretty big news.  However, it doesn't come without its caveat. 

If this thing goes as planned, Michael Anthony will be replaced by another bass player.  That alone makes this kind of bittersweet.  It just won't be the same.  Not even a half-assed, geriatric version of "the same" that this tour will inevitably be if it happens.  Anthony was as integral a component of Van Halen as any of them.  His harmonies alone cannot be replicated.  His playing abilities?  He was adequate for an arena rock band.  He put on a good show.  And there's nothing wrong with that.  But, let's face it, he wasn't exactly a virtuoso.  Hell, even a kid could play his lines.  Unfortunately, that's exactly what's going to happen.

It's been put out there that Edward will be calling on his 15 year old son, Wolfie, to fill Michael Anthony's shoes for the tour.  No offense to Wolfie.  I'm sure he's good.  It's gotta run in the family blood, I would think.  But c'mon, Ed, we've waited 20 years for this and now you're gonna throw your kid at us when it looks like it's finally gonna happen?  Kind of a buzzkill wouldn't you say?  I won't even get in to the repercussions of putting this much pressure on your son, dude.

So, as much as I wanna see DLR and Eddie romping around the stage one more time performing the only songs that should have ever been released by this band, I may think twice about pulling the trigger for tickets.  It's partially because I want to see the original lineup; partially because I don't want to see a 15 year old playing my favorite songs - that's what YouTube's for - and partially because it may be best to remember them as they were and not the Matlock version they probably will be.

Are any of you interested in seeing this?