New Van Halen Album - Fact or Fiction?

I started writing for Associated Content after my trip to see Van Halen's first show with David Lee Roth in 22 years. The trip to Charlotte, North Carolina and expensive floor seats were well worth it and I believed that it was the start of a new VH blitzkrieg. Eddie Van Halen had gotten himself back together and had a whole line of new EVH gear to go with it. The tour was wonderful and I once again bought floor seats that were at the stage in New Orleans. Since then I have bought Van Halen shirts, EVH pedals, pickups and god knows what else. I have written articles that are very favorable to Ed, his equipment and Van Halen in general. But I guess the stress of oil lapping at the shore of my home in Louisiana has left me a little more vocal on things these days. I want to know when the long promised new music from Van Halen is coming out.

For years we have heard from Ed he was working on music in 5150. Yet nothing new has been released since Van Halen III in 1998. It has been twelve years since I have heard a new VH cut come out on the radio. It is time Edward and the boys put out some new music and not just a new shuffle of hits on CD. I have had to go back to VH III with Gary Cherone to even listen to something I haven't heard a million times. Though the album wasn't that popular it sounds good, especially hearing some guitar chords I don't know by heart. I was even excited when Catherine and Rise provided two new cuts for the porn flick a few years back. I wouldn't even feel as bad that Wolfgang took Michael Anthony's place if some new music would be released.

Speaking of Mad Anthony, his band Chickenfoot is moving on to release a second album. Chickenfoot is putting out solid music and I was hoping the Van Halen crew would launch a counterattack with some music. At least when Dave got Steve Vai Eddie fired back with some music. It would be good to see Ed take on Sammy's new challenge with Satch. As stated before I saw VH twice on the last tour and the band still has it.

With the EVH brand being launched it makes it seem that a measly album just doesn't pay enough. I bought into the EVH brand and bought a good deal of it. But I refuse to spend a large chunk of cash on the 5150 III or the new Wolfgang guitar. The amp looks awesome, especially with a clean channel and I could probably get rid of the rest of my amps if I had one. The new Wolfgang is cool too but I want to hear all this new equipment on a record first. It seems like Ed should be working at Guitar Center instead of being in a band. All of the VH music was made off the first generation 5150 and the old Marshall Plexi, not what he's selling.

I held this article off for a long time in case I ever got to meet the band. Maybe all the oil at my door has gotten to me and I am a little impatient with people who say they are doing something when I see nothing. But I have had enough of hearing about all the music that was being worked on all these years. I mean come on the 5150 studio is in the back yard it's not like you have to go that far. All the VH swag is cool but there was a time that we got new music. In the early Dave days one a year came, it now seems like a Chinese Democracy or Smile project. To answer the title question, I don't know if what we have heard over the years is fact or fiction. Since there is no way to email Van Halen, leave whatever you think in the comments and maybe Edward will come across this one day.