The tour that followed was a huge success. The album would be released the following year (July 1986) to critical and commercial success selling millions of copies. In late November, just days after the movie was put on hold, the four musicians set forth to record what would become the landmark album Eat ‘Em and Smile. Let’s go out and tour!’ Not that he already didn’t think that, and not that he needed any encouragement from me, but I just remember thinking, I’m ready to play.” David Lee Roth Sheehan recalled telling Roth that day, “‘The hell with it. Angelus says that after the initial shock dissipated, they began discussing their options, asking each other: Apart from litigation against CBS for breach of contract, what’s our next step? CBS, facing serious financial woes, had shuttered its film division, leaving Angelus and Roth without a means to make their movie. It was Roth’s attorneys calling to deliver some terrible news. In early November 1985, just days before they were set to begin shooting, the phone rang in their studio office. The three sequestered themselves in the basement of Roth’s mansion and jammed on new song ideas while Roth and Angelus were upstairs in pre-production for the doomed movie. Sheehan and Vai were instructed to locate another drummer, and they brought back big band skin basher Gregg Bissonette. One of Steve Vai’s drumming buddies, Chris Frasier, was the first to fill the drummer role, but for unknown reasons, Roth wanted to find someone else. Knowing that Roth was looking for a guitar player, Templeman shipped the tape off to Diamond Dave. Elwood popped in Vai’s solo tape during a session, and Aerosmith and Templeman were all impressed. Elwood and Templeman were with Aerosmith during the mix-down of their album Done with Mirrors. Templeman’s connection was through Vai’s guitar tech Elwood Francis. Sheehan knew Vai from being on the same label, Relativity. This was when Sheehan and Templeman suggested Vai. But Stevens told Roth that because of his musical commitments to Idol, he couldn’t work on the project. The first person in was nimble-fingered bassist Billy Sheehan who Roth knew from when Sheehan’s band Talas opened for Van Halen five years earlier.Īfter consulting with Ted Templeman, longtime Van Halen producer, who’d produce the forthcoming Crazy from the Heat soundtrack album, Roth offered the guitar gig to Billy Idol’s axman Steve Stevens. (Angelus and Roth were also known as The Fabulous Picasso Brothers.) Dave had financing from CBS Films, a script, costumes, locations, and now he needed a band to make the soundtrack. Working with Roth, his creative partner and manager Pete Angelus planned to direct the movie. One of them being his pursuit to become a legit actor via him producing his movie Crazy From the Heat. Vai then fulfilled his obligations with Alcatrazz and was ready to move on to the most coveted guitar spot at the time in all of rock’n’roll.ĭiamond David Lee Roth had left Van Steve Vai and Billy Sheehan. Vai said sure but commented that he had to do a short tour with Alcatrazz first. Would you like to come down and write a song for the movie?” I’m making a movie, and I’m looking for some music. Steve answered it, dripping with suds, and heard the lively caller say, “Hey, this is David Lee Roth. He was in the shower when the phone rang one day. Steve Vai Eye guitar Photo by John Harrellĭuring the same time that Crossroads was being filmed (spring/summer 1985), Vai was preparing for an Alcatrazz tour.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |