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David Lee Roth’s show the second day was just as simultaneously mind-boggling and mind-numbing as the first.
Time for the death pool: How long will this thing last? I say three months, only because it will take that long for Infinity to figure out how to save face. I say he’s already doomed.
And I’d say it won’t stop there. Who thought this turkey could fly? Infinity head Joel Hollander.
They shouldn’t have renamed the stations Free FM. They should have renamed them WKRP.
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97 Responses to “Death pool: David Lee Roth and Joel Hollander”
Tom Hespos Says:
DLR can’t be a radio host for the same reason he can’t be the lead singer of Van Halen anymore. He thinks the world still digs his schtick - Meanwhile he’s become a charicature of himself.
Tom Hespos Says:
January 4th, 2006 at 12:32 pm
Umm, I meant “caricature.” Damn keyboard gnomes…
JOBBEY Says:
January 4th, 2006 at 12:32 pm
i agree whole heartedly. my head spins listning to him. there is no agenda just non stop “dave”. reminds me of his off the wall interviews in the early 80’s when i worshiped =VH=. i miss howard and like all other ppl im going to get sirius. i tried to listen to him the 1st day i couldnt. then i put him on today he has a song going and he’s singing to it (cant get the blues-gary moore) i mean he did the whole damn song. there is no format to the show. i give it 3 mnths tops. dave made his money and PR for him and himself only
Laurence Simon Says:
January 4th, 2006 at 12:50 pm
I predict that Elizabeth Vargas will get conniechunged before David Lee Roth makes the jump (JUMP!) off the air.
tony Says:
January 4th, 2006 at 3:58 pm
Corrolla isnt much better. But I dont forsee FreeFM firing these guys any time soon because
1) doing so would be admission that they were wrong to not fight the FCC and keep Stern
2) who the hell else is out there on FreeRadio?
3) radio is comfortable and used to crappy djs which is one reason Howard was able to maintain such high ratings for so long - there was very little competition.
Ben Tracy Says:
January 4th, 2006 at 4:12 pm
Q: Who was the blonde chick that ruined Van Halen?
A: David Lee Roth?
–Craig Kilborn and Sammy Hagar on and old Daily Show
Seemed apropos somehow to this discussion.
alkali Says:
January 4th, 2006 at 4:33 pm
I have no dog in this fight — I don’t even listen to drive-time radio — but query whether there isn’t a similarity here to what happened when other networks started adding late-night talk shows to compete with Carson. For a long time, the critical response was, “What idiots put these morons on the air?” At length, it began to sink in that doing the Carson format was actually pretty hard, even talented performers would need some time to get it right, and you can’t really tell from the first week or the first month whether someone has the chops for it.
None of which is to say that Roth is going to be a success or flop, but it seems probable that it’s too early to tell.
FilteringCraig Says:
January 4th, 2006 at 5:03 pm
I think that Hollander will actually be ok. remember he was hedging from the get-go with three names. DLR, Rover’s Morning Glory - an immensely popular show out of Cleveland - and Adam Corolla who I find to be pretty funny. I am an XM subscriber, so I don’t really worry about it any more than the sport of following pop culture, but I do agree that DLR will be gone.
countertop Says:
January 4th, 2006 at 5:09 pm
My gut tells me Diamond Dave is gonna be gone too (even though I still haven’t heard his show) however I would warn folks not to ring the death bell yet. Just remember how popular (or not) Conan O’Brien was the first year he was on replacing Dave Letterman.
Give Diamond Dave some time to find his legs. He’s certainly a bit disadvanafged compared to the other replacement hosts in that they all had ongoing shows which they just moved to a new time and place where as he had to start from scratch. It might work it might not. Only time will tell, but I think its a bit too early to call it over now (though, remember, I haven’t listed to it yet - the archived shows don’t apear to be available on the net).
I will say though that here in DC I can’t stand the Sports Junkies. Sure, they will likely survive cause they do have an audience (drunk frat guys at U of Maryland), but their audience pales in comparison to Howards local audience and I highly doubt they will gain any new listeners much less keep large numbers of Howard listeners. If you like them, your already listening to them. Otherwise, your not and your not likely to begin to listen. They worked well on late night commute time (8-midnight) and I suppose in the mid day lunch time slot, can’t imagine them working in the morning drive time.
sqlserver Says:
January 4th, 2006 at 7:40 pm
Who in the entire world could possibly replace Howard Stern?
Roth must be crazy.
Jack Says:
January 4th, 2006 at 8:45 pm
How dare you insult Dr. Johnny Fever and Venus Flytrap like that!
It’s as if Diamond Dave said “booger” on the air.
PoliZoo.com
Ice Man Says:
January 4th, 2006 at 8:55 pm
Listening to Diamond Dave this morning is way more interesting than reading blogs.
Louis Says:
January 4th, 2006 at 9:22 pm
I disagree, Ice Man. Sometimes blogs have purdy pictures. Nekkid ones.
ct Says:
January 4th, 2006 at 10:32 pm
>Give Diamond Dave some time to find his legs.
You stated you havn’t listened to Roth’s show. Try it. As bad as Jeff has described it it is a thousand times beyond-satire bad. And it’s not anywhere near the kind of bad that can be interesting in any way. It is turn the radio off quickly bad. The interesting thing is anybody who has been alive since the 80s knew Roth was the absolutely last person who could carry a talk show. Everybody knew this but the radio suits who make decisions. The same people who can program a radio station choosing from a thousand great rock and pop songs from the last four decades and seem to be able to find a way to give us ‘The Boys are Back in Town’ and the studio version of Cheap Trick’s ‘I want you to want me’ sixteen times a day.
The same people who when making the playlist of oldies stations would cut the organ solo and 9/10s of the guitar solo from the Door’s Light My Fire but would leave in the bad poem at the end of Nights in White Satan — every time.
ct Says:
January 4th, 2006 at 10:36 pm
Listen to David Lee Roth here:
January 4th, 2006 at 10:56 pm
I felt embarassed for Dave as I listened his show. I never thought I’d miss Stern but I’m finding out very quickly that I do. My prediction: this weekend we’ll see an exponential increase in satellite receiver sales.
countertop Says:
January 4th, 2006 at 11:32 pm
Just listened to some of it. Thanks for the link CT.
Quick thoughts - based on the 20 minutes I heard - he is infinitly better than the Junkies. Funnier too. Plus, I still think you need to give him more than 2 days. Its radio. Anyone could look at Howard’s career and pick out two sucker days. His success is dictate over the long run by developing a schtick and a presence. Not gonna happen in two days.
Will he succeed? I don’t think so, but I do think its way too early to predict his demise. Jeff Jarvis - you of all people should realize this. I go back to my Conan comment. Same things were said when he replaced Letterman. Now look who is relevant (Conan) and who is just bidding his time till retirement (Letterman).
As far as Ryan’s comments concerning satellite receiver sales - yeah. I hear ya. Picking up my Sirius receiver this weekend (parents were going to get it for me as a Christmas present but decided I’d like the Freaks and Geeks DVD box better - they were probably right).
ct Says:
January 5th, 2006 at 12:31 am
Don’t listen to anybody who says anything positive about Roth’s show. Listen to it for yourselves. It’s an interminable four-hour Saturday Night Live skit.
(I’m listening now, and OH-DEAR-GOD he sucks. I don’t say ‘oh dear God’. But my God he sucks.)
Now he’s rapping about energy technology and singing blues at the same time…
Marcie Says:
January 5th, 2006 at 12:32 am
It’s unfortunate that so many of you doubt “Diamond Dave”, he has always been so much more than long hair, a**less chaps, and rock-n-roll. Some of you are only giving him three months top, but I bet in that three month time span he will tell about more adventures as a jungle stud, paramedic, helicopter pilot, etc. than most of you will ever do in a lifetime.
ct Says:
January 5th, 2006 at 12:40 am
Countertop, I’m not discounting your opinion, but… I don’t know what link you chose to hear, but this is not just bad because it’s ‘not Stern’. This is just bad.
California Conservative Says:
January 5th, 2006 at 12:43 am
Just listened to DLR (thanks to the link, CT). I was a huge VH fan and, in my opinion, the band ceased to be after his departure. Eddy stopped drinking, Sammy started singing about “love,” and they made the top 40 charts. Throw in Gary Cherone, and you’d think Ed needs relationship counseling. (Guess that didn’t work, either) And now, where are they?
In any case, back to the DLR radio show: it was amusing. Different. If the audience requires Fartman and other potty humor, sorry. Dave ain’t that. But he definitely knows how to turn a phrase, and he’ll find his stride. Give him time.
And, if nothing else, we have this to look forward to.
Ain’t talkin’ ’bout love, here. Talking about demand for the great days of rock. DLR was the ultimate frontman, and he’s still got high kicks in him.
Jim Rockford Says:
January 5th, 2006 at 2:49 am
Well, out here in LA I listen to Kevin and Bean. More often than not, they’re pretty funny. Carolla and Kimmel got their start there, and IMHO were a LOT funnier than they are now. Kimmel’s show is just unwatchable. Same with Adam Carolla project. Yet Man Show was pretty funny. Go figure.
Anyway, caught Carolla and found him pretty lame. Less funny than Kevin and Bean and about the same as Mancow. Maybe worse. I’m just waiting for his “guests” to include the Armenian Comedian. Truly an atrocity. Add Carolla to the cancelled watch.
What Howard does is pretty hard. It’s not easy. I think it was the height of stupidity to let him get away. If you’re stuck in your car for an hour each morning Howard or a great local drive-time guy is a gift from God. No way can I listen to NPR in the AM.
Nina Says:
January 5th, 2006 at 2:57 pm
>>Try it. As bad as Jeff has described it it is a thousand times beyond-satire bad. And it’s not anywhere near the kind of bad that can be interesting in any way. It is turn the radio off quickly bad.>>
I tried to describe it to someone today and was at a loss. Totally agree that it’s impossible to capture the epic awfulness, it has to be experienced to be believed. I do disagree that it’s not interesting though, it’s fascinating to me how very very bad it is. DLR is as qualified to replace Howard as he is to replace a network news anchor, which is to say: not at all.
I’ve listened to Howard for years and haven’t made the move to Sirius because I was frustrated trying to work out which equipment I needed so I could listen at home/work/car. 2 days of commuting without Howard did me in though and I’m gonna get Siruis ASAP.
Rootbeer Says:
January 5th, 2006 at 3:22 pm
As god is his witness, Joel thought that turkey could fly!
(The turkey being Mr. Lee Roth, obviously.)
I can’t comprehend how Infinity could have given the anchor spot on their network to a radio neophyte without any clue whether he was capable of doing the job. At least give him a trial run in a smaller market or something.
I’ve heard 19-year-old kids stammer their way through long swaths of dead air on college radio that seemed more coherent than Diamond Dave.
countertop Says:
January 5th, 2006 at 4:33 pm
I tried to listen online this morning. Tuned in for about 90 minutes. He said a couple of funny things, but overall it wasn’t my cup of tea.
He isn’t much different than the usual crap on morning radio though. I really can’t stand the mindless chatter of the typical morning “zoo” show. Howard and the Whack Pack sort of perfected the model, but were entertaining and insightful in a wholly different way. Everyone else is a pale imitation.
Daiamond Dave struck me as being no worse - or no better - than anyone else out there. I would switch to Sirius in a second, but a few things keep me back. I don’t like the news choices (CNN and PBS are bad choices, I wish I could get Fox) and they don’t carry Major League Baseball. Also, they seem to have some serious Dell like customer service problems developing.
curmudgeon Says:
January 5th, 2006 at 6:13 pm
great stuff, as usual, jeff… did you notice the irony of having yahoo auto-ads pop up dlr ringtones? gruesome trainwreck….
robert Says:
January 6th, 2006 at 12:46 am
jarvis is a stern mark so i wouldnt take these comments too seriously.
Dr. Rock Says:
January 6th, 2006 at 2:38 am
I’ve listened to all three of his shows so far, and I have to ssay that I disagree with all the Dave Haters.
I think most of Roth’s deractors decided they didn’t like his show before he ever went on the air (if they bothered listening to him at all).
I have bias on the other side, as I’ve been a fan for quite some time.
Dave brings onto his show the benefit of being extremely well-read, extremely well-travelled, and being extremely well-versed in culture and history.
I think that a lot of people don’t “get” him, and that’s fine. He makes perfect sense to me.
I thought todays (Thursday’s) show demonstrated this very clearly.
No, his show isn’t perfect, and he’s not Howard, but he doesn’t aspire to be.
I think maybe if more people would listen….and do so with an open mind, they might come away with a different take on it…
But. perhaps I’m too optimistic.
Frank Says:
January 6th, 2006 at 11:05 am
I tried to listen because all of the rest of morning radio is terrible, but sorry, it’s just not good. He’ll be gone because the bottom line is this $’s if no one listens the advertisers know it and won’t buy advertising, therefore Infinity will be forced to find something that will bring in the listeners and the dollars will follow.
Dave Says:
January 6th, 2006 at 2:00 pm
I’ve been reading all these negative comments about DLR and I’m not suprised, Dave’s show is a little rough on the ears but Howard wasn’t much better. Why does everyone think they need to hear somebody jabbering away in the morning. The last thing I want to hear when I woke up was Stern whining because someone said this about him or said that about him or comments from crack-heads, strippers, midgets, retards or whoever else crawled out of the NY sewers. This stuff might have been interesting at first but I got tired of it real quick. It’s not just Stern, all the other “shock jock” morning show dj’s are just as bad or worse. I’m glad Stern is off FM. I would rather listen to good music in the morning mixed in with some relevent news.
I wish Dave all the best, but his show doesn’t sound too promising.
Greta Says:
January 6th, 2006 at 3:42 pm
There is only one thing that’s left to be said…
HubbledeeZoobaldeeBeebahlaBop!
Dave Says:
January 6th, 2006 at 4:22 pm
Well said!!!
Moi Says:
January 6th, 2006 at 6:26 pm
I don’t know, I think DLR’s starting to find his groove. After listening to him for the whole week, he seems to be more comfortable with it, and having guests seem to help the flow and the focus, too. He needs a “Robin” (not that the woman who’s been on the last couple of days should be there - but she was pretty good, she worked well with him).
I think the first day was not as good as it could have been because of the nature of Dave to begin with. He just goes on and on, flits to different subjects, plus he let his uncle ramble on for a bit. But he’s doing his own thing, he doesn’t have 5 people writing for him!
Dave took on the hardest radio spot, period, after the most difficult person to follow, and at the worst time. You have to give him a lot of credit for even attempting that. Howard said himself that he has 25 years experience, and Dave has none, really. And Dave is coming up with all this stuff on his own, while Adam Carolla basically puts the Man Show on the radio. How Original. Not.
You also have to realize that Dave’s having to appeal to the meathead audiences that want “Baba Booey!” when he has more to talk about than that is going to be a job in and of itself. He’s not going to be the same as Howard, and who would want him to be? At least he’s smart enough to handle them when they call him, lol, that’s been pretty funny.
Maybe he ought to go to satellite, if things don’t work out for him on terrestrial radio. Sirius could use a good lefty host. I know of one they can get rid of in the afternoons. Or one in the mornings, for that matter.
BTW whoever posted on the other thread that said Dave wasn’t “relevant” ought to realize that Howard is older than Dave. And Dave hasn’t been sitting in his basement in Connecticut watching porno (a la Howard pre-divorce) the last 20 years…..outside of Howard admitting himself that he is personally boring, going to bed at 8:00 every night……getting out in the world actually DOING things makes you just a bit more relevant…..
Don’t get me wrong. I like Howard a lot. I will just be listening to Dave first, and Howard on the West Coast feed. There’s room for both.
Dr Charles Hux Says:
January 6th, 2006 at 10:32 pm
Dave is giving this gig his best shot and I really enjoy listening to him–Hes a very smart guy with an edge that is refreshing. I think he will do well if he wants to make this his home .I wish him great good luck and a very healthy new year.
Marcie Says:
January 6th, 2006 at 10:50 pm
Dr. Rock, you’re not too optimistic, please come join us at the Roth army
http://www.rotharmy.com/. Where we get it!
Sharon Says:
January 7th, 2006 at 12:30 pm
DLR’s show is unlistenable. I don’t know if Howard deliberately planned it this way to start his show a week after DLR - but I guarantee that all of the Howard fans who were on the fence as to whether or not they would subscribe to Sirius went running to buy their Sirus radios. Brilliant move on Howard’s part. I am in Howard Stern withdrawal big time. Been listening since NBC days in 1984. Can’t wait for Monday.
alchmist Says:
January 7th, 2006 at 6:12 pm
I listened to Dave and I have to admit even though I was laughing my tail off,Roth has no direction kinda like van halen. The guy is brilliant but he needs to be on stage not on the radio and I was really happy to hear he got the DJ job but they should have just become a Jack FM station at least you have music. Listening to the Radio chick is like chemo treatments . It’s just sad to see a great station go down like the emdund fitzgerald. I thinmk they will give Roth at least 6 months to get into form I mean it sounds like a party goin on in the studio
Skippy Says:
January 7th, 2006 at 7:15 pm
I listened for a little bit and as much as I like his sense of humor and music and I agree that he can be an intelligent man, he really just seemed to be unfocused and incredibly self-centered. Everything was about how wonderful he was and how VH wouldn’t have been anything without his songs - even though EVH is a living guitar legend - like him or not - and it all just seemed to be a bunch of unorganized nonsense and ramblings about women, the music biz and problems in the industry and a bunch of other unorganized crap on the road to nowhere. I will give it another listen in a month or so to see if he’s improved, but right now, it totally sucked. IMO he really needs to pull his crap together and get a focused show going. It’s like listening to someone who has ADD to the tenth power after they smoked some crack. Hopefully it will get better. I wish him luck anyway and hope it works out in the end for him.
Douglas T. Says:
January 7th, 2006 at 9:31 pm
Yep … my hero a man who hangs over head in chaps farting on everyone! You all are defending a moran! DAVE is a much better man than stern will ever be!
lonerider Says:
January 7th, 2006 at 10:29 pm
Come on get a grip, guys. I heard all 4 Shows the first week and could “watch” him get better by the hour, he’ll pull it off eventually! It’s new to him but he’s an entertainer with a quick wit, and see the bright side:it will keep him from doing more of those mediocre CDs.
All your favourite things don’t taste so great in the beginning, you got to get used to them, but then…
Donald Strong Says:
January 7th, 2006 at 11:03 pm
I would hope that Roth’s contract is secure enough to give it ample time to develop legs.I would have liked to see , that is hear, a little more rehearsal and refinement and in truth there were some excrutiaiting moments ( at least 45 in the Uncle Manny segment) and it might seem that having big time guests and ready crew of sidekicks at his helm could only have benefitted him.1st impressions are everything to a fickle audience that have been left astray with Stern’s departure. I myself have tired of Stern’s routine though more out of lack of choices I stayed a listener. Roth’s first show may have seemed like soundtrack music from a funeral procession to the man behind the wheel in the morn, but I listened via the internet in the afternoon so maybe so maybe I was not jonesing for a quick laugh and mental stimuli to accompany my morning coffee as I headed down the freeway as perhaps alot of the listeners were. Day 2 thru 4 have only gotten better and I am enetertained by most of what i hear. The addition of Animal ( bodyguard/ head of show security) and his comic friend Robin have helped and I should think the producers would compile a crew to compliment Roth on a permanent basis. The man is sharp, opininated, intelligent and has stories to tell though perhaps every phone call should not hearken back to his EMT days. Give the show a listen, let go the memory of Stern for awhile (or not, seeing how monday he is on Sirius) but I would be willing to bet that Stern in his debut days was pretty damn rocky too. Give it time, put on VH’S Fair Warning or Women and Children First on the way home and maybe you will be a bit more forgiving in the morn and realize its the least you can do is be patient and give him a chance. Or maybe he ought to talk about farts and strippers and have some handicapped people on to exploit and you might be singing a different tune.
Bill812 Says:
January 7th, 2006 at 11:11 pm
Well Doug, what kind of a moron can’t even spell moron? Dave’s day has come, and one day (hopefully real soon), he will come to realize it. He is a has-been that has somehow sold the Emperor a new set of clothes. He is redundant and all over the place, there is no rhyme, reason or focus to anything he does or says. He repeats himself and mispronounces simple words (ie; “et-cetra”, reminds me of the idiots that say nuke-u-lar & real-i-ter), you have to wonder if these people know how stupid they sound. He is his own (more like only) biggest fan, and that in itself creates a very dangerously crowded room. It’s only a matter of time before upper management finds out no-one wants to be in that room with him.
In defense of Howard (which anyone that knows him, knows he doesn’t need anyone to defend him), he is a talent that the world has never seen the likes of before. The fact that he had the balls to hang over Hollywood’s heads in that fart-man outfit, further proves that his art is more important than his self conciousness. His admitted dimply ass (10 lbs of shit in a 5lb bag) was so absurd, it was nothing short of hilarious! I have been a die-hard fan since the NBC days, shortly after getting out of the Marine Corps in 1982. Artie Lange was best friends with my younger brother in Union, NJ, and he used hang out at my house after school and play pool with my brother. Unlike Jackie (who is also a huge talent, it was great to hear him with gang again, like old times, but F-Jackie anyway), but never appreciated what Howard did for him, Artie is Grateful every day for the opportunity to be a part of history with Howard and knows what side his bread is buttered on, although I wish he wasn’t such a “yes man”.
Like Sharon stated above, I can’t wait till Monday to witness History in the making!!! Howard, you are a genius! That week of unbearable lameness by mediocre “DJ’s” (if you can even call them that) between the new year and the new Era of Howard 100 is a stroke of pure brilliance that will cause even non-believers to take the plunge.
Ok, so now I’m babbling like DLR, time to step down from my soap-box.
Babba-Booey to Y’all…
jgdrag Says:
January 8th, 2006 at 12:09 am
Great show, slow the first 2 days but getting better, it will come together, give it some time, and yes I have heard all 4 days and all 4 hours everyday. It will tighten up as I agree it is a little sloppy and somewhat in a unguided direction. The cast needs some rework.
sorry no lesbians or midgets stern fans, even Howard told you that was the key to his success back in the movie
Anonymouse Says:
January 8th, 2006 at 12:38 am
The staging area for David Lee Roth’s army. They are preparing to make their big move against all critics. I can’t help but feel like these are the people the 80’s left behind and now they feel like Roth is back to rescue them and reward them for their loyalty to the cause.
Contrary to your opinion of ROTHARMY, I do appreciate your plug.
And yes, I am responsible for starting that thread. Reason was to have a few people reiterate to STERN fans that there is room for both radio personalities to be successful and animosity should be removed from the equation. After all, ROTH & STERN are friends and STERN is a Classic Van Halen - Roth Era fan….Does this also include STERN as a throw back to the 80’s like the rest of us lost souls?
STERN’s radio experience exceeds DLR’s by a landslide..we are all aware of that and DLR’s intelligence does not ignore it as well.
Unfortunately, those of you taking this entire issue to the extreme must be doing so because you are disgruntled with CBS/Infinity. It may have helped if you all had brainstormed together and voiced your anger at CBS/Infinity long before STERN signed the Sirius contract.
What I find interesting is that STERN signed a $500 million contract with Sirius and received a nice amount of Sirius Stock….do you really believe he would have stayed on FM Radio despite this lucrative offer ? He’d be a fool not to except it. And isn’t it possible for that amount of $$$, STERN made you believe he was upset at CBS for the FCC censorship, etc., so that he could move on?
While you ponder these thoughts, perhaps it would be a great idea for STERN to make his concert tour debut, let’s just see if he can step into DLR’s familiar arena with success after 4 whole days ! You would probably tell us to cut STERN some slack…
….and for that, my friend, I ask you to do the same for ROTH.
Wake up and sip the Jack Daniels!
branny Says:
January 8th, 2006 at 12:24 pm
After hearing the first day, I thought the show would last one month, but it’s definitely improved everyday. If they can fine tune a few things-get Dave a suitable sidekick, have celebrity guests, etc., I actually think Dave could be a big hit.
fhs Says:
January 8th, 2006 at 12:52 pm
I post at RothArmy.com. Let’s get that out of the way. I don’t think anyone there is “planning a big move against critics”. Sure we like Dave. We like his music and we like his new radio show. Of course we want to express our opinion especially in response to what I have read to be a lot of biased bashing of the show by people who hate CBS because of how they handled the censorship of Stern’s program. Is there anything wrong with that? Some of the fans at that site are passionate about their opinions as I am sure some of the people who post in opposition to the radio show are as well. So our opinions are different. BFD. But when people write blogs about a “deathwatch” what do you expect from the fans hoping that the show will prevail?
Sammy1972 Says:
January 8th, 2006 at 1:17 pm
Listening to Dave’s show I was dissapointed to hear how he is still using the Van Halen nostalgia to promote his own show.
Seems to me that Dave is just as desperate as ever before for a vh reunion. What does he think he is achieving by thowing cheap shots at the other band members or making fun of them ?
To me he just sounds like an ex-lover that never quite got over the break up and is now begging for some attention.
NickDNickD Says:
January 8th, 2006 at 2:44 pm
Admittedly, I am a die hard David Lee Roth fan, one that was somewhat disappointed when he heard that he took this radio gig. I actually wanted him to focus more on what was left of his music career, or even vainly attempt a reunion with either Van Halen, or his EEAS band (Vai, Tuggle & Sheehan) to get with other “name” quality stars in order to get an album with a bigger tour draw. Having said that, there has been (mostly) some very good, honest criticism, and even a little accolades thrown, on Roth’s show this week here. Yes, his start was rough and awkward at times. Oh, the radio gods of perfection where stewing over that I am sure. But as others have pointed out that they have learned, and I already knew, Roth is fundamentally witty, sharp, articulately visceral, and has the core elements to be a good radio personality. I’ve said in the past that Roth should have taken a weekend, hour-long radio show ala’ “Little Steven’s Underground Garage” to gain experience and on-air poise, if he was serious about a career. But in fact, his kinks are working themselves out and he is becoming an engaging personality.
The only people that I take issue with here are the mindless Sterno-philes that feel they must pass off Roth bashing as actual criticism and must pervade every blog here with it. Roth has stated that it’s a different demographic he’s looking for. Hey man, I like Stern myself, and was thinking about getting a Sirius subscription because my local Infinity station went to the “JackFM-iPod (lame) shuffle format.” But I’m not paying $13 a month for 20-minutes of drive time material, I’ll listen to sports and news talk while I stream DAVE if I’m able to, or replay his shows on MY iPod. Yet, comments like “don’t listen to anything good anyone has to say about Roth” and the dude, BILL, here that seems to be on the brink of trying to force sex-acts onto Stern because he’s just so in love with him, well those kind of comments are just nauseating though. Is STERN talented? -absolutely! Am I a Stern fan? -sort’a. And I have always thought his taking on the FCC and the censorship freaks was a great and healthy thing, and admired him for it. But I used to be much more so a Stern fan, but have noticed that Stern’s edginess has dissipated –a lot! Though I hear he claims this is due in large part to FCC and Infinity restrictions. Um, okay, but when did the FCC fine him for his “radiomovies,” which were priceless BTW, from 12 or 15-years ago? It would be very hard for me to get worked-up over STERN’s Monday debut. Perhaps he’ll recapture the old fire he had in the early to mid 90’s and branch out from the redundant “get the girl naked in the tickle-chair games.” We’ll see. But judging Roth solely on his first few outings is intellectually dishonest, especially while one fails to acknowledge that Stern is only a shadow of what he once was, and his decline began when Billy West left and his book/film came out. I mean, call him a revolutionary talent if you want, but what can I say about a guy whose funniest recent comedy bits are done by retards and crank-callers that see very little from their extensive efforts while Stern makes millions off them…
NickD Says:
January 8th, 2006 at 4:33 pm
Well gosh SAMMY1972, it’s not like Van “Halen” hasn’t thrown a lot of negativity towards Roth over the years. I mean, who started that one? And in fact, Roth has been screwed over in royalties for the first six albums he co-wrote, and “used” to promote a Greatest Hits (Vol I) package, laboring under the illusion that maybe he’d be given a chance to rejoin the group, which ended even before the MTV awards in 1996.
I suppose you were outraged when Alex Van Halen made several comments regarding “Dave needing meds?”
Rich777 Says:
January 8th, 2006 at 8:42 pm
Put the bong down, clear your head and listen. That show is terrible, period. There is no way to spin any differently.
fhs Says:
January 8th, 2006 at 10:14 pm
I haven’t had a bong hit in years and I don’t need anyone to tell me what I like or don’t like. You don’t like the show? Fine. You want to post about how much you hate it? Fine. But don’t act like you have some kind of divine right to determine what is good and what is bad for the rest of us.
tigh Says:
January 9th, 2006 at 6:27 am
Tee hee
Pass the bong… It’s Show Time
fhs Says:
January 9th, 2006 at 6:55 am
LMFAO
Marcie Says:
January 9th, 2006 at 11:34 pm
fhs, I haven’t had a bong hit in forever, but all of this negativity about DLR is really starting to make me rethink that. You are right on with what you say (01/08/06). Like Dave said himself, “there’s alot of you out there who don’t like me at all, how would you like it if I were the one doing the censoring?” Everyone has their opinion on how to fix/ax Dave’s show. Here is my take on it; I bet if Dave had done the show under a pseudonym, with effects to alter his voice (you know his voice is very distinctive), there are people out there who would agree with what he is saying if they didn’t know it was him, the other side of that coin is that there would be die-hard Roth fans asking themselves, “what is this joker talkin’ about?” The only difference is the Roth fans would be willing to stop and take a listen and give it a chance a lot like we did when Hagar took over for Van Halen, that is how most of us realized we were Roth fans to begin with, because we had something to compare it to. To all the Dave-Haters I just want to leave you with a quote from Voltaire: “I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend to the death your right to say it.”
Robin Says:
January 10th, 2006 at 5:48 pm
I agree. I give this show 2 more months. I used to listen to Howard EVERY morning on my way to work and now my mornings are awful in the car. David Lee Roth jumps around from topic to topic and what is with the constant faint music in the background. Every time he makes a statment he seems to crank up that damned background music even more. The other day he took a caller and the gentelmen just ripped him a new one about how awful he is and I’m driving in my car just thinking you are absolutely right!!! I am definitely getting sirius now.. It’s worth it for Howard. This show is a bunch of crap!! I’d rather listen to NPR
joe Says:
January 10th, 2006 at 8:58 pm
We in Philly have a pretty good Sternshow clone in the Barsky Show (after DLR) .WYSP should move Barsky to mornings and tape delay DLR to overnite ,where he can’t harm anybody !
Rev Says:
January 10th, 2006 at 9:21 pm
I have to admit, I started listening in the second week and I don’t get the hate. I find him entertaining. Maybe it’s just that I dig Dave as a person, because it’s more of a hang-out vibe than a comedy show. To me it’s entertaining to hear him shoot the shit. On the other hand, I’m not somebody who’s jonesing for Stern in the first place; I just washed up here because Air America canned Marc Maron. It’s ironic that Dave’s now got the same kind of uphill battle of replacing someone that Hagar had to deal with in VH.
Moi Says:
January 11th, 2006 at 12:19 am
Dave is doing a lot better - even Howard had good things to say about him - if Howard can do that, give Dave a chance, why don’t the rest of you? Like I said before, and Bernice as well, there’s room for both.
He’s not threatened. Somehow it seems like many of the anti-Dave people here are, though.
And Barsky? He’s not a Stern clone. He appeals to the Phluffia Meatheads, gets really old after a while.
Moi Says:
January 11th, 2006 at 12:20 am
BTW he Has to talk about VH. It’s the freaking elephant in the room….
cthulhu-bunny Says:
January 11th, 2006 at 5:32 pm
I expected to hate it, I expected a train wreck - But the DLR show is listenable, and parts of it are actually good.
The Adam Crapolla show on the other hand, which is what i’m left with here on the west coast, is total crap. Completely unfunny and totally “safe” and boring. It seems to lack any kind of focus or direction, and all the other DJs in the room are emulating Adam’s speech patterns to the point that it hurts my head.
Adam is great as a sexist pig on Drawn Together, or on Loveline - but he sucks with his own radio show. Maybe it’d be interesting if it were uncensored and he could talk about whatever he wants.. i’m giving him the benifit of the doubt here - I absolutely hate it as it stands tho. I’d much rather listen to David Lee Roth - even when he’s saying something I’m not into, at least the background hum of his voice doesn’t grate on my nerves the way Crapolla’s does..
I’m not big on DLR’s music - or “rock” in general. In fact I was totally making fun of him until I checked out his show -but he’s earned my respect. He at least seems genuine. Genuine stands out.
Carolla sounds like he’s slumming and doing this just till he gets a new TV show gig.
david Says:
January 13th, 2006 at 7:36 am
What’ ya’ll have here is a failure to communicate: Stern has a different listening ’sub-group’ than DLR, and the same demo. There’s just as many, if not more ‘genuine’ people who “despised” Stern for their own reasons who will adore Mr. Roth. And on a personal note, Roth is not a megalomaniac who’s obsessed with sex-talk, lesbians and interacting inhumane to anyone who does not don a nice pair of breasts. In comparison, David is more ‘normal’ and will attract people who turned Stern off ten and fifteen years ago.
Lest it be mentioned too that Stern’s ‘rockstar’ fantasy from his youth has been realized and Roth is now realizing his own dream.. the only difference is that Dave is already a rockstar~
Evil Dick Cheney Says:
January 14th, 2006 at 8:53 am
Before DLR started, I gave him 90 days. I’ve since revised my estimate. He’ll be done within 30 days, and Joel Hollander will be an answer to the radio version of “Trivial Pursuit” within one year. What was Hollander thinking?
When the info leaked about DLR doing “practice shows”, I knew it was gonna be a death march to oblivion. Who in their right mind would make an unproven radio newbee the anchor in NY, Philadelphia, and Boston? It’s completely irresponsible and downright insane. Quickly………somebody give Joel Hollander a swift kick in his nutsack. Hollander is stupidity personified for replacing Howard with DLR. DLR is TRULY the emperor without any clothes. DLR is nothing but an empty suit……an abomination…….an insult to advertisers and listeners…….a talentless lacky who’s gonna be fired very soon, but will probably make out just fine financially. DLR convinced Hollander he’d deliver, but the only thing Roth will be delivering soon will probably be pizzas. He’s an incoherent old man who can’t logically string 2 consecutive thoughts together. Look up the word “unlistenable” in the dictionary, and you’ll find DLR’s picture. He’s everything bad about the radio business. A lazy, unprepared, unfunny burn-out. Hollander picked the worst guy imaginable on earth to replace Stern and has (pretty much singlehandedly) destroyed a few radio stations in the process. CBS is insane to keep these 2 guys employed. They’ve both proven they’re completely inept and have (at the very, very least) cost CBS millions of dollars at this point. Sure CBS…….continue to keep them around, and you’ll continue to lose millions more. If it wasnt’ so sad and infuriating, it would be funny. But if we can’t learn from history, we just can’t learn. In radio, you DON’T hire people for key positions because they have a “best of” aircheck, or make promises that are impossible to keep. Get out of the radio business DLR and Hollander. You’re stinkin’ up the joint.
January 17th, 2006 at 11:06 pm
Calling DLR “lazy” is about the most ignorant thing said on this page. The guy might be a lot of things and he may not be your cup of tea, but he’s certainly not lazy. The guy was given a chance and he’s doing the best he can - I give him credit.
I find it enjoyable and refreshing listening to an up-beat show where intelligent people discuss relevant topics, not the same old lezbos/morons/bathroom humor/speech impediment routine he’s been rehashing for what seems like forever. And who cares if DLR jumps from topic to topic - it’s morning radio for crying out loud! Lighten up!
sammyj Says:
January 18th, 2006 at 1:09 pm
I have been waiting since Xmas for the docking station from Sirius, It is sold out everywhere, so I activated my subscription to Sirius and listen on the Net, until the unit is in stock for home and car. Unable to stand Crapolla in L.A. Howard Rocks!!!!
James Says:
January 18th, 2006 at 2:00 pm
The show is not even entertaining. And I an NOT comparing DLR to Howard. I am a big DLR fan but the show is like rookie hour. There is no variety other than hearing his pointless diatribes. Yes he can be somewhat entertaining but it has been far and few between his rants about I dont know what. I finally got a Sirius radio and am listening to Howard. A pro is a pro. DLR does not share himself as a person just his opinions that never make a point. Sorry but I gave this show an honest shot. I feel bad for DLR because he will go out as a failure in a big way, Its a shame.
Juju Says:
January 18th, 2006 at 11:27 pm
I like David Lee Roth’s show. It’s amusing, urbane, and getting better… It’s much better today than it was when it began.
Cindy Says:
January 19th, 2006 at 12:43 pm
Sadly, I was a big big DLR fan since my teen years. As a result of the radio show DLR is such a big turn-off to me now. I wish it could be different. How much better could a train wreck get? I bought Sirius this weekend. Worth every penny for Howard and the excellent music. To each his/her own. I own Sirius. Can’t even listen to Van Halen wth DLR anymore.
Mike Says:
January 20th, 2006 at 2:02 am
People get a f@#%ing grip!
Rome wasn’t built over night and this show will take some time to come together. There’s no replacing Stern but i’d rather have someone with an opionion than a drone that takes the party line out of fear. I agree the first couple shows were bad, but this week it seems like things got a little better. As long as that’s the case there’s hope for tomorrow.
Tony Says:
January 20th, 2006 at 10:49 am
What show are you listening to Mike?. Everytime someone says “it got better”, I tune in and still want to drive off a bridge. I am shelling out the money for Sirius or XM. I have made my decision. DLR has no business on the radio. If I were Eddie Van Halen and company I would run as far away from this guy as possible. The guy is so NOT cool like I thought he was. If you enjoy the show then so be it. For me, my dial will not ever tune into the DLR show. y wife’s daily rants are quite enough for me. I feel bad for the shows following him. People are leaving these free fm stations in droves. Ratings will prove if I am right.
Mike Says:
January 20th, 2006 at 4:28 pm
Tony
That’s the cool thing about living in America, we have the choice to change the station or drive off the bridge we want without force from others. I think people need to get away from the idea of a Van Halen reunion tour or Stern coming back cause in wont happen in our life time. Maybe that’s a good thing also. It’s just entertainment, not life saving heart surgery.
Matt Says:
January 20th, 2006 at 5:09 pm
I am sorry to say, but I also was a huge Van Halen Fan, DLR being a complimentary part of the group. I remember seeing them in concert when DLR would do outrageous things like wave his bare ass in front of the crowd…
I am a bit surprised by his lack of intelligence and ability to focus on a subject; or interject with relative information to a topic being discussed. He does seem like he has brain damage from all the years of partying.
Howard was talking about him today and said that people at KRock are finding him impossible to work with, and that he despises Tom…
I agree that he does not seem at all prepared, and seems to be doing the show on the seat of his pants.
I thought he was a lot smarter than he appears to be on the radio. He
will not last long…I can understand now why Van Halen booted him or refuses to let him back in the group. He truly is a train wreck…
MARK Says:
January 20th, 2006 at 6:07 pm
Heard the same thing. Sounds like a pattern. Seems to not play well with others. His old girlfriend/stripper is not to complementary on an interview with steppin’ out magazine next week. Report was in daily news. Seems to be the beginning of the end. Reviews still are bad
peter monroe Says:
January 21st, 2006 at 7:17 pm
i am a functioning member of society with a howard stern habit. as a freelancer who could choose to be home, i chose to do so every weekday morning (except when he was on vacation and ‘best of’ was aired). obviously this scheduling was impacting my life in a major way.
thought i’d stop listening to howard when he went to sirius - by not subscribing -gaining my weekday mornings back by attrition (howard’s unavailability/loss)
listned the 1st 2 weeks of DLR intermittently out of curiosity. best analogy: he is no less of a parody than the sound byte that howard used of the DLR imitator that made the crank phone calls. knew it would be bad but didn’t realize unlistenable (in the worst way). the single worst thing is how unnterested he is in anybody but himself. makes one appreciate how howard really is interested in his guests.
interesting how the ’suits’ (i.e joe hollender) pick talent. similar to hollywood where the accountants run the industry. most of us seem to have known way before that DLR would be probably the worst choice. i bet many of us ‘posters’ on this blog would be better radio personalities. i am embarassed listening to DLR. analogy: even though i hate george bush, am embarassed at how he cannot speak english
pam
Jake Says:
January 21st, 2006 at 11:11 pm
You hit it on the head Pam. Tried listening again Friday. This guy does not let anyone get a thought completed or get a word out of their mouth. His interviews and questions to listeners or guests sound more like an interrogation. By the time (IF IF IF ) he comes around everyone will have found another radio station or go Sirius or XM.
Danny Says:
January 23rd, 2006 at 11:50 am
Got Sirus.. I had enough. I really really missed Howard and the gang. DLR was the deciding factor for my purchase.
Doug Says:
January 25th, 2006 at 10:50 pm
Ditto.. Dan, great music and of course HOWARD…
Tom Says:
January 26th, 2006 at 12:29 am
Looks like the beginning of the end for the DLR radio show…
January 26th, 2006 at 10:09 am
The other side of the coin to all this DLR train wreck is the fact that Stern and gang are currently playing to about a quarter million people at any given time. Obviously Stern knows he made a mistake. A mid-life freak out and bad decision. He overplayed how he was being ‘censored’. His show is better when he’s forced to be charming rather than all the 12-year-old level ‘comedy’. Like the majority of his listeners would have cared if he had less strippers in the studio. Wow, those were rivetting interviews. Or less of the gay sex audio and flatulence sound effects. No, we didn’t hear enough of that.
The unwritten story thus far is how dead Stern’s show is on Sirius. Same old, with no audience. And how depressed and shocked Stern is when he looks at where he is now.
A side issue: look how Artie Lang’s earning ability has fallen off a cliff. On real radio his name was worth millions. Now, I suspect, with the lack of exposure to the public, his name is worth thousands. Great career move.
Tom Says:
January 26th, 2006 at 12:47 pm
Yep.. all the way to the bank….
Mario Says:
January 26th, 2006 at 2:35 pm
Worst show I ever heard.. I just got Sirius for a birthday gift on Sunday. I drive alot here in NYC and its a blessing. Free FM does not =good radio
Zeke Says:
January 26th, 2006 at 5:22 pm
Horribly produced show. Been in radio a while. This is not he way it should be. Either the station is giving DLR no support or he justs thinks he can wing it. Either way its a recipe for disaster. The producer should be the first to be fired.
Joey C Says:
January 27th, 2006 at 12:44 am
I feel bad for Dave, but not bad enough to listen anymore.
JOHN Says:
January 27th, 2006 at 3:22 am
the david lee roth show is a great listen. while no david “lee” frost, roth asks guests thoughtful questions and listens to the replies. roth does not interrupt callers or cut them off prematurely. in fact,many callers are asked follow up questions by roth. roth is able to discuss politics ,sports ,music,current events,etc. intelligently while being humorous and self-deprecating. roth can turn a phrase “plastic makes perfect” [discussing plastic surgery].on hussein, roth playfully asked how many times must we tolerate someone bumping into the turntable before we eject them from the disco? when the story about potential sirius’ censorship of howard stern broke,roth was on the high road and took not a single cheap shot at howard’s ironic circumstance. having never been a d.j. before,roth’s growth in less than a month is impressive.
Seth Says:
January 27th, 2006 at 12:31 pm
Roth’s how was so great that I went out to get Sirius. I was not a crazy crazy Howard fan. but I have to tell you that I am laughing all the way to work and I can catch Howard re-runs of what I did not hear on the way home. Plus I love he music. Gave Roth a healthy 3 week shot. When he put his sister on.. well that was it for me. Sirius - Seriously worth the $$$$
Teddy Says:
January 27th, 2006 at 6:10 pm
Sign the get DLR off the radio petition, some funny stuff on it.
January 31st, 2006 at 1:40 pm
The petition has alot of signatures…
Carol Says:
January 31st, 2006 at 8:40 pm
I’ll gladly sign.
Toby Says:
February 3rd, 2006 at 1:45 pm
The DLR show is Terrible radio….I bought Sirius and I made a good decision. All the infinity people should be FIRED.
Corrine Says:
February 3rd, 2006 at 10:11 pm
I MISS U HOWARD.. I AM BUYING SIRIUS THIS WEEK… DLR SUCKS
John Says:
February 3rd, 2006 at 10:52 pm
The management at infinity apparently thought howard stern was just a fluke and that anyone could take his place…5 minutes of David Lee will prove to anyone that they were wrong……booker is really good at ripping off howard without ripping off howard..if ya’ know what I’m sayin…he should be the morning man…I would listen and never buy satellite if booker did mornings…sorry howard…I only listen to radio for 20 minutes before work…it doesn’t warrant an invesment in satellite…I get real good music on line for free…check out indie 103 from LA, why NYC can’t support a station that cool is beyond me, the city that gave birth to punk rock! …the greatest irony is that they finally got the music right…listen on the weekends…why couldn’t they have done this mix a million years ago?…a vast improvement on what was, never perfect but that is radio, the music programming is finally worth listening to…as long as it took to arrive
James Says:
February 4th, 2006 at 11:03 am
John…
The investment in sat. radio is well worth it. I must say that I do not go anywhere without it. It plays on all my radio’s at home in the entire house because I can modulate it. I take it in the car. I originally bought it for Howard after 2 weeks of crummy DLR. Now I listen all the time and are watching less TV. Someone on one of these boards made the point of how much money we spend on gourmet coffee. Sat. radio is less thatn 50 cents a day. It is indeed worth it. I also agree that Booker should have been the morning show hands down. Krocks KROCK2 streaming music is not bad by the way. But what were they thinking with DLR?
TOM Says:
February 6th, 2006 at 7:25 pm
IS DLR GETTING COMMISSION ON ALL THE SIRIUS RADIO’S HE IS SELLING? WHEN HE GETS FIRED HE MAY HAVE ANOTHER CAREER IN SALES. THE SHOW FUCKING SUCKS.
Sam Says:
February 7th, 2006 at 2:50 pm
Please take this moron off the air.
John Says:
February 7th, 2006 at 5:03 pm
I tried to listen to DLR again this morning…anyone familiar with the term douche chill?…seriously, this guy is so bad he embarrasses me!… just as an aside…I never liked Van Halen, with sammy or davy. They suck! heavy metal lite? who needs it, after the first album they were just so…so…well…listen to “dance the night away” and then listen to “for whom the bell tolls” by Metallica….or almost anything by Led Zep…nuff said? Van Halen…the band with no balls…I saw them live once when I was in the 8th grade…DLR drank a whole bottle of Jack Daniels…(read ice tea) in one big guzzle…cursed a lot…changed his “costume” several times (look out cher!) and was generally annoying…just like he is on the radio…the friends who insisted I go to the concert actually conceded their own embarrasment at witnessing DLR’s “act”…same as now
Kenny Says:
February 9th, 2006 at 11:28 pm
SPREAD THE WORD - SIGN THE REMOVE DLR PETITION - SEND IT TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW - EVERY MEDIA OUTLET. NO MORE DLR. I HATE DRIVING TO WORK. I NEED A GOOD MORNING SHOW. AND WHO GIVES A SHIT THAT HE CAN SPEAK FOREIGN LANGUAGES - HE CAN”T FUCKING SPEAK ENGLISH CORRECTLY. SIGN THE PETITION…
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Early life
David Lee Roth is the son of Nathan Roth, a prominent ophthalmologist, and Sybil Roth. Roth's Jewish grandparents emigrated to Indiana from Ukraine. Roth's uncle, Manny Roth, is an influential New York Citynightclub owner and entertainment entrepreneur. Manny Roth owned the famous Cafe Wha? in the early 1960s when the likes of Bob Dylan and Bill Cosby were working there, and seven-year-old David Lee got his first taste of, and desire for, show business from the inside by hanging out at the Wha?.
Roth rose to prominence in the 1970sLos Angeles rock scene as the lead singer of Van Halen. In 1974 Roth rented his PA system to the brothers Edward and Alex Van Halen, and later joined their hard rock band as lead vocalist. Roth soon persuaded the Van Halen brothers to change the band's name from Rat Salade to Van Halen. (The group had also performed as Mammoth.) In the late 1970s, Van Halen developed a local following while playing the nightclubs on the Sunset Strip.
In 1978, Roth sang lead vocals on Van Halen's eponymous first album. Van Halen is considered one of rock music's greatest debuts. It quickly established the group as a commercial success, and it is credited with establishing Los Angeles as pop music's unofficial capital during the 1980s and early-1990s.
Soon after Van Halen's debut, Roth became well-known for his acrobatic showmanship and outrageous off-stage behaviour. He became a media celebrity; his ribald witticisms were frequently quoted. Establishment criticism came—the 1983 Rolling Stone Record Guide said that Roth was "the most obnoxious singer in human history, an achievement notable in the face of long tradition and heavy competition"—but it had little effect. Although often noted more for physical than for technical prowess, Roth's bluesy baritone voice and distinctive screams, along with his often humorous and campy lyrics, were integral to Van Halen's sound. Roth was able to take his voice into a multi-pitched wheeze/rasp, almost like a train whistle (see Throat singing), that few can imitate successfully.
Cover from 1978 album Van Halen with David Lee Roth in the upper right corner
1979 to 1984 saw Van Halen release five more albums: Van Halen II, Women and Children First, Fair Warning, Diver Down, and 1984, each to increasing popular success and critical acclaim. In 1983, Van Halen was paid $1,000,000 to play one set at the US Festival in California, and thus became one of the two highest paid bands in modern history, along with the festival's other headlining act, David Bowie. Van Halen achieved their greatest commercial success, including their first Billboard #1 single, for the song "Jump", in 1984. Soon after, tensions boiled over between Roth and his bandmates. In early 1985, while still a member Van Halen, Roth released a solo EP of off-beat standards, which became wildly popular. Singles for "Just a Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody", and "California Girls" succeeded largely due to their innovative music videos, which featured ridiculous characters created by Roth.
After Van Halen
In April 1985, Roth either quit Van Halen or was fired, according to differing reports. Reportedly, tensions broke between Roth and guitarist Eddie Van Halen over Van Halen's desire to incorporate keyboards, synthesizers, and power ballads into the group's sound. In his 1998 autobiography, Crazy From the Heat, Roth characterized Van Halen's music just before his 1985 departure as "morose". Reportedly, Roth wished to record an album quickly, tour, and then shoot a movie (the ill-fated Crazy From the Heat), but found his bandmates apathetic, lethargic, and drunk. Reportedly, Roth also disliked Eddie Van Halen's behavior regarding an appearance on Michael Jackson's 1983 hit "Beat It"—Van Halen did not tell Roth that he had recorded the song, for fear that Roth would prevent him from releasing it. In Crazy From The Heat, Roth writes that he approved of Van Halen's participation on "Beat It"; he believed that the Quincy Jones-produced track provided an excellent vehicle for Van Halen to showcase his talents. Differing reports persist to this day regarding the causes of Roth's departure from Van Halen. Regardless, since 1985, Roth and his former bandmates have engaged in an acrimonious (if often colorful) feud that has made headlines for decades, and has become the subject of much popular debate and speculation.
In late-1985, Roth assembled a band that many considered a supergroup, composed of guitarist Steve Vai, bass player Billy Sheehan and drummer Greg Bissonette. He later enlisted Van Halen producer Ted Templeman to produce the band's debut album. Eat'em and Smile saw Roth return to hard rock music, and met with considerable commercial success. The Eat'em and Smile Tour was one of the most successful concert tours of 1986.
Cover from David Lee Roth's 1986 album Eat'em and Smile
Van Halen's first album with Sammy Hagar, Roth's replacement as lead vocalist, entitled 5150, met with greater commercial success than Eat'em and Smile. Van Halen titled their 1988 album OU812 (i.e. Oh, you ate one too?) to ridicule Eat 'Em And Smile.
In early 1988, Roth released Skyscraper, a more experimental album with a pop sound. Although it featured Roth's most famous original solo song, "Just Like Paradise", Skyscraper met with a more tepid commercial response than anything Roth had released previously. Soon after Skyscraper's release, Billy Sheehan left Roth's band. Following the Skyscraper Tour, Steve Vai left.
In 1991, Roth released A Little Ain't Enough, a basic hard rock album, produced by Bob Rock; it achieved RIAAgold status. Twenty-year old guitar prodigy Jason Becker played on the album, but he was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease shortly before the accompanying arena tour. He was replaced by Joe Holmes. The stage for the A Little Ain't Enough Tour featured statues that spat vodka at Roth's audience, and a pair of giant inflatable legs, positioned 'spread-eagle', wearing ripped, fishnet stockings. Musical tastes changed dramatically at about 1991, with the arrival of grunge music, hence Roth's tour did not sell out many venues, as in the past.
In 1993, Roth was arrested in New York City's Washington Square Park, for buying what he once described as "$10 worth of Jamaican, bunk reefer" from an undercover police officer. The arrest made headlines, and became a late-night television punch-line. When asked by Howard Stern whether the bust was a publicity stunt, Roth said, "Howard, in New York City this small of a bust is a $35 traffic citation. It literally says 'Buick, Chevy, Other'. Your dog poops on the sidewalk it's $50. If I was looking for publicity, I would have pooped on the sidewalk."
In 1994, Roth released Your Filthy Little Mouth, an eclectic, lyrically intricate album produced by Nile Rodgers. It combined elements of rock, country, reggae, hip hop, lounge, and others; for example, it included the song "Cheating Heart Cafe", a duet with the popular country singer Travis Tritt. It did not sell well, failng to achieve gold status. Roth then began to perform at smaller venues in the US. Nevertheless, many partisan fans remained; for example, in the film Airheads released that year, people who sided with Roth in the Van Halen split were denoted as cool, whereas a character siding with Van Halen was fingered as an undercover police officer. [2] (Similarly, in 2001, the title character of the film Joe Dirt declared he was a Van Halen fan, not a "Van Hagar" fan.)
In 1995, Roth devised and performed an adult lounge act, largely in Las Vegas casinos, with a brass band that featured Nile Rodgers, Edgar Winter, and members of the Miami Sound Machine. It also featured several exotic dancers, who in Roth's words were "so sweet, I bet they shit sugar!"
Career explorations
In June 1996, Roth reunited with Van Halen for a brief time and to great public fanfare. He recorded two new songs for Van Halen's Best of Vol. 1 album, "Can't Get This Stuff No More" and "Me Wise Magic". After an infamous appearance on September 5, 1996, at the MTV Video Music Awards during which Roth and Eddie Van Halen reportedly threatened each other, Roth was passed over for Van Halen's new lead vocalist job in favor of Gary Cherone. (Cherone's previous band, Extreme, had opened for Roth in 1991).
In 1997, Roth wrote a well-received memoir, entitled Crazy From the Heat. The 359 page book was whittled down from over 1,200 pages of monologues, which were transcribed by a Harvard University graduate student, who followed Roth around for almost a year. Among the book's revelations, aside from stories about backyard parties, Van Halen, and catching malaria in Third world jungles, was the infamous "Brown M&Ms" clause written into Van Halen's early contract riders. The clause was included in contracts, but not because of ego, rather to make sure that structural stage specifications in the contract were read thoroughly and were adequately provided. Roth writes of a time when he found brown M&M's in a bowl and subsequently had a fit. In the press, he was accused of causing $85,000 worth of damage to the arena. Most of the monetary damages were due to Van Halen's staging sinking through the floor. Roth writes, "they didn't bother to look at the weight requirements or anything, and this sank through their new flooring and did eighty-thousand dollars worth of damage to the arena floor. The whole thing had to be replaced. It came out in the press that I discovered brown M&M's and did eighty-five thousand dollars' worth of damage to the backstage area. Well, who am I to get in the way of a good rumor?"
In 2001, rumors swirled that Roth and the members of Van Halen had recorded several new songs together and were in the process of attempting yet another reunion. Roth later confirmed this, but nothing became of the music. A box set was also rumored, but never materialized. Instead, Warner Bros. re-released remastered versions of all six early Van Halen studio albums.
In 2002, Roth's Heavyweights of Rock and Roll Tour with Sammy Hagar succeeded beyond expectations and revived his career somewhat. Despite this, Roth's future with Van Halen remains uncertain. The recent Van Halen/Hagar reunion indicates that Roth will not reunite with them anytime soon.
In 2003, Roth released Diamond Dave, an album of (mostly) classic rock cover songs ("If 6 Was 9", "Soul Kitchen", and a solo/big band version of "Ice Cream Man").
In 2004, he appeared on The Sopranos as a poker-playing guest of Tony Soprano, to which Roth was quoted on his website as saying, "Mom says I'm going to look like Lee Marvin in 10 years whether I'm in movies or not, so I might as well get after it!"
On July 4, 2004, Roth performed with the Boston Pops at Boston's annual Pops Goes the Fourth celebration.
According to news reports in July 2004, Roth relocated to New York City where he became an Emergency medical technician. Roth also took extensive flight training on the way to becoming a helicopterpilot.
Roth's website has stated that he is also working on the book The Tao of Dave: Rock 'n' Roll Philosophy with David Lee Roth, a follow-up to his autobiography.
Currently (2006), Roth is an on-air personality on his own radio show.
