EDDIE CANCELS SOUL SIRKUS SUPPORT SLOT - EXCLUSIVE REPORT - Guitars101

07-18-2004, 06:14 AM

I got this from Melodicrock.com

Eddie Van Halen has pulled the pin on Neal Schon and Jeff Scott Soto's band playing in support of Van Halen on their two upcoming Californian dates.
News of this filtered through to me this afternoon. Soul Sirkus were to open for Van Halen in Oakland and San Jose on August 10 and 13 respectively.
But Eddie Van Halen has personally put a stop to this.
The debut live dates for the band were announced a couple of weeks ago after negotiations between the two camps. Irving Azoff is the manager for all concerned. Azoff is Journey and Neal Schon's long time manager, adding a solo Sammy Hagar to his roster a few years ago. It was this move that threw Neal Schon together with Hagar, who together formed Planet Us. Neal brought in Journey drummer Deen Castronovo and Sammy bought in his old friend, the then unemployed Michael Anthony to round out the line up. The band demoed two tracks before disbanding.
Hagar and Anthony recently returned to action in Van Halen and Neal continued his vision for the project, teaming with Jeff Scott Soto and Marco Mendoza under the new moniker Soul Sirkus.
Azoff now also manages Soul Sirkus and I am told that a support slot for the two Californian gigs was approved by Alex Van Halen. Sammy and Mike were naturally all for the plan.
But Eddie Van Halen was apparently not informed at the time and upon learning the news, point blank refused to let it happen. His decision was communicated to Neal Schon today. It was his demand that the Soul Sirkus support be cancelled and the band replaced with Silvertide, who have been touring with VH on the majority of their US dates.
One can only speculate why Eddie was so steadfast in his refusal to let Soul Sirkus support Van Halen on what was to be just two dates.
Whatever the reason, it seems strong feelings from recent years remain very much at the forefront. If one looks back, the whole set of events that seemed to lead to a reunited Van Halen began when Planet Us first hit the PR trail in the earliest months of 2002. That included Michael Anthony's return to the headlines as part of Planet Us with Neal Schon, followed by Sammy Hagar's amazing co-headlining tour with the original voice of Van Halen - David Lee Roth.

Eddie is really starting to piss me off, First not giving Michael Anthony any credit for the new songs and now dropping Soul Sirkus for no reason.

ericgtr · 07-18-2004, 06:32 AM

Well for anyone who doesn't believe that VH's sun doesn't rise and set with Ed, here's your proof. Is someone feeling a bit insecure? Still, no big deal though it's too bad that Ed doens't want to allow it but Soul Sirkus sounds like a kick ass band. I bet they will do well [img]images/smilies/icon_thumb.gif[/img]

**CanyonCarver** · 07-18-2004, 07:21 AM

Pretty lame.
A teacher at my guitar store plays in Soto's band. I will try and ask him if he knows anything if I get to see him next week.,

**EddieMan2003** · 07-18-2004, 09:02 AM

[ QUOTE ]
howmanysayi said:
Eddie is really starting to piss me off, First not giving Michael Anthony any credit for the new songs and now dropping Soul Sirkus for no reason.

[/ QUOTE ]

Where does it say he didnt give credit? That's sad of him.

**EddieMan2003** · 07-18-2004, 09:05 AM

nm the above, my internet hasnt worked for a couple of days and i just read the other post about this.

SuckaInA3Piece · 07-18-2004, 09:46 AM

I dont even know what to say about this. I think this is just stupid as well, but I am kinda pissed that Ed would rather allow that shit of a band to continue to open for them. Schon and Eddie on the same bill would really be worth the price of admission but whatever.

wip5150 · 07-18-2004, 10:30 AM

I've stopped trying to figure out (let alone understand) the innerworkings of Mr. Van Halen's (Ed that is) noodle.

phil28uk · 07-18-2004, 12:32 PM

he needs to learn and deal with his ego. No the wonder no-one wants to work with him.

SuckaInA3Piece · 07-18-2004, 12:42 PM

I dont think that's entirely true. I know of two guys that would love to work with him. One currently is, and the other one is David Lee Roth. I think that this move may have just been done out of respect for Silvertide. They've been the opening band for the tour since day one, so why give them the shaft just for a few shows. Let them get out there and be heard, especially in a huge market like Cali. It'll help them sell some cd's and get their name out there. That's just my opinion of course.

GuitarsAndTacos · 07-18-2004, 01:35 PM

Well that's really bogus. That's all I can say about it.

**SnakePlissken** · 07-19-2004, 01:14 AM

[ QUOTE ]
SuckaIn3Piece said:
Schon and Eddie on the same bill ...

[/ QUOTE ]

There's the problem right there, at least from Ed's perspective. Frankly, I'll be surprised if the tour goes the distance.

FH · 07-19-2004, 03:30 AM

Egomaniac.

SuckaInA3Piece · 07-19-2004, 05:13 AM

I should point out that we have not heard Ed's reasons for not wanting this band on the same bill. I think to label him this and that is just flat out wrong. For all we know the guy had a perfectly good reason to not want this band to open for them on those two nights. It's just all speculation right now, and honestly I really think it's wrong. Maybe it would have been better if this band stayed in limbo because they get ripped more now on a daily basis then ever before.

FH · 07-19-2004, 05:47 AM

As I said, egomaniac.

SuckaInA3Piece · 07-19-2004, 06:26 AM

I wouldnt call that being an egomaniac. I've had some performance where the judges were overly critical of the band and I've had the same feelings. Does that make me an egomaniac? Eddie has pride and obviously the writer put a dent in it with his article. Ed is human. I for one think that it's nice to know that he is.