You can mute this video, as the audio playing is from the trade show floor of E3 and is completely unrelated to the trailer for Guitar Hero: Van Halen. This is the first glimpse of the game that had been confirmed, but didn’t even have a release date, unlike Guitar Hero 5, Rock Band Beatles, etc. So it was finally good to get a visual confirmation, and to just see the visuals.

Unfortunately, it’s looking like a lot of this game is going to be the worst case scenario — current Van Halen lineup — meaning Wolfgang Van Halen on bass, rather than Michael Anthony (or Sammy Hagar). I am holding out hope that both will show up deeper into the game. The article at IGN below references four songs playable at E3 — “Panama,” “You Really Got Me,” “Jump” and “Ain’t Talking About Love.” All of those are Roth-era tracks. Again, I’m holding out hope that the game will have a mix of Roth and Hagar tracks. The trailer shown at the show references 25 Van Halen tracks, which is only 5 shy of my wish list that I wrote up a couple months back.

Regardless, as such a die-hard VH nut, I’ll still be purchasing this one upon release. My fingers are crossed that this one will be as much fun as Guitar Hero: Metallica (which I just snagged this past weekend — review forthcoming).

I’m pretty sure a Van Halen fanboy like myself will get my money’s worth out of this one, regardless of any shortcomings or limitations it may possess. Then again, maybe I’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Guitar Hero Van Halen Preview

Sweet! It looks like next year we’ll finally get some new Van Halen music, with a tour to follow, supporting it. If the tracks are along the lines of the last new tracks with Roth (”Me Wise Magic” and “Can’t Get This Stuff No More”), it should rock. I’m looking forward to finally adding some more Van Halen tracks to my collection — finally!

As for Ed’s comment about Michael Anthony quitting the band — I gotta call BS! The Van Halens weren’t doing anything in the music biz and former Van Halen alum Sammy Hagar was. Anthony had every right and was justified going out on the road with Hagar. Once the Van Halens got Roth back in the mix, I can understand him wanting to be participating. But that being said, the Van Halens wrote Anthony off long before bringing DLR back. On the Van Halen 3 album (with Gary Cherone fronting), Anthony wasn’t involved in the studio recordings, and only was involved in the last Hagar-fronted tour at Hagar’s insistence. So I’m definitely calling BS.

That being said, I’ll be first in line to buy the album later next year, along with the Guitar Hero: Van Halen game [hopefully] this year.

Eddie Van Halen Promises New Album and Tour for 2010!

As soon as I heard that there was going to be a Beatles-themed game, I immediately pictured the rooftop concert moment. The other venues listed in this article, didn’t but seems like if it has half of them, this game will be a step above the Aerosmith and Metallica themed video games in terms of immersing the player fully into the band’s history.

The Beatles: Rock Band Must-Have Moments

Here’s “White Wedding”-famed Billy Idol doing a decent job covering the “Van Halen I” track, “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love.” I think he sounds decent until the talking breakdown bit (”You know I’ve been to the edge…”) To me though, it doesn’t really sound like Billy Idol. Where’s that famous snarl? Do you lose that with age, much like Roth lost that hairline?

Man, I don’t know how I missed this when it was originally released (almost a year ago). I’m a big fan of the Raleigh newspaper, News & Observer’s cartoons done by Grey Blackwell I’ve seen before. All the other ones I’ve seen are centered around the local ACC teams (usually some voices from the local radio morning show on G105, Bob & the Showgram). Here’s another subject close to my heart. Pretty funny stuff.

Much to Amanda’s disdain, eye-rolling and protests, I’ve got to get me a pair of these shoes: possibly two eventually. I just love that simple, yet cool design of overlapping striping that matches Ed’s axes over the years.

The classic red/black/white scheme, along with the black/white look to be available now, while the yellow and black will be available in July.

They’re available in both hi and lows, though I’m told that if I do *have* to get a pair, I’m only allowed to go with the low-tops.

Eddie Van Halen Striped Sneakers Now Available
Buy Van Halen Striped Sneakers

So anyone watching the NCAA tournament this past weekend probably saw the commercial below. With the first piano notes playing, I’m expecting Tony Hawk or Heidi Klum. Instead, Duke University’s Coach K slides into the doorway. I out-loud groaned. But it got better from there with Rick Pitino, Roy Williams (Go Heels!) and Bobby Knight sliding out, before they’re cut off from the boys from Metallica. Coach Williams didn’t even have to change shirts from the Carolina/Oklahoma game. Guitar Hero Metallica dropped today, and soon it will be mine. I played the four song demo of the game on Friday and it goes from easy to “holy shit” in a 10 seconds.

As much as I love all the Guitar Hero and Rock Band games out there, I’m so looking forward to the Van Halen Guitar Hero game coming out later this year.

It’s not actually going to be called Guitar Hero: Van Halen, but rather, Hard Rock Van Halen, possibly an offshoot of the Guitar Hero series. The Van Halen game will be the third game centered around a band – the first being Guitar Hero: Aerosmith. The second, being released in a few weeks is Guitar Hero: Metallica.

I’m really chomping at the bit to see the full setlist for the Van Halen themed game, but until then, I wanted to give my wish list of Van Halen tracks to be included in the game.

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