Michael Anthony: ‘I’m Totally Cool With’ David Lee Roth

Michael Anthony has clarified and expanded upon comments he made regarding his former Van Halen bandmate David Lee Roth in a recent interview with our website, explaining that he's "totally cool" with the singer, and "didn't mean to knock" Roth for performing only Van Halen songs on a solo tour several years ago.

In a phone call to the Van Halen News Desk, Anthony clarified what he meant about Roth's solo tour: “In that interview, I was talking about how, a few years ago, Roth put a band together and went out on a couple tours and was played [sic] nothing but Van Halen classics. I didn’t mean to knock him for doing so. What I meant to say about that was – that’s fine for him, but for me, I would not want to do that."

That's all we took him to mean with his original answer, which was accurately quoted, but perhaps sounds harsher isolated in print than it did as one very small part of a wide-ranging, upbeat and positive verbal conversation.

Anthony sums it up by saying: "I have no ill will at all towards Dave. He was the one guy that I was really looking forward to jamming with some day, either at the Van Halen reunion tour or when Van Halen would get inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. You know, before the induction, his manager called me and asked if I would want to jam with Dave at the induction, and I said I’d love to! But neither would come to be. I’m totally cool with Dave."

Anthony also revealed that his current band, Chickenfoot, has decided not to title their upcoming album 'IV,' as vocalist Sammy Hagar previously stated. He didn't reveal the new title, but did share that the album will hit stores on Sept. 27. Blabbermouth is reporting that the first single, 'Bigfoot,' will hit airwaves this month.

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