Van Halen Still Divided Into Two Camps, According to Chickenfoot Drummer

According to Chickenfoot's Kenny Aronoff, the Van Halen reunion is not perfectly harmonious. "There was the David Lee Roth camp and there was the brothers' camp," the drummer reported after he and some friends spent time working in the same studio where Van Halen was recording their upcoming album.

Speaking to Dave Basner of VH1 Radio Networks (as reported by ClassicRockRevisited), Aronoff revealed the band played one song for him -- "and it was good" -- but also reported "I know my buddy who started producing it, John Shanks, and then I know the guy who was mixing it, Ross Hogarth, and I was hearing all kinds of stories.”

What kind of stories? "You know, it was the whole thing, I just heard the classic stories, my buddy finally was told to leave, the producer, and he heard about how people would get fired and he was like, ‘It happened to me too!’" Still, Aronoff's current bandmate and founding Van Halen member Michael Anthony admits to wanting to hear the record. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't interested," says Anthony. "I'm interested to hear what their new album will sound like when it comes out."

Meanwhile, MelodicRock is reporting that Van Halen filmed a video for their new album's first single, and may also possibly include a cover song, chosen from several demoed by Roth for his bandmates, on the new album.  We'll find out more, presumably, when the band appears on the Grammy Nominations show on Nov. 30.

As for Chickenfoot? They're currently out on their brief small club "Road Test" tour, and we were lucky enough to review last weekend's show in Chicago - check out our account of all the action right here.