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IT is “getting kinda a bit late” for an Eddie Van Halen tribute concert, – with decayed “cohesion” in the VH camp a factor – according to former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted.
Newsted was originally invited to be part of an Alex Van Halen-led celebration tour for the guitarist, who died in 2020. He was criticised in some quarters for spilling the beans over being approached.
Speaking on Sirius XM, Newsted says: “I remember having having a phone call with Alex and then just telling Joe (Satriani) that I didn’t thing it’s appropriate.
“That’s the last I ever heard about it. There was never anybody reaching out to me about anything.”
On the Trunk Nation show, Newsted offered the following opinion on whether such an event might take place: “I think I’m in the same camp as most people … if it can be done properly and concisely … it needs to be a quick thing, it needs to be a special thing: two nights at some place and it’s just that.
“If they do it honourably … but it’s getting kinda a bit late to do it correctly I think now. It’d be pretty hard. I don’t think there’s enough … maybe not enough cohesion anymore to make it proper.
“It’s gotta be an honour show it’s got to be that: worshipping what happened.
“It’s not just going to be some rock show. It’s got to be a hybrid dedication kind of event and I’m not sure those logistics could be worked out anymore.”
Questioned further by host Eddie Trunk, Newsted continued: “How are you going to do that and pay homage to Alex also?
“Because you’re still doing the homage to the band. If you’re going to do an Eddie tribute, then have Nuno (Bettencourt) and Tom Morello line up a bunch of bad motherfuckers (guitarists) and you do that thing and everyone takes their shot at one of Eddie’s songs.
“Something like that, that needs to be its own category and its own thing.
“If you’re going to have a Van Halen honour then that needs to be for the band. Their time has gone by.
“If somebody would be able to co-ordinate a thing that was timely, appropriate, like an anniversary of a passing, an anniversary of the beginning of the band, an anniversary of the biggest album of the band…
“…something that made sense to the fans and they did it as an honour to the music that was made, not just certain guys who played it … that’s the way it has to be looked on in my opinion now.”
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