Van Halen at the Super Bowl

[Paul Wolfe]

Here is the rumor/news... Personally I think it's be a great farewell for a great band. Then Ed can go on to do a solo record or two and then retire.

[dannyahansen]

I hope this turns out to be the case. I have been mostly disappointed with most of the 1/2 times shows for a long time now.

[Paul Wolfe]

I hope this turns out to be the case. I have been mostly disappointed with most of the 1/2 times shows for a long time now.

Seeing Roger Daltry and Pete Townshend together claiming to be "The Who" was sad... I'd love to see VH go out on a high note and call it quits... maybe even bring back Mike for this ine.

[GUITARIDOL5682]

So the UK are not going to get to see them after all.. What a pisser BOO!!! BOO!! Boo! sob sob

[Geo Sav]

That would be cool if they did that.

[dannyahansen]

Seeing Roger Daltry and Pete Townshend together claiming to be "The Who" was sad... I'd love to see VH go out on a high note and call it quits... maybe even bring back Mike for this ine.

I don't see Mike as ever coming back. I mean Wolfie is family and I just don't see that happening.

[Geo Sav]

No way will eddie get rid of wolfie. Don't see that happening.

[Paul Wolfe]

Oh, I would be shocked to see Mike there, I'm just sayin' go out on a high note with the original band... y'know, like KISS said they were gonna do before Gene and Paul had their aneurisms

[RRFan4Ever]

Even though I'm not a big fan of VH, I would like to see them play the half time show.

It IS kind of odd seeing Ed's son on bass, not that I don't respect that- but can you imagine being a young gun- trying to score with some hot young blonde- and not only your dad but uncle is right there, too?

All the good (and bad) things about being a rock star- and nowhere to escape from parents!
Even worse, watching your dad or uncle score? Yuck! lol

I do have a personal affinity for the song And the Cradle Will Rock- it would be cool to see em play that song, and probably fitting, too:)

[The_Scratch]

Personally, I'd rather see Chickenfoot.

I understand the Superbowl from the perspective of Van Halens name, but this is just going to be another sad display of "old" rock stars at half thier ability. The performance will be embarassing... to the point that I will be uncomfortable.
The Stones, The Who, Paul McCartney, Aerosmith, Springsteen, Tom Petty.... oish... it's getting to be sad, sad, sad... and their just the acts I can actually watch, anyone remember New Kids On the Block?

Want some great halftime performers... how about METALLICA, IRON MAIDEN (will never happen), U2 (again)... even ACDC, as old as they are they would be a great show... I watched them open for The Stones at Toronto's SARS concert and they blew everyone away... The Stones couldn't even follow that.
Superbowl is made for AC DC.

[Paul Wolfe]

Unfortunately, any act picked for the Super Bowl would have to have a 'name' in the States. Maiden was a big name in the States for a brief period of the early '80's. Sure they are great, sure everyone outside the US still loves them, but you have to look at music through the eyes of a football jock and consider the monetary aspect.

All the bands you mentioned Scratch still consider themselves musically viable... personally I feel AC/DC would fit in with the over-the-hill club - as would Van Halen.

I think Slash would go over well. Brad Paisley would be a great choice to get them out of the OFC of booking music.

OR - and this would be really cool - we could try marching bands like they still use in college games!

[RRFan4Ever]

I have to disagree, Paul- Maiden is still a big name here in the states- though I'm sure their popularity varies by genre, but every metal head I know claims Maiden as one of (if not the 1st) loves in their life- mine included:)

Unfortunately, the Superbowl has to play what will appeal to the masses, and the names have to be huge and established- commercial. I would even bet that a large percentage of football fans are into country and rock, but not metal.

It's impossible to please everyone, but I personally like the commercials better than any of their half time acts:)

[Paul Wolfe]

I have to disagree, Paul- Maiden is still a big name here in the states- though I'm sure their popularity varies by genre, but every metal head I know claims Maiden as one of (if not the 1st) loves in their life- mine included:)

Sure bands that play metal love Maiden. How many metal band members watch the Super Bowl as compared to "non-metal-band-members"? Maiden is not a big radio favorite in the US - hasn't been since about '85. They are a subculture favorite. If you don't live in the subculture, you are unaware of them or consider them a band from the early '80's.

This site is not a place where people would be unaware of Iron Maiden. An NFL site, however might have a few members aware of Number of the Beast or Piece of Mind songs... on the local sports radio channel here, on of the guys wanted to celebrate 'International Rush Day' and most of the other guys either didn't know anything by them or only knew Limelight.

Unfortunately, sports and current popular music doesn't stray much past Top 40. NFL games play Welcome to the Jungle, Crazy Train & Hell's Bells on a regular basis, but not much beyond those & never Iron Maiden.

[RRFan4Ever]

I wasn't talking about bands, though I do know quite a few musicians- I was talking about my friends and their friends. There are still a lot of people that take their Maiden seriously, I wouldn't consider them cult status at all. And no offense, but radio play here in the states doesn't mean as much as what it once did.

I am biased though, I love Maiden- but I'm far from the only one. I live in an area that prides itself on classics and resistant to anything trendy, so that's probably not a surprise. The biggest radio station in this area keeps Zep, Floyd, Ozzy/Sab, VH, ACDC, Aerosmith, KISS and the like on rotation- and there are 10 other smaller stations that use that formula. Metal like Metallica and Maiden gets some love, too. But, this area is still in denial of grunge and GnR is seen as the end of an era, crazy shit I tell ya!

[Paul Wolfe]

It's my experience that people into a certain type of music can easily blind themselves to what is happening around them. Here in Seattle we have 'classic rock' stations, 'current rock' stations, 'alternative' stations, 'country' stations. If you were into, say, county music, you'd say, "101.9 'the wolf' is the biggest station in town." Whereas if you were into alternative it'd be 107.7 KNDD...

Radio play does mean a lot still. Even if you use the Internet for your radio listening, it's still radio. Without radio, only hardcore fans would buy recordings by anyone. Like Maiden, without radio play, only people who love Maiden pay attention to websites announcing their current releases. If they were on the radio, the average fan could happen across the songs and decide to buy the recording.

I based my earlier statement on the fact that I don't know anyone still interested in Maiden in town, nor do I hear any news about Maiden unless I go seeking it out. In addition, as I stated before, they had 'hits' in the early '80's but even then, they weren't popular enough to crossover to the mainstream audience. Without that crossover, there's no chance of being considered for a show like the Super Bowl.