Velvet Revolver:

Scott Weiland:
When we were first asked to induct a band into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, it was the Sex Pistols. And let's just say that a little bit of drama ensued. When we asked this time to induct a band into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, let's just say that a little bit of drama ensued. But you know what, we are here to represent the legacy, and you know what? It's only rock and roll.

We feel proud to honor Van Halen into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They are one of the biggest selling rock and roll bands of all time. When they hit the LA scene, they blew it wide open when rock needed a real kick in the ass. The Pasadena backyard house parties are part of legend - upwards of 1000 people would cram and slam to see an unsigned band.

Slash:
Eddie Van Halen - guitar genius, innovator, god to fans and musicians alike. David Lee Roth - the ultimate frontman, golden god to women.

Duff McKagan:
But it began again with Sammy Hagar. Sammy ain't driving 55 motherfucker. Millions of more record sold, even bigger tours, even bigger hits.

Dave Kushner:
Bottom line - Van Halen was a party band. They would steal your girlfriend and your tequila. Oh -they don't need to - Sammy sells more tequila than all of Latin America combined.

Matt Sorum:
Let's not forget the thundering bass playing of Michael Anthony on songs like "Runnin' With the Devil". And the devil kick drum playing on songs like "Hot for Teacher" by the drummer Alex Van Halen. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame would like to induct Sammy Hagar, David Lee Roth, Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, and Michael Anthony.

Michael Anthony

Well, what a night! God, when you're sitting here during the show and you watch the clips of all the induction ceremonies from the past, it really hits home! First off, I'd like to say ÊGod bless you, Edward Van Halen'. I wish you were here, buddy! He couldn't be here tonight- he's home getting some help. I love you man.

Thirty years ago, we were playing this little club in LA called the Starwood out in Hollywood and Mo Ostin and Ted Templeman from Warner Bros. came in and saw us play and liked what they saw and what they heard. From there, it was like joining a family that's Warner Bros. Mo, Ted, and Lenny Waronker, everybody there. It was like a real family. Thanks, Mo. That man right here - Mo Ostin. They believed in the band and took us and they grew the band into what it would become. We loved everybody there - it was one big family.

Gosh, I'm blanking out. (Laughs) I'd like to thank everybody who has been with the Van Halen family for all the years that endured and toured, partied, worked, the whole bit - the whole ball of wax. It was a lot of hard work at times, but the partying kind of outweighed that once we took it out and brought it out to the people. Everybody from the record company to everybody who has been part of Van Halen - all of our managers - Ed Leffler, god love you man.

I'd like to also thank my family, my parents, my brothers and sister - my sister who turned me onto rock and roll in the first place. She brought me this little record - Blue Cheer. I said, "I want to do that - long hair and play bass." Anyway, my parents, my brothers, and my sister. Also, my beautiful wife Sue and my daughters Taylor and Elisha. Sue, she stuck with me and endured all the craziness and is still doing it. But anyway, that's it. I'd also like to thank, obviously, Sammy, Dave, Eddie, Al. I mean, it's been a blast. Also, Gary Cherone, I'd like give him a little thanks - you're part of this too, man. That's it - the fans, we love you. If wasn't for all of you, we wouldn't be here.

Sammy Hagar

I can't tell you how much I wish everyone was here tonight. It's out of our control and out of some other people's control. I think it's a good thing. I think Eddie is going to come out the other side a better person, and we will get our buddy back.

It's just hard for Mike and I to stand up and do this, but you couldn't have kept me from here with a shotgun. I honored to be here. I'm honored. I especially want to thank the powers that be from the Hall of Fame for including me. They really didn't have to do that, and like James Brown said, "I feel good!" Now I'm getting loose!

Just a couple of things. A couple of people who I think are missed. Ted Templeman, Donn Landee, Mo Ostin and Lenny and everybody at Warner Bros. who really helped get this band when I joined it and take it farther from there. Barbara Skydel and Frank Barsalona over at Premier Talent. They booked every show we did up until the first breakup. Certainly my wife and children for following me around the world over and over again. Can't beat that. Ed Leffler of course, Mike said that. Ed, Al, Mike and Dave, and that's it. All the people that got inducted in well, I just want to say, it's really an honor for me to stand up here on stage with Patti Smith and REM and all these people. I'm humbled. Thank you very much.

Mike and Sammy in the press room

Do you wish that you could straighten out tensions with Eddie and Alex?

MIKE - You know what, I wish that would have happened before this because this night is so special. But you never know. With this band, you never know what's going to happen. I know you all know that right now. I'm a never-say-never kind of guy.

Is a tour on? Will a tour still happen?

MIKE - I really don't know because I wasn't going to be part of it anyway.

Why not?

MIKE - You know, I don't know. I'm here - I'm ready to play. Sammy and I are out there if people want to hear it. Sammy and I are out there.

Sammy, are you going to tour this summer since Van Halen probably isn't touring?

SAMMY - Quite honestly with the 50-some shows that I did last year, I planned on taking this year off and just hanging with my family and traveling around. I haven't done that for a long time. This just came up, and I kind of wish I would have booked a tour. But I'm going to tour from my birthday in October; I'm going to go through the rest of next year. And I'm sure Mike will be out there, unless Van Halen wants to do it. I'm not being funny. If we'll all grew up - including me, and Mike and all of us - can all grow up, maybe all of us do it together. I'm down with that, any time, any place, anywhere. Let's just hope that Eddie comes out of it the other side better than ever. That would make everything a lot easier.

Where you insulted that the new tour didn't include you two this time?

SAMMY - Not at all. I totally encouraged the thing with Dave. I think if Van Halen has any moves that they should do in their lives for the fans right now is to do a reunion with Dave. We've done it with me - we've done everything we could possibly do. The fans need a Dave reunion. Then, like I said, if we all grow up, we can all be together and do it for real.

Were you surprised Dave wasn't here tonight?

SAMMY - Honestly, yes. I was sure that he was going to come busting through at some point.

MIKE - That's Dave.

Sammy, what was it like singing with Velvet Revolver?

SAMMY - I didn't sing with them, but I really wanted to. The politics kept that from happening. That's was the original plan, and that's when Dave bowed out. If you want to know kind of what happened. He wanted to do this, and they didn't want to do this. So they were going to pull out. They pulled out at one point, and then when Dave pulled out, they came back in. It was too late - we had already rehearsed with Paul Shaffer's band. Paul Shaffer's band was awesome. Velvet Revolver did a killer job.

VELVET REVOLVER ENTERS

What do you think of the controversy?

WEILAND - Controversy seems to follow us. But I don't think of it as controversy necessarily because this band no matter which form it has been in has had such an amazing legacy, we were just so proud to come and induct them and perform a couple songs that we didn't give a fuck. Growing up and hearing songs on the radio, and hearing about those backyard parties - they were legendary. You hear about that shit from your older brothers and stuff. Growing up in LA, Van Halen was a band that not just rockers were into, but punk rockers were into and everyone was into. It sort of transcended all boundaries. What other band can you think of really where the lead singer was kicked out or left or whatever you want to call it and then another great lead singer came in and they actually sold more records and were actually bigger. They're a legendary band, so we were really quite honored.

What do you think of Eddie Van Halen's situation?

WEILAND - The guy is a fuckin' legend and he's been around for a long time, so he's a survivor. You got Keith Richards, you got Eddie Van Halen. Guys like that are cockroaches - you can't kill them.

What happened with David Lee Roth and you guys?

WEILAND - We were asked to perform, and kind of what happened was he wanted to sing the song "Jump". We felt from an artistic standpoint, and I'm being totally honest with you, that that wasn't a song that we felt comfortable with. We don't have keyboards, and we felt to bring a keyboard onstage wouldn't work for us. And we said we would do "Jamie's Cryin'" or "You Really Got Me", and he was adamant that that wasn't okay.

SCOTT ESSMAN - Mike, when you were in the clubs with Van Halen, did you have any idea that you'd be here, thirty years later?

MIKE - Not at all. You're working so hard and doing what you love to do, you don't even realize that things like this that are happening. What year did we win the Grammy? 1991? We were out touring, I think, when we did a small acceptance speech from on the road. You don't really look at it. We're out there doing just what we love doing. I mean, like right now, you look back, and some of the stuff they showed of me in the monitors, some of the early stuff, it's like I didn't think I grew old graciously.

Mike would it be Van Halen if they go on the road without you? You were a huge part of that band?

MIKE - They haven't yet.

Scott Essman is a freelance journalist living in the Los Angeles area. He covers behind-the-scenes aspects of movies, TV, and music. Contact him at scottessman@yahoo.com.

Thank you, Scott Essman, for taking the time transcribing this!

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