Music Legend Says No To Joining Van Halen was a top story in April. Here is the recap: Not many musicians would turn down a gig with Van Halen. But most musicians aren't Jeff Berlin. We received the following announcement about Berlin's new album, 'High Standards,' but the part about Van Halen was so compelling that we had to lead with it. So read on for that story and details about his new album! Jeff Berlin's resume reads like the who's who of the higher echelon of music artists. Jeff Berlin was even asked to join Van Halen, an invitation that he actually turned down. "Eddie Van Halen was a fan of the band that I played in with Bill Bruford," Berlin recalls. "We met and started to hang out and jam together. He was a sweet terrific guy. One day he saw me play a gig with my group and then asked me if I would like to join Van Halen. After this, we rehearsed at David Lee Roth's house a couple of times. Ultimately, I said no to his gracious offer because when you join a band, you join the entirety of it, the life philosophy of its members and also the habits that they may be involved with. I felt that, in terms of activities and attitudes, I didn't mesh with their vision of things. I didn't wish to be mercenary and just take the job for money because it wouldn't be fair to the band members. So, I just said no to the offer."
Jeff Berlin is a legend of the electric bass, considered by many to be the finest electric bass player in the world. A true master of the bass, Jeff Berlin has played with the likes of Bill Bruford, George Benson, Allan Holdsworth, and even toured with original members of Yes (Anderson, Wakeman, Bruford, Howe) on only three days' notice. Much to the anticipation of his fans, Jeff is releasing a new jazz trio CD on his own MAJ Records label titled 'High Standards'.
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2010 is almost halfway gone. Join us this holiday weekend as we look back at the top stories from the first half of this year. This was a top story from April.
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