Well, now it’s official. I’ll believe it when I see it with my own eyes, but supposedly, for the first time since 1984, David Lee Roth will once again take his rightful place as the voice of Van Halen. At least that’s what the band told the world at their press conference earlier this week. They even announced a full-fledged world tour, beginning September 27^th in Charlotte, North Carolina. 

Earlier this year the rumor mill was ablaze with word of a possible “reunion” tour (original bassist Michael Anthony has been replaced by Wolfgang “Wolfie” Van Halen, Eddie’s son), but things never got off the ground for reasons that included Eddie Van Halen’s most recent trip to rehab for alcoholism. “None of us wanted to give you less than our best,” Eddie explained about the aborted attempt this spring. But after four months of rehearsals he assures us now, “We are at our best.”

In addition to the tour, the band is also reportedly looking forward to writing and recording a new album together. Insisting that this is a “new band” and not a reunion, the band is presenting a united front for the first time in more than two decades. Is it possible that Diamond Dave and Eddie have really set aside their longstanding public disdain for each other and are moving forward as friends? It is if you believe what the members themselves are saying these days. “This is like a brotherhood like it never was before,” said Roth at the press conference. “We’re getting along better than we ever have before,” Eddie added. Once again, I’ll believe it when I see it.

On a curious side note, earlier this week it was discovered that on the official Van Halen website, Michael Anthony’s image had been altogether removed from the cover art on the albums Van Halen and Women and Children First and replaced by Wolfie’s. Apparently this little tasteless display of altering history generated some serious heat, because the images on the site have since been returned to their original form.