Runnin With The Devil, Noel Monk

A much better book (more complete) about the early Van Halen years (otherwise known as the Roth era), than Alex Van Halen’s book. Alex was truthful, though it could be read that he was selective in his choices of what he wanted to tell in the relationship with the band, etc. I get it, he’s trying to protect the Van Halen property, most specifically, himself and his brother Ed. Though the book Monk wrote seems much more in line with what really occurred. Monk was the manager and on the road with Van Halen up until Roth left, so if you want the complete story of that particularly period in the Van Halen years before Hagar, go here and read this book. The debauchery, the glory, the musicianship of the band… it’s all here. So, it’s the good and bad times. Cutting out Michael Anthony in the money % of the band during the making of the 1984 album and he became only a hired player was one thing specifically that showed the changes and ‘brotherhood’ that was once there, was now gone. Before this, the band split everything equally. Monk muses about what could have been - the band, his life in it. But, that’s life right? The question of ‘what could have been if this or that occurred’. The past is over, the future is untold. Live present and life will unfold its grace to you.