Van Halen Singer Dream Shattered By TV Appearance was a top 19 story of Aug. 2019: Mitch Malloy reflected on Van Halen hiring him as their lead vocalist back in 1996, but then deciding to give up the gig after seeing the band appear on TV with original frontman David Lee Roth.
The current Great White frontman recalled his brief tenure with the legendary band during an interview with Vegas Rocks! (via Sleaze Roxx).
Malloy said, "I was actually told, like it says in the documentary, on the third day I was in the band. He actually said the sentence, 'congratulations you're in the band.' Before that he said your this, you're that, compliment compliment, compliment, 'We love you. You're in the band' and actually kissed me on both cheeks. And hug me.
"So, yeah at least in that moment it was officially I was the lead singer of Van Halen. Then I went back. They had told me they were gonna go on MTV and they didn't say anything about going on MTV with David Lee Roth though (laughs).
"So, but he told me they were going on MTV cause MTV wanted them to present to support the new Van Halen. We'd really like you do this and (winks eye) well help out the new Van Halen kinda thing. Help us out we'll help you out. So, that was the deal.
"And then when Roth walked out. I mean I was at home in Nashville. I'd flown back to Nashville. So, I was like (makes big eye expression) 'uh oh'. This isn't going to work."
That confused his status with the band. "Yeeeah, well but the weird thing was that I wasn't replaced by, that's the misconception. David wasn't back in the band during that presentation. That's why things were so problematic because Ed and Al freaked out backstage. They got into a fight backstage because Dave was making it like 'I'm back in the band'. It was just a like a commercial spoof to get people to buy the best of thing.
"Dave was never back in the band. Yeah so I was like 'uh oh everyone thinks Dave is back in the band this is not going to work'. This is like suicide for any singer that steps in. Like the whole world thinks, the whole world saw that.
"So I talked to them and said 'I don't think this is going to work. I think that was kinda put the nail in the coffin for any new singer who comes in.'"
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