The Johnny Beane Podcast

On this episode of Exclusively Van Halen on Johnny Beane TV, we’re talking about an incredible Van Halen reunion of sorts!

Mitch Malloy — the “lost” Van Halen singer who nearly joined the band in 1996 — just shared the stage with former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony!

At the 2026 Vegas Rocks! Magazine Music Awards in Las Vegas, Malloy and Anthony teamed up for a powerful performance of the Van Halen classic “Ain’t Talkin’ ’Bout Love.” And the lineup was stacked!

🎸 Mitch Malloy — Vocals
🎸 Michael Anthony — Bass
🥁 Blas Elias (Slaughter) — Drums
🎸 Gilby Clarke (Guns N’ Roses) — Guitar
🎸 Christian Brady (Hellyeah) — Guitar
🎤 Jeff Scott Soto — Backing Vocals
🎸 Tracii Guns (L.A. Guns) — Guitar

The performance took place Sunday, September 20, 2026, at The Orleans Showroom in Las Vegas during Sally Steele’s eighth Vegas Rocks! Magazine Music Awards.

Fan-filmed video of the performance was uploaded by Diana Lyons on YouTube.

🔥 THE VAN HALEN CONNECTION

For longtime Van Halen fans, this performance is especially interesting because Mitch Malloy came incredibly close to becoming Van Halen’s fourth lead singer.

Back in the summer of 1996, Malloy was brought into the Van Halen world following the departure of Sammy Hagar.

According to Malloy, the road to 5150 started when a former road manager repeatedly told him that Sammy was going to be fired and that Mitch could become the next singer of Van Halen.

Malloy initially didn't believe it.

Then something happened that changed everything:

Eddie Van Halen called.

Desmond Child had been working with Eddie and told the band that Malloy could be the right person for Van Halen. Before long, Mitch was on a plane to Los Angeles and inside Eddie’s legendary 5150 studio.

Malloy later recalled that Eddie told him he was in the band on his third day at the studio.

But then came one of the most unforgettable moments in Van Halen history.

📺 THE NIGHT EVERYTHING CHANGED

At the 1996 MTV Video Music Awards, Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen and Michael Anthony reunited onstage with David Lee Roth for the first time in 12 years.

Malloy was watching the broadcast alone.

And when Roth walked onto the stage, Mitch immediately realized what it meant for his future with Van Halen.

In his own recollection, Malloy said he knew at that moment that he wasn't going to be the singer of Van Halen.

That dream was over.

Van Halen ultimately chose Gary Cherone as their next frontman, resulting in the 1998 album Van Halen III.

🎸 FAST-FORWARD TO 2026...

Nearly three decades later, Mitch Malloy is back onstage performing a Van Halen classic — with Michael Anthony standing beside him.

Malloy shared photos with Anthony afterward and expressed how great it was to see him again and finally rock together in front of an audience.

And for Van Halen fans who know the history, there's something pretty special about seeing these two musicians sharing the stage after everything that happened in 1996.

🤘 MORE FROM MITCH MALLOY

Malloy's career has gone far beyond his connection to Van Halen.

• Former frontman of Great White
• Award-winning songwriter
• Has written with Desmond Child, Jim Weatherly, Mike Reid, Dennis Morgan, Victoria Shaw and others
• Former publishing deals with Warner Chappell and Chrysalis Music
• Has worked with artists and companies including Taylor Swift, Boys Like Girls, Kenny Loggins, Craig Morgan and Sony Music
• Voiceover work for Outdoor Channel and Field & Stream
• Even became a voice for Starburst candy
• His Van Halen story is chronicled in the 2013 documentary “Mitch Malloy: Van Halen’s Lost Boy”

And now, in 2026, Malloy has added another incredible chapter to the story:

Sharing the stage with Michael Anthony and performing “Ain’t Talkin’ ’Bout Love.”

🎸 What do YOU think about Mitch Malloy performing Van Halen with Michael Anthony?

#VanHalen #MitchMalloy #MichaelAnthony #ExclusivelyVanHalen

On this episode of Talking Guitars on Johnny Beane TV, we’re talking about a major new development from Fender that could change the way guitarists experience single-coil pickups. 🎸

Did Fender finally solve the single-coil hum problem — without changing your pickups or your tone?

🔇 Fender’s new Silent System is designed to eliminate unwanted single-coil hum.
⚡ It’s a passive, battery-free system built directly into the guitar.
🎸 Unlike traditional noiseless pickups, Fender says the system can work with almost any pickup, including aftermarket pickups.
🛠️ The technology is hidden underneath the pickguard, so the guitars look completely traditional from the outside.
🔬 Fender is debuting the technology in Limited Edition American Professional Classic Stratocaster and Telecaster models.
🎵 The Strat features three vintage-inspired Coastline ’57 single-coil pickups, while the Tele uses two Coastline ’63 pickups.
💰 Both guitars are priced at $1,599.99 in the U.S.
🤔 Fender has been making Noiseless pickups for years, so what makes this new approach different?
🔥 With Fender, Gibson and other major manufacturers investing heavily in new pickup technology, is the next big evolution in guitar tone already here?

This could be one of the most interesting guitar technology developments Fender has introduced in years. Could this finally give single-coil players the classic tone they love without the unwanted hum?

What do you think — would you want this technology in your next Strat or Tele?

#Fender #Stratocaster #GuitarTech #SingleCoil

On this episode of Exclusively Van Halen on Johnny Beane TV, we’re going back to September 22, 1985 — the day Sammy Hagar was supposed to introduce himself to the world as the new singer of Van Halen.

And it happened at one of the biggest benefit concerts in rock history.

🎸 Farm Aid 1985
On this day in 1985, the very first Farm Aid concert was held at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois.
The event was organized by Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, and Neil Young to raise money for struggling family farmers.
The lineup was absolutely loaded with legendary artists, including:
Alabama
The Beach Boys
Bob Dylan
Merle Haggard
Waylon Jennings
Loretta Lynn
And Sammy Hagar
Hagar had already been booked to perform at Farm Aid before he officially replaced David Lee Roth in Van Halen.
That meant Farm Aid was supposed to be the perfect opportunity for Sammy to publicly announce that he had joined Van Halen.
The concert was being broadcast live on television and radio, with an enormous audience watching and listening.
🤘 Then Sammy Hagar Went Onstage
Sammy opened his set with “There’s Only One Way to Rock.”
He was playing in front of a massive crowd — reports put the audience at around 80,000 to 90,000 people.
Then came “I Can’t Drive 55.”

While introducing the song, Sammy got a little carried away and famously said:

“Here’s a song for all you tractor-pulling motherf*ers!”**

There was just one problem:

The concert was being broadcast live.

📺 And Then They Pulled the Plug
According to Sammy Hagar's 2012 autobiography, Red: My Uncensored Life in Rock, the radio broadcast was immediately shut down.
The live television feed was also taken off the air.
Sammy later described the situation as basically screwing everything up.
And unfortunately, that meant the big Van Halen announcement didn't happen the way it was supposed to.
🎤 Sammy Brings Out Van Halen
Sammy and Van Halen still went ahead with the plan.
Eddie Van Halen and the band joined Sammy onstage.
Together, they performed a version of Van Halen's “Rock and Roll.”
But by that point, the television and radio broadcasts were already off the air.
So the moment that could have introduced Sammy Hagar as the new singer of Van Halen to a massive national audience was essentially missed.
📼 But There’s a Silver Lining
Fortunately, footage of that historic first public performance does exist.
And looking back now, it's an incredible moment in Van Halen history.
Sammy Hagar had officially stepped into one of the biggest rock bands in the world.
And his first public appearance with Van Halen happened at the very first Farm Aid.

So here's the question:

What if Sammy Hagar hadn't gone off-script at Farm Aid 1985?

Would that have become one of the biggest live television moments in Van Halen history?

#VanHalen #SammyHagar #EddieVanHalen #FarmAid

On this episode of Exclusively Van Halen on Johnny Beane TV, we pay tribute to Kenneth “Ken” Deane, a key behind-the-scenes member of the Van Halen family who worked closely with Eddie Van Halen and Donn Landee at 5150 Studios.

Ken passed away unexpectedly on September 3rd, leaving behind his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and many other loved ones.

Ken was a talented and hardworking audio engineer who worked with Warner Bros., Amigo, Universal, and Van Halen. He served as an engineer and studio manager at Eddie Van Halen’s 5150 Studios, where he worked alongside legendary chief engineer Donn Landee.

🎸 Steve Rosen Remembers Ken

Music writer and longtime Van Halen insider Steve Rosen also shared the news of Ken’s passing and some incredible memories of their time together at 5150.

Rosen remembered Ken as:

🎚️ The office engineer and manager at 5150
🎛️ Donn Landee’s go-to guy
🎸 Someone who was deeply involved in the day-to-day world of 5150
🤝 A quiet, hardworking person who always took the time to greet and welcome visitors
❤️ Someone Rosen remembered as clearly loving Eddie and Donn

Rosen first interviewed Ken on February 19, 1985, alongside Howard Weiss, who co-designed 5150. Rosen later spoke with Ken again on August 12, 1985.

One of the things Rosen remembered most was learning that Ken lived in Big Bear, California. Ken would make the long drive to 5150, often arriving early and staying late to avoid traffic. Rosen described Ken as someone who valued his solitude and was willing to make that incredible commute to work at the studio he loved.

Rosen has since made his original interviews with Ken available again in two parts, giving fans a rare opportunity to hear Ken's own stories and insights from his time inside 5150.

As Rosen put it, Ken was there “in the very belly of the beast.”

❤️ Remembering Ken’s Life

Ken's granddaughter Heather Durazo created a GoFundMe on behalf of his children, Diana and Kenny, as the family deals with his unexpected loss and the costs of his final arrangements.

Unfortunately, Ken did not have life insurance, and in recent years he had experienced financial difficulties related to ongoing health problems.

The family is asking for help with:

🕊️ Funeral and final expenses
❤️ Giving Ken the farewell he deserves
🙏 Supporting his family during this difficult time
📢 Sharing the fundraiser with others who may be able to help

No donation is too small. And if you're unable to donate, simply sharing the fundraiser can make a difference.

Ken is survived by his children Diana and Kenny; his first wife, Patricia Deane Hughes; grandchildren Heather, Monica, Audrianna and Milo; great-grandchildren Carter and Izabellah; niece Kathy Hyatt; nephew James Deane; and many more beloved family members.

Ken Deane may not have been a household name to every Van Halen fan, but his work was part of the story happening behind the music.

He was there at 5150 Studios, working alongside the people who helped shape some of Van Halen's most important music.

Now, thanks to people like Steve Rosen and Ken's family, we have an opportunity to hear his stories and remember the man behind the scenes.

Rest peacefully, Ken Deane. ❤️🎸🕊️

And thank you to Steve Rosen for preserving and sharing these rare interviews and memories of Ken.

#VanHalen #EddieVanHalen #KenDeane #JohnnyBeaneTV

On this episode of Exclusively Van Halen on Johnny Beane TV, we’re talking about Sammy Hagar’s future with Van Halen music — and whether the Best of All Worlds era is coming to an end.

After two years of celebrating his Van Halen legacy alongside Michael Anthony and Joe Satriani, Sammy Hagar says he’s ready to move on.

During a recent conversation with Eddie Trunk, Hagar revealed:

“I’m kinda done with being the Van Halen guy.”

The Best of All Worlds tour began in 2024 and became such a success that it led to the current Las Vegas residency. But Hagar says the residency may be his final major run focused heavily on Van Halen material.

🎸 WHAT SAMMY HAGAR HAD TO SAY

• Best of All Worlds started as a one-time 2024 tour — but its success led to a Las Vegas residency.

• Hagar says he’ll always keep some Van Halen songs in his shows, but he doesn’t want to spend the rest of his career being known primarily as the “Van Halen guy.”

• He wants to celebrate more of his 50-year career, including Montrose, his early solo records, the Red Rocker era and his Geffen years.

• Hagar says he feels a responsibility to his longtime fans who have followed him since Montrose and his pre-Van Halen career.

• He also revealed a fascinating bucket-list project: a science-fiction-inspired rock opera built around songs from throughout his career.

• Songs including “Space Station #5,” “Silver Lights,” “Someone Out There,” “Love Walks In” and others are part of the larger concept he has envisioned.

• And perhaps the biggest news: Sammy says he plans to take a long break from touring after this year.

Hagar also admitted that he’ll be 80 years old next year and wants to be careful about how many miles he puts on the road.

So what does this mean for Van Halen fans, Michael Anthony, Joe Satriani and the future of Best of All Worlds?

And could we be seeing the end of Sammy Hagar’s Van Halen-focused touring era?

🔥 What do YOU think? Should Sammy keep performing Van Halen songs, or is it time for him to focus on his own incredible catalog?

Join the conversation in the comments!

Exclusively Van Halen on Johnny Beane TV — Rock. Riffs. Real Talk.

#VanHalen #SammyHagar #MichaelAnthony #JoeSatriani