Wolfgang Van Halen EXPOSES “Fake” Performances 

Do you think bands using backing tracks at live shows is cheating the audience, or is it just adapting to modern technology?

If Pink Floyd and Rush played their songs live, these less complicated songs should be easy.

I love how Motley Crue used tracks and yet they still manage to sound awful 😆

This video needed a backing track.

If you call yourself a band, play live,no b,s,.come on.😢

Why would you pay the ridiculous price for a ticket to listen to the CD you already own

If You are Standing on Stage You Better Be Playing fo Real. Other wise It’s air Guitar and Lip Syncing. Every time I have been on Stage I Played. LIVE. Screw ups and all dirty things that go along with it. Anyone else ???

I agree with Wolfie. I have seen Lita Ford, Stryper and a couple of other bands have keyboard tracks playing because they didn't have a keyboard player for that show. I don't mind something like that so much, even though I'd love to see all of the music played live, but if you are there, on stage, holding an instrument or microphone, I fully expect to see and hear you actually singing and playing your instrument with no pre-recorded tracks. I buy albums for recorded music. I buy concert tickets to see the band actually performing those songs. Concert goers have every right to expect nothing less that a real live show. Especially as much as concert tickets are these days, there is no excuse to fake a show. If you can't deliver that, then don't get into the music business PERIOD!

If the tracks are used, the laptop should be featured on the album covers as a member of the band and also be introduced on stage as well.

Somewhere, the keyboard greats of the 60s and 70s are saying "You need your laptop? Hold my mellotron."

I did see an interview on Rick Beato’s channel where The Rolling Stones house engineer said he had one artist who used tracks. The engineer said he was against using tracks but the artist had 2 songs ( one with keyboards and one with horns ) but couldn’t justify hiring 4 people for for the for only 2 songs.

narrator's mush mouth is hard to take for very long

Rush didn't use backing tracks they just sounded like they did, they were that good at recreating their studio sound live.

In the late 80s Milli Vanilli got called out for this but now it’s ok 😂

Tickets need to have disclaimers about bands using tracks otherwise you should be able to sue the promoter, the venue, the band, and the ticketing agency. You're buying a contract to a live performance

I was running sound for a casino band, and these people had a keyboard backing track, a guitar track, and background vocals. People were coming up to me and asking where they signed up for the karaoke :)

I totally agree with everything wolfy hand down .

If you can't do it live. Just retire.

With a lot of modern rock, there is a heavy use of electronic instruments like software synths and drum loops in sections of the song. I have no problem with bands using backing tracks for these, but it should always be live drums, bass, guitar and vocals. If they can't pull that off live, then they aren't a band. They are music producers.

Ray Manzarek: I'm leaving The Doors Jim Morrison: That's cool. Leave your laptop

The only use of a backing track would be for a signature song part from a recording that can’t really be replicated live. Perfect example would be the reversed car horns intro to VH “Running with the Devil.” That would be a fun track to hear before Mike hits his bass. If bands have backing tracks that are so important that they can’t play without them? That means they can’t play, period.

I had/have great respect for his dad. I'm 68 and raised on real rock and roll when garage bands would rip up a fender to the point you could feel the blood on their fingers. I was lucky to work as a flunky at an arena where some of the greatest played and I don't think people know how real these guys were, even back stage. They never seemed comfortable unless they had a guitar across their lap and picking on it. Also, back then, they were so cool to everyone. From the runners bringing them stuff to drink, finding an amp cord that got ruined during the las load or just sitting back stage talking. No ego's, and sure, their was drug use here and there but not like people thing. I tried my best to get to work back stage win your dad's band played but I couldn't trade with anyone. The guys that did said he was super cool to all of them and took time to thank them. A lot of the great bands did that but your dad was one of the best. Some bands were just dicks. Not many but they read how a rock band should act, and they acted that way. What's funny, back then, if it was possible, and someone faked their playing or singing, no one would have had them open or open for them. That would be a huge BS move. Watched a few groups that were tight and seen them play at different times. Seen guitar strings snap amp's fail, someone miss a change, but the band was so good, unless you knew, you never knew. That's because it was live and they were stars. As an old guy, I still go to concerts. But I only go to those not using auto tune, lip sync and pre-recorded tracks. Just saw James Taylor play and it was solid JT. I've seen him many times and even when he got a bit lost in a song, the band picked it up and the fans would never have known if he wouldn't have mentioned it. I know JT is not hard rock but he's a great example of what I'm saying. Have some friends, my age and less, that tried to make a go of it back in the 70's and they were great. Unfortunately a lot of great bands are missed by that one lucky tune that would have made the difference. A couple of guys had died from the original band, Drummer and base player, but the core, the 3 on guitars, could still rip it up. They did some stuff that I couldn't believe. B was tearing the heart out of the stratocaster he bought used and beat to hell in 1970. Not valuable as he had to fix a lot of things to get her to run like a scared cat, but he could make her fly, like he did that night. Your dad was a hero to those of us that appreciated rock and when his band came along, it was magic. I've also followed you and man you play like your dad. I wish more people would have the guts to call out fake bands. If I want prerecorded lip sync, I'll go to Karaoke night or get guitar hero. I hope to seen you in my state soon. Look for me...I'll be the old guy that bought the tickets up front. Ha. Keep it up. You're making dad proud

This is the reason why we no longer have great bands. Only the "old" bands prevail. Like Maiden, Metallica, Dream Theater or Sabaton. No new bands are arriving at the scene and claiming that throne. When this generation of bands disappear we will no longer have great bands, and only those karaoke bands like falling in reverse or baby metal.

I quit going to concerts quite a while ago because of that very reason. I'm not shelling out $100 or $200 for a ticket only to hear a recording. I can do that in my own living room for free other than the cost of the CD. It's ridiculous. If a band can't play their own music then they shouldn't be up there period All they're doing is stealing from their fans

I feel the same way about. I would rather hear everyone on stage play their instruments live than hear a perfect version of the music like on the album. Concert tickets are too expensive to go to a concert hearing laptops deliver a perfect version of a song. If concert goers accept backing tracks to live performances, what’s next replacing a member of the band with backing tracks when the band performs live. I am glad that I am old enough to have experienced real live performances.

The most comical point is how against it that Eddie Trunk is and simultaneously his hard on for KISS 😂

I am 57 and started going to concerts in the early 80's.One of my first concerts was Van Halen in 1983.I got to see many great bands in my time but i have no plans to ever go see another concert. Well i would go see the Stones if i had the chance but i have seen them in concert before. Got to see the Steel Wheels tour in 1989 at Legion Field in Birmingham Alabama.So yeah i would go see them again because it's all live and hell, it's the freaking Rolling Stones.

I go to live tribute band concerts every year and most of them use some type of backing tracks. Keyboards are used on backing tracks all the time and sometimes the bass is also. It doesn't really bother me because I can tell what is live and what is a backing track. Usually the backing tracks are only used on a few songs where it is not feasible to have that person there just for a couple songs. My main thing is the guitar. If the lead guitar and drums were on a backing track I would not bother going.

December 7, 1973 The Four Tops introduced Todd Rundgren by saying he would be singing and playing piano to a backing track of himself playing all other instruments on The Midnight Special

I don't have a problem with a backing track of a second guitar on certain songs, or keyboards to fill in the sound a little better, but the band has to actually be playing and singing live, not miming or lip syncing.

Van Halen ate legendary because...BEST LIVE BAND EVER!!!!!!!!😊

Hmmm... where was that Jump keyboard part coming from? That's right. It was all pre-recorded. A BACKING TRACK!! Eddie stopped playing the keyboards live back in '89!

Eddie VH used to play keyboards live but by their last tour, it was a backing track keyboard on "Jump". I know Wolfgang gave an exception for this but its still sort of hypocritical since it is something that Eddie could have done live but chose not to.

It's understandable if a band is I'm their 80's and partly or mostly deaf and need some cues to keep playing in time. Or if am artist or performer is open about essentially synching so people know to expect. For people to accept someone as a musician, it's pretty apparent that being able to truly play live is essential. Rock on KISS with your backing tracks but everyone else get tf real.

Back in 93 when I was a kid I saw VH at Jones Beach Theater for the Right Here Right Now tour. One of their songs ended with alot of flashing lights and a brief horn section. Being that young it was confusing. Sammy told the audience after that the horns were a recorded track for they cannot tour with an orchestra. After saying that I thought that was cool of him to fill us in. I guess it was a newish thing back then.

I saw Queen many years ago and the left the stage and played recorded vocals for the middle part of Bohemian Rhapsody. I wonder how he would feel about that?

Charge $10 for a ticket, not $200 if you’re using a backing track for the core of the band’s sound. I wonder if fans could sue the promoter or band if the ticket says live when it’s obviously not?

I AGREE' ...AS A MUSICIAN'..PLAY IT OR GIVE THE STAGE TO SOMEONE WHO DOES.!"

How many times can you say backing tracks?

Using non-disclosed backing tracks is cheating an audience. It's that simple.

I’ve played many gigs over the years with just myself(drummer) and guitar player / lead singer. We have bass backing tracks and keyboard/ synth backing tracks. Ive never even seen a younger guy in his 20’s into synths and the type of music we play in the Pittsburgh area in my 5-6 years of playing live shows.

I agree. I’ve been playing for years. And I hate when big bands overdub tracks live to hide the BS mistakes

100% agree with Wolf's take. I don't want give away my money to go watch a band mime on stage.

I'm aware of all instruments in a band. Recently went to a club and 3 people in live band...piano, drums and lead guitar. Couldn't figure out where that hard pulsing heavy base was coming from. Later asked lead guitarist and he said it's him playing lead and base at same time with 2 bottom base strings so I thought he was greatest guitarist ever. Now I'm wondering if that base was backing track.

I'm with Wolfie. If a band can do all of it live, they should do it live. My favorite band uses backing tracks, but they use them sparingly, to fill in with piano, synth, etc. Everyone is playing on stage and the backing track is accompaniment. They're called "Backing Tracks" for a reason: they take the place of backing musicians you can't afford to pay for the gig. Buckethead uses them while he performs solo.

Kingslayer, uses Su - metal singing voice of babymetal! In all of his recent music lyrics events! Even much earlier both music bands played in Tokyo Japan 🇯🇵 of October 30 2023. A very great reminder.👏 My great inspiring message is out again! Have a very impressive beautiful 😍 day.

Now THAT'S exactly why I have NOT seen a live show in a damn long time! Thank God×😮😅😅

Wolfgang is a badass. Saw him open for Metallica and Pantera. His vocals are fantastic and his leads are next level. Guess I should’ve known. 🤘

Laptops arent used solely for backing tracks. They use them for stuff like the light show and sound mixing too

Sometimes bands use laptops to cue effects. They run midi tracks on their laptops to do switching of guitar effects. I think MegaDeth does this. Of course when they do that they also have to play to a click.

Soon they will just play the CD and do a Q & A after 😅😅😅

Motley Crue should be an exception, because Vince sounds like crap .

This don't record anything You can't play live. Its that simple.

Eddie certainly didn't fake it live ,no one would play that horribly

We don't use a click or backing tracks. I do need a laptop, or at least a cell phone because that's what I use to control our digital mixer. No laptop? No control for sound.

Take a shot every time he says the word, backing tracks

But this narration needs a backing track though😅

FGunny, VH used backing tracks. It's was a little hard for Eddie to play guitar and keyboards at the same time.

I'm okay with bands using backing tracks that fill out what they can't play live, and using click tracks to sync to the stage show. But they'd better damn well be playing their instruments and singing live.

I think creative stuff in your live tracks is cool like,voices for intro's or what not,noises and sound effects,sirens' helicopters .I think it depends on what your vision is.If a band has layers of pre-recorded tracks and it works for them,great!It can get tedious because you have to sync up to a click and you have to rehearse a lot more so everybody plays like a machine,so that's an interesting aspect! tone raven-gtr/ voc We Are The Black Things(Hollywood CA!)

I agree to add a piano that you might have had in the studio but don’t have a keyboard player to play live. As long as the instruments on the track are also the musicians in the band it’s okay. For example, if you have a three piece, drums, guitar and bass but the studio track has a keyboard then of one of the trio plays piano on the backing track it’s understandable. Of course you could simply play the song live without the piano.

Why does the narrator sound like he's learning how to read

In the cover band scene, we can play a lot of music as a 3 piece because of the tracks we made to add horns, percussion etc. cheating no, in order to perform a lot of music properly you need a ton of musicians on stage. This allows people to actually make some money. Keep the amount of people on stage down to a minimum. Not one drunk person in that bar ever gives two shits about it. You get exposed real quick if youcan’t play to a click.

Although I mostly agree with what Wolfgang says, I don't think anyone gives 3 sh!ts what an ex-rockers kid has to say. Hey my dad was a great star and this is my opinion. Um. No. You are not going to be relevant by stirring the pot. On an unrelated side note, His mom, Valerie, was my high school classmate. 🤣

You need to define the term "backing track" better. Most backing tracks aren't used to replace stage performances. They're used for parts that aren't playable on stage. I'm all for tracks for the enhancement of songs as long as they're not faking their parts on stage. That's what Radke was referring to when he spoke of their laptops.

Wolfgang is right. If a band can't perform what they recorded they shouldn't be faking it on stage. Heart, Zeppelin, Kansas, The Cars, Styx, Yes, & 1,000's of other Progressive, Classical, Country, Blues, Punk, & Reggae, Bands always played live shows without "laptops with back tracks". Yeah sometimes the music was a little different from their albums but that's what shows the true talent. Sometimes you might see 2 or 3 shows of the same tour & there would be variations night to night for better or worse, but that's the creativity & interaction of the musicians. Think Grateful Dead, or Phish. If you just want to here the exact album stay home & listen. Oh yeah & don't get me started about "Autotune" , if you can't sing, don't.

Im a one man cover "band". I do live loops and have a drum machine to complement certain songs. Though i would be fine without either. I also play hamonica. Dont believe in pre recorded. If I screw up we all hava a laugh. The whole idea is to entertain. IMO. This from yesrs of experience. I even have an exta mic for someone to sing, while I play. Thats the beauty of live performance. I was a session musician for years, and this is way more enjoyable. Thanks for the video. Im 60 plus, snd am writing without my glasses. Sorry for the mistakes

I agree with Wolfgang and I can see where like on the song Jump, backing pre-recorded keyboards would be okay. Wolfgang... what a cool name - I wish I had named one of my sons Wolfgang.

We don't have a keyboard player or horns and use tracks for that. Good keyboard players are hard to find. Clubs do not pay well and can't afford to pay 6 people. Major bands should never do it.

I need a backing track when i talk to people.

My friends in a cover band, THEY USE BACKING TRACKS. Wrap your head around that? Where is the challenge the fun the risk/reward?

As a musician myself, if I had the time and energy to write and create a song and I added other instruments on the song, on the recording and the song sounds full and what I want, then that's what I do. Currently, I am not in a band... (I participate in a church band. I play rhythm acoustic guitar, sing back up sometime lead vocals. We have a piano player lead singer and a drummer. We do not have a backing track set up nor do the church owners want to. We play over 180 Christian songs over a year or two. Spending time adding a backing track to enhance a song? We all have fulltime salary jobs plus a life outside of Sunday Praise and worship, we practice about once a week but the band has been a group in it's current configuration for about 8 years - musician come and go... We need a bass player - I play bass but who will place the guitar??? Ummm. A backing track of me on bass? Could be done. But I don't have the say so on that. Although, from time to time when I am inspired to write a song, I use a D.A.W.. Acid Pro 11 currently. I create a full song, meaning I begin writing a song with my guitar. Then I add a drum loop(s) from 1000's of beats to choose from, from there I add bass guitar, then I go back to drums and add fills and cymbals. Then I add other guitar tracks, then I will add a keyboard depending on the song, it maybe be a piano melody or strings or what ever. Sometime I will add a lead guitar. My problem is, I do not have an actual drummer, or keyboardist, guitarist, bass player or vocalist or backing vocalists. I play guitar, bass and keyboard and have a working knowledge of drums. But when I am done it sounds like a full band with effects like reverb, delay etc. I do not use autotune. I can sing. Not just sing but SING! I have written Christian songs/non Christian song. I recently played one of my originals. Did the worship leader allow me to use the original full band recording: backing track? NOPE. I played the song with the acoustic guitar and my voice. (I would loved to have played with the original song as a backing track) Did the worship leader and drummer accompany me? Nope. Did the congregating knew this original song before I got on stage? NOPE. Did the congregation sing along with me to my surprise and in key. YES. It was awesome! It's about the heart and performance not the band backing you up. As a musician, I would say I would use my backing track to help with a feeling I am trying to convey through other instruments. That is what Falling In Reverse does, they are putting on a SHOW!!! not a show. (boredom) but pure over the top entertainment - 100 percent!!. All My Life by falling in reverse is over the top production. Song and Video. I want to see this song and other songs by this band played the way I hear them. To my surprise Ronny is not always a perfect singer singing live but who cares. He puts on a SHOW! The closet the band Falling In Reverse came to my city was 3 hours away in Daytona Florida during a 4 day concert venue. It would have cost me over a 1000 dollars to get there in gas, hotel room, food etc., not including the ticket. They are worth it yes! Do to financial issues I'd rather pay my rent, utility and loan payments first. I earn extra money by utilizing my side business to generate income. Fulltime salary does NOT always cover all my expenses. Getting a band together and earning money at live shows is very difficult to do. I did that and failed at it.

It's not just backing tracks and sound effects, most bands these days use IRs piped into the house PA. Without those laptops they have no IRs or a way to control them. Hardly any bands lug amps around anymore

A late 70s YES concert was the best of the best... Fully live and then some. Mind blowing shows

No musician worthy of assessment as a pro needs anything but more more live pros around him. Period.

Not a fan of falling in reverse at all, but the laptop issue might be because they're using amp sims. More bands are doing that live now. Their music doesn't sound difficult to play at all.

During live shows it would be like ordering a meal in a restaurant and the server brings out a picture of the food.

I can't believe this guy won't go away.

I agree with Wolfie and Eddie on this using minimal backing tracks i mean backing tracks are ok for a certain section of a song but not a whole band if live shows are coming to this it makes every band out there within the past 30+ years look really bad

While I like the Brian Setzer style of just using an amp with no pedals, because the Bassman sounds amazing. That doesn’t mean guys like Danny Carey using a Mac to program libraries of sounds in his mandala pads, can’t play. It’s quite the opposite.

Agree with Wolfgang. If you can't play live, Then You Don't Play Live!

I went to a Van Halen concert in the late 80s, and I expected some use of backing tracks, as Eddie could not play keyboards and guitar simultaneously. I don't remember the song, but I'm watching Eddie and Sammy,. Eddie had left the keyboards to play guitar and I hear guitar licks, but Eddie isn't even touching the strings, and Sammy doesn't have a guitar in his hands. It didn't ruin the show for me, but I was disappointed.

I'm so glad I saw the bands that I did when I saw them because there were no backing tracks they went out there and played Kick-Ass metal 👑 Edward VH 🎸

If you've watched any band over the last 10 years, you know they all 100% use laptops. If you've watched Falling in Reverse live you understand that the laptops weren't for faking instrument playing and singing, it's because they rely heavily on tech. FFS my favorite local band uses laptops for musical beds and o5her sounds that would require additional members.

Taking WVH's statement literally, we'd never have had songs like "Bohemian Rhapsody". 😢

What to go Wolfie!! I agree completely

The biggest mistake I made when I was drinking: getting into cars with people who were drunk or high. Please- never ride with a drunk person. Never drive your car while drunk or high. The results can be deadly! Thank God I survived.

EVH did not form VH in the late 70’s. More like early 70’s. 72 to be exact. Took them years to get a record deal.

When I'M King of the World, one of my many commandments shall be...backing tracks may only be used if everyone is on ice skates.

Even local bands are pulling that shit!!! My wife and I went to see a band and I caught the bass player doing that If you can't play a bass at a local bar then pack up your gear and go home I called him out on it....

Def leppard does not use backing tracks

EVH shouldn’t have used them. During the 5150 and OU812 (and Monsters of Rock) tours, Ed played keyboards and let Sammy play the guitar parts since he could do fairly handily. Then, as they went forward, Ed decided to use recorded keyboard/piano. They should’ve stuck with the original idea. Ed and Sam playing guitar together on stage stopped, too. That sucked. Watch “Live Without a Net” and listen to the awesomeness of “There’s Only One Way to Rock”. Ed and Sam were on fire.

Charlie Watts of the Rolling Stones was using drum tracks even as far back as the Steel Wheels tour 35 years ago!

i am with wolfgang..... i perform live electronic music and use loops, samples etc. and also i rock or so i have been told and as he said i don't do anything as a guitar player in the studio that i can't do live ...been my moto for 30 years ..... there is a HUGE difference between using technology LIVE ie samples, loops and shit and IMPROV LIVE verses playing to a "tape" the whole point of playing LIVE is feeling the crowd and shit can go very good or very wrong ....that is the excitement i love technology from my 1951 national amp to my boss sy 1000 but i also play LIVE and use technology as my bitch so to speak

The point of a live musical performance is to hear and witness a high level of acuity and mastery of an instrument. I don't look at it as a technology question because the same thing could be accomplished with a tape machine. This scene from Buffalo 66 shows the absurdity of it perfectly. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-MqLAxMbLTy4.html

Live is live, studio is studio. Im not expecting a live performance to be note for note perfect. I would rather hear a warts and all approach.

As long as they’re not using kick drum tracks I don’t think I care too much. Harmonies are welcome!

If wolfy did say that he might want to remember (or forget) that back in 08 when he was playing bass for V/H they used backing tracks on the song jump during live shows. I know because i was at one of the concerts 🙄

if you lip sync or don't play your instruments or vocals then you don't deserve to play. Some added effects are ok, but fully using a track and then pantomiming to it is BS. I agree with WVH

Adjust playback speed to 1.25x for a better experience.