They usually say that after they've had a chest x-ray for some reason and the technician tells them something like that. I think they misunderstand something somewhere along the line or have selective hearing. What was probably meant was that they have no tumors. You can have chronic bronchitis or emphysema and still have clear lungs in that regard.

I most recently heard the "they said my lungs are totally clear" line from a friend of mine who smokes an eighth of an ounce of weed a day when he can afford it, and has smoked a pack of day of Marlboro reds for thirty years. He hacks up black shit in the mornings, but, yeah, his lungs are totally clear. People will go to great lengths to rationalize their addictions.

She'd been a pack-a-day smoker for decades by that time, and she took the doctor's statement as a guarantee of her own indestructibility, i.e., "smoke as much as you want--you're fine."

In retrospect, it was probably the most damaging thing anyone said to her in her adult life.

I posted the slams he made against Michael Anthony, but clicked through to read the whole interview and read the things about the metal picks.

If you haven't seen Sammy's response video, in which he looks straight into the camera and tells Eddie "you're a liar, fuck you," it's "must see tv."

Some crazy stuff that demonstrates that EVH completely lost his mind a long time ago. I think it was excerpted in Rolling Stone, if you want to Google it.

Pretty disturbing stuff, to say the least. And if you go to YouTube and search for "Van Halen 2004" and watch any random selection of clips, there is no reason to suspect that Sammy was telling anything but the truth.

He may have cleaned up his act when it comes to his alcoholism and other substance-related demons, but he is still a mean, mean son of a bitch.

Maybe to promote his sons career? Didn't they replace the picture of Michael Anthony on VH 1 with Eddie's son for a brief period?

Never have understood why Eddie would hurt his band and their legacy like that. Anthony was integral to the sound they had back then

I mean, I ain't one to be definitive but I know of no one that uses metal picks -let alone exclusively. Brass picks? What in the hell is he on about? I don't know anyone, and I know a lot of guitar players, but I don't know any that play with copper picks... he is full of shit.

I do know finger pickers that play with metal picks but they are are mainly made of nickel.

a claw hammer kind of pickin. Looks like little claws at the end of their fingers. They don't put such things in their mouths though.

Now we're getting a more clearer picture as to why Valerie left him.

That little harmonic squeal he gets is the result of his thumb and a Peso for a pick.

Its what you get used to? I still use a penny comfortably. We didn't have any music stores close by when I started playing so had to make do.

I did start making plectrums from plastic coffee can lids though

Unusual but not unheard of.

They'll wear your strings out FAST! That's OK if you're a rock star, but not when you're on a budget

That could mean a lot of different things. All of them are hoo-LARIOUS.

"Eddie Van Halen is an asshole"

"I guess he won't be joining KISS"

Being an asshole is pretty much a prerequisite to joining KISS, isn't it?

I still remember all the drama when Roth left the band in the 80s. Hard to believe that he's turned out to be the relatively mature and level-headed one of that pair.

She used IV drugs back in the day, but swears she got the Hep C from a pedicure.

at age 63 after 40+ years of heavy smoking and drinking. My wife contracted it without being in any of the risk groups but she's alive and now cancer free thanks to a fantastic team of doctors and tremendous progress in treatment over the last 12 years.

I don't know if Eddie is an asshole but he sure isn't too bright. I wish him well as it is a terrible disease and after seeing what the two most important people in my life went through, wouldn't wish it on anybody. Asshole or not.

but always thought Roth was the clown of that group.

That was his shtick, acting silly on stage, he was "Diamond Dave."

caused the rift between he and Eddie Van Halen. Seems Eddie wanted to be more serious with good guitar playing, and Roth wanted to ham it up. Even with the studio music. I could be wrong about that though. Also, seems you have to somewhat appeal to the lowest common denominator to sell A LOT of records. Maybe Roth was more business and Eddie more artistic?

Blames woo for his cancer, throws tantrums about Roth doing his shtick.

back then. Maybe he went along with Roth because the money was rolling in. Maybe he got bitter because he fancied himself a serious musician. Not saying that is the case, but just my impression. Not an excuse, but just a reason.

Roth, on the other hand, continued to ham it up. He recently had some dumb talk radio show and continues something similar.

I saw Van Halen and never really saw anything special. Eddie Van Halen made that band with some actual talent and Roth should be indebted to him. Eddie might be a present day jerk, but I don't think Roth would recognize talent if it bit him in the ass.

It is not totally far-fetched. The EM theory, not so much. but the fact that it's on his tongue lends the theory credence.

blaming his cancer on metal picks is the very least in a looooooooooooooooooooooooooong line of things that demonstrate what an asshole he is.

And I'm not even counting the ire I feel towards him for defiling my precious Valerie. That's a hole 'nother kettle of hatred. (I reckon I can't count that because she wasn/t, isn't, won't be "my" precious Valerie. I doubt she would have been interested in me when I was a googley eyed teenage boy and I doubt she'd be interested now. But that doesn't stop me from adoring her. GOt some hate for the motorcycle guy, Jesse James, for much the same reasons.)