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Michael Anthony

Here are some interesting facts about Michael Anthony best known as the bassist and backing vocalist for the hard rock band "Van Halen":


  • He was born Michael Anthony Sobolewski on June 20, 1954, in Chicago, Illinois.


  • He moved to California as a child and grew up in Arcadia, California.


  • His father was a trumpet player, which influenced his early interest in music.


  • Michael began playing trumpet, then guitar, and finally switched to bass during high school.


  • He attended Arcadia High School, performing in several local bands.


  • He studied at Pasadena City College, where he met Alex Van Halen and Eddie Van Halen.


  • Michael joined the band "Mammoth" in the early 1970s, replacing Mark Stone. The bans soon became "Van Halen".


  • Beside playing bass Anthony was also the band's backing vocalist. He Provided backing vocals on hits like "Panama", "Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love", and "Why Can’t This Be Love".



  • Anthony Played on "Van Halen"’s debut album (1978), a groundbreaking release in hard rock.


  • He continued on "Van Halen II" (1979), further establishing his vocal and bass role.


  • Anthony performed on "MCMLXXXIV" (1984), one of the band’s most successful albums. He played synth bass on the song "I'll Wait"


  • Anthony stayed in "Van Halen" even after David Lee Roth left the band and Sammy Hagar joined in 1985, and played on "5150" (1986), which is the band's first No. 1 album.


  • He continued on "OU812" (1988), through "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge" (1991), which won a Grammy.


  • His last studio album with the band was "Van Halen III" released in 1998. He was replaced by Wolfgang Van Halen in 2006.


  • Anthony is known for using the iconic Jack Daniel’s bass, shaped like a whiskey bottle.


  • He maintained a strong creative and personal connection with Sammy Hagar post-"Van Halen".


  • Anthony played in Hagar’s solo backing band "The Waboritas" during the late 1990s and early 2000s.


  • He joined the short-lived supergroup "Planet Us" in 2002–2003 with Sammy Hagar, Neal Schon, Deen Castronovo, and Joe Satriani.


  • Anthony co-founded the supergroup "Chickenfoot" in 2008 with Sammy Hagar, Joe Satriani, and Chad Smith of "Red Hot Chili Peppers".


  • They released "Chickenfoot" (2009) and "Chickenfoot III" (2011), receiving strong reviews.


  • In 2014, Anthony formed "Sammy Hagar and The Circle" with Jason Bonham, Vic Johnson, and Sammy Hagar.


  • In 2015 they released "At Your Service", a live album featuring "Van Halen" and solo-era classics.


  • In 2019 "The Circle" released "Space Between", their debut studio album, reaching No. 4 on the Billboard 200.


  • In 2021 they released "Lockdown 2020", a quarantine covers album recorded remotely.


  • On 2022 they released "Crazy Times", produced by Dave Cobb and showcasing new original material.


  • Anthony runs Mad Anthony’s Cafe, his own brand of hot sauces, BBQ tools, and merchandise.


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