During this very week about 9 years ago, former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony proved again why he's such a cool guy.  He heard about this 18-year-old kid in California, an aspiring musician named Brian Mammen who was suffering with bone cancer, and paid him a visit at his home.  They hung out for an hour, jammed, took pictures, etc., and then he autographed a guitar, took it also over to Sammy Hagar for an autograph, and then donated it for auction to raise money for Brian's treatments.

Brian sadly died about 18 months later, but that kind of gesture by Michael Anthony not only warms the heart, it convinces me that the Van Halen brothers have twice dismissed the wrong guys from the band!  Michael Anthony's voice and backing vocals have proven to be irreplaceable, and so I think has his character.

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