Michael Anthony of Van Halen & Chickenfoot Shares His Favorite Songs

My favorite bass player growing up was John Paul Jones. This song still gives me the goose bumps when I hear the breakdown bass part in the middle.

Who doesn't love Hendrix?? I dug all his stuff, and you could pick any one for me. I just happened to pick this one.

This song is the reason I never needed to play in a band with more than a drummer, singer, guitarist, and bass. To me this is one of the coolest jams ever in rock 'n' roll!

Look up Rock Music in the encyclopedia, and there should be a picture of these guys! I remember on the first Van Halen tour through Europe, we wore out the cassette tape playing this song on the tour bus every day!! Got us through the whole tour...

One of the coolest bass jams ever. I learned this one note for note!!

This song is like a freight train! I always loved Steve Marriott's voice. I wanted to sing just like him!

A great rock band. Their early albums really influenced my early days playing music. Ian Gillan's screams were the reason I started screaming in the songs we were doing. He was one of the most incredible rock singers ever.

This was off my favorite album when I was in high school! There bass player, Mel Schacher had such a great bass sound on this. I played and lead sang this song with my band.

Our first producer, Ted Templeman, produced these guys, and I remember all of us in Van Halen telling Ted that we wanted to sound big and bad, just like them. Who would have known that one day I would end up playing in a band with Sammy Hagar, who was their lead singer?? I still play this song with Sammy when we perform today. This is one of the great all time rock songs.