Kool & the Gang Opening for Van Halen- ODD!!

Classic rock fans have been left on the edge of their seats for some time now as Van Halen has threatened to put out a new album and even tour. Well, both are very true, the new album is called A Different Kind of Truth and set to be released February 7 and will be preceded by a new single called "Tattoo," which will debut tomorrow,  January 10. Perhaps the oddest part of all this Van Halen news is who they have slated to open shows on their tour, Kool & the Gang... 

To be honest I didn't even know the funky disco band was still together, or even alive. But actually, only a few members have been replaced, and yes three former members have passed. The Bell brothers who originally founded the band, wrote and sang for them too are still going strong. In 2007, the band released a new album, and in 2010, they released a new single. So there you have it, Kool & the Gang are still proving why they have sold over 70 million albums.

That still doesn't mean it makes sense to me that Van Halen would have them open shows. Although, it is not the first time they have made a bold hire. Ky-Mani Marley opened shows for Van Halen in 2008. The son of Bob Marley didn’t bill himself as a reggae musician however. He told Billboard his sound at the time was “really edgy, really urban.” That’s not anything near the sound Van Halen has tried to replicate, even during the forgettable Gary Cherone years.

Other odd pairings I can think of include Hendrix opening for the Monkees, Black Oak Arkansas for Pink Floyd, Miles Davis once opened for Steve Miller, Patti Labelle opened for The Who, and Stevie Wonder once opened for the Stones. Still Kool & the Gang with Van Halen may top them all.

Van Halen will and Kool & the Gang will make a stop in Denver in May at the Pepsi Center, tickets go on sale on January 14th.