Bass legend Billy Sheehan recorded and toured for original Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth's first solo album, Eat 'Em And Smile, in 1986. During an interview on Breaking Absolutes, he discussed his work on the record and tour, as well as Sons of Apollo, Winery Dogs, Mr. Big, Talas, bass innovation, his solo work, and more.

On working with David Lee Roth 

Sheehan: "Dave was very, very smart and I love him dearly. It was his bat and ball, it was his game, it was his thing. He did it right, he treated us very well, and we had a great time on that tour. And mostly ideas of anything that you see that is cool or clever or interesting, were Dave's ideas. That's just the way he is, quite a talent in many respects. I'm forever grateful to him for giving me the break he did and doing that band with him, and working with Steve Vai, Gregg Bissonette, and Brett Tuggle also. Just dear, dear friends of mine and wonderful supremely talented people.

We did it with a tongue-in-cheek comedy too, we didn't want to just go: 'Hey, watch this stuff.' As a matter of fact, the solos we did in the show, the first couple shows I'd go out and do my bass solo, Steve would do his solo later in the set, and we'd end the show. About two or three shows in, Dave called me and Steve and he goes, 'You know, the solo thing, it's not working for me.' 'Oh, what does that mean? ' He goes, 'It should be like a giant tractor pull, like, you guys battle it out! So, Steve, you go start, Bill, you run up behind him, grab his guitar and mute it, push him aside, and you play, and Steve, you push...' And he orchestrated the whole battle thing, it was Dave's idea completely. We did it and people went crazy!

Like I said before about a bass solo, you want it to be musical but also in a live show, you want some entertainment. You're there not see somebody staring at his shoes, playing his amazing augmented diminished cemented chords, and everything. So when we did that, it was supremely entertaining and funny and fun. And Steve and I had a blast doing it. And it worked, so thanks to Dave, he created quite an entity with that."

Eat 'Em And Smile was original Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth's debut full-length solo album, released on July 7th, 1986.

Tracklist:

"Yankee Rose"
"Shyboy"
"I'm Easy"
"Ladies' Nite In Buffalo?"
"Goin' Crazy!"
"Tobacco Road"
"Elephant Gun"
"Big Trouble"
"Bump And Grind"
"That's Life"

Photo by Neil Zlozower / Atlas Icons