Editing Michael Anthony (musician) (section)

=== (1967&ndash;1974) Early musical endeavors ===
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Anthony took an interest in guitar as a teenager, but picked up the bass instead since most of his other friends already played guitar or drums. Anthony's friend Mike Hershey gave him a [[Fender Mustang]] electric guitar that Anthony converted by removing the two highest strings and playing it as a bass guitar. Eventually, his father bought him a Victoria copy of a [[Fender Precision Bass]] and a [[Gibson Guitar Corporation|Gibson]] amplifier. Anthony mostly modelled his bass playing after [[Jack Bruce]] of [[Cream (band)|Cream]], but also admired [[Led Zeppelin]]'s [[John Paul Jones (musician)|John Paul Jones]] and [[Harvey Brooks (bassist)|Harvey Brooks]] of [[Electric Flag]]. His first band was called Poverty's Children. Other bands he played in included Black Opal, Balls, and Snake. Although Anthony is naturally left-handed, he plays right-handed.

Snake, a three-piece group featuring Anthony on lead vocals and bass guitar, was the last band in which Anthony played before joining [[Van Halen]]. Snake played covers of [[ZZ Top]], [[Lynyrd Skynyrd]], and [[Foghat]], along with some original songs. They played several of the same types of gigs as did the Van Halen brothers' band Mammoth. Snake once opened for Mammoth during a show at [[Pasadena High School (Pasadena, California)|Pasadena High School]]. Mammoth's [[Public address|PA]] failed that night, so Anthony lent them Snake's PA.

While attending [[Pasadena City College]], majoring in music,<ref name="olho.nu"/> Anthony met [[Eddie Van Halen]], who also took classes there. During this time, bass player Mark Stone parted ways with Mammoth and the Van Halens auditioned Anthony as a replacement. Anthony was impressed by their skill during subsequent jam sessions even though he had heard the brothers play before. After the session, the Van Halen brothers asked Anthony to join their band. One story claims that he first consulted Snake guitarist Tony Caggiano, who advised Anthony to join up with the guitar prodigy and his brother. However, according to Anthony's web site, he immediately accepted. This has become the accepted version of events.

Anthony had planned to attend college in Santa Barbara after he graduated from Pasadena City College, but instead he dropped out of PCC just before he earned enough credits for a degree so that he could devote all his time to Van Halen.<ref name="olho.nu"/>