Backstage Pass

Van Halen fans were stunned when the group (most of it, anyway) finally decided to reunite and tour this year, and now here comes another surprise: The opening act will be not Styx or Def Leppard or Journey, but reggae artist Ky-Mani Marley, son of Bob.

Whose idea was it to book a hip-hop-influenced reggae singer with a classic rock band? The official explanation is that Marley's distribution company, AAO Music Inc., proposed it, but that doesn't shed much light on the subject. We'd like to think the idea came from David Lee Roth, whose musical tastes are nothing if not eclectic. During his short-lived morning show on Free-FM in New York he played old funk and blues in the background (which upset the station's top brass) and he also recently released a bluegrass album.

At any rate, it's a high-profile slot for Marley, whose debut album "Radio" is due Sept. 25. Let's hope the aging Van Halen fans are kind to him.

Listen to Marley's single "One Time" here.