Is VAN HALEN getting ready to announce that it's heading back out on the road? That seems to be the sense that The Pulse Of Radio is getting from a photo posted online by singer David Lee Roth. The picture merely shows Roth and his beloved sheepdog Russ sitting on the floor of what looks like it could be the backstage area of a sports arena, with a caption that reads, "Start spreadin' the . . . "

The VAN HALEN camp has been mostly quiet since last spring, when it canceled 31 summer tour dates due to exhaustion on the part of the band members.

Later that summer, a severe bout of the inflammatory intestinal affliction diverticulitis sent guitarist Eddie Van Halen to an emergency room and then surgery, after which he needed four to six months of recovery time.

VAN HALEN launched what was supposed to be a lengthy world tour last February in support of "A Different Kind Of Truth", its first studio album in 14 years and its first with Roth on vocals since 1984.

The group is scheduled to play three shows in Japan in late June, but no other dates have been confirmed anywhere else so far.

Eddie's son, bassist Wolfgang Van Halen, has spent the downtime touring with TREMONTI, the band fronted by CREED/ALTER BRIDGE guitarist Mark Tremonti.