Van Halen Thread v. Where Have All The Good Times Gone

[KevShmev]

SET LIST SPOILERS BELOW!!!!

Looks like VH's set list this summer is:

Light Up the Sky
Runnin' With the Devil
Romeo Delight
Everybody Wants Some!!
Drop Dead Legs
Feel Your Love Tonight
Somebody Get Me a Doctor
She's the Woman
China Town
I'll Wait
Drum Solo
Little Guitars
Dance the Night Away
Beautiful Girls
Women in Love
Hot for Teacher
In a Simple Rhyme
"Dirty Movies"
Ice Cream Man
Unchained
Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
Guitar Solo
You Really Got Me
Panama

Encore:

Jump

-----

Not bad overall.  Cool to see Dirty Movies getting played, and they dug a little deep with Romeo Delight and Light Up the Sky, as well.  It's also good to see that they have already figured out that Tattoo sucks, instead of dragging that out for another tour.  On the flip side, it's too bad that the only two songs they are playing from the newest album are ones that got played last tour, instead of digging and playing some of the better songs near the end of the record. Oh well, it's not like I am going to go see them anyway.

[SystematicThought]

SET LIST SPOILERS BELOW!!!!

Looks like VH's set list this summer is:

Light Up the Sky
Runnin' With the Devil
Romeo Delight
Everybody Wants Some!!
Drop Dead Legs
Feel Your Love Tonight
Somebody Get Me a Doctor
She's the Woman
China Town
I'll Wait
Drum Solo
Little Guitars
Dance the Night Away
Beautiful Girls
Women in Love
Hot for Teacher
In a Simple Rhyme
"Dirty Movies"
Ice Cream Man
Unchained
Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
Guitar Solo
You Really Got Me
Panama

Encore:

Jump

-----

Not bad overall.  Cool to see Dirty Movies getting played, and they dug a little deep with Romeo Delight and Light Up the Sky, as well.  It's also good to see that they have already figured out that Tattoo sucks, instead of dragging that out for another tour.  On the flip side, it's too bad that the only two songs they are playing from the newest album are ones that got played last tour, instead of digging and playing some of the better songs near the end of the record. Oh well, it's not like I am going to go see them anyway.

Don't forget that they are playing Growth too after Simple Rhyme--and the unsung awesome song from 1984 Drop Dead Legs is being played too. I was really excited to see that.

[cramx3]

Not bad set list.  If I wasnt coming home from a wedding in Syracuse that Sunday I'd consider going to see them in NJ.

[KevShmev]

I have no clue why, but I used to never like Black and Blue that much, yet all of a sudden it's one of my favorite songs of the Hagar era.  Not sure what took me so long.

[jammindude]

I have no clue why, but I used to never like Black and Blue that much, yet all of a sudden it's one of my favorite songs of the Hagar era.  Not sure what took me so long.

That's actually one of the more listenable songs from the worst Hagar album....and easily the most overhyped and overplayed VH album in the entire catalog.   It gets a lot of love in sales, but it's really a fairly poor album. 

[KevShmev]

Overhyped?  By who?  I almost always see it listed as the 3rd or 4th best Van Hagar record.

As for me, I actually like it more now than I ever have.  I am still not big on the two big hits - When It's Love or Finish What Ya Started - and Apolitical Blues is pretty ordinary, but everything else is very worthy.  Deep cut rockers like Sucker in a 3 Piece, Source of Infection and A.F.U. are all great to drive and rock out to.

[jammindude]

Overhyped?  By who?  I almost always see it listed as the 3rd or 4th best Van Hagar record.

As for me, I actually like it more now than I ever have.  I am still not big on the two big hits - When It's Love or Finish What Ya Started - and Apolitical Blues is pretty ordinary, but everything else is very worthy.  Deep cut rockers like Sucker in a 3 Piece, Source of Infection and A.F.U. are all great to drive and rock out to.

I think it's the 2nd biggest (Hagar) seller....and that's a shame.   

[KevShmev]

That still doesn't explain how it is overhyped.

I suspect the success of When It's Love is a big reason why its sales, in the U.S. at least, exceeded those of the two Van Hagar albums that followed.

[jammindude]

That still doesn't explain how it is overhyped.

It may get rated lower in prog-rock forums....but I was under the impression that it got general praise based on the (undeserved) hits. 

[BlobVanDam]

Despite the fact most people seem to like OU812 a bit more than me, I don't think it's overhyped at all. Given the order of albums and the time, it wouldn't surprise me if it's the 2nd highest selling, but I don't take that as an indication of much.

I've always liked Black and Blue, and it's one of the better on the album, but it's never been a favourite. Source of Infection or Cabo Wabo would be my picks.

[hefdaddy42]

Sucker in a 3 Piece 

[KevShmev]

I think some thought they lose their rock edge when they got Hagar, and songs like Love Walks In and Finish What Ya Started are supposedly proof of that, but you cannot listen to OU812 and tell me it doesn't rock.  Granted, it's different from the kind of almost-effortless, non-stop party rock they did with Roth, but rock comes in all shapes and sizes.

[Mister Gold]

OU812 isn't a bad album, but it's definitely my least favorite Hagar-era album. 5150 is very 80's in the best way possible, For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge is a great blending of the Roth style music with Hagar's voice and filtered through the band's musical maturities since then and Balance is dark. Really dark, in regards to Van Halen. I like it though.

[KevShmev]

There are definitely some dark tunes on there, but there are some that are not at all either.  In fact, I think the album was called Balance because the overall collection songs was a good balance of light and dark songs, IIRC.  I actually think F.U.C.K might be a little darker overall, since the usual brightness in their music was virtually non-existent, largely thanks to the disappearance of EVH's classic "brown" sound.

[TAC]

I'm the biggest OU812 supporter here.

  but you cannot listen to OU812 and tell me it doesn't rock.   

I agree.


 

   Granted, it's different from the kind of almost-effortless, non-stop party rock they did with Roth, 

But I actually feel like OU812 HAS that effortless feel, and that is what has always appealed to me about it.

[KevShmev]

I know what you mean.

Going back to the current set list, I am kind of surprised that neither tour with Roth has seen them play either of the songs they did with him in 1996. Then again, maybe EVH has little fondness for that period in the band's history (the nasty breakup with Hagar, the aborted reunion with Roth, etc).  Plus, those two songs are probably a bit more challenging vocally than most of the songs they are already playing, and Roth can't even sing that stuff worth a crap anymore, so...I think I just solved my own mystery.

[BlobVanDam]

Do most people even know those two songs? (legit question, not rhetorical)
Only one of them was any good imo, and even then, they've got too many much better and more well known songs to cover at this point in their career. I wouldn't have expected them to play either of them.

[jammindude]

I absolutely love them both.   

[Mosh]

I like Me Wise Magic, the other one is just ok. Pretty much your standard throwaway tracks for b-sides or compilations.

Don't care about what VH does live these days, but the set list is pretty great. It's cool they'll throw in rare/unplayed stuff.

[jjrock88]

I thought both tracks were solid, but nothing special at all.

[cramx3]

The thought of them playing those tracks never crossed my mind.  Not bad songs though.

[cramx3]

So today is Technical Operations Appreciation day at work. I did not even know this. Apparently my companies office is hosting a sort of happy hours with food and booze for everyone in the TechOps team.  I however work in our data center and therefore am not in the office to enjoy the fun.  My boss asked to video conference with me and said as appreciation for you since you aren't here and I know you like music, I got approval from my manager to allow you to expense up to $120 for concert tickets.  All the concerts I plan on going to I have tickets to already or will be significantly cheaper than my limit so I just picked up two tickets for Van Halen on my company!!  Now I have to find someone to come with me. 

[KevShmev]

That shouldn't be hard, I would think, since VH is one of those bands that just about anyone in between a certain wide age gap likes at least a little bit.  When you go, just try not to focus too much on Roth's "singing."

[cramx3]

I took my brother.  It was a fun concert.  The place was packed.  It was my third time in one week seeing a concert at that venue, PNC Bank Arts Center, and this was the most people I had seen there maybe ever.  Must have been sold out since there were scalpers outside too which I do not normally see.

Yea DLR was terrible, hardly sung, but did plenty of dancing lol  He is what he is, I didn't expect a Sammy performance.  The band was really good though, sounded and looked great.  Setlist was awesome, crowd was totally into it.  Good times.

[Stadler]

Do most people even know those two songs? (legit question, not rhetorical)
Only one of them was any good imo, and even then, they've got too many much better and more well known songs to cover at this point in their career. I wouldn't have expected them to play either of them.

Me Wise Magic is easily in my top 5 favorite Van Halen songs of all time.

[SystematicThought]

I really liked the dark nature of the track. It kinda seemed like the next logical step after Balance. I would have loved to have seen where they went with Hagar after Balance because they seemed to be getting darker and mature.

My favorite line in Me Wise Magic (what does that even mean?) is "A Buddhist riff for your inner ear" Then the solo

[cramx3]

I would have loved to have seen where they went with Hagar after Balance

Truth.  The few songs they did before the reunion tour with Sammy were decent.  Haven't listened to those three songs in a long time though.  I recall Its About Time to be solid and got a lot of radio play.

[hefdaddy42]

I would have loved to have seen where they went with Hagar after Balance because they seemed to be getting darker and mature.

Me too.

[countoftuscany42]

ran into Mike Portnoy at the show in philly last night 

[ErHaO]

My mind was randomly blown when I found out these guys actually grew up in my country and the band's name is a Dutch surname. How I never knew that is beyond me (seems that everyone else here knows, though). Seeing a clip of them talking Dutch was really weird    I've never been a fan, but I've always enjoyed giving their classic albums and own a few vinyls.

[bl5150]

ran into Mike Portnoy at the show in philly last night 

[BlobVanDam]

Members of probably my top 2 favourite bands together.

[SystematicThought]

If Van Halen ever reunited with Sammy and Mikey, I would love a remaster of OU812. That album deserves a remaster where we could actually hear the bass and sonically pack a punch. It's just lacking

[KevShmev]

While its flaws are obvious, I've come around to accepting OU812's sound for what it is, and now feel that it is part of the album's charm. 

Besides, I'd be stunned to see Anthony and Hagar ever in the band again.  EVH would never fire his son, or ask him to step aside for a bit, to bring back Anthony, and Hagar would never return under those conditions.

[SystematicThought]

The OU812 production really only sticks out to me on Mine All Mine. But you're right, it's far from bad.

Yeah, Sammy has been pretty open about wanting to reunite and tour with Dave, but that's only with Michael. Although with Wolfie working with Mark Tremonti and his own solo album, maybe Wolfie would be okay stepping aside and Eddie being okay with it because Wolf is okay as well. But who knows, this is Eddie Van Halen after all.