Van Halen appreciation thread

[Dr. DTVT]

I couldn't find a Van Halen thread in the search function.  I often forget how awesome they are and how important they were during the formative years of my musical tastes.  Between the musical ability of Eddie (which sadly I wasn't able to truely appriciate until recently when I began to understand music), the showmanship of David Lee Roth, and the awesome music videos, what child of the 80s couldn't love this band?

While I like the Hagar years...Diamond Dave will always be the man in my Van Halen dreams.

[Birch Boy]

Fan of both David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar eras. Never heard the Cherone album(s?). There's news of a 2011 tour, and I know some of the older ones don't care for modern-day Van Halen, but for me (as with all 'nostalgia' acts as some would call them), this might be my only chance to catch the legendary classic bands live, even if they are more of a nostalgia act than anything. I'd rather see them do that than not see them at all.

[Gadough]

inb4 Cozmo and Hef

[yeshaberto]

hadn't heard about the 2011 tour, but it was my lifelong dream to see them when they played with roth a few years ago, and I got to see them in Boston.  it was everything I had hoped for

[Birch Boy]

https://www.billboard.com/events/van-halen-album-tour-expected-in-2011-1004108100.story#/events/van-halen-album-tour-expected-in-2011-1004108100.story

Meanwhile, Van Halen manager and Live Nation Entertainment executive chairman Irivng Azoff mentioned on a conference call last month and an earning's call last night that Van Halen was expected to tour next year. That's good news for Live Nation as a disappointing 2010 season is hitting the touring giant's earnings. Van Halen's 2008 reunion tour with Roth was a massive success. It raked in a total gross of more than $93 million and close to one million in attendance from 74 shows, according to Billboard Boxscore.

[yeshaberto]

awesome...will definately do again

[Birch Boy]

If/when they do tour, I'll be at the Madison Square Garden gig

[hefdaddy42]

I am a huge fan of Van Halen, both the DLR era and Hagar.  If you like them so much, please participate in the VH Survivor that I've been running for some time in P/S.

My love and respect for that music aside, Eddie is now batshit-crazy, and no way in hell would I go see them live now.

[tri.ad]

I got into Van Halen only recently, and while I think that DLR is an amazing showman (although he seemed a bit weird in the early days), I enjoy Sammy Hagar's singing way more. Much less random high-pitched shouts, his voice is more enjoyable to me etc. Overall, I like the music quite a lot, definitely.

By the way, the cover band I'm playing in have added "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" to the repertoire. Playing this song is fun as hell.

[TAC]

DTVT..it's been a long time since we had a VH thread. To me, they are easily the most forgotten bands in history. When the great bands of the 70's or 80's are brought up, they seem to fall through the cracks. probably because they were very late 70's and early 80's. But every 80's metal band, be it hair, sleaze, LA, owes their career to Van Halen.
I got to see the 1984 tour and it was great. Eddie was the gold standard to guitar players back in the day.

That said, I'm not a Hagar fan, even though I saw them a buch of times with Sammy. It was still always a great show. But I remember seeing Dave's first tour, the Eat 'Em And Smile tour (a great album BTW) and his tour blew the 5150 show off the stage!

[lonestar]

It could be argued that VH is the greatest American rock band ever.

[King Postwhore]

You know your a fan of VH when you own VH mach III and saw that tour also.

[Coolcat]

My dad loves Van Halen because they're Coooooolll!!!
"ain't talkin bout love, my love is rotten to the core" 

[KevShmev]

I don't think liking VH has been considered "cool" for about 20 years now.

[SoundscapeMN]

2 of their best tracks:

Little Guitars
5150

[erwinrafael]

My everyday listening to Dream Theater's The Astonishing has had one weird effect on me. It made me listen to Sammy Hagar-era Van Halen, which is now in my regular playlist. Amazing four albums.

[cramx3]

I've been seeing lots of interviews where Sammy and Michael (apparently he is on good terms with Alex again) have been saying they want to get VH back together for a tour, even with sharing the set with DLR.  Im hoping this lot of chatter lately leads to something because that would be EPIC if we truly could have the best of both worlds in a single concert.

https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/sammy-hagar-on-possible-reunion-with-van-halen-i-really-think-its-kind-of-inevitable/

Hagar also addressed persistent rumors that he is coming back to VAN HALEN. He said: "I haven't talked to anyone, and I'm not reaching out. I'm gonna tell you exactly what my dream would be, though. It would be Sam, Dave [Lee Roth], Mike [Anthony], Al [Alex Van Halen] and Eddie [Van Halen]. If [Eddie's son] Wolfie's band opened, that's fine."

He continued: "I'd say, 'Dave, you go out and play two songs, then walk off the stage. I walk out, I'll do two songs. I'll walk off, you do two songs.' Can you imagine the competition of that? Dave goes out and does 'Jump', and 'Ain't Talkin 'Bout Love'. I go out there and blow out something like 'Good Enough'. You gotta hit it hard, and you better be good. I would give my money to food banks if they would do the same. I would love to give the fans the greatest VAN HALEN show they could possibly have today. And then say, 'Okay, I still don't like you guys.'"

When asked if he thinks this is likely to happen, Sammy said: "I think it could happen in a second. I think there's so much money involved that somebody will make it happen. Think of the promoters, managers, T-shirt guys, you name it.

[SystematicThought]

Sammy keeps talking about it and whenever he does he always downplays his interest in it. Recently though, he seems far more interested. The conversation between Alex and Mike always was cool to me. They talked on the phone for a few hours when Mike was hanging out with a mutual friend.

I would love to see this tour. I would pay big money to see it. Dave would fuck it up somehow or make it about him

[Mosh]

Sounds like wishful thinking for what Sammy describes, but I agree that Sammy coming back is inevitable.

[SystematicThought]

I would love a just Sammy tour with Mike back and Wolfie's band opening or something to make the brothers happy. The band is obviously on fire right now as evidenced by the past two tours. Sammy can still sing, so the show would be awesome

[Mosh]

Wolfgang isn't going anywhere and Sammy is going to have to accept that if he wants to reunite with VH. I don't think he has enough leverage to force the brothers to take Michael Anthony back and fire Wolfie.

[KevShmev]

I know he was just spitballing an idea off the top of his head, but only in Sammy Hagar's world does he think they could do a concert when he comes out and sings Good Enough after Jump. 

That aside, this will NEVER happen.  Too many egos.  And I am not even sure I'd want it to happen.  It would be a train wreck.

[Dream Team]

Maybe slightly controversial, but I'm not a big fan of most of Eddie's solos. His rhythms of course are legendary.

[cramx3]

I know he was just spitballing an idea off the top of his head, but only in Sammy Hagar's world does he think they could do a concert when he comes out and sings Good Enough after Jump. 

That aside, this will NEVER happen.  Too many egos.  And I am not even sure I'd want it to happen.  It would be a train wreck.

While I think the possibility of a train wreck is very high, I still would love to see it happen.  Like Sammy said, they are only getting older.  If they have any desire to have fun with this again, they need to act soon.  It just sucks the egos are so big with all these guys that it will likely never happen.

[Adami]

Maybe slightly controversial, but I'm not a big fan of most of Eddie's solos. His rhythms of course are legendary.

Yup, same here. A lot of the time they feel like it's a different song.

[RodrigoAltaf]

I heard a bootleg the other day called "Got the Magic Fingers", from the OU812 tour, recorded in Japan. The band is absolutely on fire!!! I love VH, Eddie is probably my favourite musician ever. I'd love to see Sammy and Michael back for a tour with the brothers and Dave, but Eddie is such a recluse these days and there are so many egoes involved that it's highly unlikely.

[KevShmev]

Maybe slightly controversial, but I'm not a big fan of most of Eddie's solos. His rhythms of course are legendary.

Yup, same here. A lot of the time they feel like it's a different song.

Ya know, as heralded a player as EVH is, aside from Eruption (which is a song, really, not a solo), does he really have any particular solos in full band songs that are always referred to as all-time greats?

Think about it. 

I know he was just spitballing an idea off the top of his head, but only in Sammy Hagar's world does he think they could do a concert when he comes out and sings Good Enough after Jump. 

That aside, this will NEVER happen.  Too many egos.  And I am not even sure I'd want it to happen.  It would be a train wreck.

While I think the possibility of a train wreck is very high, I still would love to see it happen.  Like Sammy said, they are only getting older.  If they have any desire to have fun with this again, they need to act soon.  It just sucks the egos are so big with all these guys that it will likely never happen.

I don't think EVH is capable anymore of having fun playing music with anyone but his brother and his son.  He has already had to suck it up in recent years and tour a few times with one guy he hates (Roth), and I imagine having to do it with two other guys he doesn't like (I doubt he hates Hagar and Anthony like he does Roth, but there is certainly not much love ) it is not an idea he would entertain.

I heard a bootleg the other day called "Got the Magic Fingers", from the OU812 tour, recorded in Japan. The band is absolutely on fire!!! I love VH, Eddie is probably my favourite musician ever. I'd love to see Sammy and Michael back for a tour with the brothers and Dave, but Eddie is such a recluse these days and there are so many egoes involved that it's highly unlikely.

The two biggest egos are in the band currently: EVH and Roth.  Hagar has a large one, too, but it's still dwarfed by the others.

Anthony just wants to play music and have a good time, without drama.

I always get the sense that Alex will go along with whatever his bother wants to do.

Wolfgang would probably have to be the one to pull his dad aside and tell him he'd step aside for a tour, and even then, it would take years for his dad to be convinced.

And once he is, good luck talking Roth into it.

[PowerSlave]

Maybe slightly controversial, but I'm not a big fan of most of Eddie's solos. His rhythms of course are legendary.

Yup, same here. A lot of the time they feel like it's a different song.

Ya know, as heralded a player as EVH is, aside from Eruption (which is a song, really, not a solo), does he really have any particular solos in full band songs that are always referred to as all-time greats?

Think about it. 

The intro to Hot for Teacher, maybe? Between him and Alex banging away it's sort of iconic. I've never been a big fan of the song, but I know that a lot of people would probably site it.

[RodrigoAltaf]

Maybe slightly controversial, but I'm not a big fan of most of Eddie's solos. His rhythms of course are legendary.

Yup, same here. A lot of the time they feel like it's a different song.

Ya know, as heralded a player as EVH is, aside from Eruption (which is a song, really, not a solo), does he really have any particular solos in full band songs that are always referred to as all-time greats?

Think about it. 

The intro to Hot for Teacher, maybe? Between him and Alex banging away it's sort of iconic. I've never been a big fan of the song, but I know that a lot of people would probably site it.

All his other solos are eclipsed by Eruption, only because it was so groundbraking at the time. And most of what he did was adored back in the day, and still stands the test of time, even though his style was copied by a gazillion other players. I can mention a "simple" solo like Running with the Devil, which is not difficult to replicate, but it has SO MUCH balls and style!! Also Unchained, Push Comes to Shove, One Foot Out the Door, Everybody Wants Some!, Jump, Panama with the insane bending during the solo, the song 5150, Pleasure Dome, Aftershock, Humans Being...Eddie was and still is the man.

[PowerSlave]

Maybe slightly controversial, but I'm not a big fan of most of Eddie's solos. His rhythms of course are legendary.

Yup, same here. A lot of the time they feel like it's a different song.

Ya know, as heralded a player as EVH is, aside from Eruption (which is a song, really, not a solo), does he really have any particular solos in full band songs that are always referred to as all-time greats?

Think about it. 

The intro to Hot for Teacher, maybe? Between him and Alex banging away it's sort of iconic. I've never been a big fan of the song, but I know that a lot of people would probably site it.

All his other solos are eclipsed by Eruption, only because it was so groundbraking at the time. And most of what he did was adored back in the day, and still stands the test of time, even though his style was copied by a gazillion other players. I can mention a "simple" solo like Running with the Devil, which is not difficult to replicate, but it has SO MUCH balls and style!! Also Unchained, Push Comes to Shove, One Foot Out the Door, Everybody Wants Some!, Jump, Panama with the insane bending during the solo, the song 5150, Pleasure Dome, Aftershock, Humans Being...Eddie was and still is the man.

I've always had an appreciation for what the man could do. But my attraction to the band was always about the raw energy that they had. The lead playing is a big part of that, but I'm more of a "song fan" when it comes to this band. I guess that I don't think about the solos much outside the piece as a whole.

[RodrigoAltaf]

Maybe slightly controversial, but I'm not a big fan of most of Eddie's solos. His rhythms of course are legendary.

Yup, same here. A lot of the time they feel like it's a different song.

Ya know, as heralded a player as EVH is, aside from Eruption (which is a song, really, not a solo), does he really have any particular solos in full band songs that are always referred to as all-time greats?

Think about it. 

The intro to Hot for Teacher, maybe? Between him and Alex banging away it's sort of iconic. I've never been a big fan of the song, but I know that a lot of people would probably site it.

All his other solos are eclipsed by Eruption, only because it was so groundbraking at the time. And most of what he did was adored back in the day, and still stands the test of time, even though his style was copied by a gazillion other players. I can mention a "simple" solo like Running with the Devil, which is not difficult to replicate, but it has SO MUCH balls and style!! Also Unchained, Push Comes to Shove, One Foot Out the Door, Everybody Wants Some!, Jump, Panama with the insane bending during the solo, the song 5150, Pleasure Dome, Aftershock, Humans Being...Eddie was and still is the man.

I've always had an appreciation for what the man could do. But my attraction to the band was always about the raw energy that they had. The lead playing is a big part of that, but I'm more of a "song fan" when it comes to this band. I guess that I don't think about the solos much outside the piece as a whole.

I see your point. And I get why a lot of people chose to compliment him on his rhythm playing. His work in 5150, Little Guitars, House of Pain, Dance the Night Away, Panama, Drop Dead Legs etc., rhythm wise, is insane too!!

[cramx3]

Yea, his riffs and style are great.  His solos while flashy, aren't always as memorable.  To me, it's the overall playing that I love. 

[KevShmev]

You guys hear about this new book out about VH?  From various reviews I have read, it will make you hate everyone in the band except Michael Anthony.

[TAC]

You guys hear about this new book out about VH?  From various reviews I have read, it will make you hate everyone in the band except Michael Anthony.

I don't need a book for that!

[KevShmev]

Heh, of course.   Roth and Eddie are already easy to hate, because they are both total dicks.  Now, the Alex stuff could be a revelation since he has always struck me as the guy who did what Eddie wanted, but perhaps he is one of those guy who is a major dick behind the scenes that we never see (while Eddie being a dick is plain as day ).