Favorite Van Halen album sides of the original David Lee Roth era

[Stadler]

Little Guitars is the best original tune, IMO, and I like Secrets as well.  Some of the covers are nice as well (Pretty Woman and Where Have All the Good Times Gone).

I didn't realise WHATGTG was a cover.

The Kinks. They did another Kinks cover once before. 

They did??

Wait, whut? 

"You Really Got Me" is a Kinks song. You know that. 

[Dublagent66]

Side 1 of Van Halen: Runnin' with the Devil, Eruption, You Really Got Me, Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love, I'm the One
Side 1 of Fair Warning: Mean Street, Dirty Movies, Sinners Swing!, Hear About It Later
Side 1 of 1984: 1984, Jump, Panama, Top Jimmy, Drop Dead Legs

Glad to see my choices are getting the most votes...for now anyway. 

[KevShmev]

I sort of get the appeal of Big Bad Bill, as VH has no one other song like that in their history, so it is unique in that regard, but The Full Bug is about as bland a song as you can imagine.

I like Big Bad Bill too, especially as it has the old man on it. I think that's neat. But it's effect is minimized by the handful of cover tunes including the lame as hell Happy Trails.

Happy Trails is so short, though, that it's difficult for me to even consider.

When all is said and done, Diver Down really does sound like an album they half-assed their way through.  As fresh and energetic as the rest of the original Roth-era albums sound, that one mostly sounds like a band bored out of their minds.

[TAC]

Yeah, it's definitely like that. Feels like they recharged a bit for 1984, although after you lop off Panama and Jump, it's still only a 6 song album.

[KevShmev]

Okay, but why would you lop off Jump and Panama?  That is like saying, "if you lop off The Spirit of Radio and Freewill, Permanent Waves is only a 4-song album."

[TAC]

Why, cuz they blow.

My 1984 starts with Top Jimmy.

[KevShmev]

 

Top Jimmy is a solid tune, but probably the weakest link on that record.  Almost everything else is money, except maybe House of Pain which I might categorize as merely "very good."

[jammindude]

I just want to take a moment to say that I think VH broke my heart more than any other band. 

I know many bands try to present themselves as "buddies", "best friends", or "brothers"...but the chemistry that the DLR-era VH shared on stage and in their videos honestly had me believing it.    It was tough to hear later than EVH had been looking to split because of his hatred for DLR as far back as WACF.   

Speaking purely from a "chemistry" standpoint, that original lineup would be my pick for "greatest rock and roll band" in history.    They literally had everything.   Flash, personality, talent, chemistry, explosive stage presence...  If you find bootleg videos of their live shows from 79-81ish...it was like having 3 frontmen and a wall of sound that completely kicked your ass.   But man...it's so sad how pathetic they all are now.   Well, not Michael, but the other three.

[King Postwhore]

Jump is amazing.

Hot For Teacher is a song I'll never play again.

[bl5150]

If you look at Diver Down in context -  an album that they threw together in a week or two to keep the record label happy after the unexpected success of Pretty Woman ..............then I view it as a pretty good effort!

[Kwyjibo]

Girl Gone Bad is the only filler on 1984.

[Stadler]

I just want to take a moment to say that I think VH broke my heart more than any other band. 

I know many bands try to present themselves as "buddies", "best friends", or "brothers"...but the chemistry that the DLR-era VH shared on stage and in their videos honestly had me believing it.    It was tough to hear later than EVH had been looking to split because of his hatred for DLR as far back as WACF.   

Speaking purely from a "chemistry" standpoint, that original lineup would be my pick for "greatest rock and roll band" in history.    They literally had everything.   Flash, personality, talent, chemistry, explosive stage presence...  If you find bootleg videos of their live shows from 79-81ish...it was like having 3 frontmen and a wall of sound that completely kicked your ass.   But man...it's so sad how pathetic they all are now.   Well, not Michael, but the other three.

Well, it was Kiss for me, but I hear you.

Having said that, after the fallout, and during the equally half-assed 5150 (meaning, I like about half the songs) it was MY epiphany that the chemistry didn't have to be "like".   You could have band members that hate each other, but just seem to bring out the (musical) best in the other person.   Ed tamed down some of Dave's more vaudevillian nonsense, and Dave coaxed Ed out of the shadows and into the light, so to speak.  I'm a big Sammy fan, generally, but for me, there's no debate:  VH is a far more unique, special band with Dave and Ed than with Sam and Ed.   (It's similar to me as DT with Portnoy is a more special, more unique band than with Mangini.   It's not about JUST talent, it's the way the parts rub together.  So to speak.)

[KevShmev]

That's a great point, Stadler.  Chemistry is a tricky thing, and the mix isn't always better when you add more talent. 
That is why I always take the "wait and see" approach when you hear about a new band that is hyped about having all of this talent, like Sons of Apollo for example.  Talent is great, sure, but you can't always assume a lot of talent will mesh well together, and of course songwriting is always the most important aspect of any band.

I do think the chemistry in VH was really strong when Hagar joined the band.  Note the Best of Both Worlds performance from Live Without a Net where you see Sammy, Eddie and Michael Anthony all jamming and hamming it up together for practically the entire song at the front of the stage; that was the sign of a band having a blast together rather than guys from a band staying in their designated spot on stage and playing the songs.  I think things fell apart once the brothers took a bath on the Cabo Wabo deal only to see Sammy buy them out and then the shares go through the roof.  And I think the hatred for Anthony stems from him being and staying such good friends with Sammy, which Eddie probably saw and still sees as treasonous.

[Stadler]

That's a great point, Stadler.  Chemistry is a tricky thing, and the mix isn't always better when you add more talent. 
That is why I always take the "wait and see" approach when you hear about a new band that is hyped about having all of this talent, like Sons of Apollo for example.  Talent is great, sure, but you can't always assume a lot of talent will mesh well together, and of course songwriting is always the most important aspect of any band.

I do think the chemistry in VH was really strong when Hagar joined the band.  Note the Best of Both Worlds performance from Live Without a Net where you see Sammy, Eddie and Michael Anthony all jamming and hamming it up together for practically the entire song at the front of the stage; that was the sign of a band having a blast together rather than guys from a band staying in their designated spot on stage and playing the songs.  I think things fell apart once the brothers took a bath on the Cabo Wabo deal only to see Sammy buy them out and then the shares go through the roof.  And I think the hatred for Anthony stems from him being and staying such good friends with Sammy, which Eddie probably saw and still sees as treasonous.

Totally not arguing with you, but does "having a blast" make for good music?  I'm not sure it does; I think it only makes for good music if that "having a blast" also means "being honest with each other".    Bono and Edge are - supposedly - best friends, but the band has been open about their disagreement over The Joshua Tree, and look what we got (one of the greatest albums of all time).   Achtung Baby! almost led to the end of the band and... for me, their second best album ever.

Dave and Roger; it's not a coincidence that their best albums came when they were butting heads most, but before it really turned sour.   Roger almost had no choice but to acquiesce to David when the product was "Comfortably Numb" or all of "Wish You Were Here".  (Hell, even when it turned sour, it still had it's moments, like the solo in "The Final Cut".)   

When were the Stones under the most personal turmoil?  The run from Let It Bleed through Exile On Main Street; I defy you to find a list of the Stones' "best" albums that don't contain either Sticky Fingers or Beggar's Banquet. 

Even the prototypical "buddy" band, Rush, I cite that moment when Neil worked all day on his drum parts, and the band (and Nick) thought it lacked a little energy.  They were honest with Neil, Neil didn't like it but respected that they cared enough to BE honest, and went back in and nailed the crap out of the song. 

[KevShmev]

Totally not arguing with you, but does "having a blast" make for good music? I'm not sure it does; I think it only makes for good music if that "having a blast" also means "being honest with each other".    Bono and Edge are - supposedly - best friends, but the band has been open about their disagreement over The Joshua Tree, and look what we got (one of the greatest albums of all time).   Achtung Baby! almost led to the end of the band and... for me, their second best album ever.

Dave and Roger; it's not a coincidence that their best albums came when they were butting heads most, but before it really turned sour.   Roger almost had no choice but to acquiesce to David when the product was "Comfortably Numb" or all of "Wish You Were Here".  (Hell, even when it turned sour, it still had it's moments, like the solo in "The Final Cut".)   

When were the Stones under the most personal turmoil?  The run from Let It Bleed through Exile On Main Street; I defy you to find a list of the Stones' "best" albums that don't contain either Sticky Fingers or Beggar's Banquet. 

Even the prototypical "buddy" band, Rush, I cite that moment when Neil worked all day on his drum parts, and the band (and Nick) thought it lacked a little energy.  They were honest with Neil, Neil didn't like it but respected that they cared enough to BE honest, and went back in and nailed the crap out of the song.

Not necessarily.  As you pointed out, some of the greatest albums ever were made by bands who were not getting along that great at the time for whatever reasons.  I was simply pointing out before that there seemed to be good chemistry in the band in the early Van Hagar years.  That's all.

[WildRanger]

Side 1 of Van Halen I, no contest.

[EPICVIEW]

VH II

side 1!!!  but I voted fror side 2,,,LOL

[TAC]

VH II

side 1!!!  but I voted fror side 2,,,LOL

I voted for Side 2, but that's a great album all the way around.

[KevShmev]

Looks like some are still not actually reading the thread, otherwise you'd see that you can vote for up to 3 options, hence the thread title asking for favorite album sides.

[TAC]

I did vote for 3!

[KevShmev]

I did vote for 3!

Good man.

[EPICVIEW]

VH II

side 1!!!  but I voted fror side 2,,,LOL

I voted for Side 2, but that's a great album all the way around.

OH YEA

[Kwyjibo]

I did vote for 3!

That is definitely not the best VH album.

[KevShmev]

I did vote for 3!

That is definitely not the best VH album.

But it's still better that Diver Down.

*shots fired*

[Kwyjibo]

I've got a soft spot for VH3, it's certainly no masterpiece but I like it, so yeah, it's probably better than Diver Down.

[Lowdz]

I’d take Dave's Eat ‘em And Smile over any VH album.

[Max Kuehnau]

Oh that's a hard one for me, seeing as I love all their albums (yes that includes Van Hagar and Van Cherone), but I guess I'm torn between Side 1 of VH1 and Side 1 of Fair Warning.