Eddie Van Halen has passed away

[DragonAttack]

Uploaded today, from Candlestick Park during the 'Monsters of Rock' tour '88

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vo1UYG9Ob1k

I passed on their visit to the Silverdome a month earlier <sigh> but did catch the F.U.C.K. performance in Kzoo in '92 only because they had cancelled two weeks.

The debut album:  all the adjectives and accolades are well deserved, and for those of us who were around and experienced it then 

One of the few bands where a change in lead singers actually worked.  It took some warming up to initially, but I prefer the Hagar era.  A shame about all the later BS that took place. 

I'd be remiss in not mentioning Brian May's  'Starfleet Project' with Eddie, Alan Gratzer (REO Speedwagon), Fred Mandel (Queen sessionist and tours) and Phil Chen (Jeff Beck and Rod Stewart)     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Fleet_Project .   'Let Me Out' should have been on either 'The Game' or 'The Works', and 'Bluesbreaker' are both worth a listen.

[TAC]

It's funny; it's not like I DISLIKE it, but the Van Hagar years haven't aged as well as the Roth years for me.   If I have the choice to go listen to Fair Warning, or OU812, I'm going to FW.  If I have a choice of listening to Diver Down or Carnal Knowledge, I'm going DD.   I don't know; if I put on the first six albums, there are maybe five songs, MAYBE, that I skip.  There are three on 5150 alone (Good Enough, Get Up, and Inside).  In the Roth years there are like four perfect album sides (VHI Side One, Fair Warning, Side One, DD Side One, 1984 Side One); I'm not sure there's one in the Hagar years (EDIT:  There is one:  OU812, Side One).  Not to say I don't like the Hagar years, but it wasn't a sound track for me, as much.  Only OU812 rises to that level.

You rate Diver Down way higher than I do. 

I can't get on board with those albums sides either. My 1984 starts with Top Jimmy.



But I am with you on OU812 completely.

[TAC]

Uploaded today, from Candlestick Park during the 'Monsters of Rock' tour '88

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vo1UYG9Ob1k

I passed on their visit to the Silverdome a month earlier <sigh> but did catch the F.U.C.K. performance in Kzoo in '92 only because they had cancelled two weeks.

I clicked on that and There's Only One Way To Rock was playing. I actually thought that song was a great addiction to the VH setlists during that time period.

[HOF]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cltNn3Fvu7k

I've never heard this before, but he goes from Alex Lifeson right into Michael Schenker.

I must say the first thing that came to my mind when this started was..

"What can this strange device be? When I touch it, it brings forth a sound...."


Holy shit though, that song blows.

Heh, that’s the reaction I anticipated!

[TAC]

I've never sat through that album, but I've heard a couple of songs, and it's just cringeworthy to listen to. I think a person would have to be a deep cut super fan of EVH to appreciate that album, and that's totally cool.

[HOF]

I've never sat through that album, but I've heard a couple of songs, and it's just cringeworthy to listen to. I think a person would have to be a deep cut super fan of EVH to appreciate that album, and that's totally cool.

I probably like it more because it’s not your typical VH album (I’m really not a deep cut VH fan in general). It’s very experimental in sound and style. I remember thinking how cool it was that Eddie was kind of reinventing himself, and then the band just imploded after that. I seem to recall that they actually recorded a good bit of material with Gary for a second album, and maybe some day that will get released (I may be the only one who buys it though).

[Lowdz]

I have that ep. I liked the programme too 

[RodrigoAltaf]

 This guy NAILED IT on what went wrong with Van Halen III: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwsficnHmhM

[Stadler]

It's funny; it's not like I DISLIKE it, but the Van Hagar years haven't aged as well as the Roth years for me.   If I have the choice to go listen to Fair Warning, or OU812, I'm going to FW.  If I have a choice of listening to Diver Down or Carnal Knowledge, I'm going DD.   I don't know; if I put on the first six albums, there are maybe five songs, MAYBE, that I skip.  There are three on 5150 alone (Good Enough, Get Up, and Inside).  In the Roth years there are like four perfect album sides (VHI Side One, Fair Warning, Side One, DD Side One, 1984 Side One); I'm not sure there's one in the Hagar years (EDIT:  There is one:  OU812, Side One).  Not to say I don't like the Hagar years, but it wasn't a sound track for me, as much.  Only OU812 rises to that level.

You rate Diver Down way higher than I do. 

I can't get on board with those albums sides either. My 1984 starts with Top Jimmy.



But I am with you on OU812 completely.

No love for Fair Warning, Side One?    That is probably my favorite VH album of all of them. 

I do rate Diver Down pretty high; it's an EP at best - you can have "Big Bad Bill" and "Happy Trails", and when you ditch the intros, it's barely 25 minutes long - but the material is solid.  I love Pretty Woman, The Full Bug, and Little Guitars.

As for 1984, it's probably got the best "deep tracks" of any VH album.  "I'll Wait" is the only song I skip on that record. 

[cramx3]

I have literally never watched Live Without A Net. And I mean never.


Isn't it filled with all sorts of editing gaffes?

You are thinking Live Right Here Right Now which was filmed over two nights and they didn't wear the same clothes so the editting looks weird, plus I believe almost none of the audio was actually live and redone in studio. 

Live Without A Net is one show and a really awesome performance, guys are super energetic and you get Sammy on guitar dueling with EVH to start the show.  (I'm not sure if any of the audio is truly live or not though, it seems more legit than the other live album)

I actually just listened to 5150 for the first time in awhile last week and for some reason, had VH in my thoughts recently.

Live Without A Net, recorded right here in New Haven, CT at the old Coliseum (also where I saw my first show!)

Yea, so this is kind of why I thought of listening to 5150 last week, I stopped in New Haven for some pizza and on the way, I was like "New HALEN!" which Sammy says on the DVD and so I put on 5150 (my favorite Van Halen album and what the live album was centered around).  I just was watching it in my basement now too, it's such a good concert DVD.

Where'd you go for 'za?

If people out east refer to pizza as 'za, I declare war on the near east.

I feel like most people who call it za do so jokingly, and I went to Frank Pepe's

[Stadler]

This Tokyo Dome show from '89 is the bee's knees. I might even proclaim that the official video releases pale by comparison.
Stellar performance by the band and a setlist, while not exactly ideal in typical Van Hagar fashion, is nevertheless "good enough". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0mMB7vhje8

That show is REALLY cool. It's funny, but for a band whose live reputation is so great, their amount of live releases is very slim. And that includes a live album which is not really live (Live: Right Here, Right Now, which was is chockful of studio overdubs - more so than your customary live release) and the horrible Live at Tokyo Dome. There should have been a live album of the "golden" Roth years. I hope they rectify that now, and that some of the thousands of hours of demos from 5150 see the light of day in some shape or form too.

They were amazing live both times I saw them, but I would refuse to listen to those boots on YouTube, I think.   It was about attitude and presence.   It's kind of like Kiss in that way as opposed to Rush or Dream Theater.   You're not there for the intricate harmony passages, or the three-part vocal harmonies.    It's just two hours, 25 songs of ESCAPE.  I was going through a thing with my ex-wife at the point of seeing the Roth show and it was a chance to just leave everything at the door.  We still talk about that show to this day, even if there are bushels and bushels of things we don't talk about.

[Samsara]

I was 19 when I first had an opportunity to see Van Halen. Before that, being the first child of my parents, they were scared and wouldn't allow me to go to a concert until I was 18. So here we are, Summer 1995. I had just seen Bon Jovi and Queensryche at Jones Beach, and my friends have a ticket for Van Halen. I can't afford it. I'm working full time during the summer break from college, I can barely keep my car on the road, and I had to pass. I mean, Bon Jovi was a favorite and Queensryche was my all time favorite. This Van Halen...they're good. Dig em, but eh, I'll catch them next time.

What a big mistake, which I would repeat the next year with Rush and the Test for Echo tour (although I'd make up for that when they reunited for Vapor Trails and that tour).

It wasn't until 2004 that I had a chance, finally, to see the Van Halen that I, by then, really loved. Sammy-Ed-Alex-Mikey. I was so excited. My wife (who had seen Van Halen twice -- on the For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge tour with AiC opening, and again on the Live, Right Here, Right Now tour with Skid Row) bought us tickets, and off we went.

What a disappointment. Eddie was...not well at that point. Playing the wrong songs, just a mess. I barely have any memories of the show because, well, it was a disaster. I remember Eddie and Sammy on stage, almost fighting. I walked away from it shaking my head, with my wife saying that really isn't what Van Halen was all about.

When VH reunited with Diamond Dave, I would have went. But I was pretty pissed off that they didn't welcome Mikey back, and boycotted it out of respect for Michael. I still stand behind that decision. Nothing against Wolfie, who I think is an incredible musician and seems like an all around nice guy, but that bothered me. As the years have gone by, I'm happy for Wolf to have played with his dad and uncle. Still didn't make it right when it comes to Michael Anthony, but I...get it. Whatever reason the brothers had for excluding Mike, part of the reason was also that they wanted to play with Wolf. That sliver of the reason I understand.

Anyway, just wanted to memory-dump here. What an incredible loss. Not just for rock. Not just for music. But for humanity's art. Eddie Van Halen is up there with the greatest artists ever, and we will never forget him. Thanks Edward. For everything. Rest in peace, enjoy the jams with Jimi, Dime, and all the rest. You've certainly earned it.

[TAC]

It's funny; it's not like I DISLIKE it, but the Van Hagar years haven't aged as well as the Roth years for me.   If I have the choice to go listen to Fair Warning, or OU812, I'm going to FW.  If I have a choice of listening to Diver Down or Carnal Knowledge, I'm going DD.   I don't know; if I put on the first six albums, there are maybe five songs, MAYBE, that I skip.  There are three on 5150 alone (Good Enough, Get Up, and Inside).  In the Roth years there are like four perfect album sides (VHI Side One, Fair Warning, Side One, DD Side One, 1984 Side One); I'm not sure there's one in the Hagar years (EDIT:  There is one:  OU812, Side One).  Not to say I don't like the Hagar years, but it wasn't a sound track for me, as much.  Only OU812 rises to that level.

You rate Diver Down way higher than I do. 

I can't get on board with those albums sides either. My 1984 starts with Top Jimmy.



But I am with you on OU812 completely.

No love for Fair Warning, Side One?    That is probably my favorite VH album of all of them. 

I do rate Diver Down pretty high; it's an EP at best - you can have "Big Bad Bill" and "Happy Trails", and when you ditch the intros, it's barely 25 minutes long - but the material is solid.  I love Pretty Woman, The Full Bug, and Little Guitars.

As for 1984, it's probably got the best "deep tracks" of any VH album.  "I'll Wait" is the only song I skip on that record.

I love Fair Warning. That's why I only bolded the DD and the '84 choices.

[cramx3]

I was 19 when I first had an opportunity to see Van Halen. Before that, being the first child of my parents, they were scared and wouldn't allow me to go to a concert until I was 18. So here we are, Summer 1995. I had just seen Bon Jovi and Queensryche at Jones Beach, and my friends have a ticket for Van Halen. I can't afford it. I'm working full time during the summer break from college, I can barely keep my car on the road, and I had to pass. I mean, Bon Jovi was a favorite and Queensryche was my all time favorite. This Van Halen...they're good. Dig em, but eh, I'll catch them next time.

What a big mistake, which I would repeat the next year with Rush and the Test for Echo tour (although I'd make up for that when they reunited for Vapor Trails and that tour).

It wasn't until 2004 that I had a chance, finally, to see the Van Halen that I, by then, really loved. Sammy-Ed-Alex-Mikey. I was so excited. My wife (who had seen Van Halen twice -- on the For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge tour with AiC opening, and again on the Live, Right Here, Right Now tour with Skid Row) bought us tickets, and off we went.

What a disappointment. Eddie was...not well at that point. Playing the wrong songs, just a mess. I barely have any memories of the show because, well, it was a disaster. I remember Eddie and Sammy on stage, almost fighting. I walked away from it shaking my head, with my wife saying that really isn't what Van Halen was all about.

When VH reunited with Diamond Dave, I would have went. But I was pretty pissed off that they didn't welcome Mikey back, and boycotted it out of respect for Michael. I still stand behind that decision. Nothing against Wolfie, who I think is an incredible musician and seems like an all around nice guy, but that bothered me. As the years have gone by, I'm happy for Wolf to have played with his dad and uncle. Still didn't make it right when it comes to Michael Anthony, but I...get it. Whatever reason the brothers had for excluding Mike, part of the reason was also that they wanted to play with Wolf. That sliver of the reason I understand.

Anyway, just wanted to memory-dump here. What an incredible loss. Not just for rock. Not just for music. But for humanity's art. Eddie Van Halen is up there with the greatest artists ever, and we will never forget him. Thanks Edward. For everything. Rest in peace, enjoy the jams with Jimi, Dime, and all the rest. You've certainly earned it.

It's funny, in 2004 I had to scavenge whatever money I could to get tickets for the NJ show.  Ended up in the last row of the arena and I had an absolute blast seeing VH.  BUT, yesterday I went and found the entire concert on youtube and boy was Eddie a disaster at that show  I mean, I hate saying it now that he just passed, but I really liked that show in person, but in retrospect, it was a disaster performance. 

I did catch them in 2015 and DLR was now the terrible performer, but EVH was ON FIRE.  Thought he looked and sounded fantastic that night and I've found the videos on youtube to confirm that memory (unlike in 2004  )

[Stadler]

It's funny; it's not like I DISLIKE it, but the Van Hagar years haven't aged as well as the Roth years for me.   If I have the choice to go listen to Fair Warning, or OU812, I'm going to FW.  If I have a choice of listening to Diver Down or Carnal Knowledge, I'm going DD.   I don't know; if I put on the first six albums, there are maybe five songs, MAYBE, that I skip.  There are three on 5150 alone (Good Enough, Get Up, and Inside).  In the Roth years there are like four perfect album sides (VHI Side One, Fair Warning, Side One, DD Side One, 1984 Side One); I'm not sure there's one in the Hagar years (EDIT:  There is one:  OU812, Side One).  Not to say I don't like the Hagar years, but it wasn't a sound track for me, as much.  Only OU812 rises to that level.

You rate Diver Down way higher than I do. 

I can't get on board with those albums sides either. My 1984 starts with Top Jimmy.



But I am with you on OU812 completely.

No love for Fair Warning, Side One?    That is probably my favorite VH album of all of them. 

I do rate Diver Down pretty high; it's an EP at best - you can have "Big Bad Bill" and "Happy Trails", and when you ditch the intros, it's barely 25 minutes long - but the material is solid.  I love Pretty Woman, The Full Bug, and Little Guitars.

As for 1984, it's probably got the best "deep tracks" of any VH album.  "I'll Wait" is the only song I skip on that record.

I love Fair Warning. That's why I only bolded the DD and the '84 choices.

I clearly missed that nuance.  Sorry! 

Samsara, I totally respect your decision on that, but I see it slightly different:  I don't think VH was happening at all with Mike.   I think Wolf was the one that made that whole reunion tour/album/tour thing happen, and frankly, I'd rather see SOME Van Halen than NO Van Halen.  A Different Kind Of Truth is probably second or third favorite VH album (it was my album of the year, hands down, when it came out) and that was all Wolfie in terms of organizing it and getting it all going.  I think Mike is underrated as a player (I saw him with Chickenfoot in a club, and he killed) but overrated in terms of his value to Van Halen.  That Charlotte show was with Wolfie, and had you not known before hand, you wouldn't have known by watching the show. 

[HOF]

This guy NAILED IT on what went wrong with Van Halen III: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwsficnHmhM

Nah, that’s just his opinion.

[Lowdz]

Fair Warning made my top 50 albums. Love it all bar the last two tracks.

[jingle.boy]

Two of my favorite moments of Live Without a Net:

https://youtu.be/HB8vp5R6Vmk


https://youtu.be/NqG7hXwXXv4

I'm partial to the BoBW segment.

And anyone saying III is among the "strongest albums as a complete work" is the hottest take on music I've heard in a really long time.

[hunnus2000]

One of the few bands where a change in lead singers actually worked.  It took some warming up to initially, but I prefer the Hagar era. A shame about all the later BS that took place. 

I agree with everything you posted as well as EVH and his greatness and his contributions to rock history. But it will be the BS that I remember the most which is a shame.

[King Postwhore]

Two of my favorite moments of Live Without a Net:

https://youtu.be/HB8vp5R6Vmk


https://youtu.be/NqG7hXwXXv4

I'm partial to the BoBW segment.

And anyone saying III is among the "strongest albums as a complete work" is the hottest take on music I've heard in a really long time.

Who says that?   I actually like it but they could have used a real producer to tighten the songs.

[HOF]

Two of my favorite moments of Live Without a Net:

https://youtu.be/HB8vp5R6Vmk


https://youtu.be/NqG7hXwXXv4

I'm partial to the BoBW segment.

And anyone saying III is among the "strongest albums as a complete work" is the hottest take on music I've heard in a really long time.

Who says that?   I actually like it but they could have used a real producer to tighten the songs.

I do! It’s great. I can see not loving the production, but I don’t think it’s bad, just different.

[Kwyjibo]

I have a soft spot for VH III, I quite like most of the songs but it should and could have been better and it's far from their best.

But it's also not the trainwreck that some say it is imo, it's not in the league of Metallica's St. Anger or Queensryche's D2C or the like.

[King Postwhore]

Well, not so much the sound but the songwriting.  Sometimes you need a producer to reign in the writer and tighten up a song's structure.

[Elite]

The guitar community online is all over this, it's unbelievable really, especially since a lot of times the guitar community can be quite toxic. My social media feeds are completely flooded with stories, pictures and anecdotes. The impact this man had on rock guitar playing in general is probably second only to Jimi Hendrix. It's insane.

[HOF]

Well, not so much the sound but the songwriting.  Sometimes you need a producer to reign in the writer and tighten up a song's structure.

I can see that criticism too, but on the other hand, I think it’s great that everything wasn’t nailed down to be as tight, slick, and radio friendly as possible. The end result was something more musically ambitious than your standard VH album. So we get the extended clean guitar intro to A Year to the Day, the very cool push broom percussion intro to Dirty Water Dog, the dark and trippy From Afar, the lush and quite proggy Once, and the curious but very interesting Josephina. You still had the more standard VH rock affairs like Without You and Fire in the Hole, but I truly appreciate that they made a different kind of VH album.

[Lowdz]

I'm going to listen to II tonight, just have Balance to go now, which I really like. Never heard III all the way through before - tried it once years ago and didn't take to it.

Although I like Extreme I don't love Cherone.

[hunnus2000]

Try as I might, I can't handle VH3. I even would listen to it in the car for a month straight but finally gave up. There's a guy on YouTube who does a scathing video on VH3 and if you want me to post a link I will but it doesn't put the VH brothers in a good light.

[devieira73]

What a loss... I love VH discography as a whole. Even III, I really like it. Ok, the sound/production of the album is not that good, Gary's voice sounded a bit forced at some points and I didn't like Fire in the Whole and How Many Say I (this one is terrible). I think HOF highlighted the songs that I like most there (I also love the Neworld intro and Ballot or the Bullet).

[Dublagent66]

The guitar community online is all over this, it's unbelievable really, especially since a lot of times the guitar community can be quite toxic. My social media feeds are completely flooded with stories, pictures and anecdotes. The impact this man had on rock guitar playing in general is probably second only to Jimi Hendrix. It's insane.

Yeah, FB practically blew up.  It is unbelievable!  I really appreciated what JP posted in the DT group.  Couldn't have said it better.

[TAC]

What did he say?

[HOF]

What a loss... I love VH discography as a whole. Even III, I really like it. Ok, the sound/production of the album is not that good, Gary's voice sounded a bit forced at some points and I didn't like Fire in the Whole and How Many Say I (this one is terrible). I think HOF highlighted the songs that I like most there (I also love the Neworld intro and Ballot or the Bullet).

I would also agree that Gary got a bit forced and shrill at times. Doesn’t sound near as good as he does on say, Extreme’s Three Sides (which is a really great rock vocal performance IMO). I can see that being a turn off, but it’s not like Hagar wasn’t singing in a similar style on the preceding albums. I thought Cherone was an inspired choice for the band really, and it’s too bad he didn’t get an extended chance to win the fans over.

[hefdaddy42]

I think Mike is underrated as a player (I saw him with Chickenfoot in a club, and he killed) but overrated in terms of his value to Van Halen. 

Respectfully disagree.  Even more than his bass playing, his high vocal harmonies and attitude were fundamental to the sound of the band, IMO.

[jingle.boy]

I think Mike is underrated as a player (I saw him with Chickenfoot in a club, and he killed) but overrated in terms of his value to Van Halen. 

Respectfully disagree.  Even more than his bass playing, his high vocal harmonies and attitude were fundamental to the sound of the band, IMO.

Spot on.

[Stadler]

I'm going to listen to II tonight, just have Balance to go now, which I really like. Never heard III all the way through before - tried it once years ago and didn't take to it.

Although I like Extreme I don't love Cherone.

I saw them on the III Sides tour, and I saw them on the Pornograffiti 25th Anniversary tour, and he killed it both times.  Really strong vocalist, but an odd guy.  Rumor is that Eddie wasn't really down with some of the stage craft, and coming from a guy that spent over a decade next to Roth on stage.

[Grappler]

This makes me so happy.  I've been bummed about Eddie since yesterday.  He was such a tremendous gift to the music world. 


https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/sammy-hagar-had-secretly-been-in-contact-with-eddie-van-halen-for-last-few-months-its-been-a-love-fest/?fbclid=IwAR29jYcm_CCKap8a9WU3lweybj1J2-RWkjkEzCOYDf3HyDs5TmLo_Pq9KOM

Sammy Hagar says that he had been secretly in contact with Eddie Van Halen in the months leading up to the legendary guitarist's death.

Hagar, who previously said he hadn't spoken to Eddie since since the conclusion of VAN HALEN's 2004 reunion tour, revealed his renewed friendship with his former bandmate in a note which was read over the air this morning (Wednesday, October 6) by radio personality Howard Stern on his SiriusXM show.

Hagar wrote: "Eddie and I had been texting, and it's been a love fest since we started communicating earlier this year. We both agreed not to tell anyone, because of all the rumors it would stir up about a reunion, et cetera, and we both knew that wasn't gonna happen. But he also didn't want anyone to know about his health."

Sammy continued: "He stopped responding to me a month ago, and I figured it wasn't good. I reached out one more time last week, and when he didn't respond, I figured it was a matter of time. But it came way too soon."