What does it sound like?:
So here’s your Van Halen starter for 10. No conferring. If you can buy a box set that contains the 6 CDs that VH released between 1978 and 1984 for £16, how much would the 13 singles released in Japan across the same time period be? Why, of course – £121. But I would also have accepted $130 – the cost of the red vinyl set exclusive to Rhino, including original artwork and a nice storage case.
But let’s not quibble about cost. The 26 tracks featured on these singles represent some of the very best of Van Halen. Their ground breaking first album – I’ve no truck with anyone who disputes Eddie’s iconic status – accounts for 3 of the 13 including “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love” backed by “Runnin’ With The Devil” and the monstrous “You Really Got Me” cover.
“Dancin’ The Night Away” was the first single – and best track – from the uneven second album, backed with the more throwaway “Spanish Fly, whilst the follow up pairs the more clunky bombast of “Somebody Get Me A Doctor” with a very flat sounding “Women In Love”. “And The Cradle Will Rock”” from “Women and Children First” is coupled with “Unchained” from next release “Fair Warning”, which shows the band back in the groove (if a bit less interested in releasing singles)– a wall of sound guitar with pin sharp vocal harmonies.
The “Diver Down” album was short on playing time (just over 30 minutes) and heavy on cover versions – five in all, 3 of which made onto singles. “Pretty Woman” gives Dave Lee Roth a chance to ham it up, backed by the close harmony and fairly pointless “Happy Trails”. Marin Gaye’s “Dancin’ In The Streets” gets an unremarkable makeover, with B side “The Full Bug” the real star track, with the band in full tilt boogie mode.
By “1984” (the album and the year) Roth and Eddie Van Halen were at odds over the latter’s interest in synth and keyboards, and the final 4 singles reflect the divide. “Jump” gave the band a US number 1, with B side “House of Pain” drawing from their early 70’s guitar metal roots. “I’ll Wait” is synth heavy and forgettable, inexplicably favoured over Eddie’s fretboard fireworks on the B side of“Girl Gone Bad”. “Panama” saw the band chart again and with Lee Roth heading for the hills the set is concluded with some old school VH in “Hot For Teacher” backed with “Little Dreamer” from their first album.
This kid of release is clearly for the fanboi’s who are thick of wallet, but there’s some top-notch tunes there nonetheless.
What does it all *mean*?
Eddie Van Halen – much copied, never bettered
Goes well with…
An evening wearing your best dancing shoes.
Release Date:
November 1st
Might suit people who like…
More a case of only suiting wealthy Van Halen fans.
“Jump” was great …
I’ll Wait sounds like a slowed down Material Girl….or is it the other way round?
Let’s not quibble about cost?
Oh, go on, it’s kinda the elephant in the room.
Great debut album.
Poor after that apart from Jump
I’m tempted to agree. I thought the first album was brilliant but never got the same buzz from the later ones and after DLR left, forget it. But @dai is right, “Jump” is superb.
I think inconsistent rather than poor. “Women And Children First” is up there with the first album (“Fools” is amongst the best VH ever recorded) and “Fair Warning” isn’t far behind, but it’s where the synths first take hold – “Sunday Afternoon In The Park” is dross and I think this is where Eddie and Dave started to diverge.
I love the cover of WACF. Eddie with his Ibanez Explorer. Fools is a good track.
In an attempt to claim the pedant of the day award, wasn’t it a Destroyer, Explorers being Gibson? I read that EVH played it extensively on the first album or two and then decided to modify it with a chainsaw, which buggered the tone and rendered it unused for some time to come.
I’ll top that EVH nerdery…
“You Really Got Me is the only recorded track where Eddie played a Les Paul.
Listen to the end of the guitar solo and he performs a “kill switch” with the pickup selector…..neck pickup off, bridge full on…toggle away.
Yes you’re right, I originally called out an Explorer clone (which is what it is) then edited it….badly!
I do enjoy some Van Halen…. I remember being passed some vhs tapes from American mtv in the mid to late 80’s when as a teen it seemed impossibly exotic. A day glo west coast beach party viewed a million miles away through grey cloud covered Mancunian skies.
Technically I’ll leave it to others to say how much EVH was a revolutionary guitar presence. As for DLR well he could never sing but I’ve still got a fondness for his regurgetated showbiz schtick however I do wish that both of their acts had aged better and maybe that by now they could have resolved past differences. Possibly.too much to ask.
I understand that EVH is being treated for cancer these days based on the updates I’ve seen on the Steve Hoffman forum (running TMZ a close 2nd for showbiz gossip). So wish him well.
Saw DLR live a few times but never the classic VH lineup. Probably never will now, no matter these tunes are still around when needed Having said that there will be cheaper ways to get them though so appreciate the music and ignore the packaging.
Re DLR – I agree re the voice. I saw the re-booted band live on US TV 3 or 4 years back, and it was dreadful.
A fairly amusing picture doing the rounds on social medai of a fan at a Tool gig asking EVH to take his picture, unaware of who he’d asked.
A totally different band once Hagar replaced DLR, much more of an AOR sound, but still produced the odd gem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEI7cTBVr2A