VH?

I much preferred Van Roth to Van Hagar regardless of personalities. Roth was, like Lesley said, edgy and Hagar just didn't have it. I did like Hagar's complaining about the 55 speed limit, but let's face it: it wasn't a very good song. And he ain't a real good singer.

I think Sammy got the job by bringing EVH some really good booger sugar. How else could this be explained?

And that is why a reunited Van Halen will never fly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4GZFbCqx18

Roth > Hagar.

Period.

Can I just say "thanks for Eruption, now srsly, who cares anymore?"

DLR all the way.

I just went through my VH collection recently (it stopped at 1984) and realized I never liked the "hits" on each album too much but I love the "little" songs. Songs like "Women and Children First", "Big Bad Bill", "Happy Trails"...and so on.

I don't know how those songs got on the albums, but I think that is what made VH stand out. They had a sense of humor and maybe a sense of musical history compared to say the Crue whose songs were all about women, sex, drugs and rock-n-roll.

Given his 2 albums after he left VH, I think Mr. Roth was a big force in that not-quite-hair-band direction.

Therefore, I think David Lee Roth is one of the best front-men to ever take the stage in a rock venue.

Having said that, I did not need to see that clip of DLR singing a Hee-Haw version of one of their songs...a little bit of my childhood died. I knew that album existed but I have spent years avoiding it...it is like the inside of a chicken mcnugget...you know it is there but you shouldn't examine it.

novaderrik wrote: how can anyone not like Sammy? he couldn't drive 55.. DLR was Van Halen. he is what kept them from being a mediocre rock band with a good guitar player- he made them into a spectacle. he is what every front man since then has tried to duplicate. Sammy- while being one hell of a performer in his own right- just didn't fit in with VH.. but he was way better than the "More than Words" guy that replaced him for about 10 minutes.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0j0WjHUBVvw

Cherone was a great front-man for Extreme but by the time he was recruited to VH, the band was its' own parody.

There were a lot of other people who share blame for that misery.

I was always one of those fans that loved the original lineup and never warmed up to them during the Sammy years. I was never really much of a Sammy fan.

So I was shocked a few years back when I went to one of the shows on the short lived Sam and Dave tour, mainly to see Dave.

Dave put on a great show, but Sammy tore the roof off the place. He was unbelievable.

I had always said that Michael Anthony was the luckiest sonofabitch on the planet. I guess his luck has run out.

But there are four guys in Van Halen, and none of them are named Sammy, Gary or Wolfgang.

Now I need to go buy one of those blue denim notebooks and draw a big flying VH on it...

Meh.

I'm surprised that there's this much debate. Two words: Unchained.

I think Sammy has one hell of a voice... but it sounds like a technically perfect studio instrument. DLR on the other hand... even though you suspected he was batE36 M3 crazy, he still made your hair stand on end.

I love some of the early DLR stuff. Women and Children, Runnin, Jamie's Cryin, etc. They never would have "made it" if not for DLR. By 1984 though, it was pretty poppy. 5150 was a return to good musicianship IMO. That's why it's my favorite. It's also the one where Eddy did his best jumping between guitar and keyboard, and I like his keyboard stuff.

poopshovel wrote: Short list of things that are keeping me from being the least bit excited about this: 1. The "tour" will not last more than 2 minutes, 10 seconds. 2. Ignore the importance of a bass player all you want. It ain't Van Halen without Michael Anthony. Every time I see Eddie's little charmed-life-havin', fat berkeleyin pug-faced kid on stage, I want to kick him in the throat. 3. As much as I love Roth on record, and as much as I wish I was able to say "Yeah, man, I saw them at the Whiskey back in '77," this pretty much crossed the line for me as far as acceptable levels of sanity go: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sN16fdzdMg Never forget.

I think that is the John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band. Friggen stupidly hot musicians and a really good arrangement of a strong tune. They nail it. The banjo player did a great job with the keyboard solo. Thanks!!! (O.K. So it looks stupid!!)

David S. Wallens wrote: I'm surprised that there's this much debate. Two words: Unchained.

Three letters: D.O.A.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0XdzSMzwgw

Appleseed wrote:

poopshovel wrote: 2. Ignore the importance of a bass player all you want. It ain't Van Halen without Michael Anthony. Every time I see Eddie's little charmed-life-havin', fat berkeleyin pug-faced kid on stage, I want to kick him in the throat.

YES! YES! YES! Mike was the only stable, consistant thing in Van Halen.

Proof!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ewsHwVOyyE&feature=related

Oh yeah!!!!

David S. Wallens wrote: I'm surprised that there's this much debate. Two words: Unchained.

Don't you mean two words, Mean street?

zomby woof wrote:

David S. Wallens wrote: I'm surprised that there's this much debate. Two words: Unchained.

Don't you mean two words, Mean street?

I hate to pick favorites, but that album might be the one--lots of good sleepers on it. Sinner's Swing is up near the top of the list, too.

I also agree that 1984 was the beginning of the end. Too much pop, but then again Hot for Teacher was one of their greatest.

By the way, my house is Hagar-free.

I always liked the tune "Hear About It Later", and that was on Fair Warning. I like that one a lot. Oh, look at that... it's now playing on my Ipod!

'Hot for Teacher' is one of my VH favorites. The video was frickin' hilarious, too. 'Jump', 'Jamies' Cryin', etc. are you there too. I swear I can't remember anything from the Hagar days.

Lesley wrote: I think Sammy has one hell of a voice... but it sounds like a technically perfect studio instrument. DLR on the other hand... even though you suspected he was batE36 M3 crazy, he still made your hair stand on end.

QFT.

if DLR had never been in VH, then we never would have gotten Dr. Rockso, the Rock and Roll Clown..

apparently, he does cocaine..

Thanks to you guys I've spent the last hour looking at VH on you tube instead of working...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8LdRJqjjRM

I remember when I had DLR's hair...

I don't really have a preference between DLR or Hagar era VH. Yes, DLR was edgier, but being realistic, by 1984 much of that was gone from him as well - remember his first solo album?. Granted, his Steve Vai albums were some redemption.

I remember a guitar rag interview with EVH right after he fired Hagar. He complained of "LSD - Lead Singer Desease" [big ego] in both DLR and Hagar. Well, duh... Having done it, you NEED somewhat of an ego to get up on stage and perform in front of people. DLR has ego in spades, which more than made up for some occasional lack of technical skill. Hagar also has an ego, but with better technical skill didn't need to be as flashy.

Another element Hagar added to VH was his own guitar ability, which allowed them to play the keyboard songs live since Hagar could cover the guitar parts with better than reasonable competence (I remember/have a live concert video from the 5150 tour).

There are great albums and songs from both the Dave and Sammy eras. To dismiss all of the Sammy stuff as "not VH" is only a disservice to yourself.

I thought there was universal agreement that Van Hagar sucked. I get it mixed up with Journey sometimes.

Otto_Maddox wrote: I thought there was universal agreement that Van Hagar sucked. I get it mixed up with Journey sometimes.

I think it depends on which version you "grew up" with.

If you knew VH during the 70's, then you're likely to have disdain for the Hagar era.

However, if you were like me and were introduced to VH via MTV in the 80's and basically started with 1984, then you tend not to care so much since the transition from 1984 to the Hagar era was pretty even, musically.

I want to thank this thread for spurring me on to learn "The Atomic Punk", my favorite VH tune and something I have been wanting to do for years. The solo is going to take awhile to approximate...