Van Halen

Van Halen is a hard rock band that formed in the seventies consisting of two brothers named Eddie Van Halen and Alex Van Halen.  Ironically when they first began to play Alex played guitar and Eddie played drums, they of course swapped instruments. Back then the two brothers had their own band named Mammoth, they would later let David Lee Roth join the band as their vocalist, and replaced their bass player Mark Stone for Mike Anthony who was previously in a band called Snake.  The band would play at local clubs for the next couple years mainly being a cover band, and eventually changed their name to Van Halen.  Kiss member Gene Simmons was familiar with the band and let them record a demo.  Simmons wanted them to change their band name to Daddy Longlegs but they refused, Simmons then wanted nothing to do with Van Halen.  About a year later the band was discovered by producer Ted Templeman of Warner Brothers, he set up a recording session and Van Halen  was then recorded in about three weeks.  The band would continue to record and tour and became one of the most popular rock bands of that time.  Eddie and Roth would tend to disagree on just about everything. After the release of their most popular album, 1984, Roth and Eddie had had enough.  Roth was upset about Eddie playing with other musicians, and Eddie, well he was just sick of Roth.  In 1985 David Lee Roth had left the band.  Though not his first selection, Van Halen had selected former Montrose singer, and at the time a solo artist, Sammy Hagar to replace Roth.  With Hagar in the band, the band's style had changed.  There were more keyboard-related songs and slower and more ballad like tracks.  It was hard for some fans to accept Hagar as the singer, but they grew a new audience as well.  Hagar would record a few records before he left the band in 1995.  There is always a debate on which you prefer.  Roth Van Halen or Hagar Van Halen.  Both are good, but to me it's an obvious answer, Roth.  In 1996 they hired a third lead singer Mitch Malloy.  Malloy never was able record an album with Van Halen as the band was asked to perform on the MTV music awards with Roth, they did.  Roth thought he was part of the band again, but Eddie did not want him back in, and Roth was once again replaced by another singer, this time Gary Cherone. Cherone would record Van Halen III, their worst selling, and last studio album to date. (2008)  Van Halen would release a double disc best of compilation with three new songs recorded with Hagar, and the Van Halen brothers. In 2006 it was official that bassist Michael Anthony had been fired from the band.  It was at this time too that it was noted that he only played bass on three of the tracks from their most recent album, and that Eddie played bass on all other tracks.  As of 2007 Roth officially did rejoin the band, with Eddie's son Wolfgang Van Halen playing bass.  The band is completing a tour and are rumored to recording their first studio album since Van Halen III.

Van Halen - 1978       Van Halen II - 1979       Women and children first - 1980       Fair warning - 1981

Diver down - 1982    1984 - 1984    5150 - 1986    OU812 - 1988   For unlawful carnal knowledge - 1991

Live: Right here right now - 1993      Balance - 1995    Twister soundtrack - 1995   Van Halen III - 1998    

The best of both worlds - 2004       Ideal compilation - SG

Scott's Music Library