The All New Van Halen thread

[Matt Wilson]

They'll never be convinced, so just enjoy the music.

[The Modernist]

[Matt Wilson]

Actually, Spinal Tap is based on British hard rock, as I'm sure you're proud of, G!

[KeithPratt]

I came to Van Halen late (last year actually) and think they're great. You do have to see past the apparel a bit; when I was young the sight of DLR in spandex and vests made me think "WHAT A TOSSER!" and that sort of informed my prejudice for the next two decades or so.

But they're a fine band. Both the Van Halens are terrific musicians, as evinced by the structure of the songs themselves. These are not 4/4 plodders - most of VH's songs, especially in the early days, have a sensibility about them that stands out amongst the other bands of their ilk. For sure, they utterly surfed the FM/MTV wave for as long as they could because, well, why wouldn't you at that time when they must have been raking it in. There is a phenomenal charisma about them in that '78 to '84 period that must have been great to be a teenager at that time to witness.

I often despair of my indie sensibilities when I was a teenager when I could have been having a wonderful time with Van Halen.

[Diamond Dog]

That is all.

[KeithPratt]

[NMB]

Whatever music you're currently listening to, this is more thrilling than that.

[The Modernist]

I don't know..I read all this stuff on here about how much fun they are, how inventive their musicianship is, how clever they are...and then you play the video and you hear the usual dull, thuddy riffing, the lack of any rhythm, the stupid vocalising, the lack of much of a melody. You had it right when you were younger frankly, this is landfill metal.

[Kinkhurt]

My introduction to Van Halen was through what ultimately turned out to be this bootleg, a mate of mine bought it from a record fair at
Sheffield Poly.


When I heard it it was on an LP called 'Live In Japan' (weren't they all ?) and it had a jump in YRGMN (which I can still locate mentally).
This performance is my definition of 'Rock Guitar', it can get no better than this - band energy, guitar tone, speed, tightness - it has it
all in spades. At this point they weren't signed - all the tunes are at fighting weight, the place they're playing is decent for an unsigned
band and they're treating it like its the LA Forum. Hugeness can only ensue.

[naughty boy]

I don't know..I read all this stuff on here about how much fun they are, how inventive their musicianship is, how clever they are...and then you play the video and you hear the usual dull, thuddy riffing, the lack of any rhythm, the stupid vocalising, the lack of much of a melody. You had it right when you were younger frankly, this is landfill metal.

There’s an awful lot of shite been posted here - most of it is unlikely to convert anyone.

First album, first track. If that doesn’t do it, nothing will.

Same goes for Zappa (Freak Out!) actually.

[trans-chigley express]

Not Van Halen but I always loved this DLR track:

[clive gash]

[Rayge]

There’s an awful lot of shite been posted here - most of it is unlikely to convert anyone.

First album, first track. If that doesn’t do it, nothing will.

So that's Runnin with the Devil. I listened to it, and although I liked the horns at the beginning, it sounded like generic hard rock to me. Not bad as such, just undistinguished. Perhaps it's because I never heard the band when their records were first released (only ones I've been exposed to before this were some things entered in the Loud Cup), when they may or may not have been introducing tropes that later copyists have rendered down into aural bilge. I quite like metal, especially the death, speed and heavy varieties, but don't see this as metal at all. It reminds me very much of BÖC, although with better vocals (Bloom could never cut it) and squirtier guitar, and I liked them well enough in the 1970s, although I just can't hear now what I enjoyed then.
Despite the volume (and I played it REALLY LOUD) there seemed to be a certain bloodlessness, even weediness, and calculation at its heart. But that's probably me being old, and long-winded, and not particularly witty.

[fange]

[fange]

Whatever music you're currently listening to, this is more thrilling than that.

It's true.

[Deebank]

It all sounds like a Def Leppard tribute act to me... Only not as good as DL somehow... and they ain't all that anyway.

[Matt Wilson]

So that's Runnin with the Devil. I listened to it, and although I liked the horns at the beginning, it sounded like generic hard rock to me.

Huh, horns? There are no horns on that track. Did VH ever use horns? This is what used to frustrate me with these internet arguments - you get people who haven't a clue what they're on about pontificating en extremis about all manner of shite in the world and they're completely barmy - with no credence whatsoever. Delivering the utmost drivel like they're professors at an ivy league university.

[Goat Boy]

I call it Davey Syndrome

[Matt Wilson]

The only difference is, Davey's ego is far bigger than Ray's.

[Matt Wilson]

The song begins with a collection of car horns sounding. The horns were taken from the band’s own cars and mounted in a box and powered by two car batteries, with a foot switch. Producer Ted Templemans slowed the horns down before adding them to the track.

You mean Ray was talking about CAR horns? Now honestly, was that what you thought when you read that? I figured, like I'm sure most people did, that he meant horns as in musical instruments.



Okay, Ray - if that's what you meant then I apologize. You really ARE the professor in the university!