This summer, no one will be safe... (a Van Halen reunion)

Van Halen all but died -- lost its soul -- the day David Lee Roth left. Van Hagar Halen had one good song ("Right Now") but that's it.

The Van Halen I grew up with in the '80s is the only Van Halen that will ever count.

"I don't feel tardy!"

 

One of my favorite lyrics of all time is from Crowded House's "Don't Dream It's Over":

"Now Im walking again to the beat of a drum
And Im counting the steps to the door of your heart
Only shadows ahead barely clearing the roof
Get to know the feeling of liberation and relief"

 

Saw Van Halen twice with Hagar. The first time was in '93 when they were touring in support of their live album. On the way out, two limos are being led past us on the road out of the venue when a window rolls down and Michael Anthony sticks his head out and says hi to us and hi-fived some kid walking down the street.

No Michael Anthony means no Van Halen. Period.

 

testify, brother.

"Have you seen Junior's grades?"

 

Pretty solid analysis, but a little hard on Women and Children First--some good tunes on that, including one that really should have made its way to classicdom, "Everybody Wants Some". That's a stadium anthem if ever there was one. or maybe a strip club anthem, I'm not sure.

And if you want DLR quotes, that one has this throwaway at the end: "Look, I'll pay you for it, what the fuck".

 

I thought Dreams was phenomenal.

5150 was pretty damned good.

 

First two tracks and pray for rain on WACF.

Beautiful Girls is almost worth the price of II by itself. Plus great, great live tune, Bottoms Up.

And I liked Dance the Night Away and Somebody Get me a Doctor.

I will pay the ticket price, and hope... hope for a wistful Dave. Pray that everyone can do a little growing up.

 

To me, Fair Warning is their best overall album with Dave. So many great tracks - Unchained, Sinners Swing, So This Is Love, Meanstreets ...
Diver Down has some good songs, but the length of 30-some minutes was horrible. Little Guitars is highly underrated, and I always liked Dancing in the Streets
I was with the Sammy era but Balance lost me some ... although I love Amsterdam
And I am probably in the minority that thought Van Halen 3 was a pretty good album. I thought Cherone did a great Dave impression in concert too.

Hell, I like all Van Halen albums to some degree. 5150, 1984, Fair Warning and F.U.C.K. probably stand out, but I like them all.

 

What voice?

 

"To me, it's not rocket surgery. It's very simple to put together. And as far as hurt feelings and water under the dam"

Ahhhh yeah, beautiful mixed metaphors!

 

Agreed on Fair Warning. But it must be noted that just about all of their Roth-era albums checked in at a Beatles-eqsque 30-something minutes.

 

Well done, Xan. That's easily my best memory of the band ...

I like Van Halen, but I'm awaiting tour dates and finding out what I'll have to pawn off to afford tickets for another reunion ...