Van Halen
Biography
With their 1978 eponymous debut, Van Halen simultaneously rewrote the rules of rock guitar and hard rock in general. Guitarist Eddie Van Halen redefined what electric guitar could do, developing a blindingly fast technique with a variety of self-taught two-handed tapping, hammer-ons, pull-offs, and effects that mimicked the sounds of machines and animals. It was wildly inventive and over the top, equaled only by vocalist David Lee Roth, who brought the role of a metal singer to near-performance art standards. Roth wasn't blessed with great technique, unlike Eddie, but he had a flair for showmanship that was derived as much from lounge performers as Robert Plant. Together, they made Van Halen into the most popular American rock & roll band of the late '70s and early '80s, and in the process set the template for hard rock and heavy metal for the '80s.
Throughout the '80s, it was impossible not to hear Van Halen's instrumental technique on records that ranged from the heaviest metal to soft pop. Furthermore, Roth's irony-drenched antics were copied by singers who took everything literally. One of these was Sammy Hagar, an arena rock veteran from the '70s who replaced Roth after the vocalist had a falling out with Van Halen in 1985.
Selected Discography
The Best of Both Worlds
2004
Van Halen III
1998
Best Of Van Halen
1996
Balance
1995
For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge
1991
Not sure where youre going Craig?; ACDC had devil horns on the "Highway" album cover, long before that Gene sported the "devil" hand sign on the cover of Love Gun, & long before that, Ronnie James Dio was throwing that sign out there to his followers! He's the first to admit that that particular hand sign goes back to the Druids;where others have claimed it for thier own
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Ozzy started throwing out the peace sign in his days of BS; Dio was the one who became associated with the famous hand gesture, but he never took credit for coming up with it; it dates back to pre-mortal man, although Gene Simmons takes credit for inventing it; but he also takes credit for inventing EVERYTHING!
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Ha, Jay porks wants anouther album from van halen, its comming out after their 2008 tour. straight from wickipedia. all praise the wickipedia!! !
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I have a question.... if not van halen.... who was the first band to have that whole devil horns thing and screaming "Rock on!" people have been doing it 4 years. but come to think of it, its origin is beside me. black sabbath/ ozzy ozzborne also comes to mind...
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Why does this mention nothing about Alex's AMAZING drum abilities. Check out a drum solo by this guy on youtube or something and your brain might explode.
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Fair Warning's still my fave, then Women and Children. Not much into anything after the first four.
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LISTEN TO YOU FOOOOLS BICKER THI IS ABOUT WHAT YOU LOVE TO HEAR IVE LEARNED MY LESTON YA TAKE UP SPACE BUT IVE LEARNED WHEN YOU HEAR VAN HALEN NOT VAN HAGAR ITS SUMMERTIME . JUST ENJOY PANDORA S DA SHEITE
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If ur not comin back, then guess u wont read this; but just in case...Not puttin u down bro! not knockin ur right to speak ur piece; I'll be the first to defend that right! To best sum it up; if you werent there in the 80's then you'll never understand it; if you can fully remember the 80's, then you probably werent there! If Zombies too old for you, then how bout Wylde? no genious, but still acknowledges the forerunners
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even zombie? he's the end all be all in musical knowledge?
I'm seriously done now, not comming back here. You people make me feel like i'm a peice of s**t anyway, as if god for bid someone can have an opinion on what you people consider a rock god. so whatever i guess it is what it is and none of you feel i'm "up to par" to debate with,so i won't come back.i'll leave you people alone i'm glad everyone had fun making fun of someone whos trying to make sense out of a musical era that doesn't |
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Really man; let it go!?!?! Much more to attack; How bout MManson rippin off Alice Cooper; even Zombie is the first to admit that Alice & KISS did it first,& MUUUUCH BETTER! Slipknot is a joke!; sooo much to put down thats trying to pass as music now! Why blitzkrieg a sound that WAS inovative for its time 30 yrs ago???
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Listen, I'm not gonna have a conversation with you here, i left like 17 comments on your page(read them in order, please). i'd be thrilled to do a Q&A session one on one, just come by my page
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thanks for the tip. first impressions are usually correct. I think i get it now. I think your hatred for vh doesnt really run as deep as your mouth makes it seem. you just like opposition and the more people say they like VH, the more you hate them. good for you. but maybe im wrong, and you just have some other huge bias against them.
I have ?'s. how much VH have you heard,do you play guitar,have u played VH songs/solos, d o your guitarist friends agree with your opinion on Eddie VH? be honest |
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Van Halen and Van Halen II were two of the best rock & roll records ever produced; period, case-closed, full-stop!
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Record is the right term d-bag, wheather its a tape, cd, mini disc, or whatever its "record"ed on. and hey ben at first i thought you may be somewhat informed about things, but do you have like a tracker on me whenever i leave a comment your right on my coat tails? IM IN EVERY BANDS MESSAGE BOARD! ONES I LIKE, AND ESPECIALLY BANDS THAT SUCK. and here's a thought, without so many blank lines in your comment, you might be able to FIT THE WHOLE THING IN !!
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thats the one thing we have in common, jay. I love coming back here and reading what more you can pull out of your a** about van halen.
the only person trying to change people's opinions is you guy. we're on a van halen fan message board! why did you come here in the first place, if not just to stir up trouble and try changing people's opinions? the only thing more inovative than eddie's guitar playing in the 80's are your ridiculous comments about it. just out of curiosity, how much v |
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whats with the record thing noone listens to records anymore there's this cool invention called a CD just buy one there not that expensive
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Keep it comming please. I love comming back here everyday seeing more of you trying to somehow change my opinion. Edward isn't the number guitarist, HE ISN;T EVEN THE 10TH BEST GUITARIST! "He's a great soloist", really? does he keep any of those solos somewhat melodic and in song? NO, he gets flashy with his weird "inovative" sounds and i think i switched to the metal station. IF HE'S SO GOD DAMN INOVATIVE THAT INOVATE ME A LISTENABLE RECORD PLEASE, JUST ONE AND I'LL SHUT UP.
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Keep it comming please. I love comming back here everyday seeing more of you trying to somehow change my opinion. Edward isn't the number guitarist, HE ISN;T EVEN THE 10TH BEST GUITARIST! "He's a great soloist", really? does he keep any of those solos somewhat melodic and in song? NO, he gets flashy with his weird "inovative" sounds and i think i switched to the metal station. IF HE'S SO GOD DAMN INOVATIVE THAT INOVATE ME A LISTENABLE RECORD PLEASE, JUST ONE AND I'LL SHUT UP.
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17 vs 1 should tell you something buddy.
why do you keep saying that about "not hearing a record in twenty years"? We've all heard plenty, few are impressive, and many use techniques invented by..... guess who..?.. Eddie Van Halen. he's not the #1 of all-time, but he's really close. just about any guitarist will tell you the same. Eddie must have done something really cruel to you. Ive never seen anyone so butt hurt in my life. jeeeez! enough already! |
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Live and die for Edward.. keep doing it. it only makes you look ridiculous. you people act like 5 year olds whenever you mention my name in a comment. just come talk to me about it, and lets not clog up the message board. you click the thing that says jayporks and you write a comment there. If its 17 against one it seems kinda like an unfair fight doesn't it? and i don;t think i'm some messiah of rock and roll but compared to you im the rock guru, act like youve heard a record since 1984 please.
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hey does anyone here know what kind of cymbal Alex is riding on? it's an unmistakable sound, and i need to get one
thanks in advance |
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Jay porks, I had to read back at your comments. OF COURSE WE ARE ALL GOING TO RIP ON YOU! YOUR IN A BLOG TALKING ABOUT VAN HALEN! YOU SAID YOUR SELF WE ARE "SENSLES DRONES." WHATS THE POINT OF COMING ON HERE AND MAKING ANTAGONIZING COMMENTS and then thinking to your self, "Why are people angry?" I WONDER!? give it a rest, you think your some messiah of rock and roll? The people love them, will always love them, and there is nothing you can do about it.
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too jay porks: Van Halen is some of the best music I have heard. For the longest time all I've listened to is Trance. Van Halen has more than just sollo's, The songs themselves are entertaining as well.Some of their riffs are epic! Thats why there in the top ten bands along with Led zepplin.Go ahead and say you do not Like Van Halen's style, but its unquestionab l e that Eddie is a good solloist. To say that they flat out suck just makes me sick.I might not have explored rock and Roll withoutem.
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anyone knockng van halen is obviously too young to know how good and refreshing the music was at the time. you had to be there. obviously you werent. kids only type in caps.
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Jay porks if you can'y play no better then don't hate and stop being an a*s hole
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OR MAYBE YOU PEOPLE HAVENT HEARD A RECORD IN TWENTY YEARS!!!! YOU PEOPLE MAKE ME THINK IM IMPORTANT WITH ALL THE TALK ABOUT ME. TALK "VH" MAN, TALK ELECTIRC DRILL GUITARING AND "INVOATION". FREAKING LAMES LISTENING TO "VH".. AND SENDING ME PRIVATE COMMENTS AND BLOCKING MINE. CLASSY
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To Jay Porks:
your ignorance is evident in every one of your posts. p.s.: GET A LIFE! |
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While your out there pondering your own greatness; since you don't want to go there 'bout the inavator Les Paul;& u want to start dropping names there Porks;why don't u look up the Davies bro's! Yes the ones who come up with the original riff for "You Really Got Me". Thats right;in the 60's,just like Page with the Yardbirds;tr u l y f'ing with amps to get outrageous sound;when amps still had tubes. Not re-lying on effects.Who does that now?
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see again and I thank stations that play what we love, we should be lucky these times are still here because of it.I wish your listeners the best Rock On Donny
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These days might not ever return but a great man said If it aint broke dont fix it .I have been lead singer for a classic rock band and its all about what your soul continues to except and it does not matter if there is change around. Something you love ,you still love it .I am still glad for the stations that can recognize people are formed from apart of what we listen and grow to know matter what. I fell in love with someone through the best times that this planet has ever seen and will never
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BACK IN THE DAY WEN MUSIC WAS REALLY MUSIC. ITS ASHAME THESE DAYS WILL NEVER RETURN.
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I've tried my damndest to like Van Halen but it just wont work. wickedgoogli e said it pretty right on. They had okay riffs, okay lyrics, see how many notes you can hit in a guitar solo, repeat. Sure Eddie's a good, fast technical, guitar player, but if we want to talk how guitarists were influenced, we're gonna have to back up to Les Paul, and then procede with every guitarist that made a splash since then.
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AND HE COULD PLAY THE GUITAR WITH ANY F**KING DRILL, HAMMER, NAILS, SCREAWDRIVER S OR WHATEVER F**KING ELSE HE COULD PULL OUT OF HIS TOOL SHED, IT STILL SOUNDS LIKE GARBAGE!!! and stop it with this non sense mentioning my name in your comments like i'm some f**king big shot. i don't listen to thrash and speed metal or whatever type of music that type of guitar play is meant for, so i could care less about the "great inovations" you people speak of..
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"issuing cruel, selfish ravings."... or they could be opinion that i have that you can debate with me personally on my page instead of making me having to keep come back here. Just do me a favor, could you put on a record that came out in maybe the last ten years? 15 even? because you sound like a person who has been shown the truth about your s**tty band.
-and can i ask you people a question? if you like the band so much, then why are you letting my opinions bother you?your the fan, not me |
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SO, "JAY Porks", when is the last time you watched/list e n e d to an electric guitar played with an electric cordless drill, instead of a pick, and have it sound like music? Try for yourself instead of issuing cruel, selfish ravings.
Oh and by the way, what have you accomplished in the guitar realm to give you the experience/e d u c a t i o n to pass off your opinions(eve r y o n e has one), as a qualified, unbiased, enlightened critique of the band's music? So sorry! |
