This says it all...

[man of the people]

This review was originally posted by Hoof Hearted on another thread. I thought it best sums up classic VH fans thoughts on Sam VS Dave.

"Right now, Van Halen isn't really Van Halen at all, but Van Hagar, an abysmal marriage of a screaming idiot and a once-pioneering, now-complacent band of rich, unimaginative, resting-on-their-laurels superstars who have actually managed to convince themselves that they are better off without former lead vocalist David Lee Roth.

It may seem incredible, but Van Halen wasn't always a predictable corporate rock machine. Fifteen years ago (imagine!), a very different band invaded album-oriented rock and gave American adolescence a whole new set of brass balls, or in some cases, ovaries. Acne was made bearable by the genius combination of Eddie Van Halen's exquisitely crisp guitar licks and David Lee Roth's arrogant, proud over-the-topness.

This glorious band used to drive the best home with a scent of danger and unrest. The Cradle did Rock - thanks to Roth's brazen sexuality, his off-color, sexist honesty, and best of all, the blessed humor and self-mockery that kept the band from trying to be too important when they weren't.

In the now-irrelevant good-old-days, Van Halen sang about sex and partying because that's what they knew, but sometime after Roth was given his papers, Van Halen decided to get in bed with the Top Forty and sing all about love, a subject which they know comparatively little about ("How do I know that it's love/I can't tell you but it lasts forever"). The love trilogy("When It's Love," "Love Walks In," and "Why Can't This Be Love") acts as a romantic tranquilizer on the listener, who is then in enough of a dumb stupor to truly appreciate lead singer Sammy Hagar's "go-for-it-you-can-do-it" pop psychology anthems. "Dreams," "Right Now," and "Give to Live" are the three cornerstones of Hagar's philosophy of self-realization, which can best be described as 'Don't give up, even though my lyrics suck.' "

-Jon Reed March 1993
From "Right Here Right Now" review thread.

[Brett]

Was there a reason you decided to put this here too then? Closing this, we already got a discussion going about this where you can guys bash away.