Best Lead Singer Debate: Is it a generational thing?

**dropdeadlegs** · 09.05.00, 07:23 PM

What with all the anti-Dave, anti-Sammy, anti-Gary, pro-Dave, pro-Sammy or pro-Gary posts, I wonder how much of this might be a generational thing.

Over the 2o+ years of the band, fans obviously came aboard at different times. I'm inclined to think the pro-Sammy fans, are those who discovered the group between '86 and '96, the Cherone fans just recently and Dave fans who were into the group way back when.

Anyhow, I'm curious to know, wherever your allegiance lies, at what time did you get into the band?

For the record, I got into the group in '82 circa Diver Down. IMO, Dave-era Van Halen is the best incarnation of the band.

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Alright You Sinners, Swing!

**Stuff No More** · 09.05.00, 07:36 PM

Well, as I've said before, I'm a convertee as of For UCK and dig Sammy the most.

Though, as an aside, seems the Sammy people are more tolerant of other options for singer, as most of the experience I've had is we tend to not give a damn who sings, as long as Eddie, Al, and Mikey are backing them up.

Anyone else notice this?

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**Tucker** · 09.05.00, 07:50 PM

I'd have to agree that it's a generational thing.

I got into VH circa 1981, Fair Warning, am 35 yrs old and think the Dave era is the best. There was just some kind of unique energy and edge to their studio albums and live performances.

A friend of mine, who happens to think Sammy's the best, is 28 years old and got into VH at the same age I did (15-16 years old). My friend was 16 in 1988...this explains why one of his favorite albums is OU812.

**track 5** · 09.05.00, 08:14 PM

Van Halen is timeless. Now for those of us that were lucky enough to catch THE ORIGINAL, we do have some special places in our heart. That being said, Sammy is one BAD ASS mother. He carried the torch like no one could. Having met the guy, I can say he is VERY cool indeed.
To answer the question, I say maybe. I was tuned into to the original, but I think Sammy is great. As for Gary, he had a tough gig. Did what he could I guess. I'll give him thumbs up for that. Dave and Van Halen will be, and are THE greatest band ever. BTW, not a burn on Sammy at all. For those that are out there, you get my drift.

Out.

**Glenn** · 09.05.00, 10:00 PM

I'm 29 and I got into the band in 1984, though I was too young to catch the live show with Dave. In fact I didn't get to see the band live until the FUCK tour. Forced to choose, my favorite eras go in the order they occured. Dave then Sam then Gary. But my allegiance is to Van Halen, the band. It's all Van Halen to me.

**Darkstar** · 09.05.00, 10:02 PM

Tucker, thank god I'm not the only 35 y/o in here. I started out with Dave, accepted & loved Sammy as much as Dave, was bored with Gary, and am praying with the rest of you that we're back to Dave!

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**hain23x** · 09.05.00, 10:04 PM

from the opinions of others that I have read, about 98% of the people that got into van halen when they really were Van Halen favor Dave.

Why??

because THAT was Van Halen

and count me as 1 of the 98%ers!

I got into Van Halen in late 81 and IMO, the sammy era and gary era don't even come close.

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**Vince** · 09.06.00, 05:53 AM

You might be somewhat right about your statement, I liked VH from the begining, and although even back then I was not a big Roth fan I totally concede the fact the Eddie's best and most creative guitar work was in the Roth era. I also discovered Sammy on the first Montrose CD which is "Kick Ass" in my opinion. I'm accused of bashing Roth on many of my posts and that is a fair and true impression. I just don't think any of the Roth folks really give Sammy credit for what he was able to do which was come in to a band that was at it's height of sucess with Roth and be able to continue and even drive the popularity higher. Then accuse Sammy of changing the total musical direction of VH. When the direction already changed on the previous album with Roth "1984". "Jump" was totally commercial, when Ed introduced key boards, the sound of the band softened up. No doubt you can hear Sammy's influence on all the CD's, but what the hell did you want him to be just a puppet for Eddie?

**TDR** · 09.06.00, 06:02 AM

I'm 27, I got into VH in 1986-87 when my friend played Diver Down for me. I got a guitar and thought, well, Eddie is supposed to be the best, I'd better buy a VH album. Got 5150, and thought 'this sucks'. My friends bootlegged all the Dave-era albums for me and I listened to them all the time, while buying the new ones (and DLR solo albums) as they came out (from F.U.C.K./ALAE onwards). Never liked a Sammy Halen album as much as a Dave one. It's not generational, either you'get' Dave or you don't. It's like Monty Python...

BTW: I'm a Dave Halen fan, as if you can't tell...

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[This message has been edited by TDR (edited September 06, 2000 at 06:05 AM).]

**hain23x** · 09.06.00, 06:04 AM

I'm not sure I can agree on sammy taking the band to a wider range of popularity. while those albums did go to number one, they didn't sell like 84 did. sales slowly declined during the sammy years. when the sammyera albums first came out, the fans would buy it(thus making it the highest selling album for a couple of weeks) but then they would drop after that.

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"Do you believe??
Tell me you believe!"-Me Wise Magic

Eat us and Smile por favor~!

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**billy007** · 09.06.00, 11:04 AM

For the most part it probably is generational, but there are a lot of other factors. For instance, there were people that were Sammy Hagar fans before 1985 that became Van Halen fans after he joined. Then there are kids who started following music after 1985 whose older siblings were fans of the Mighty (or classic, if you will) Van Halen so that is what they were exposed to. A lot depends upon concert memories, song memories, musical style preferences (softer love songs vs. the songs like "Could This Be Magic?" or "Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now)" type departures). Some could be influenced by which incarnation their local hometown radio station seems to favour. So many variables. So it's hard to say for sure.

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**Unchained Wolfie** · 09.06.00, 02:34 PM

Like most peole here I started out a Sammy fan and switched directions to Dave.

I like all 3 eras though

[This message has been edited by Unchained Wolfie (edited September 06, 2000 at 02:34 PM).]

**dropdeadlegs** · 09.06.00, 03:05 PM

I totally agree with Vince's argument 'bout the "softer" side of VH after Sammy took the riegns. I believe one of the reasons tensions with Dave reached a peak in 1985, was that Ed and Al wanted to move in a different musical direction. Meanwhile, Dave wanted to keep things status quo. By the that, I mean straight out "hard rockers". Obviously, comin' in as a outsider, Sammy wasn't goin' to have the kind of influence as if he was there from the beginning. For fans of Classic Van Halen, Dave stayin' in the band might have meant a continuation of VH's harder sound. Instead, Dave's departure meant that Ed & Al were finally able to take the music in a different direction, that unfortunately alienated alot of die hard fans. Sammy is not to blame.

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Alright You Sinners, Swing!

**Brett** · 09.06.00, 03:59 PM

Well I don't know that you can generalize and say it's a generational thing, because during my high school years, Sammy was fronting VH and they were huge at my school, yet I got into them in 1981 and prefer the Dave era. BUT, I still enjoy listening to all 3 eras equally, they all had things about them I liked.

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