Did you ever consider VH 'metal?'

[SactoFan]

In the 80's, Van Halen got lumped into the 'metal' bin...where else could they be placed, I guess was the thinking...They were in Circus, etc...

However, I NEVER thought of them as metal.
Way too melodic and talented for such a generic tag.

What do y'all think? Sorry if it's a mundane question...

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You ain't a Van Halen fan??!!??

PUT DOWN THE CRACK PIPE AND STEP AWAY...VERY...VERY...SLOWLY!!!

[Glenn]

I got into VH in 1984, and at the time I was also listening to Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Ozzy, and I definately didn't put Van Halen into the metal category with those bands. I don't really remember spending any amount of time thinking about the type of music that it was, but I loved those days of picking up a Pepsi and reading the new Circus and/or Hit Parader.

Damn, now I'm getting nostalgic.



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[Dan Halen]

They're definitely not as heavy as the bands that are considered "metal," so I would say Van Halen is considered hard rock. They incorporated keyboards in many of songs and have a lot of variety in their music.

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"We will be making some announcements very soon. All I can really tell you is we're in the studio working on new material, there will be a new Van Halen coming out, and it sounds great." --Michael Anthony, 1/22/01

Dan Halen

[SactoFan]

Glenn, I tore apart Hit Parader and Circus every week and had VH plastered everywhere! My parents thought I was insane...now, even Mom likes "When It's Love" and "Once"...*lol*

Metal just wasn't the label...

Any label would have been insufficient, then as now...

[Graagwillen_Alex]

I've always hated labels. Only one-dimensional bands deserve them. I hate these stupid countdowns even more. How 'bout Creem magazine with all those wacky captions? Here's one for ya:

[SactoFan]

Classic, Alex!

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You ain't a Van Halen fan??!!??

PUT DOWN THE CRACK PIPE AND STEP AWAY...VERY...VERY...SLOWLY!!!

[AJW]

Agreed Dan Halen.

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Al and I are the real Van Halen. There could always be Van Halen as long as it's me and Al. But if there was no Dave, this place would be pretty empty tonight. - EVH during a 1984 pre-concert interview before that night's sold out show

And there's only one David Lee. I'm the fun in Van Halen, always will be. - David Lee Roth

When classic Van Halen is together it's like one person. When I say 'I' in this respect, I mean my whole cadre that I am part of. I'm the tear boss, and I'm a fuckin' lifer. - David Lee Roth

"In America, we believe big time in publicizing the shit out of 'we ain't talkin'.' First we make goddamn sure that everybody knows we ain't saying anything..." - David Lee Roth

[Glenn]

Awesome picture Graagwillen.

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www.vhlinks.com

[esquiretoo]

I never considered VH metal back then. It's really an interesting question though. They weren't pop or rock either. They were all three. Everyone could identify with them in some respect, and basically, when you partied, you played VH.

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[Georgie]

Dan Halen- I agree with you too. I always thought Van Halen were a Hard Rock Band. They were never too heavy and they were certainly never too Pop. When I think of bands, this is how I see it:

HEAVY METAL

Slayer
Iron Maiden
Pantera
Judas Priest

HARD ROCK

Van Halen
AC\DC
Aerosmith
Queen

ROCK

Bruce Springsteen
U2
Tom Petty
Eagles

POP

N Sync
Backdoor Boys

[kat]

I remember reading an article about Dave a long time ago. The interviewer basically asked DLR to categorize VH's music...metal, hard rock, etc.

Dave's answer was "Big Rock". He gave an explanation of why they didn't really fit in the other categories...damned if I can remember what it was, but it was a good one.



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"My belligerent enthusiasm is as optimistic as ever" - DLR

[Stuff No More]

I never considered them metal.

Of course I didn't get "on the team" until the early '90s when it was easy to tell the difference, but still.

They were always "hard rock."

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[Eddie's Monster]

No never, to me Metal in the 80's were bands like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden.
Van Halen was always a good...sorry an Excellent Hard Rock band!!!

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Beware of 2k1
The Year that Halen will rise, once again and rule the world like the gods of thunder they are.

To Fred Durst:
"Shut The Fuck Up"

[blueeyedmurder]

Van Halen has always been in a class by themselves. But I read and interview once that "classified" them very well. The author of the article described classic VH as "Heavy-Metal Swing Music". I though that summed it up pretty well. The original anyway.

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"It's all over but the SHOUTING...
I've come to take what's mine!"

[Eddymon]

Van Halen IS rock & roll


Ain't Talkin' Bout Love = Hard Rock

Jump = Top 40 Rock

Atomic Punk = Metal (IMO at least)

So the answer is yes Van Halen is metal.

But,
They are also Hard rock & top 40 rock as well.
Thats what makes them great, they are a complete rock & roll band.
You can't classify them as one or the other because its all rock & rapin' roll.

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ENOUGH IS ENOUGH EDDIE, ALEX, MIKE & DAVE.


*****I AM THE OLIVER STONE OF VHLINKS*****