The "Let's talk about actual Van Halen music" thread

[I Coulda Hada VH]

How about a thread solely dedicated to the music of The Mighty Van Halen? All four eras. What do you like and not like? And why? What are your favorite and least favorite songs and albums? What are your favorite and least favorite performances from all 7 members? What was the first Van Halen song you remember hearing? When was your first Van Halen concert? Music is subjective, so there are no right or wrong answers. Differences in opinion are what make for interesting and entertaining discussions.

Fire away ...

[Brett]

Honestly this is probably a good idea to get all the talk out of that other thread.

Let’s try not to kill each other please.

We all have different opinions. Remember that. OK good luck we’re all counting on you.

[Raldo]

Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love. Never EVER get tired of hearing it.

[BlindtotheWorld]

Killer Ed riff and Al monster drums. When I listen to songs of this era and then add MWM, HB, and CGTSNM, would have loved some more output of this type using the Dave or Sammy led formula as opposed to the detour that was III.

[I Coulda Hada VH]

As great as Al's intro is on Hot For Teacher, I think this is the song with his best drum work ...

[BlindtotheWorld]

^^^^ VHII is my favorite Dave album so I listen to it the most, so you don't have to convince me! Incredible tune and wouldn't be remotely the same song without Alex.

[I Coulda Hada VH]

^^^^ VHII is my favorite Dave album so I listen to it the most, so you don't have to convince me! Incredible tune and wouldn't be remotely the same song without Alex.

IMO, VH II is their most underrated album. This is one of my top 5 VH tunes, with one of the tastiest breakdowns I've ever heard ...

[MD 5150]

Least favorite...last 2.
Favorite 5150
First song heard...probably Unchained live video on MTV. If I heard Van Halen before that I don't remember.
Wasn't until I saw the video for Jump that I can say I really liked Van Halen, not because of anything other than I guess I wasn't a rocker until I was 12.
When Dave left the band I was pissed and wanted nothing to do with the new Van Halen and 5150, but that was short lived.
Something about seeing Eddie play Summer Nights on LWAN that still makes me happy, just hearing the song does the same.
I'm not so fond of their covers. I know it still has Ed's touch, there are just so many Van Halen written tunes that are better.
I still listen to 5150, 1984, Balance and F.U.C.K. start to finish without skipping any song.
I own the first 7 Van Halen albums on vinyl, the next 3 on CD and the last 2 digital download...legal of course.

[I Coulda Hada VH]

I was with my future wife (to whom I've now been married for 31+ years) on 3/24/86, the day 5150 was released. We were on our way to Huntington Beach (it was spring break) and we stopped at a Wearhouse record store, which I believe was on the corner of Beach and Lincoln in Anaheim. I bought 5150 on cassette. My wife was wearing a one piece yellow and black bathing suit that day, sort of reminiscent of Eddie's bumble bee guitar. Good times ...

[rurbaniak]

I was with my future wife (to whom I've now been married for 31+ years) on 3/24/86, the day 5150 was released. We were on our way to Huntington Beach (it was spring break) and we stopped at a Wearhouse record store, which I believe was on the corner of Beach and Lincoln in Anaheim. I bought 5150 on cassette. My wife was wearing a one piece yellow and black bathing suit that day, sort of reminiscent of Eddie's bumble bee guitar. Good times ...

Pictures or it didn't happen. :0

Also, I'm a fan of all 4 era's. I went through a stage where I listened to mostly Sammy era, and right now (no pun intended) I'm all about the original VH. If anything I disliked was the first reunion tour with Sammy, and Eddie was in a bad place, and it didn't sound good. I was disappointed, but he redeemed himself.

[I Coulda Hada VH]

I don't care how much Dave's Dreidel and Jungle Drummer hate this song. I dig it ...

[BlindtotheWorld]

IMO, VH II is their most underrated album.

I'm not sure why it sometimes gets disparaged (not on here of course) as the album with the "leftover songs from VHI".

I don't care how much Dave's Dreidel and Jungle Drummer hate this song. I dig it ...

I like the live version where the guitar and bass are higher in the mix during the verses - it "rocks" alot more.

[CaboChris]

Jamie's Cryin'.

The one that started it all for me. No one ever ranks that song high but it's so catchy. The riffs and BG vocals. The isolated track is heaven to my ears. That track is all rhythm.

[MD 5150]

Pictures or it didn't happen. :0

Also, I'm a fan of all 4 era's. I went through a stage where I listened to mostly Sammy era, and right now (no pun intended) I'm all about the original VH. If anything I disliked was the first reunion tour with Sammy, and Eddie was in a bad place, and it didn't sound good. I was disappointed, but he redeemed himself.

That was a rough one. I was about 15 rows from the stage on Eddie's side. I felt bad for him rather than disappointed. Addictions SUCK, glad Wolf was able to get him back on the right path.

[wombattt]

First song heard...Dance the Night Away, was the summer of ‘79...truth be told I’d probably heard You Really Got Me or Running with the Devil on the radio before this, but Dancing was the song that grabbed me at the right time.

I had my first job and bought two albums with my own money. My other albums had always been gifts. I bought Foghat Live & Van Halen II. My older brother kept borrowing my Van Halen album. He was about to leave to become a pilot for the Air Force and he got us tickets to see Van Halen at the Music Hall in Cleveland. He was taking his two younger brothers. I’d come across an add or a radio spot (92 Rock) that the band was going to be at the Peaches Record store. I rode my bike to the store, but to meet the band you had to buy their album. Which I already had and I just a kid with a paper route...I couldn’t afford to buy another one. I hung around and looked at albums in the store. It was a decent distance to ride from my house to the Peaches store, so I wasn’t too big on turning right around. The meet and greet ended and I was in the parking lot and the band and their people came out and headed to the Sunshine Head shop right next door. I walked in right after them. Got to meet all of them.
Saw them in concert that night or the next, my brother got us some parking lot bootleg t-shirts for a few bucks. Wore that to the first day of school which was a week or so later. Had the original logo with the banner over the VH. I’d preferred the VH II logo, but again I was a broke 13 year old.