Flashback Album of the Week: “Van Halen”- Van Halen
From The Villanovan:
If there is any album you should have when stranded on an island, it has to be Van Halen’s self-titled debut. These guys invented the idea of “rocking-out,” and on their debut, Van Halen unleashes the supernatural guitarist virtuoso that is Eddie Van Halen to the world.
In Van Halen’s early days, Eddie would play his guitar solos with his back facing the audience, for fear of anyone stealing his unique guitar-playing technique. Yet on the debut, Van Halen shows no trace of shyness, taking the world by storm with David Lee Roth’s shrill vocals, Alex Van Halen’s tenacious drumming, Michael Anthony’s lively bass lines and, of course, Eddie’s unmatched control over his guitar.
His signature finger-tapping, dive bombing and lightning fast guitar licks are all over this album. It comes as no surprise why he became rock’s greatest guitarist of all time.
It is all killer no filler right from the start. The album opens with “Running With The Devil,” an in-your-face rocker built around a thumping bass line that has David Lee Roth stating his band’s philosophy proudly: “I live my life like there’s no tomorrow.” But as soon as the opening chord of “Eruption” blasts through your speakers, you are bound to be blown away as Eddie takes the spotlight on what was originally meant to be a “warm-up” routine before a show. The only thing this blazing instrumental warms you up for is the next set of high-octane songs which include the energetic Kinks cover “You Really Got Me” and the album highlight “I’m The One.”
Although this album could be said to be the start of hair metal, “Van Halen” is anything but. Van Halen makes use of each member’s powerful vocal and instrumental chops to create loud pop songs like “Feel Your Love Tonight,” “Jamie’s Cryin’” and “Little Dreamer.”
They sport this blend of metal, rock and pop perfectly. They even dip into 12-bar blues on “Ice Cream Man,” with a Van Halen twist of course, as this song contains one of Eddie’s most electrifying solos of his career.
Van Halen’s debut album can be viewed as not only one of the best debut albums of all time but also one of the greatest rock albums in history.
It’s got all the swagger, attitude and power rock bands spend decades trying to achieve. It blew the world away in 1978 when released, and today it continues to amaze.
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October 31st, 2009 at 9:48 am
Yeah, I “flashback” a few times a day, gets messy though…once I even got caught “flashin’back by my girlfriend(s), that was a really nice time…
October 31st, 2009 at 10:10 am
I remembered the brother of my friend put some vinyls (The who-who’s next/ Jimi Hendrix-Star spangled banner/The beatles -Blue album,Sweet smoke,Bob dylan and Van Halen, it was in 1978.Since I’m a fan of Van Halen and Jimi Hendrix.
October 31st, 2009 at 10:29 am
my favorite VH album, all of the songs on it are awesome
October 31st, 2009 at 11:03 am
Easily one of the top ten albums of all time! All the songs simply rock! Here’s to the mighty VH!
October 31st, 2009 at 11:25 am
Best album for fucking.
October 31st, 2009 at 11:42 am
I thought Fair Warning was better and the solo at the end of One Foot Out The Door one of his best on vinyl, but VH one is still one of the best (if not the best) debut albums in history.
October 31st, 2009 at 12:31 pm
GREATEST ALBUM OF ALL TIME.
October 31st, 2009 at 1:26 pm
An album that changed the world.
October 31st, 2009 at 1:37 pm
Flat out, an absolute classic, bar none.
October 31st, 2009 at 2:46 pm
Depending on the day or mood, each VH album is the best. However, without the debut album, there never would have been Fair Warning, 1984, Women and Children First, VH II…..Thank God for Van Halen!!!!!!!
October 31st, 2009 at 3:05 pm
priceless memories.
October 31st, 2009 at 3:23 pm
I have my vinyl copy of Van Halen framed! It is definitely an album worth framing!
October 31st, 2009 at 6:38 pm
This was Van Halen’s Straight ahead Rock Album
October 31st, 2009 at 7:17 pm
Is Dave in the studio yet??
October 31st, 2009 at 7:17 pm
I remember staring at the cover and playing the album over and over! 2nd to none!
October 31st, 2009 at 7:31 pm
A true classic!!! A great album loaded with party tunes!!! There will never be a debut album like that again!!! A toast and a toke to the mighty VH!!!!!!
October 31st, 2009 at 7:48 pm
I like Fair Warning a little more but Van Halen is an awesome album. I never tire of any of the first 6 albums.
October 31st, 2009 at 8:38 pm
an album that changed my life!
October 31st, 2009 at 10:34 pm
new music now!!!
October 31st, 2009 at 10:34 pm
the first 7 albums were great!
October 31st, 2009 at 11:45 pm
This was van halen’s first round knock out!!
November 1st, 2009 at 5:16 am
I’ll never forget the first time I heard Van-Halen’s first album(Man, does this make me feel old.) I was 8 years old with my weekly $5.00 allowance walking into a Peaches Record store with my uncle in Dayton, Oh. There it was, Van Halen’s vynal record playing through out the store. I was completely blown away. Of course, I bought it(Yes kiddies, music was played on eight track cassettes and vynal records back then. Not CD and I-Pods or even the internet) took it home and played that album so much that I wore out the needle on my record player. It use to worry my grandmother so much when she heard “Running With The Devil” thought I was going to be corrupted by the devil. “Good Times!!!”
I’m 39 years old now going on 40. I’ve been a huge VH fan ever since their first self-titled ablum. I’ve got a couple of VH tattoos to prove it:) Thank you Van Halen!!! For so many wonderful memories and so many damn good times!
November 1st, 2009 at 7:32 am
The critic forgot to mention one of the most famous song of them all. Aint Talking bout love… what guitar player didnt strive hard to figure out that opening riff to realize it is a Am chord with hammer on’s and pull offs and flange for affect. what a fun song to play. Thanks ED…
November 1st, 2009 at 9:26 am
This article is all true… I could not have said it any better my self.
November 1st, 2009 at 10:12 am
There are only 3 bands to ever to acheve “diamond” statice for 2 albums. Diamond statice is when a record sells more than 10 million copice and Van Halen acheved it with VH1 and 1984. The other 2 bands are The Eagles-Hotel Califiona and geatest hits and Pink Floyd-the Wall and Dark side of the moon. Van Halen 1 is absoutly among my desert island collection along with the rest of what VH with Dave Roth put out and Eatem and smile and skyscaper and lil aint enough and DLR band. Throw in some Motly Crue and some Judas Priest and I’ll be set.
November 1st, 2009 at 11:06 am
@darren you forgot The Beatles,Led Zep and Def Leppard
November 1st, 2009 at 1:08 pm
VH1 is the VH Dave-era album I listen to the least. Totally played out. FAIR WARNING & WCF never get old to me, but VH1 did.
November 1st, 2009 at 1:35 pm
I was 13 and a friend bought the album and said “You gotta hear this guy on guitar - he’s unbelievable!”.
P.S. How come Mikey was on this cover? Didn’t they airbrush Wolfie in?
November 1st, 2009 at 2:12 pm
The best album ever made but then again, this is not news.
November 1st, 2009 at 3:22 pm
Great album indeed. Where is Dave these days?
November 1st, 2009 at 5:58 pm
It is a great album, but I like 1984 better personally. Neither can touch The Who’s Tommy imo. There has never been a rock album like it.
November 1st, 2009 at 6:57 pm
Righet after their first album was released, the first Van Halen I ever heard was Eruption, on a friend’s car stereo, at ear splitting volume. It was transformative. That guy liked to play his copy of Van Halen to everyone he could, and he would offer us rides to school just so he could expose as many people to Van Halen as possible. I will always be in his debt.
Everything on the first album is a masterpiece of attitude and otherworldly skill.
When Dave rejoined the band, I got out this album and gave it a whirl to see if it could still make my blood boil. It still sounds fresh and electric. Their first album remains thrilling.
“Nobody rules these streets at night but me
The Atomic Punk!”
November 1st, 2009 at 8:12 pm
“I bought Van Halen 1, it was the best damn record I ever owned. TG&Y, 1978. . .”
November 1st, 2009 at 9:32 pm
on the island i would take
every vh album except vh3
the black sabbath albums with ozzy
some beastie boys
rage against the machine
montrose first 2 albums
chickenfoot
and all the dlr shows!!
November 1st, 2009 at 11:18 pm
Classic perfection. Almost as good as the first Chickenfoot record.
Ha! Just kidding.
November 2nd, 2009 at 9:48 am
Its great to see that some writers have the balls to say the simple truth. Eddie is the greattest rock guitarist of all time.Not the usual,Greatest next to Hendrix ,and greatest of his generation BS. NICE REVIEW.
November 2nd, 2009 at 9:50 am
great album indeed,but its time to move on.from reading all these comments ,it seems we all are frustrated fans right now,simply because we want more from these guys, and were not getting it.ed loves to keep things a secret.hard to say what the future holds..hope we hear something concrete soon .
November 2nd, 2009 at 10:02 am
i pretty much shit my pants when I heard this album for the first time! Timeless Classic. Its in the changer in my car now!
November 2nd, 2009 at 10:03 am
Love the first album but Fair Warning is my fav.
November 2nd, 2009 at 10:04 am
“Two-hand tapping guitar technique, really got me off! Eruption, yeah! Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love, I’m On Fire…”
November 2nd, 2009 at 10:17 am
Yeah, there’s just something about Fair Warning that does it more for me than 1.
November 2nd, 2009 at 11:04 am
I was 12 years old and got this album for Christmas. I remember upon opening the present thinking who is this band? This is not the Kansas record that I wanted? Good thing though! This record did change it all! I have every VanHalen record to date and then to come. I can not say that about Kansas!
November 2nd, 2009 at 11:12 am
Album changed my life. No doubt one of the greatest ever created.
Fair Warning is my favorite, but this is the one that got me into VH…Feel Your Love Tonight is one of my favorites:)
November 2nd, 2009 at 11:25 am
VHII is the first album I ever bought…but I bought it because I thought it was VHI. I was sucked in originally not by the guitaring of Eddie but by the wild screams this guy DLR was making. Anyway I soon bought all the Roth era VH and their music definitely played a role in my school years and beyond. I bought the 5150 album with Sammy but it just wasn’t the same. No comparison.
November 2nd, 2009 at 11:54 am
As far as debut albums go, I would say VH1 is a close second to Chickenfoot’s debut album.
November 2nd, 2009 at 12:09 pm
You can’t go wrong with all the first 6 albums. You can make an argument for each of them being the best - and I have. My fave depends on how I’m feeling that day but it ususally comes down to VH1 & Fair Warning. VH1 usually wins - 11 awesome tracks vs. 9 awesome tracks and its got Atomic Punk…
November 2nd, 2009 at 1:11 pm
aaronindm: “As far as debut albums go, I would say VH1 is a close second to Chickenfoot’s debut album”.
Respectfully, as a fellow CF fan, I gotta say NO FREAKING WAY!
November 2nd, 2009 at 1:27 pm
I love the Foot and they can rock the house, but VH1 is in a league of it’s own!!!! The only other debut album that comes close to VH1 is from Guns and Roses!!!
November 2nd, 2009 at 2:02 pm
I just listened to the entire album again today. I just LOVE Ice Cream Man. The acoustic axe with Dave in the beginning is really great, when they kick it up in the middle it gets even better. Ed’s solo in this song is outstanding. Great album for sure.
November 2nd, 2009 at 2:12 pm
I have to agree with you Scar about Guns and Roses Appetite for Destruction being in VH1’s league. I might even say that CF is in the coversation, but with music it is subjective to each individual. I must say I like Axl Rose as a singer better than DLR, but Eddie blows Slash (and any other musician in G&R) out of the water.
Hey, they both rock though!
November 2nd, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Fair Warning, Women and Children and VH 1 . I like em in that order.
November 2nd, 2009 at 2:47 pm
I heard You Really Got Me and Ice Cream Man on the radio. I went to the record store and asked the clerk for the album by Van “something.” I hadn’t caught the full name. The only thing they had at the time with Van in it was Van Morrison!
Later I found the 8 track and wore it out. I remember playing it for everybody I knew including my cousin who was in a band and a great guitar player. I played Eruption for him and he said “that sounds really cool but you know he’s not playing that, it’s some kind of recording trick.”
This was a guy who could figure out any song or guitar riff by ear and he had no clue what Eddie was doing!
November 2nd, 2009 at 2:58 pm
I’m 44 and I remember 1978 like if it was just 31years ago! Well that’s how old I am. But it did blow my mind and every part of my body away. BTW, I lost a girlfriend to this album because I could not put the thing down! Hell, I was only 13! I even thought that Eddie, Frakenstrat and the brown sound were a fiction of my imagination! Alien like! But I do remember thinking that whatever Hendrix was blazing on, Ed simply had more Captain Crunch in his! Do you people honestly think somebody will come around and do something like this again? Nahh, don’t think so! Captain Crunch signing out!!
November 2nd, 2009 at 3:52 pm
Let’s not forget about led zepplin 1!How many copies did it sell world wide?
November 2nd, 2009 at 4:16 pm
Yeah..lets not forget about Zeppelin..on a Van Halen website…lol
November 2nd, 2009 at 6:16 pm
No one had ever heard anything like this when it was released. I can remember the “buzz” on the street- “have you heard this band out of CA called Van Halen?” Seems like everyone was completely blown away. Thank the Lord I’m old enough to remember. J5150C- no way will anything touch VH1. Not sure if the Sammy-era fans really know or understand how this album changed rock ‘n’ roll.
November 2nd, 2009 at 6:57 pm
I would have a real tough time picking being VH1 and Fair Warning. Both of them are just pure unadulterated genious. A perfect combination of great song writing and technically brilliant guitar playing. Both of these albums are far superior to anything else in the VH catalog - IMO.
November 2nd, 2009 at 11:45 pm
chickenfoot and classic van halen are in a different
leg. please
and i like sam hagar! a lot
these people call themselves fans
silly. silly. comments.
even sam knows that shite is sacred and has said so..
November 3rd, 2009 at 8:47 am
“Appetite” changed nothing- same old, same old
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:56 am
This album made me change my whole attitude about rock music in general… I was 12 when the album came out & I went from listening to KISS & saying “I wanna learn to play guitar”,to throwing away that crap & saying, “I GOTTA LEARN TO PLAY THIS ALBUM”!!! This album changed music FOREVER!!! I kinda regret throwing out my old KISS albums now, just for the memories & sentimental value they would hold, & my mom was happy I tore down all those posters, but she was in for the shock of her life to hear what I UPGRADED to!!! My life was never the same!
November 6th, 2009 at 4:38 am
Little big toe: Good point!