“Hello, bayyyyyy-beh!” 36 years ago today, Van Halen Mach II was born! 5150 ushered in a decade of #1 albums and sold-out tours with vocalist Sammy Hagar. Where did Van Halen get the idea for the "5150" title? 5150 is the California statute for holding those with grave mental disabilities involuntarily for 72 hours and sometimes longer pending further … [Read more...]
A Tribute To ‘Van Halen II’ – Released On This Day In 1979
Release Date:March 23, 1979Recorded:December 1978 - January 1979 at Sunset Sound Recorders, Hollywood, CALength:32:00Producer:Ted TemplemanPreceded By:Van HalenSucceeded By:Women and Children First Van Halen II: 1. You're No Good2. Dance The Night Away3. Somebody Get Me A Doctor4. Bottoms Up!5. Outta Love Again6. Light Up The Sky7. Spanish Fly8. D.O.A.9. Women … [Read more...]
New Bill McClintock Mashup Featuring Van Halen Is A Real Riot! [VIDEO]
Mashup master Bill McClintock has released another gem and this one includes David Lee Roth singing alongside Quiet Riot's Kevin DuBrow and Paul Rodgers! McClintock's latest work is titled "Van Free Riot - 'Ain't Talkin' 'bout Metal Health Now'". He takes Quiet Riot's "Metal Health (Bang Your Head)" and mixes in a heavy dose of Paul Rodgers vocals from Free's "All Right … [Read more...]
The Story Of Kurt Jefferis’ ‘Lost Weekend’ With Van Halen
On this day in 1984, Kurt Jefferis won a “Lost Weekend With Van Halen” MTV contest out of more than 1 million entrants. This is his story! When MTV announced its "Lost Weekend With Van Halen" contest in early 1984, the network received over a million postcard entries for a chance to spend three days with the band during their 1984 tour. The lottery couldn't have … [Read more...]
Valerie Bertinelli: ‘I’m Grateful That Ed Was Able To Make Amends With So Many People That He Loved’
Valerie Bertinelli looked back on Eddie Van Halen overcoming his battles with substance abuse during a recent appearance on Rob Lowe's podcast Literally! With Rob Lowe. "We all have a toolbox that we go to when we need to suppress any kind of emotion that we don't want to feel, any kind of pain that we don't want to feel, and I know that Ed's toolbox was filled with drugs … [Read more...]
Happy 31st Birthday Wolfgang Van Halen!
Edward Van Halen lit the fire in the group that bears his name. Now his son is blazing his own trail as a solo artist. This is the story of Wolfgang Van Halen. Born March 16th, 1991, named after the classical composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Wolfgang William Van Halen is the son of Eddie Van Halen and actress Valerie Bertinelli, and the nephew … [Read more...]
Watch Neil Zlozower Guide You Through His Van Halen Books
Watch the author give you a virtual tour of his two Van Halen hardcover coffee table books. Legendary rock photographer Neil Zlozower has published two hardcover coffee table photo books on Van Halen (Van Halen: A Visual History, 1978-1984 & Eddie Van Halen) both of which are absolute must-have items for fans. Even if you own both books, you’ll love these two videos we … [Read more...]
Henry Rollins: ‘Mark Twain Meets Groucho Marx, Who’s Also A Black Belt…That’s David Lee Roth’
Henry Rollins says he and David Lee Roth had plans to turn Roth's 1997 book Crazy From The Heat autobiography into a spoken-word tour. In a recent interview with The Hype Magazine's Darren Paltrowitz, Rollins talked about the '97 collaboration that almost was with Roth, his thoughts on Roth's "blazing intellect", whether he thinks DLR is the greatest frontman of all time … [Read more...]
Sammy Hagar On Eddie Van Halen’s Impromptu ‘Right Now’ Guitar Solo: ‘He Played Whatever Came Out’
Sammy Hagar says Eddie Van Halen recorded the guitar solo for "Right Now" in his pajamas and slippers. "Usually, Eddie had solos pretty locked down before we started recording but, on this song, he winged it,” Hagar told Guitar Player's Joe Boss. “He came out of the house in pajamas and slippers, went into the studio and played whatever came out. And as you might expect, it … [Read more...]
Anniversary of Van Halen’s First World Tour!
After four years paying their dues playing the Southern California rock scene, Van Halen hit the road. It was just three weeks after the release of their self-titled debut album that the band kicked off its first world tour. Stop #1 was the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, Illinois on March 3, 1978. The move from the typical clubs the band was used to playing to the Aragon was … [Read more...]
When David Lee Roth Got Stuck On A Bridge…And Decided To Jog To His Radio Appearance!
Come hell or highwater, David Lee Roth will show up for his interview. Even when the bridge over those very waters isn't working. This story takes place circa 1988 while Roth's tour landed in Florida. To promote the upcoming show, Roth was scheduled to appear on WYNF-FM's Ron & Ron Morning Show in Tampa Bay. Unfortunately, Roth's limo got stuck on the Howard Frankland … [Read more...]
Sammy Hagar On Why He’s ‘Leery’ Of Leftover Van Halen Songs Being Released
Sammy Hagar says any unreleased Van Halen material in the 5150 vaults was unreleased for a reason and it may not be worth revisiting. In a recent interview with The San Diego Union-Tribune, Hagar was asked if there are any unreleased recordings during his time with the band that could eventually come out. "Van Halen didn’t have many songs that were completed that didn’t … [Read more...]