A brand-new mini-documentary on the creation of Edward Van Halen's iconic Frankenstein guitar has been released and it's a must-see! The video, produced by Simon Alkin and posted on his YouTube channel Icons Remembered, is narrated by Edward himself, telling his own story of the path that led him to create Frankenstein between 1967 and 1977. Alkin said, "Edward Van Halen … [Read more...]
Gene Simmons: ‘Paul Stanley Should’ve Taken My Advice And Signed Van Halen’
Regrets. Gene Simmons has had a few. One he often talks about is his missed opportunity getting a then-unknown Van Halen signed. Here's an excerpt from a recent article by Ultimate-Guitar's Greg Prato: Throughout the history of rock music, there have certainly been quite a few close calls and "What if?" scenarios. And high on the list would be when Gene Simmons spotted a … [Read more...]
Sunset Strip Veteran Shares Front-Row Tales Of Van Halen’s Rise
Former Sunset Strip veteran musician Loren Molinare recently appeared on Final Resonance TV’s Van Halen Stories Podcast to discuss his front-row seat to the rise of Van Halen as the guitarist/vocalist for Detroit Rockers The Dogs. During the mid to late 1970s, The Dogs opened for Van Halen often, including a gig at The Pasadena Civic Auditorium, just after Van Halen signed … [Read more...]
Great White’s Mark Kendall: Van Halen’s Secret? Cold Calling
Credit: Neil Zlozower Eddie had his guitar, Dave had his mic. They also had a phone, which they put to very good use back in the day. During a recent appearance on the Booked On Rock podcast with the VHND's Eric Senich, Great White guitarist Mark Kendall shared a conversation he once had with David Lee Roth. It was at a time when Van Halen was a constant presence on … [Read more...]
Gene Simmons Performs Van Halen’s ‘House Of Pain’ Demo Version
Gene Simmons performed Van Halen's demo version of "House Of Pain" live during a recent solo concert in Milwaukee. According to Setlist.fm, this marked the first time Simmons ever performed the song in concert. The fan-shot video above was from The Gene Simmons Band's show at the Rock & Brews restaurant Wednesday (July 3rd). Simmons' connection to the song dates back to … [Read more...]
When Gene Simmons Asked Ace Frehley To Play Eddie Van Halen’s Solo: ‘He Was Furious’
Gene Simmons recently once asked Ace Frehley to play a guitar solo exactly like Eddie Van Halen on a KISS track and it's safe to say that didn't go over well with Ace. Below is an excerpt from a recent article written for Ultimate-Guitar by Greg Prato: Producer Ted Templeman is often credited with discovering Van Halen and helping them sign a deal with Warner Bros. … [Read more...]