Women and Children First is first on Lizzy Hale's list of Van Halen albums, and she doesn't need to think twice about it. "[It's] the best Van Halen record, period," the Halestorm lead singer recently told Guitar Player, who asked her to come up with the 10 records that changed her life. "I love all their records, but this one is dangerous and vicious. It's as if the band … [Read more...]
Edward Van Halen Previews ‘Women & Children First’ Album In Unheard 1980 Interview
Veteran rock journalist Jas Obrecht has released the last of his six-part 1980 interview with Edward Van Halen. In it, Edward previews the yet-to-be-heard Women & Children First album! "The section you're about to hear now began about two hours and 10 minutes into our conversation," said Obrecht. "Eddie had brought along a cassette of the upcoming Van Halen album Women … [Read more...]
Why Wolfgang Van Halen Owed Kenny Wayne Shepherd’s Dad A Thank You
Wolfgang Van Halen felt he owed Ken Shepherd a sincere "thank you". After all, without Shepherd, there would be no Wolfgang. In 1980, Edward Van Halen and Valerie Bertinelli met for the first time. Valerie was staying at her parents’ home in Shreveport, Louisiana due to an actors strike and scored backstage passes to see Van Halen perform in the area. Those passes were … [Read more...]
Part Two: Greg Renoff Interviews Donn Landee
Photo Credit: Warner Music Group Part two of Van Halen author Greg Renoff's interview with legendary Van Halen engineer Donn Landee has arrived! Renoff shared part one of his interview for Tape Op magazine with VHND readers back in September. Now he's back to make good on his promise to deliver part two. Below is an excerpt from part two of Renoff's two-part … [Read more...]
The Day I Rode In An Elevator With Alex Van Halen
Credit: Neil Zlozower Our fellow Van Halen fan Debbie Pinkney has shared another heartfelt story with the Van Halen News Desk and this time she takes us back to the time Alex Van Halen took her on an elevator ride! It's been said that you should "never meet your heroes" since expectations may be so high, meeting them may lead to disappointment. Not so when it comes to … [Read more...]
The Devo Joke David Lee Roth ‘Didn’t Like’
Credit: Neil Zlozower Devo is known for its sense of humor. But not everyone is in on the joke. Devo's Gerald V. Casale was a recent guest on the Paltrocast and recalled the time an in-concert joke at the expense of David Lee Roth didn't sit well with the Van Halen frontman. I only met David Lee Roth in passing," Casale told Paltrowitz. "Back then I never met … [Read more...]
Kenny Wayne Shepherd’s Van Halen/Bertinelli Family Ties
Rock and roll can be a small world indeed. Who knew Eddie Van Halen and Valerie Bertinelli may have never met if not for Kenny Wayne Shepherd's dad? Valerie and Eddie first met in 1980. At the time, she was staying at her parents’ home in Shreveport, Louisiana due to an actors strike and scored backstage passes to see Van Halen perform in the area. Those passes were … [Read more...]
Photographer Neil Zlozower Shares Van Halen Stories & Photos
When it comes to Van Halen, he's seen it all and he has the photos to back up every story. Legendary Van Halen photographer Neil Zlozower was the recent subject of Gibson TV's "Through The Lens" series for a look back at his unparalleled body of work with the band! From Gibson TV: From the moment he first heard “Running with the Devil” in an office building in Los … [Read more...]
Hear Eddie Van Halen Play Unreleased Guitar Riffs
Credit: Neil Zlozower Jas Obrecht has done it again and released another exclusive tape of his 1980 interview with Eddie Van Halen, but this time we get to hear some never-before-heard riffs that didn't make it onto a Van Halen album. Below are Jas's comments on tape five along with the complete audio from his YouTube channel Talking Guitar: Jas Obrecht's Music … [Read more...]
Listen To Tape Four Of Jas Obrecht’s 1980 Interview With Eddie Van Halen
Credit: Neil Zlozower Jas Obrecht's marathon day-long 1980 interview with Eddie Van Halen continues! Obrecht has just released tape four of the interview. Below are his comments on tape four along with the complete audio in HD: Tape 4 of our day-long 1980 interview features Eddie Van Halen at his most reflective. In especially heartwarming sections, he speaks in … [Read more...]
Jas Obrecht Releases Tape 3 Of His 1980 Interview With Eddie Van Halen
Credit: Neil Zlozower Jas Obrecht has just released tape three of his 1980 interview with Eddie Van Halen! From Obrecht's YouTube Channel Talking Guitar: Jas Obrecht's Music Magazine: This Talking Guitar podcast features the third tape of my day-long 1980 interview with Eddie Van Halen. If you haven’t already heard them, check out the first two hours, which are … [Read more...]
Unearthed Eddie Van Halen: 1980 Jas Obrecht Interview, Part 2
Photo by Neil Zlozower Jas Obrecht's remarkably candid conversation with Eddie Van Halen continues, with lots of guitar playing! Today, Jas released PART 2 of his never-before-heard gem of an interview with Eddie Van Halen, from January of 1980. And, just like his complete 1978 and 1979 Eddie interviews, this is absolutely incredible to hear! But first, if you haven’t … [Read more...]