On August 27, 1986, Van Halen took the stage at the New Haven Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Connecticut for a show that would become one of the most iconic concert videos in rock history: Live Without a Net. It was the band's second night in New Haven during the massive 5150 tour — and fortunately so. The first night's filming had audio problems, … [Read more...]
40 Years Ago Today: My First Van Halen Concert
Forty years ago today, on August 12, 1986, longtime Van Halen fan and drummer Kurt Ekstrom attended his first Van Halen concert — a night he still remembers vividly four decades later. Kurt has written numerous articles for Not So Modern Drummer and has appeared on the Drum History Podcast to discuss Alex Van Halen's drums and gear. With the 40th anniversary of that first … [Read more...]
40 Years Ago Today: Van Halen Conquers the Texxas Jam
Sammy & Eddie at Texxas Jam, by Rick Gould On this day in 1986, Van Halen headlined the 9th annual TEXXAS JAM at the Cotton Bowl in front of 72,000 rowdy fans. The bill included BTO, Keel, Krokus, Dio, and Loverboy. VHND contributing writer Kevin Dodds was there, and we think you'll enjoy his recollection... '5150' Time at Texxas Jam! By Kevin Dodds Van … [Read more...]
David Lee Roth on Eat ‘Em and Smile, the Van Halen Split, and the New Van Halen with Sammy Hagar (1986 Interview)
Forty years ago, just weeks after the release of Eat 'Em and Smile, David Lee Roth sat down with CREEM magazine for one of the most revealing interviews of his early solo career. With the Van Halen split still fresh, Roth had just assembled his powerhouse new band featuring Steve Vai, Billy Sheehan, and Gregg Bissonette, while Van Halen was riding high with Sammy Hagar and … [Read more...]
David Lee Roth’s ‘Eat ‘Em and Smile’ Turns 40
And so the adventure continues...! Forty years ago today, David Lee Roth released his debut full-length studio album Eat ‘Em and Smile. Released on July 7th, 1986, the album peaked at #4 on the US Billboard 200 while eventually achieving platinum status for a million sales. For his first full-length release, Roth worked with long-time Van Halen producer Ted Templeman … [Read more...]
40 years Ago: ‘Why Can’t This Be Love’ Reaches No. 3
40 years ago today, "Why Can't This Be Love" climbed to #3 on Billboard's Hot 100 — becoming the first major hit of the Van Hagar era. Do you remember what it felt like hearing the "new" Van Halen for the very first time in 1986? Here's the "Why Can't This Be Love" entry from the book Van Halen: Every Album, Every Song, by Morgan Brown: Track two [of 5150] is a … [Read more...]
40 Years Ago: 5150 Takes Van Halen to No. 1
Dreams Realized On April 26, 1986, 5150 officially reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200. It was anything but inevitable. By 1986, the band had already built one of the most powerful runs in rock. Six albums deep—all of them charting, and all of them shaping what Van Halen was. Yet none had taken that coveted top spot. Then everything changed. New lineup. New … [Read more...]
Van Halen ‘Live in New Haven 1986’ Coming to Vinyl & CD June 5
Van Halen fans are getting another shot at Live in New Haven 1986—this time as a widely available release. A crystal-clear vinyl edition of the album was released today as part of Record Store Day and quickly sold out at many independent record stores. Now, a standard black vinyl version is on the way, set for release on June 5, along with the first-ever standalone CD … [Read more...]
Van Halen ‘Live Without A Net’ Watch Party
Van Halen’s classic concert film Live Without a Net is set to premiere on YouTube Friday! The 90-minute concert video will premiere on Van Halen's official YouTube channel at 8pm Eastern / 5pm Pacific Friday, giving fans everywhere a front row seat to watch it together in real time. We've embedded it above, and we're inviting everyone to crack open a cold one, and get … [Read more...]
5150 Expanded Edition is Out!
The 5150 Expanded Edition is out today featuring the 1986 live concert from New Haven and the Blu-ray debut of 'Live Without a Net,' along with rare b-sides, extended versions, and a deluxe 24-page book! Check out the live video for "Best Of Both Worlds" from New Haven, embedded above. And watch Sammy and Michael discuss making 5150, embedded below. "One of the the … [Read more...]
Van Halen – Why Can’t This Be Love [Official Video]
The official remastered Live Promo Video for "Why Can't This Be Love" was released on Van Halen's YouTube channel today. This is part of the rollout for the Van Halen - 5150 (Expanded Edition), which arrives March 27! This was recorded live at the Hollywood Sportatorium, Pembroke Pines, Florida, on July 04th, 1986. Nearly 40 years ago! Watch the video, embedded … [Read more...]
Van Halen 5150 Expanded Edition! Rarities, 1986 Live Recordings + More Arrive 3/27 [Updated]
VAN HALEN 5150 (Expanded Edition) LP/3CD/Blu-ray Set Includes Remastered Album, Rarities, And Previously Unreleased 1986 Live Recordings, Arriving March 27 Blu-ray Features New High-Definition Version Of 1986’s Double-Platinum Concert Video, Live Without A Net [UPDATED Feb 5th with the complete official press release, and more details about the Blu-ray] (Los … [Read more...]