Legendary drummer Carmine Appice is probably best known for his work with Vanilla Fudge and Rod Stewart but there were no bigger fans of his band Cactus than Eddie & Alex Van Halen. Cactus formed out of Long Island, New York in 1969 and featured Appice on drums, former Vanilla Fudge bandmate Tim Bogert on bass, Jim McCarty (Mitch Ryder's Detroit Wheels, The Buddy Miles … [Read more...]
Alex Van Halen
Deconstructing Classic Van Halen: Isolated Tracks
Wanna hear "Hear About It Later" in a way you've never heard it before? Want just that tribal beat of "Everybody Wants Some!!"? Are ya hot for Eddie's guitar licks only on "Hot For Teacher"? Then you gotta check out these videos! The YouTube channel Isolated Tracks is created by musician, sound technician and DJ Fatih Günes. He's just released eight classic Van Halen tracks … [Read more...]
A Video Tour Of Alex Van Halen’s Drum Sets Through The Years
The YouTube channel 65 Drums has gone back through the legendary career of Alex Van Halen to highlight each and every drum set he used from his early pre-fame days right through to 2012's A Different Kind of Truth! Here's the complete video with a chapter breakdown below: CHAPTERS Early Years :44Bands Leading To Van Halen 1:41Early 70s Drum Sets 2:24Van Halen I … [Read more...]
Sunset Sound Roundtable: Alex Van Halen Can Bring The Swing!
Alice Cooper drummer Glen Sobel gave it up to the "King of Swing" Alex Van Halen during a recent visit to Sunset Sound Studios. During his roundtable interview with Sunset Sound Recorders host Drew Dempsey, Sobel was asked why Van Halen's "I'm The One" is such an important song. "[Because] it swings," said Sobel of the song recorded at Sunset Sound Studios in Los Angeles … [Read more...]
LISTEN: ‘Eruption: Conversations with Eddie Van Halen’ Authors Exclusive Interview
The VHND's Eric Senich talked with Eruption: Conversations with Eddie Van Halen authors Brad Tolinski and Chris Gill for an exclusive, in-depth discussion of Eddie Van Halen's legendary career! Throughout the interview Tolinski and Gill give their insight and opinions on a wide range of EVH topics including: Eddie's childhood days overcoming his shynessHis relationship … [Read more...]
Drummer Kenny Aronoff On Van Halen: ‘Every Single Player In That Band Was THE REAL DEAL!’
Drummer Kenny Aronoff talked about the influence of Van Halen a.k.a. "The Real Deal" during a recent interview with Sunset Sound Recorders. Check out Aronoff (John Mellencamp, John Fogerty, Chickenfoot) talk about the genius of Eddie Van Halen, the distinct, identifiable sound of Alex Van Halen, the "Rock God" showmanship of David Lee Roth, the impeccable vocals and bass … [Read more...]
Van Halen – ‘Hang ‘Em High’ Drum Cover
Here's a cover of Van Halen you just can't beat! YouTuber Mike Conway has just released a video featuring his drum cover of Van Halen's "Hang 'Em High". "This song comes from Van Halen's Diver Down album, released in 1982," Conway posted along with the video. "The album is often criticized for containing five cover songs. This song is an original & has an almost … [Read more...]
Van Halen Unearthed ‘Feelin” Performance – Buffalo 1995
The self-proclaimed "Other Half" of Van Halen - Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony have dished up another surprise for fans. Last night they uploaded previously unseen footage of the band performing "Feelin'" in Buffalo, NY in May of 1995. This was posted on their Van Halen/Other Half social media accounts. Sammy: "Wow, well that's a long-lost deep track that I have forgotten … [Read more...]
Author Greg Renoff On The History & Legacy Of Van Halen
Author Greg Renoff sat down for an in-depth discussion on Eddie Van Halen and Van Halen history during a recent appearance on the Making Waves with Tom Prather podcast. Prather covered a wide range of Van Halen-related topics while also learning some Greg Renoff history. Long before writing his critically acclaimed books Van Halen Rising: How a Southern California Backyard … [Read more...]
Exclusive Interview: ‘Van Halen: The Eruption and the Aftershock’ Author Michael Christopher
The Van Halen News Desk's Eric Senich talked with music journalist Michael Christopher about his new book Van Halen: The Eruption and the Aftershock! Below is the complete interview conducted by Senich for his podcast Booked On Rock. Christopher discusses a wide range of topics related to Van Halen including: The band's early days in Pasadena and original bassist Mark … [Read more...]
New Van Halen Book ‘The Eruption And The Aftershock’ Released
A new Van Halen full-band biography entitled Van Halen: The Eruption And The Aftershock has been published by Backbeat Books. The book is now in stock at Van Halen Store. Order direct from Van Halen Store to have your copy shipped immediately! Here's the scoop: Come the late '70s, the rock music landscape was littered with the bloated carcasses of bands who … [Read more...]
‘When We Experience Beauty…’
"When we experience beauty, we know it as truth. Ed - love you... miss you." - Message posted on Van Halen's official website today, with the beautiful and chilling, "Respect The Wind," written and performed by Alex and Eddie Van Halen. Listen below. Other tributes to Edward Van Halen today: Year To The Day (Song) A Tribute to Edward Van Halen … [Read more...]