Very sad news in the world of Van Halen today. Van Halen's original bass player, Mark Stone, has passed away from cancer. We've heard from his wife that, sadly, he's been in hospice recently. Then today, the news of his death has been confirmed by his brother on Instagram. Mark's history with Van Halen goes way back to 1972... which you could say was the year of the … [Read more...]
Ted Templeman: ‘If I’d Tried to Put Sammy Hagar in Van Halen in 1977, I’d Have Made the Biggest Mistake in Rock History’
One of the biggest misconceptions some people have about Van Halen's early history is that they believe the band's original producer, Ted Templeman, wanted to replace singer David Lee Roth with Sammy Hagar before recording their first album. This isn't true. Or, at least, it wasn't true for more than a moment of time. To set the record straight, here's a short excerpt … [Read more...]
‘Van Halen Rising’ Author Greg Renoff Appears on Eddie Trunk’s ‘Trunk Nation’
Van Halen Rising has risen once again. Two and a half years after releasing his highly acclaimed book Van Halen Rising author Greg Renoff appeared for the first time on Eddie Trunk’s Sirius/XM radio show “Trunk Nation”. Renoff sat down with Trunk Wednesday afternoon (4/17/18) for a lengthy interview which took place at The Hard Rock in Tulsa, Oklahoma. On the slim chances … [Read more...]
Killer Cover of Van Halen’s Unreleased ‘We Die Bold’
Jacob and Josh are back! And this time, with another full band Van Halen cover of an unreleased Van Halen gem! Premiering exclusively on the Van Halen News Desk, guitarist Jacob Deraps and drummer Josh Gallagher have released their cover of Van Halen’s 1977 demo, “We Die Bold,” with Jacob on guitar, bass, and vocals, and Josh pounding the drums. This unreleased Van … [Read more...]
Video: Gene Simmons on the 3 Kiss Songs Recorded with Van Halen Brothers
In the video above, Gene Simmons talks about the three never before released (and never leaked or bootlegged) KISS tracks which feature Eddie and Alex Van Halen. Simmons will soon release a massive, limited-edition box set called The Vault. Among its one hundred and fifty tracks are three long-lost KISS demo recordings that feature Edward and Alex Van Halen playing alongside … [Read more...]
40 Years Ago: Eddie Van Halen Records ‘ERUPTION’
It was exactly 40 years ago today that Eddie Van Halen recorded the wildly innovative instrumental, "Eruption." The date of Sept. 8th, 1977 was uncovered by Van Halen biographer, Greg Renoff, during his extensive interviews with Van Halen producer Ted Templeman. Here's an exclusive excerpt about the day "Eruption" was recorded, from the pages of Renoff's Van Halen … [Read more...]
The Vault Cracks Open: Gene Simmons To Release 1977 ‘Love Gun’ Demos Featuring The Van Halen Brothers
We've got an exclusive from Van Halen biographer Greg Renoff for VHND today ... some pretty exciting news! Here it is: The list of “Holy Grail” archival rarities that Van Halen fans dream of is a long one. Frequently wished-for items include early studio demos, film footage drawn from Van Halen’s 1981 performances in Oakland, and concert recordings from the band’s golden age. … [Read more...]
1975: A 20-year-old Eddie Van Halen Plays Acoustic Guitar at a Wedding
First, we want to thank Greg Renoff, author of Van Halen Rising, for unearthing this absolute gem of a photo! This was posted on the VHR Facebook page yesterday. In this photograph from 1975, a 20-year-old Edward Van Halen plays acoustic guitar at a wedding. The piano player is Kenny Smith, who went on to become a music industry sales guru. Kenny and Eddie were playing for … [Read more...]
‘Van Halen Rising’ Author Greg Renoff Interviewed on EVH Gear TV
Greg Renoff, historian and author of the best seller "Van Halen Rising - How A Southern California Backyard Party Band Saved Heavy Metal" was the special guest on EVH Gear TV last Friday. Here's the episode, in case you missed it. Greg and host Eric Broadbent share a fun talk about the early and formative years of their favorite band. Get your copy of Van Halen Rising … [Read more...]
Watch ‘Van Halen’s Beginnings in Our Backyard’ (Updated with Video)
Van Halen Rising author Greg Renoff gave an excellent presentation today (Sat. April 29th) about Van Halen's early days on the campus of Pasadena City College. He shared unpublished photos that he couldn't include in the book and told a few tales about Edward, Alex, Michael, and David's stint as students at PCC. Watch the video above. Photos: Most photos here were … [Read more...]
40 Years Ago: Van Halen Offered Record Deal!
Today's is one of the least appreciated and yet most important anniversaries in Van Halen history. Forty years ago tonight, producer Ted Templeman, acting on a tip from Marshall Berle, stood in the back of Hollywood's Starwood Club and watched a little band from Pasadena tear it up. Impressed, he'd return the next night with Warner Bros. Records president Mo Ostin in tow. … [Read more...]
Watch ‘The Van Halen Story – The Early Years’ Documentary
Today is the 15th anniversary of the release of "The Van Halen Story," the must-see documentary about the formative years of the best rock and roll band ever. Narrated by the late J.J. Jackson from MTV fame, the documentary covers Alex and Edward's early years playing with small garage bands, all the early years with David Lee Roth, and concentrates mostly on the club days … [Read more...]