Photo Credit: Neil Zlozower Renowned engineer Donn Landee recently shared some "behind the boards" stories about the recording of Van Halen's classic first album at Hollywood's Sunset Sound Studios in 1978, in a conversation with author Greg Renoff. Below is an excerpt from part one of Renoff's two-part interview posted to the Tape Op magazine website: I recall … [Read more...]
Van Halen Anthems Rock The ‘Cloud’ At David Lee Roth’s Corporate Performance In Las Vegas [VIDEO]
David Lee Roth performed Van Halen classics with the all-star covers band Royal Machines at a corporate event Wednesday night (September 20th) in Las Vegas. Roth performed at the Oracle CloudWorld 2023 event at the Venetian Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Also appearing with the group were Chris Chaney (Jane's Addiction), Billy Morrison (The Cult, Billy Idol), Mark … [Read more...]
‘Unchained’ Fan-Made Video Remix Re-Ignites The Fire Of Van Halen Classic
Just in case rock fans need a reminder that Van Halen's "Unchained" is among rock's red-hot classics, this video should light a fire under their collective asses. The folks at The Tapes Archive put together the video above by sourcing four separate videos of Van Halen performing "Unchained". Below is what they posted along with the remix video: This Van Halen fan-made … [Read more...]
Joe Perry Pays Tribute: Eddie Van Halen Among The Guitarists Who Influenced His Sound
Credit: Neil Zlozower Joe Perry named Eddie Van Halen among the eight guitarists who helped shape his sound. The Aerosmith guitarist recently shared his list of influences with Guitar World and had this to say about Eddie: If you listen to Eddie's playing, it's just so inspiring, you know? When Van Halen's first album [Van Halen] came out, Eddie really opened things … [Read more...]
Van Halen Dominates Charts In Five U.S. States, Claims Top Spot As Most Popular Band
Credit: Neil Zlozower Have you Googled Van Halen lately? You're not alone. Van Halen is the most searched-for classic rock band in five U.S. states, according to recent data study. The life insurance company Sell Easy analyzed Google Trends search data of 70 iconic rock bands at their peak pre-1990 to determine the most popular classic rock band in every … [Read more...]
Sammy Hagar Opens Up In Candid Post-Van Halen Interview From 1997 [AUDIO]
A never-published interview with Sammy Hagar from 1997 has been posted by The Tapes Archive. This wasn't the best of times in Van Halen history. Hagar had a well-publicized falling out with Eddie and Alex Van Halen the year before; this after a decade fronting Van Halen. In this interview, he candidly gave his side of the story regarding the breakup, how he still looked … [Read more...]
Desmond Child Reveals How David Lee Roth Blocked Him From Writing Songs For Van Halen
Photo by Neil Zlozower For nearly three decades, songwriter/producer Desmond Child has reigned as one of music's most successful hitmakers for the biggest bands like Bon Jovi, KISS, Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Ratt, and Joan Jett. According to Child, Van Halen could have been another band on his resume, but David Lee Roth prevented that from happening. Child, a recent guest … [Read more...]
Unearthed Treasure: Van Halen Brothers Cover Of Black Sabbath’s ‘War Pigs’ From 1972 [AUDIO]
In a new recording with surfaced on YouTube, listeners can hear Eddie and Alex Van Halen alongside bassist Mark Stone performing Black Sabbath's iconic track, "War Pigs", way back in 1972. 17-year-old Eddie Van Halen, brother Alex, and Mark Stone cover Black Sabbath's classic War Pigs, aka Walpurgis. Possibly recorded at the club Gas Company in Pasadena, California, in 1972. … [Read more...]
How Wolfgang Van Halen Is Honoring Late Dad Eddie on New Album [VIDEO]
Wolfgang Van Halen recently appeared on “Extra" to promote the latest Mammoth WVH album Mammoth II, which includes the track "Take A Bow". As Wolfgang explains in the video above, it has a special connection to his late dad Eddie. Wolfgang also talks about his appearance on the soundtrack to the hit film Barbie, his current tour, and his upcoming wedding. … [Read more...]
‘Van Halen Breaks Up’ – The Fan-Made 1984 Documentary Episode 5
The final episode of 'The Van Halen Fan-Made 1984 Documentary' has arrived! After six albums and millions of concert tickets, David Lee Roth and Eddie Van Halen split. Did David Lee Roth quit? Was he fired, or neither? The original Van Halen lineup ended, and the band underwent significant changes with Hagar's arrival, signifying a new chapter in their music career. (This … [Read more...]
Unearthed 1995 Interview With Alex Van Halen Offers Insight Into Van Halen Past, Present & Future Expectations [AUDIO]
The Tapes Archives channel has unearthed another hidden gem - an exclusive audio interview with Alex Van Halen from 1995. The interview (above) was conducted by Canadian music journalist and author Steve Newton as Van Halen was preparing to perform in British Columbia, Canada. Alex talks about growing up and playing with his brother Eddie, the drummers he was a fan of early … [Read more...]
Dave Grohl, Gregg Bissonette & Chevy Metal Pay Homage with Electric Cover of Van Halen’s ‘Jamie’s Cryin’ [VIDEO]
Dave Grohl and David Lee Roth drummer Gregg Bissonette paid tribute to Van Halen at Rock & Roll Pizza in Simi Valley, California recently. Check out the video above featuring Grohl, and Bisonnette joining the band Chevy Metal performing "Jamie's Cryin'". Chevy Metal was formed by Grohl's long-time Foo Fighters bandmate Taylor Hawkins in 2013. Hawkins would routinely gig … [Read more...]