‘It’s not heavy metal and it’s not The Temptations, but it’s something in between.’—David Lee Roth Forty years ago today, April 14th, 1982, Van Halen released their most unique, odd, and light-hearted album. Enjoy our tribute to Diver Down! Diver Down, Temperature Up By John Scanlan Before the making of Fair Warning, Roth had moved to an apartment block … [Read more...]
Alex Van Halen
The Denver Snow Show, Visiting 5150 & More Van Halen Stories With Guitarist Damon Johnson [VIDEO]
From a snowstorm concert in September to being the subject of an Eddie/Alex debate to visiting the hallowed 5150 Studios, guitarist Damon Johnson has plenty of Van Halen stories to tell and he shared them all during a recent appearance on Final Resonance TV. Back in 1995, Johnson (Thin Lizzy, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Alice Cooper, Blackstar Riders) was the lead vocalist and guitarist … [Read more...]
Guitarist Damon Johnson Recalls The Life Changing Night He Saw Van Halen In 1980 [VIDEO]
Guitarist Damon Johnson says the night he first witnessed Van Halen in concert, it literally left him in tears. Johnson (Brother Cane, Thin Lizzy, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Alice Cooper, Blackstar Riders) was a recent guest on Final Resonance TV and shared the story of the time he first saw Van Halen in concert. It was on August 4th, 1980 at the Birmingham Civic Center in Birmingham, … [Read more...]
Pasadena Plans To Name New Public Stage After Van Halen
The city of Pasadena is set to pay tribute to Van Halen by naming a public stage after the band. The Pasadena City Council is expected to approve the name on Monday (April 11th). According to Pasadena Now, the stage will be part of a new public park to be named after author Octavia E. Butler. It's currently under construction at 701 East Union Street between El Molino Ave … [Read more...]
Everybody Still Wants Some ‘Women & Children First’! Van Halen’s Third Studio Album Released On This Day In 1980
Here's the Van Halen News Desk's extensive tribute to Van Halen's third studio album Women & Children First, which was released 42 years ago today... Release Date:March 26, 1980Recorded:December 1979 - February 1980Length:33:13Producer:Ted TemplemanPreceded By:Van Halen IISucceeded By:Fair Warning Track listing: 1. And The Cradle Will Rock...2. Everybody … [Read more...]
36 Years Ago Today: Van Halen Launches Second Era With The Release Of ‘5150’ Album
“Hello, bayyyyyy-beh!” 36 years ago today, Van Halen Mach II was born! 5150 ushered in a decade of #1 albums and sold-out tours with vocalist Sammy Hagar. Where did Van Halen get the idea for the "5150" title? 5150 is the California statute for holding those with grave mental disabilities involuntarily for 72 hours and sometimes longer pending further … [Read more...]
A Tribute To ‘Van Halen II’ – Released On This Day In 1979
Release Date:March 23, 1979Recorded:December 1978 - January 1979 at Sunset Sound Recorders, Hollywood, CALength:32:00Producer:Ted TemplemanPreceded By:Van HalenSucceeded By:Women and Children First Van Halen II: 1. You're No Good2. Dance The Night Away3. Somebody Get Me A Doctor4. Bottoms Up!5. Outta Love Again6. Light Up The Sky7. Spanish Fly8. D.O.A.9. Women … [Read more...]
The Story Of Kurt Jefferis’ ‘Lost Weekend’ With Van Halen
On this day in 1984, Kurt Jefferis won a “Lost Weekend With Van Halen” MTV contest out of more than 1 million entrants. This is his story! When MTV announced its "Lost Weekend With Van Halen" contest in early 1984, the network received over a million postcard entries for a chance to spend three days with the band during their 1984 tour. The lottery couldn't have … [Read more...]
Valerie Bertinelli: ‘I’m Grateful That Ed Was Able To Make Amends With So Many People That He Loved’
Valerie Bertinelli looked back on Eddie Van Halen overcoming his battles with substance abuse during a recent appearance on Rob Lowe's podcast Literally! With Rob Lowe. "We all have a toolbox that we go to when we need to suppress any kind of emotion that we don't want to feel, any kind of pain that we don't want to feel, and I know that Ed's toolbox was filled with drugs … [Read more...]
New Podcast Aims To Break Down Entire Van Halen Catalog One Track At A Time
It's the podcast that is guh-guh-guh gauranteed to rock on...and on...and on...until they cover each and every song in the Van Halen catalog! And The Podcast Will Rock debuted in November and has released 16 episodes so far. In each, the hosts Mark and Corey choose a random Van Halen song and break it down from start to finish. "We are here to discuss, dissect and just … [Read more...]
Anniversary of Van Halen’s First World Tour!
After four years paying their dues playing the Southern California rock scene, Van Halen hit the road. It was just three weeks after the release of their self-titled debut album that the band kicked off its first world tour. Stop #1 was the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, Illinois on March 3, 1978. The move from the typical clubs the band was used to playing to the Aragon was … [Read more...]
Sammy Hagar On Why He’s ‘Leery’ Of Leftover Van Halen Songs Being Released
Sammy Hagar says any unreleased Van Halen material in the 5150 vaults was unreleased for a reason and it may not be worth revisiting. In a recent interview with The San Diego Union-Tribune, Hagar was asked if there are any unreleased recordings during his time with the band that could eventually come out. "Van Halen didn’t have many songs that were completed that didn’t … [Read more...]