Tesla bassist Brian Wheat says David Lee Roth not only wanted Tesla to open for him back in 1987, he also wanted to manage the band. After a series of dates supported by Cinderella during the second half of 1986, Roth tapped Tesla to open for the Eat 'Em And Smile band in January and February of '87. Roth had picked the band after seeing the video for "Modern Day Cowboy", … [Read more...]
1984 Throwback: Watch Skydiver-Version Video Of Van Halen’s ‘Jump’
Who knew when David Lee Roth sang "Go ahead and Jump" some people would take it literally. We have to give credit to Van Halen historian Greg Renoff for tipping us off to this video. On what is the 40th anniversary of the week Van Halen's "Jump" hit #1 on Billboard, Greg stumbled on this gem filmed back in 1984 by a group of Skydivers from Texas. It features a cast of … [Read more...]
Idaho Glass Artist Reimagines Iconic Van Halen Guitar
Eddie Van Halen's creative inspiration has reached artists of all kinds, not just musicians. Case in point: Idaho glass artist Cameron Davenport, who has reimagined Eddie's iconic Frankenstrat guitar into glass. In the video above posted to YouTube by Idaho news outlet KREM 2 News, Davenport shares the process behind creating the famous red-black-white guitar, which is in … [Read more...]
When David Lee Roth Reached For Risk-Taking Heights With ‘Skyscraper’ Album
Thirty six years ago this month, David Lee Roth's single "Just Like Paradise" from 1988's Skyscraper album was soaring up the charts, peaking at #6 on Billboard in March of 1988. While the song was a huge commercial success, the album would fall short of Roth's expectations. But what if it had? In a new article for Ultimate-Guitar, rock journalist Greg Prato explores the … [Read more...]
Exclusive: Childhood Friend Recalls Eddie Van Halen’s Early Years
In an exclusive interview with the Van Halen News Desk's Jeff Goebel, Eddie Van Halen’s childhood friend Tom Broderick revealed private moments with Eddie and Van Halen from 1968 to 2019. Tom’s older brothers Rob and Rick were the first to meet Eddie doing paper routes in the Pasadena area they lived at. Rob, a drummer, even jammed with Eddie in the summer of 1968. The rare … [Read more...]