My first posting is inspired by conversations with my friend Joe back in my bartending days. "A True Fan" is someone who loves everything that band has ever put out, whether it has critical and mass appeal or not. A True Fan sticks by their band in every decision they make but is also willing to criticize when necessary. Its tough love and unconditional support at all times. Based on this I am One True Van Halen Fan.
Van Halen burst into my life with the passion and inspired play of their first album Van Halen I, which I discovered around age 10 and they have never left my side since. I have seen various forms of the band live 3 times in the past 7 years. Van Halen I is the crown jewel in their catalog. Eddie's guitar tones are immaculate, Alex's drum tones are the best he has ever put on record and Dave's voice is strong and perfectly complements the music. I always felt that Dave's stage presence and iconic frontman status overshadowed his vocal abilities, but let me make this clear, David Lee Roth is a great rock singer. As many people know it was this album that set the bar very high for the hard rock and metal of the 1980's. Van Halen continued to release great albums with DLR into the early 80's, my favorite being Fair Warning. The finger tapping intro on Mean Street is killer. Its different from the tapping on Eruption but equally as awesome. A highly recommended listen.
The Van Hagar years marked many musical changes for the band. Many fans did not like the Hagar years. They were definitely different but still great. For me its a tie between 5150 and Carnal Knowledge as the best Hagar led records. The band became more ballad like, using more keyboards in their music from '86 onward. Most people think of Eddie as the kick ass guitar player he is but he also played all the piano and keyboard parts on VH records. You cannot deny his skills on piano as well. Case in point, the song Right Now.
Nearly all VH fans will be mad at the next statement: I dig VH3. Cherone is cool but by no means my favorite. People listen to me, there are good songs on this record, in fact I enjoy them all. There are good rockers: Ballot or the Bullet, Fire in the Hole & Without You. Also some cool mood pieces From Afar, Once, Year to the Day. Look its not their best and is by no means a VH classic but I respect their efforts to try different things and its an enjoyable listen for me every time around. Here is some advice: don't compare VH3 to VH1, there will never be another VH1. Listen to each VH album as its own entity instead of comparing it to other records and wishing it was something else. This will enable you to appreciate the great stuff each record has to offer.
Another thing I love about the band is all the hidden gems found on nearly every album. They include I'm the One, On Fire, Light Up the Sky, Hang 'Em High, House of Pain, Get Up, AFU, The Dream is Over, Amsterdam......
Lets not forget Humans Being and all three new tracks from the Best of Both Worlds compilation.
Cannot wait for a new VH release and you can bet I will be pre ordering that thing no matter what anyone thinks!
YOU LIKE VHIII?!!!! E- you are a fan. Thanks for the mention. I do miss talking music with ya.
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