Van Halen!

From the Times review of last night's club gig:

Mr. Roth, 57, showed some wear in his high notes, and he wasn’t taking his shirt off for this gig; in fact, he was wearing overalls.

he's rocking the overalls in the 'trailer' johnny fever posted upthread

http://www.nylonmag.com/modules/magsection/article/uploaded_images/3964_ct_farmer.jpg

Boy, there must be some good account of how Van Halen pulled off "1984." I mean, I like "Woman and Children First" and "Fair Warning," but those albums are kind of rambling messes, as is "Van Halen II," kind of. And then here comes "1984," all killer and no filler. Or at least close to that. It's a small miracle they pulled it off.

o dude i love FW! the other two a little less so, but they're still p rad. dive down's the one where i'm all ehh

i'm really surprised 5150 outsold OU812. i guess 5150 was getting some residual shine from the 1984 behemoth?

maura's review!

http://blogs.villagevoice.com/music/2012/01/van_halen_cafe_wha_january_5_review.php

clips already on YouTube

Why does every recent Van Halen piece, including that one, act like this band didn't reunite and tour just a couple of years ago? Like:

Last night Van Halen tried to blow away any last traces of the rancor and bad blood that arose again and again in the years since Roth's long-ago departure for a solo career, and it mostly succeeded.

Come on, the band reunited already. They seemed happy and great when I saw them in 2010 or whenever. This is what they call "a tour." Bands do it all the time.

once a band has reunited, the perpetual reunion narrative dominates forever

Unlike their reunion/victory lap tour from a while ago, there's a new album to go along with this one. Automatically = more buzz.

More like a buzzkill, really.

also w/ VH's messy history it would take more than just one or two successful tours to stop focusing on it (xpost)

But even then, DLR has recorded with VH in recent years! Now, Gary Cherone - that would be a reunion.

Besides, everyone knows the bad blood is still there. DLR and the Van Halen family have different publicists, representation, etc. DLR's dressing room is like a mile away from the rest of the guys.

They're just all contractually obligated to smile and be awesome. Unlike the last tour I saw with Hagar and Anthony in the fold, which was dire.

I should listen to VH3 again just to reacquaint myself with the Cherone-sung songs. I think I convinced myself it was good at the time, but it's THE album I never go back to.

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/file/van-halen-08-rider?page=2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvKkgouCcGY&feature=player_embedded

I mean, I'm not immune to the hype, but they were awesome in '08. This is like a "still awesome" bomb they're dropping.

When is Radiohead going to reunite next?

Jim Morrison does Stairway To Heaven. Egad.

lollllll

man that looks like it was fun

i have always harbored the fantasy of seeing a really BIG hard rock act in a tiny club

i saw ace frehley in a tiny club. i guess that's as close as i'll come.

i mean, i'm no kiss fanatic, but to hear ace do ace kiss songs ten feet from me was pretty awesome. and he sounded great too. pre-reunion thing.

Burnt Hills was likely the biggest band -- in terms of size and volume -- that I'll ever see in a club.

i don't know, maybe i'm in odd circles, but there was a ton of 'is this even going to work at all' buzz before this show, hence me writing what i did

(hi everybody)

"This is like being abducted by aliens... or, no, Van Haliens."

That was a smart man who reminded you to write that down, maura.

xpost But why was there any doubt this would work? '08 shows were beyond solid.

Not loving the album title (A Different Kind of Truth), but glad they're coming to my burg in April.

1. Tattoo
2. She’s The Woman
3. You and Your Blues
4. China Town
5. Blood and Fire
6. Bullethead
7. As Is
8. Honeybabysweetiedoll
9. The Trouble With Never
10. Outta Space
11. Stay Frosty
12. Big River
13. Beats Workin’

hmm...

I hope "Blood and Fire" is a Niney The observer cover.

From what I gather, She's the Woman and Bullethead are tracks that have been around for forever in demo form. I don't know if they're pre-WB (that would a LONG time), but fans seem to already be familiar with them.

If "Outta Space" is the Billy Preston song, I'm on board.

too long

"She's The Woman" is on the WB demos. Don't know about "Bullethead"

OK, I'll post the video for the new, terrible, chorus-less single:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WfQ-hV3WtA

It's actually the verses that are lame imo

Also, I can't remember any album since 5150 having one of its best songs released as the first single (Black and Blue, Poundcake, Don't Tell Me What Love Can Do, Without You—though, to be fair, III had no "best songs").

Man, that song plods. I tried to give it the benefit of the doubt but I could barely make it to the solo. Which isn't that great, either.

Oy. That's a dog of a song, though there is almost something good in the riff. Question is, is it the worst DLR Van Halen song? On first listen I say yes. Worse even then some of the Diver Down filler.

So, "Tattoo" isn't a Who cover and "Outta Space" isn't a Billy Preston cover. Pass.

don't they still have a pile of old 1976 demos they can use?

They used one of them on this album ("She's the Woman").

This is better than the song:

http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lxliemwvXT1qlzduwo1_400.gif

Also, I can't remember any album since 5150 having one of its best songs released as the first single (Black and Blue, Poundcake, Don't Tell Me What Love Can Do, Without You—though, to be fair, III had no "best songs").

― Johnny Fever, Tuesday, January 10, 2012 11:07 AM (5 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

poundcake is a jam

i thought the guitar solo in tattoo was great

it has a chorus, just not a good one

though i like when they say "swap meet sally" cuz it sounds like a song title off of "NWA and the Posse" or an old Toddy Tee or King Tee song

The bridge reminds me of "Walking Down Madison" by Kirsty MacColl.

OK, listened again, kinda dig it. I mean, it's at least as good as "I'll Wait," easily better than any Hagar thing aside from "Finish What Ya Started." It's a verse too long, though.

That's so not OTM.