Van Halen - A Different Kind of Truth

Sammy isn't bad. Anyone who says that they can't enjoy VH in the Hagar era because DLR isn't on vocals is retarded. Fair enough if it's for some other reason such as not liking Hagar at all, not enjoying the songs etc. but not just because Hagar isn't DLR. Hagar is a great vocalist in his own right.

Last time I checked, I'm not retarded. I just don't like Hagar.

S.D. wrote:

Last time I checked, I'm not retarded. I just don't like Hagar.

I didn't say that anyone who doesn't like him is retarded. I said that anyone who doesn't like the VH albums he sang on just because he's not DLR is retarded.

S.D. wrote:

metalinmyveins wrote:

S.D. wrote:

...when Hagar is on vocals it just doesn't work for me at all. When Dave is behind the wheel it's a badass muscle car...with Hagar it's a Volvo station wagon.

Souped up a little....Come on, Sammy isn't that bad.

I didn't say he was bad, but it's a different ride entirely. That Volvo is a real safe ride, gets great gas mileage and won't frighten your children.

Dave might crash you into the wall at 130mph, but DAMN the ride is fun while it lasts.

I know exactly what you're saying and couldn't agree more. VH is just a lot more exciting with Dave out in front.

snooloui wrote:

Such a loyal fanbase that many refuse to acknowledge a large part of their discography

I wouldn't say Diver Down, OU812 and VH III are a large part of the discography.

Dave is fascinating person. He's entirely mad, but more of a mad genius. You just can't not listen to the guy, you know, even when he's being a total pompous douche. He's poetic.

Eyesore wrote:

Dave is fascinating person. He's entirely mad, but more of a mad genius. You just can't not listen to the guy, you know, even when he's being a total pompous douche. He's poetic.

DLR is like the grown up version of Jeff Spicoli (Fast Times at Ridgemont High)

Picked this up for WalMart today.

ultmetal wrote:

Picked this up for WalMart today.

Make sure you play that album loud!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ultmetal wrote:

Picked this up for WalMart today.

Please let us know how you like it!

ultmetal wrote:

Picked this up for WalMart today.

Let us know how Walmart likes it.

Eyesore wrote:

Dave is fascinating person. He's entirely mad, but more of a mad genius. You just can't not listen to the guy, you know, even when he's being a total pompous douche. He's poetic.

Agree. I think I have a man-crush on him, the guy is amazing. Always great for a soundbite and despite the image he tries to project, he's very intelligent and has done tons of things you don't expect the typical rock star to do (traveling down the Amazon, the EMT thing, etc.).

I was reading an article about him from the '80s and in it he was talking about he and a roadie or something ended up at some out the way dive in the middle of nowhere and they ended chatting it up all night long with the old lady who was running the place and some 90 year old customer. He was going on about how he loves little stuff like that that life tosses your way because that's when you end up in interesting places and meet interesting people.

Definitely one of a kind, in a good way.

MEGATRON wrote:

JaguarBlaze wrote:

So at the risk of sounding totally green...all these years of being into rock and metal, I've never really gotten into Van Halen. I love Kiss, Ratt, etc.....so I'm sure I would dig VH, but have just never really checked them out beyond the hits. Where should I start?

- Van Halen
- Van Halen II
- Women and Children First
- Fair Warning (If you were to get one album this should be it)
- 1984
- 5150
- For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge
- A Different Kind of Truth

All of those albums are excellent. Skip the rest.

All good choices. The first 6 are DLR and the next 4 are Sam. Start with Dave. 3 is reserved for EVH fans. The first album is killer.

wmcollis wrote:

MEGATRON wrote:

JaguarBlaze wrote:

So at the risk of sounding totally green...all these years of being into rock and metal, I've never really gotten into Van Halen. I love Kiss, Ratt, etc.....so I'm sure I would dig VH, but have just never really checked them out beyond the hits. Where should I start?

- Van Halen
- Van Halen II
- Women and Children First
- Fair Warning (If you were to get one album this should be it)
- 1984
- 5150
- For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge
- A Different Kind of Truth

All of those albums are excellent. Skip the rest.

All good choices. The first 6 are DLR and the next 4 are Sam. Start with Dave. 3 is reserved for EVH fans. The first album is killer.

I think OU812 is worth exploring as well: Mine All Mine, When It's Love, Source of Infection, Feels So Good, Finish What Ya Started, Black and Blue...

stpatrik wrote:

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

stpatrik wrote:

Havent read the whole thread, but someone's got an update just how much of the album is reworked old previously unused material?

Looks like about 2/3 of it....at least...maybe more. But, as has been stated many times in this thread, all VH albums are written this way.

Thanks. Yeah, thats cool; after all, who cares as long as its good stuff? If its good it should be released anyways. But I was curious, because Sammy went on record saying this about the new VH: "I think they chose to take the easy route and take some of their old stuff and and re-record it instead of writing new songs." Plus "To me, it makes a strange statement, it kind of says, 'We don't have anything, we're not a band anymore, we're not creative.'"

Granted, Sammy's been talking so much about VH it seems he has issues. Still the above is interesting as it gives the idea that indeed the albums Sammy were on were not made up by a major portion of ideas off of old demos. Did Eddie change ways of songwriting with Sammy on board? Obviously the music was different, but the use of ideas I mean.

Here's the article: http://www.radiometal.com/en/article/chickenfoot-the-red-rocker%E2%80%99s-explosive-cocktail,56414

Why does Sam even care what VH is doing, he's got his own gig going on. That to me is total BS and completely uncalled for. I like Sam and think he should worry about what he's doing and not what his old band is up to. As far as I know all the songs on VH's new album haven't been released before and are new. Almost all musicians record their ideas when inspiration strikes and when the material is used depends on many factors. New ideas, old ideas, who cares, only that they are good.

Troublezone wrote:

snooloui wrote:

Such a loyal fanbase that many refuse to acknowledge a large part of their discography

I wouldn't say Diver Down, OU812 and VH III are a large part of the discography.

Well, it is 1/4 of their discography so it's a good size chunk!


I would say start with VHI and work you way through the Roth CD's in order, then work your way through the Hager CD's, then if you are into S&M, VHIII

I was a huge Hagar fan from way back. I cut my "musician" teeth on the first Montrose lp. After he split that band, we always caught his gigs when he played San Bernardino cause it just a hop skip n jump from Fontana where he grew up. He always kicked butt there, calling it his hometown gig. I don't dig what he did in Van Halen. I am not saying it is crap or anything just not my particular cup-o-tea. So I guess seeing him from 1975 to 1985 pretty much every year (85' being the year Van Halen headlined Texas Jam). I am automatically supposed to think everything afterwards is just as good. I don't think so. Sammy always seemed to be a classy, down to earth dude. I found it out of charachter for him to be bad mouthing what Van Halen is doing now. I guess it rocks the geritol bottle when your old band uses 35 year old ideals and somehow makes it work and the buzz turns out to be quite lucrative in both album sales and concert tickets. Chickenfoot had their 15 minutes of fame and their time in the arenas is over and done with.

Metal Misfit wrote:

Eyesore wrote:

Dave is fascinating person. He's entirely mad, but more of a mad genius. You just can't not listen to the guy, you know, even when he's being a total pompous douche. He's poetic.

I was reading an article about him from the '80s and in it he was talking about he and a roadie or something ended up at some out the way dive in the middle of nowhere and they ended chatting it up all night long with the old lady who was running the place and some 90 year old customer. He was going on about how he loves little stuff like that that life tosses your way because that's when you end up in interesting places and meet interesting people.

And he is completely correct. This was a lesson I learned in the Air Force, particularly when I'd go to a different country. I remember in Korea, me and my roommate made friends with everyone. The girls that worked the clubs were called "juicy girls," but many just treated them like whores. Unfortunately some did get involved in that sort of thing, but mostly these were girls coming over from the Ukraine or whatever on work programs they signed up for through their college. They didn't know their job would be dancing at a club, but when they got to Korea and had their passports taken from them, there was little they could do.

My roommate and I learned this because we treated them like people. We didn't try to screw them or anything like that; we literally became friends with many of them. We also became friends with the DJs and owners of the clubs. Through all that, we got invited to cookouts and beach parties and all kinds of things. It was an amazing experience.

Other people stationed in Korea? They hated it. They were angry all the time, depressed. But we loved our year in Korea. It was a blast! And the same can be said everywhere I went. You just gotta step away from the mundane.

I was stationed at Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates for six months. You know what I found there? I frickin' Irish pub called Murphy's! Kid you not. In the frickin' Middle East! Did anyone else know about that place? Nope.

Cool story, Ken!

Classy interview with Gary Cherone:

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/gary-cherone-reflects-on-his-three-year-stint-in-van-halen-20120210

Eyesore wrote:

Classy interview with Gary Cherone:

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/gary-cherone-reflects-on-his-three-year-stint-in-van-halen-20120210

Good interview. Gary was in a tough spot and I think he did a great job. Interesting that he wasn't too happy about the production and the songs seemed better live. I think he has a point, cause I saw them on the 3 tour and it was great. Gary and Eddie seemed to be in perfect sync on stage. The fact that Gary could do Dave and Sam songs very convincingly made that concert one to remember.

manny wrote:

ultmetal wrote:

Picked this up for WalMart today.

Make sure you play that album loud!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah, REALLY loud!!!! While your driving fast!!!!!! It might actually cause you to drive fast!!!!!!!!

wmcollis wrote:

Eyesore wrote:

Classy interview with Gary Cherone:

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/gary-cherone-reflects-on-his-three-year-stint-in-van-halen-20120210

Good interview. Gary was in a tough spot and I think he did a great job. Interesting that he wasn't too happy about the production and the songs seemed better live. I think he has a point, cause I saw them on the 3 tour and it was great. Gary and Eddie seemed to be in perfect sync on stage. The fact that Gary could do Dave and Sam songs very convincingly made that concert one to remember.

Never got to see this version of the band live, but I did see the performance this line up did for MTV and it was excellent, and like he stated he was willing to do the David Lee Roth era tunes which made it even cooler.

I think Cherone is a way better singer than Dave and Sammy, so that's not surprising.

I saw the Cherone tour...it was very cool and the crowd loved him.