Does anyone actually like Van Halen III (or anything on it)?

Every few years I commit myself to revisiting this album to see if my tastes might have evolved in such a way as to appreciate this album. Last time was in 2017 and I'm about to give it a go again this weekend.

And so, I was just curious: has anyone here found anything genuinely enjoyable on VH III? Any comments that will give me something to listen for will be much appreciated!

Never actually heard this.

I revisited it about a year ago for my blog. Apparently I liked "Dirty Water Dog," for whatever that's worth, though honestly I cant even remember what the song sounds like now.

https://spinditty.com/genres/Forgotten-Hard-Rock-Albums-Van-Halen-III

The problem I have with this album is that there are 10 other VH albums in my collection I would rather hear; and 4,000+ other albums I would rather hear. Props to you, brother, for giving it fresh spins every few years. The few times I have done that I lose interest about half way through and pick something else. The only song I remotely remember is "One I Want" and even that is not that great of a tune to make it onto a comp. It's not that it's unlistenable (like St. Anger ) it's that there is so much else to listen to.

The only song I can recall is the single “Without You” which I thought was ok. I haven’t heard the remainder of the album since it was a new release. I just know I didn’t like it.

Early VH was wild. Some of the stuff with Hagar was still good. But by the third phase with Cherone... the band was basically full blown “easy listening”.

Without You, Fire in the Hole, and Ballot or the Bullet were the highlights for me. The problem is that aside from Fire in the Hole, the whole album has a weird "echo chamber" production style, something that VH (or heck, most hard rock/metal bands) never did before or after.

I like a few songs on the album and really like lots of the guitar bits on the album, but Van Halen are remembered for memorable songs and not a single track on this album is very memorable. Well maybe one is memorable, that shit tune at the end where Eddie Van Halen does he best Tom Wait imitation and attempts to sing. But that is memorable for the wrong reasons.

The main problem is that songs sound half finished, not tight enough, Gary Cherone who is a good vocalist sounds at times like he is trying to channel Sammy Hagar, and while appreciate that Cherone cares about the world outside of the rock world, this is Van Halen not f**kin' U2.

The other problem, perhaps the biggest problem with the album is the production. Producer Mike Post is best known for writing theme music for 'NYPD Blue' etc, and his idea of heavy metal/hard rock album is probably Michael Bolton. Van Halen proves that they need a strong producer who is not afraid to tell Eddie Van Halen that is not a song but a riff, to tell David Lee Roth to put that groupie down and get your ass on the mic, to tell Sammy Hagar to stop trying to be the Jimmy Buffett of the metal world, and tell Gary Cherone stop auditioning for the Vagina Monologues you are a classic heavy metal rock n roll band, act like it.

No.

manny wrote:

The other problem, perhaps the biggest problem with the album is the production. Producer Mike Post is best known for writing theme music for 'NYPD Blue' etc, and his idea of heavy metal/hard rock album is probably Michael Bolton. Van Halen proves that they need a strong producer who is not afraid to tell Eddie Van Halen that is not a song but a riff, to tell David Lee Roth to put that groupie down and get your ass on the mic, to tell Sammy Hagar to stop trying to be the Jimmy Buffett of the metal world, and tell Gary Cherone stop auditioning for the Vagina Monologues you are a classic heavy metal rock n roll band, act like it.

I didn't realize Mike Post was the producer. That explains a lot, actually.

This time through, I actually quite enjoyed "Dirty Water Dog"; it's quirky but it works, and seems to lend itself to Gary's vocals and personality. And it does so without Gary sounding like he's in a rock opera or musical (like on "From Afar"). I just wish the production had brought out more of Mike's background vocals and gave it some more dynamism overall.

glassprison wrote:

manny wrote:

The other problem, perhaps the biggest problem with the album is the production. Producer Mike Post is best known for writing theme music for 'NYPD Blue' etc, and his idea of heavy metal/hard rock album is probably Michael Bolton. Van Halen proves that they need a strong producer who is not afraid to tell Eddie Van Halen that is not a song but a riff, to tell David Lee Roth to put that groupie down and get your ass on the mic, to tell Sammy Hagar to stop trying to be the Jimmy Buffett of the metal world, and tell Gary Cherone stop auditioning for the Vagina Monologues you are a classic heavy metal rock n roll band, act like it.

I didn't realize Mike Post was the producer. That explains a lot, actually.

This time through, I actually quite enjoyed "Dirty Water Dog"; it's quirky but it works, and seems to lend itself to Gary's vocals and personality. And it does so without Gary sounding like he's in a rock opera or musical (like on "From Afar"). I just wish the production had brought out more of Mike's background vocals and gave it some more dynamism overall.

That's cool that you are finding something to like about it on this go round.

Fat Freddy wrote:

I revisited it about a year ago for my blog. Apparently I liked "Dirty Water Dog," for whatever that's worth, though honestly I cant even remember what the song sounds like now.

https://spinditty.com/genres/Forgotten-Hard-Rock-Albums-Van-Halen-III

"Dirty Water Dog" is a really good tune, sounds the most like early Van Halen than any of the others. Wouldn't surprise me if it was an old song, honestly.

As for the rest of the album...eh, it ain't as bad as people say. Definitely not great by any means, and not even really good. It's just there for the most part, neither bad nor good. Haha. Besides "Dirty Water Dog," I really like "Year to the Day," though it definitely doesn't need that over-the-top mid-section.

manny wrote:

I like a few songs on the album and really like lots of the guitar bits on the album, but Van Halen are remembered for memorable songs and not a single track on this album is very memorable. Well maybe one is memorable, that shit tune at the end where Eddie Van Halen does he best Tom Wait imitation and attempts to sing. But that is memorable for the wrong reasons.

The main problem is that songs sound half finished, not tight enough, Gary Cherone who is a good vocalist sounds at times like he is trying to channel Sammy Hagar, and while appreciate that Cherone cares about the world outside of the rock world, this is Van Halen not f**kin' U2.

The other problem, perhaps the biggest problem with the album is the production. Producer Mike Post is best known for writing theme music for 'NYPD Blue' etc, and his idea of heavy metal/hard rock album is probably Michael Bolton. Van Halen proves that they need a strong producer who is not afraid to tell Eddie Van Halen that is not a song but a riff, to tell David Lee Roth to put that groupie down and get your ass on the mic, to tell Sammy Hagar to stop trying to be the Jimmy Buffett of the metal world, and tell Gary Cherone stop auditioning for the Vagina Monologues you are a classic heavy metal rock n roll band, act like it.

Mike Post being the producer was touched upon in this review:

the sentinel wrote:

glassprison wrote:

manny wrote:

The other problem, perhaps the biggest problem with the album is the production. Producer Mike Post is best known for writing theme music for 'NYPD Blue' etc, and his idea of heavy metal/hard rock album is probably Michael Bolton. Van Halen proves that they need a strong producer who is not afraid to tell Eddie Van Halen that is not a song but a riff, to tell David Lee Roth to put that groupie down and get your ass on the mic, to tell Sammy Hagar to stop trying to be the Jimmy Buffett of the metal world, and tell Gary Cherone stop auditioning for the Vagina Monologues you are a classic heavy metal rock n roll band, act like it.

I didn't realize Mike Post was the producer. That explains a lot, actually.

This time through, I actually quite enjoyed "Dirty Water Dog"; it's quirky but it works, and seems to lend itself to Gary's vocals and personality. And it does so without Gary sounding like he's in a rock opera or musical (like on "From Afar"). I just wish the production had brought out more of Mike's background vocals and gave it some more dynamism overall.

That's cool that you are finding something to like about it on this go round.

Hmmmm. I'm gonna have to respectfully disagree here. That songs sucks donkey.

Many moons ago, I suggested that all copies of that album be gathered up, put into a rocket and fired towards the sun. I stick by that comment.

There is nothing good about this album.

Troublezone wrote:

There is nothing good about this album.

Sure there is. The sound of silence when it ends.