Information about Van Halen

Van Halen is an American rock band formed in Pasadena, California in 1972. They enjoyed immediate popularity and influence from the release of their debut album, Van Halen in 1978, which lasted until the band's lineup destabilized in the late 1990s. As of 2007 Van Halen has ^[1] sold more than 80 million albums worldwide^[2] and earning the band the Guinness Book of World Records title for the most number one hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.^[3] According to the Recording Industry Association of America, Van Halen is #19 on the list of top selling artists of all time (having sold more than 56 million albums in the U.S.)^[4] and is one of only five rock groups that have had two albums sell more than 10 million copies in the U.S. The band and its best known former members were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 12, 2007.^[5]

In addition to being recognized for artistic contributions and success, the band is known for the drama surrounding its lead singer spot. The band has gone through tenures with four different lead singers, but the (multiple) exits of Sammy Hagar and David Lee Roth were surrounded in controversy and mass press coverage. David Lee Roth is present vocalist.

Following their 2004 concert tour the band was on a hiatus from the public until September 2006, when word was confirmed that Wolfgang Van Halen was now a new member of the band, replacing Michael Anthony on bass. Eventually, Roth would rejoin after a few delays. After long speculation, in August 2007 it was finally confirmed that the band would do a tour with the new lineup in late 2007 across North America. In 2008, an album and further worldwide touring are proposed to follow.^[6]

Other than three new songs in 2004, Van Halen has released no new material since their last album Van Halen III was released in 1998.

History

David Lee Roth era (1972 - 1985)

As "Mammoth": Early Days

In 1972, the Van Halen brothers formed a three-piece band. In their early days, Van Halen was known as Mammoth, with Eddie Van Halen as lead vocalist and guitarist, Alex Van Halen on drums, and Mark Stone on bass. They rented a sound system from David Lee Roth, but decided they could save money by letting Roth and his P.A. system into the band (Eddie was not keen on being a vocalist since it distracted him from his primary talent - guitar playing). Roth had previously auditioned for them, unsuccessfully, and ended up forming and singing for his own band.^[7] The band decided Stone did not suit them, and Michael Anthony was called over to David Lee Roth's father's basement (where the band rehearsed)^[7]) to see how he compared. Anthony, the bassist and frontman of the band "Snake," had seen Mammoth performing at a festival. Eddie, Alex, and Anthony jammed late into the night and hired Anthony as the band's new bassist/backup vocalist.

The band discovered in 1974 that the name "Mammoth" was already being used and re-named themselves "Van Halen". According to David Lee Roth's autobiography, Roth suggested the name based on the timeless quality of the brothers last name, which he compared to Santana or other acts known by a last name. The newly-renamed band started playing clubs in Pasadena and Hollywood more frequently and to growing audiences, working hard to increase their popularity through self promotion: before each gig they would pass out flyers at local high schools in Pasadena and the vicinity. The band soon built up a major following.^[7]

The band became a staple act on Hollywood's Sunset Strip during the mid-1970s, consistently playing at well known clubs such as the Whisky a Go Go. In 1977 Gene Simmons, of the rock band Kiss, saw one of Van Halen's shows and financed their first demo tape, flying the band to Electric Ladyland studios in New York City to record "House of Pain" and "Runnin' With the Devil". Eddie disliked his playing on the demo, because he was not using his own equipment and had to overdub guitar parts.^[7] Simmons wanted to change the band's name to "Daddy Longlegs" and had designed cover art (a daddy longlegs wearing a top hat), but the band stuck with Van Halen. Simmons opted to forgo any more involvement with the band, and returned to Kiss.^[7]

Later in 1977, Mo Ostin and Ted Templeman of Warner Bros. records saw Van Halen performing at the Starwood in Hollywood. Although the audience was small, the two were so impressed with Van Halen that within a week they offered them a recording contract, and in October of that year, Van Halen entered Sunset Sound Recorders studio and recorded their eponymous first album.

All of the tracks were laid down very quickly (about three weeks), with little over-dubbing or double tracking. Minor mistakes were left on the record and a very simple musical set-up was used to give the record an almost-live feel. After adding vocals, the album was essentially ready to be mixed. Despite the simple studio set-up, Van Halen featured innovations in musical technique, production, and arrangement.

Career breakthrough

Van Halen was released to immediate commercial success, reaching #12 on the Billboard pop music charts, one of rock's most commercially successful debuts.^[12] It is a highly regarded hard rock album.^[13] While it included original songs by the band, such as "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love," "Eruption," and "Runnin' With The Devil," the album also featured covers of the Kinks' song "You Really Got Me" and John Brim's "Ice Cream Man." The band toured for nearly a year on the basis of Van Halen, opening for Black Sabbath and establishing a reputation as a talented and exciting live band. The band's early chemistry came out of a contrast between Eddie Van Halen's technical wizardry and David Lee Roth's flamboyant antics, a rivalry that would later erupt into full-blown conflict. They returned to the studio in 1979 for Van Halen II, similar in style to their debut. This album yielded the band's first hit single, "Dance The Night Away."

Over the next few years, the band alternated album releases and touring to increasing commercial and critical acclaim. By 1980, Van Halen was one of the world's most successful and influential rock bands. Their party-loving spirit and hard rocking anthem-like sound made them popular with teenagers. Women and Children First was released in 1980, further cementing Van Halen's status with popular songs like "And the Cradle Will Rock..." and "Everybody Wants Some!!". Despite success, in 1981, during the recording of their fourth album, Fair Warning, tensions rose. Eddie Van Halen's desire to experiment with more serious and complex songs was at odds with Roth's poppy style and cartoonish persona. Although Roth (and producer Templeman) acquiesced to Eddie's wishes, Fair Warning was a sales disappointment, with no hits. In later interviews Eddie would reveal that he was struggling with alcoholism during the production of Fair Warning and the darker tone of the music was because of his own conflict.

Diver Down, performed better and at the end of the supporting tour the band earned a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for the highest-paid single appearance of a band: $1 million for a 90 minute set at the 1983 US Festival.

Amidst the success, tensions were slowly but surely dividing the band. Roth and Eddie's stylistic differences continued. According to a Classic Rock Revisited interview with bassist Billy Sheehan, after his band Talas completed a tour opening for Van Halen, he was approached by Eddie Van Halen to replace Michael Anthony. The reasons for this were never clear to Sheehan, but ultimately nothing came out of those talks.^[14]

Departure of Roth

Van Halen's next album, 1984 (released on January 9, 1984) was their commercial pinnacle, and often considered artistic peak too. Recorded at Eddie Van Halen's newly-built 5150 Studios, it prominently used keyboards, previously heard only rarely. The lead single, "Jump", featured a bouncy synthesizer hook and anthemic lyrics, and became the band's first and only #1 pop hit, garnering them a Grammy nomination.^[15]. Other hit singles included "Panama", "I'll Wait", and "Hot For Teacher". This more commercial style and use of keyboards softened the sound, moving it away from the band's hard rock roots. Many of the songs had popular music videos on MTV , especially "Hot For Teacher," which featured a scantily clad model playing the part of an elementary-school teacher and school-age boys portraying younger versions of the band. 1984 was praised by critics ^{[16] [17] [18]} and fans alike ^{[19] [20]}, peaking at #2 on the Billboard charts behind Thriller by Michael Jackson (Eddie Van Halen played the guitar solo on the hit song "Beat It," on that album).

However, the album was also a breaking point. In the midst of the tour, the artistic and personal tensions among the musicians reached a fever pitch. Reasons for the breakup vary based on the band member interviewed, but were rooted in control of the band's sound and image. Roth was upset about Edward playing music outside of Van Halen without checking with the band and Eddie was sick of Roth's flamboyant behavior and stage persona. On April 1 1985, Roth left Van Halen.

Sammy Hagar era (1985 - 1996)

At first, Eddie asked Patty Smyth of Scandal to replace Roth but she said no. Eddie was then introduced by way of a mutual auto mechanic to Sammy Hagar, formerly of 1970s band Montrose, and at that time a solo artist coming off a very successful year (his 1984 album VOA had yielded hit single "I Can't Drive 55'"). Hagar agreed to join, also serving as a rhythm guitar to add to the Van Halen sound. The 1986 Van Halen album 5150 was a hit, becoming the band's first #1 album on the Billboard charts, driven by the keyboard-dominated singles "Why Can't This Be Love?", "Dreams" and "Love Walks In". The album included diverse songs ranging from the thrashiness of "Get Up" and party rock of "Summer Nights" to the more introspective "Best Of Both Worlds" and a guitar heavy title track. To further introduce the new era for the band, a new Van Halen logo was put on the cover. The new logo retained elements of the original, but now it had curved "wings" instead of straight. 5150 is generally considered the strongest album of the "Hagar era".

Main article: 1986 Tour

Following the release of the 5150 album, a tour was launched to support it across North America. Named the 1986 Tour, the title was a homage to the previous 1984 Tour in support of the 1984 album. The band proved touring with Hagar was as successful as with Roth, and footage was released on VHS/DVD as Van Halen - Live Without a Net. In the tour Hagar wanted to minimise the use of pre-Hagar Van Halen songs in the set, other than the band's best known classics. This was a trend that continued, with the expanding repertoire of Hagar-era songs slowly whittling away at the number of Roth-era songs on the set list.

During Hagar's tenure, the band established a musical formula that proved commercially successful in the United States. Hagar's style enabled Van Halen to become accessible to a wider audience, with lyrics that were more conventional and refined. Eddie's keyboard work brought a wider variety of sonic textures within each song, and the production was altered toward the pop side, and the songs became longer: During the Roth era, Van Halen songs rarely stretched beyond three and a half minutes, and some albums struggled to cross the thirty minute mark. With Hagar, some songs exceeded five minutes in length. The result was markedly different from the hard charging, rollicking riffs of the group's earlier work. The mix of pop and hard rock styles created a new sound for Van Halen.

All four studio albums produced during this period reached #1 on the Billboard pop music charts and 17 singles breached the top 12 of the mainstream rock tracks chart. In addition, Van Halen was nominated for two Grammy Awards, winning the 1991 Best Hard Rock Performance with Vocal award for the album For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge. Van Halen continued to enjoy tremendous success throughout the mid-90's, while many other bands fell from favor, overtaken by anti-establishment "Grunge Music". In 1995 Van Halen surprised many fans by supporting Bon Jovi on their European Summer stadium tour.

The band's commercial success and new "Van Hagar" sound did little to woo many fans who still held a strong resentment over Roth's departure and refused to move on. However Eddie repeatedly said he was happier with Hagar singing and that "Roth was not coming back".

Departure of Hagar

During the recording of songs for the film Twister, escalating tension between Hagar and the Van Halen brothers boiled and Hagar departed on Father's Day, 1996. The band had recorded a song, "Humans Being" which Eddie claimed he had to write all the lyrics for since Hagar's were "too cheesy". This upset Hagar, and when they were to record a second song for the soundtrack Hagar was in Hawaii. He wasn't keen on doing soundtrack work since it would make the music hard to obtain for fans, 'abusing' them, so the second track the band were due to record became an Eddie/Alex instrumental, Respect the Wind.

The band were also working on a compilation album, which Hagar was not keen on since he felt it was not what fans wanted and not something the band needed to release yet - with a long career ahead of them. New manager, Ray Danniels (replacing the late Ed Leffler) had suggested the idea, and he did not get along with Hagar. Reluctant to work on new songs for that before a new album came out, the band fell out - with the management siding with Eddie and Alex. Hagar also was rumoured to have concerns over comparisons on an album which featured both his work and Roth's.

Hagar claimed that he was fired; Van Halen claimed that he quit. The media storm surrounding the dramatic exit of Hagar helped him immediately restart his solo career. However, the publicity did not help Van Halen, serving to highlight the vacant lead singer spot. The band's past successes set high expectations, and fans everywhere were waiting for the band's next move. Throughout this time, Michael Anthony managed to remain on good terms with Hagar.

With Mitch Malloy (1996)

Main article: Mitch Malloy

When Sammy Hagar left Van Halen, they very quickly recruited Mitch Malloy as a replacement. They recorded demos with Malloy and jammed with him. He was a friend of Eddie, and quickly became close to the rest of the band so they decided it was appropriate to invite him in when they realised he was also a talented vocalist^[21].

Temporary Reunion with Roth (1996)

David Lee Roth got in touch with Eddie over the phone to discuss what tracks would be included on the compilation Van Halen had been working on (this was before Hagar's actual departure), which in theory it was still going to be made after Hagar's departure. They got along well, and Eddie invited him up to see him. Shortly afterwards, David Lee Roth re-entered the studio with the Van Halen brothers, Michael Anthony, and producer Glen Ballard. Two songs from those sessions were added to the band's Greatest Hits album and released as singles to help promote it.

By September, Roth and the rest of the band were asked to present an award at the 1996 MTV Video Music Awards. On September 4, 1996, the four original members of Van Halen made their first public appearance together as Van Halen in over eleven years, presenting an award at the MTV Video Music Awards. This helped to bring the compilation to #1 on the US album charts. However, unknown to Roth, Eddie and Alex were still auditioning other singers.

Departure of Malloy

Just after the band's MTV appearance, Malloy decided the band could not be successful with a new vocalist after Roth appeared with them on MTV (with millions of viewers, and with Roth claiming they were together again), and would rather leave.^[22]

Second departure of Roth

The band's appearance on the 1996 MTV Video Music Awards was greeted with a standing ovation and fuelled speculation of a reunion. Several weeks after the awards show, it was discovered that Roth would not reunite with Van Halen. At this time, Roth released a media statement in which he apologized to the media and the fans, stating that he was an unwitting participant in a publicity stunt by the Van Halens and Ray Daniels (their manager). The next day, Eddie and Alex Van Halen released their own statement, stressing that they were completely honest with Roth and never led him to believe that he was guaranteed to be the next lead singer.^[23]. Ultimately Van Halen never recovered from the issues surrounding Roth's brief second tenure with the band and subsequent exit.

Gary Cherone era (1996 - 1999)

The band recruited Gary Cherone, frontman of the defunct Boston-based band Extreme, best known for the acoustic ballad More Than Words. The result was Van Halen III. Many songs were longer and more ethereal. It was less about rocking out, more thought-provoking ("How Many Say I", with Eddie on vocals). These changes alienated many fans while failing to attract new fans. Sales were poor by the band's standards (it has only been certified Gold) — despite the album peaking at #4 on the US charts. Van Halen III did produce a hit however, "Without You". The song "Fire in the Hole" appeared on the Lethal Weapon 4 soundtrack. It would also later be revealed that Anthony was only permitted by Eddie to play bass on three tracks on the album and that Eddie played the rest. Anthony received a full credit, masking this behind the scenes difficulty.

The album was followed by a poorly attended but well received and widespread tour. The III Tour saw Van Halen playing in new countries, with a schedule that was impressive for a band their age. It included taking a US-style arena setup into the Oceanic continent.:

Shortly afterwards, Van Halen returned to the studio. In early 1999, they started work on a new album, rumoured to be called Love Again. Working titles of songs included "Left for Dead," "River Wide," "Say Uncle," "You Wear it Well," "More Than Yesterday," "I Don't Miss You...Much," "Love Divine," and "From Here, Where Do We Go?".

Departure of Cherone

Van Halen's new album was unfinished when Cherone left amicably in November 1999. Citing musical differences, it is likely III's sales and critical reception had a big impact. Touring with Cherone, regardless of his charisma, had proven disappointing in terms of attendance. Unlike the previous two singers, there was no bad blood and Cherone remained in contact with Van Halen. As when Hagar left, speculation resumed on a Roth reunion.

Without a singer: Four years of silence (2000 - 2004)

From 2000 to early 2004, no official statements were made by Van Halen and no music released. However, information about members, past and present, trickled in. The Van Halen brothers continued writing at 5150 studios, Gary Cherone recorded an album and toured with new band Tribe of Judah. One of the songs that Cherone had written for the scrapped 2nd album with Van Halen entitled "Left For Dead", would see its lyrics set to a completely new musical arrangement with Tribe Of Judah. Hagar and Roth continued their careers.

On July 4, 2004, Roth performed with the Boston Pops at Boston's annual Pops Goes the Fourth celebration. Sammy Hagar remained active, releasing five albums and creating his own merchandising brand Cabo Wabo, which lends its name to his line of tequila, as well as his franchise of cantinas. He reunited with Montrose in 2003 and 2005 for a few performances. Hagar maintained contact with Michael Anthony, often playing with him. Despite quietness within Van Halen, Anthony stayed busy with merchandising projects (such as his signature Yamaha bass) and set up a website. He became involved with the annual music industry NAMM Show.

Eddie Van Halen had hip surgery in 1999 and recovered. In 2000, the band worked with David Lee Roth at 5150, writing new music before falling out again. Eddie kept quiet, but was at the LAPD charity golf tournament during May 2001. He gave an interview with Maximum Golf Magazine in July 2001.^[24] Little news followed, and any band progress would have been interrupted on October 15, 2001, when Eddie and his wife of 21 years, actress Valerie Bertinelli, separated (though the couple only filed for divorce on December 8, 2005). In November 2001, Anthony claimed Roth had been working with the band again for a few months, but lawyers had shut it down. Strangely, Anthony later denied this statement. More positively, Eddie underwent successful treatment for cancer and announced his recovery on Van Halen's website in May 2002. In 2002, Warner Bros. dropped Van Halen after working with them since 1978.

Eddie's only live performances during this period were joining Mountain to play "Never in My Life" in August 2002 and a private audience jam at NAMM January 2003. (This took place at the Peavey booth. At the time, Peavey was authorized to manufacture Eddie's signature "Wolfgang" model guitar. Word quickly spread through the NAMM show that Eddie was to play at the Peavey booth, and the booth became packed. Eddie showed up late and drunk. When he finally appeared, he was incoherent. Peavey founder and CEO, Hartley Peavey, was furious. Shortly after this, Peavey lost its license to produce the "official" Van Halen guitar, and Fender, which had purchased Charvel-Jackson, was awarded the license, but the guitar produced was a copy of Eddie's earlier Strat-style guitars, available in three models: white with black stripes, red white and black and yellow on black).

In the summer of 2002, David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar teamed up in the Song For Song, the Heavyweight Champs of Rock and Roll tour (also known as the 'Sans-Halen' or 'Sam & Dave' Tour). The joint tour headlining both former lead singers attracted media and audience fascination because it seemed more improbable than even a Van Halen with Roth or Hagar could be. The tour drew large crowds and featured no opening acts, Roth and Hagar would alternate opening as the first act during the tour. In an interview, Roth contrasted his personality with Hagar's, saying, "He's the kind of guy you go out with to split a bottle with a friend. I'm the kind of guy you go out with if you want to split your friend with a bottle." Michael Anthony guested with Hagar's band, The Waboritas, numerous times and sometimes even sang lead vocals. He never played with Roth. Gary Cherone appeared on occasion. Hagar released a live album (Hallelujah), featuring vocals by Mike and Gary, and a documentary DVD, Long Road to Cabo, about touring with Roth. Next, Hagar joined with Journey guitarist Neal Schon to form a side project, Planet Us. Along with Michael Anthony and Deen Castronovo (also of Journey) on drums. The band recorded just two songs and played live a few times before dissolving when Hagar and Anthony rejoined Van Halen.

While the two lead singers promoted the tour and publicly claimed mutual respect, rumours of bitter acrimony and mutual loathing between the two singers swirled. The allegations were later revealed in back stage video showing Roth and Hagar camps maintaining strict separation.

Also in this period, rumours cropped up that Anthony had been fired - despite his name being included in messages 'from the band' on their website. His official website denied the rumours, though it was later revealed that on the Van Halen III album Anthony only recorded three tracks, and subsequently his position became tenuous (it relied entirely on Hagar's demands that he remain in 2004). His departure was confirmed in 2006.

Reunion with Hagar (2004 - 2005)

Main article: Van Halen Summer Tour 2004

During January 2003, the VHND (Van Halen News Desk) website reported that Sammy Hagar was working with the Van Halens. No official confirmation came for an extended period of time. In late March 2004, Van Halen and Sammy Hagar announced that Hagar would reunite with the band for a Greatest Hits album release and a Summer concert tour of the USA.

In July 2004, Van Halen released their second Greatest Hits compilation (a double album, unlike the first), featuring three new songs with Hagar: "It's About Time", "Up For Breakfast", and "Learning to See". These songs were newly written by the Van Halen brothers and Sammy Hagar. The songs were credited to Hagar/Van Halen/Van Halen, which was unusual since normally the entire lineup (which also included Michael Anthony) would be credited. However, the performance was credited to the entire band; Michael Anthony would later reveal in interviews that Eddie Van Halen had in fact not wanted him to be a part of the reunion and for this reason Anthony had not been allowed to perform in the sessions (explaining his lack of a songwriting credit), with Eddie playing the bass parts himself instead. Though it was the only new album since the band's first Greatest Hits, no songs with Gary Cherone from Van Halen III were included. It was certified platinum in the USA in August 2004.

The tour grossed almost US$55 million, and Pollstar listed Van Halen in the top 10 grossing tours of 2004. Most of the concerts received positive feedback from professional reviewers. On some shows, Eddie's son Wolfgang came onstage and played guitar with his father during 316 a song dedicated to his son, taking its name from his birthday. However, serious problems surfaced. Promoters lost money, tickets were often deemed overpriced, and few shows sold out.

Reports from the first half of the tour were largely positive. Later, however, stories of Eddie being drunk and playing poorly also circulated. At the end of the band's final show of the tour, in Tucson, Eddie smashed one of his guitars on stage and quickly walked off stage.

Second departure of Hagar

After the tour, things broke down. At first Hagar stated he had yet to decide what he would be doing with the band but he was in Van Halen. However, Hagar and Anthony soon admitted that Eddie had had problems with alcohol during the tour that affected everyone involved. Hagar stated that he was "done with Van Halen" and wished that everyone would have "taken it more seriously". Despite this, Eddie later described himself as 'satisfied' with the tour.

After the tour ended, Hagar returned to his solo band The Waboritas, and Anthony appeared with him on tour occasionally. The band quickly faded from view after Hagar left again. In December 2005 Michael Anthony revealed in an interview with Mark & Brian that he had not talked with the Van Halens and was unsure of their plans.

Second Reunion with Roth (2006 - present)

Rumors of a David Lee Roth reunion re-emerged (as they did whenever the band lacked a singer) and on January 3, 2006, Roth explained during an interview that he spoke to Alex Van Halen the previous week and a reunion was "inevitable".^[25] However, he also said that Eddie Van Halen was "off in his own little world" recently.

Following this, the press frequently interviewed the band, though Van Halen avoided reunion discussions. When asked if any problems occurred with Sammy Hagar during the 2004 tour Eddie Van Halen answered, "Sammy is Sammy, and for the most part that's just fine". There was no mention of a reunion with Roth, but there was a sense of completion concerning their work with Hagar.

Roth persisted with suggestions of a reunion,^[26] saying "People want the reunion." and "No one will pay respect to what any of us do [musically] until we get the reunion out of the way.".

Roth continued to refer to a reunion, and in late May 2006 told Billboard.com, "There's contact between the two camps". On June 3rd, Michael Anthony began a successful tour with Hagar. They toured as "The Other Half" (a reference of them being the 'other half' of Van Halen to the Van Halen brothers), with Anthony singing lead vocals sometimes. In what may have been a response to this, on June 19, in order to remind fans that Van Halen still existed, the Van Halen brothers jumped onstage with Kenny Chesney at The Home Depot Center performing "Jump" and "You Really Got Me". This unusual performance was their first onstage together or separately since November 2004. This was followed by another Eddie Van Halen performance in July 19, 2006, at the House of Petals in Los Angeles, playing new material. He followed this with an announcement on July 27, 2006, that some of his new music would be released on the soundtrack for the pornography film Sacred Sin. This would be the first recording by the band's leader since Best of Both Worlds.

Departure of Anthony

News of Michael Anthony's recent treatment reached the public in March 2006. He spoke to Japanese rock magazine Burrn!,^[27] claiming the brothers did not want him on the 2004 reunion - Hagar did (and would not play without Anthony), but he had to agree to reduced royalties and end absolutely all association with the band after the tour in terms of rights to using the name to promote himself^[28]. It was in this same interview he admitted he was not involved in the new songs on Best of Both Worlds and only recorded three tracks for III.

On September 8, 2006, Howard Stern's Eddie Van Halen live interview broke the band's long silence. Eddie said he was willing to reunite with Roth and revealed a solo album in the works. Michael Anthony's departure was confirmed with Eddie's son, Wolfgang, taking his role. Wolfgang had played guitar alongside his father on some 2004 concerts. When queried about The Other Half tour, Eddie said Anthony could "do what he wants" now. This shocked and offended many fans.^[29] With both Roth and Eddie Van Halen wanting a reunion and the bass slot filled, the stage was set for the band's revival.

Hall of Fame induction, reunion tour planned but delayed

On October 30, 2006, Van Halen and R.E.M. led the ballot for induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Despite having been eligible for several years, the band had yet to be balloted. In November, Eddie's spokesperson, Janie Liszewski, claimed the Van Halen family was writing/rehearsing for a Summer 2007 tour. Subsequently the announcement was confirmed on Billboard magazine's website on November 9. However, the Van Halen website remained in the state it had been in since the Hagar reunion.^[30]

On December 11, 2006, Eddie Van Halen stated to Guitar World magazine that David Lee Roth had been directly invited to rejoin the band.^[31] However, on December 28, Roth announced that he had not talked to Eddie in two years, and a reunion with Van Halen could result in a "NASCAR-style wreck," or "Jerry Springer style fight". However, he did not say if he would rejoin the band or not.^[32]

News from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame finally slipped out on January 8, 2007. Van Halen was to be an inductee. Along with the Van Halen brothers, former members Anthony, Hagar, and Roth were to be inducted.^[33] Billboard announced on January 24, 2007, that Van Halen would reunite with David Lee Roth for a US tour .^[34] This was confirmed shortly after on the official Van Halen website.^[35] The Van-Halen-News-Desk announced on February 15, 2007, that a Van Halen "Best Of (1978-1984)", a single-disc compilation of Van Halen's David Lee Roth era, would be released by April 3. This was to coincide with the Hall of Fame induction and would feature exclusive content (liner notes, remastered songs etc).

In late February 2007, in response to reports, updates arrived in a flood. The Los Angeles Times claimed the tour was shut down as was the "Best Of (1978-1984)" CD.^[36] Meanwhile, Billboard.com's sources said that the reason to postpone the 2007 summer reunion tour indefinitely was not due to any internal strife between band members - a valid concern given the band's previous reunion attempts. Supposedly the tour would happen, but exactly when was unknown.^[37] No information on rehearsals was mentioned, and the band's official website was not updated.

As the band's Hall of Fame induction drew nearer, media focus was more on that than the reunion. Velvet Revolver would induct them into the Hall of Fame and speak on the band's behalf. No one knew who from Van Halen would appear or if they would perform.

On March 8, 2007 Eddie left a note on the band website saying he has entered rehabilitation. "Some of the issues surrounding the 2007 Van Halen tour are within my ability to change and some are not". It has never been stated exactly what other issues might have gotten in the way of the reunion, although Eddie's alcoholism was a major one. "As far as my rehab is concerned, it is within my ability to change and change for the better".

Along with the announcement on March 8, 2007, another change was made to the official Van Halen website. The logo at the top of the page changed to the original band logo. This logo was used from the band's birth until their re-invention with a new logo with Sammy Hagar and heralded the return to an old era.

On March 12, 2007, the band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame at a ceremony held at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. Michael Anthony and Sammy Hagar were the only inductees who showed up (neither of which are members of the band at present). Michael Anthony made a point of thanking the band's third singer, Gary Cherone, who was not inducted. Velvet Revolver played a song to represent the absent members of the band, which was followed by Anthony and Hagar playing "Why Can't This Be Love" with Paul Schaffer. Afterwards, at a press conference, Hagar said that he would love to work with Van Halen again. He also said that he hopes the band would do a "Dave reunion" with Roth first.

Recent events: Reunion begins

Main article: Van Halen North American Tour 2007

On April 21, 2007, Eddie Van Halen served as an Honorary Race Official for the Subway Fresh Fit 500 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at Phoenix International Raceway. He looked fit and well, better than he had on the last tour despite being three years older. He joined Sperber on the pre-race stage greeting drivers as they were introduced. In addition to duties as a Race Official, he unveiled a limited edition Fender Stratocaster as well as a limited edition EVH brand Frankenstein replica guitar for the race's winner. On May 24, Eddie posted a note to the Van Halen website confirming that he had exited rehab, having cured his ills.

On Monday, July 2, 2007 press reported that the reunion tour with David Lee Roth on vocals is in the planning stage.^[38] Then on August 6th, Billboard.com reported that the band had all but finalized a tour, beginning in October. Speculation was further fuelled by the same report as it also said that the band will be officially announcing this tour at a Hollywood press conference on Monday, August 13th at 2:30pm eastern time.^[39] After nearly 10 months of speculation, on Monday, August 13th, 2007, Van Halen (and David Lee Roth separately via his own website^[40]) announced that the band will be going on a tour of North America beginning on September 27.^[6][42]. No news on the previously announced and subsequently cancelled Best of (1978-1984) compilation album has been made. However, Roth claimed in the press release that, "the idea is that this will continue on and on and on" and also that a world tour and new album were in the works (though the band has yet to get a record deal since it was dropped by Warner Bros. in 2002).

Though the press reaction to the reunion was largely warm due to the band's cheery behaviour at the press conference, the newly re-designed website sparked controversy when Michael Anthony was removed from the album artwork on the Van Halen album (replaced by an image of Wolfgang), and the group photo from the Women and Children First album was taken off entirely.^[43] After significant outrage emerged across the Internet, the album covers were reverted to their original state without a word. The tour was originally 25 dates, but popularity has raised it to 40.

Van Halen started their first tour with David Lee Roth in 23 years on September 27, 2007 in Charlotte, North Carolina. They played to a sell out crowd and generated positive reviews[1]. After much debate, the backing vocal situation could be seen dealt with on stage - Eddie and his son sing them for the band now.

Lineups

Main article: List of Van Halen band members

Present members (2006-present)

• David Lee Roth - lead vocals, backing vocals (1974-1985, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2006-present)^[44]
• Eddie Van Halen - lead guitar, acoustic guitar, keyboards (1972-Present)
• Wolfgang Van Halen - bass guitar, backing vocals (2006-Present)
• Alex Van Halen - drums, percussion (1972-present)

Former members

• Mark Stone - bass guitar (1972-1974)
• Michael Anthony - bass guitar, backing vocals, keyboards (1974-2005)
• Sammy Hagar - lead vocals, rhythm & lead guitars, backing vocals (1985-1996, 2003-2005)
• Mitch Malloy - lead vocals (1996)
• Gary Cherone - lead vocals, backing vocals (1996-1999)

Discography

Main article: Van Halen discography

Main article: Van Halen singles discography

Influence on culture, music, and business

The band's musical style and on-stage presence were highly popular and influential. Both their 1978 debut and 1984 albums sold over 10 million copies. Both are regarded as milestones in rock music, and the songs "Runnin' with the Devil" and "Jump" are listed as two of the top 500 most influential songs in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Kinks had a commercial revival largely because Van Halen covered one of their songs. Every subsequent Van Halen album after their debut would breach the top 6 spot on the pop charts.

The song "Everybody Wants Some!!" appears in the movie Better Off Dead. While Lane Meyer (John Cusack) works in a Burger restaurant wishing he were elsewhere, he imagines the food singing and dancing the popular track via claymation.

The instrumental "Eruption" showcased a solo technique called tapping, utilizing both left and right hands on the guitar neck. "Eruption" propelled Eddie Van Halen to popularity among guitarists (though in fact a form of tapping had existed prior to this).^[45] Before the release of the first album, Eddie hid his technique by playing solos with his back to the audience. The solo in "Eruption" was also voted #2 on Guitar World magazine's 100 Greatest Guitar Solos.

Eddie used a volume technique in the instrumental "Cathedral". He hammered notes on the fretboard with one hand while rolling the volume knob with the other. This altered the attack and decay of the notes so they mimicked the sound of keyboards. This "volume swells" sound was originally popularized by 70's progressive rock bands like Yes and Rush, but was usually performed with a volume pedal, at a slower pace. "Cathedral" also employs an electronic delay, with the delay set at 400 milliseconds (ms) and the delayed note set at the same amplitude as the original note. Most of the composition's notes come from hammering on the notes of a major 5th string barre chord (ascending and then descending) and replicating this pattern up and down the neck of the guitar. The end result of this technique made the composition sound as if it is being played on a church/cathedral organ.

Van Halen also introduced the guitar world to the band's signature "Brown sound," a nickname given to the sonic result of Eddie's guitar/amp combination and technique. With Templeman's production, Van Halen produced a distinctive and popular tone.

In the 1985 film Back to the Future Marty McFly uses a Walkman to torture his father by playing Van Halen at excessive volume. The music was not actually from any Van Halen recordings, but was scrapped demo tapes recorded by Eddie.

Sammy Hagar's tenure saw broadened use of the Van Halen brand, as they expanded their reach into other media, with high-production films, live concert footage and their own cantina in Mexico. Hagar's more conservative 'working man' persona turned Van Halen into a marketable iconic franchise. Each of the four studio albums released with Hagar reached number 1 on the Billboard 200 charts.

Van Halen pioneered the way for the modern "Rock and Roll Show" with their extensive use of the concert technical contract rider. Although contract riders existed before, Van Halen's use of them to specify their "wish list" (production, transportation, personal requirements etc.) was new and established practices now used throughout the music industry. As one of the first major bands with a full stage show to appear in smaller cities, Van Halen had an extensive set of requirements including power availability and stage construction details. Many venues had not previously dealt large-scale shows, and were not equipped to handle the massive stage and light show, sometimes resulting in damage to band equipment and the venue, once nearly killing a roadie. The band's demands were not limited to technical issues: their infamous contract rider specified that a bowl of M&M candies, with all of the brown ones removed, was to be available in the band's dressing room. According to David Lee Roth (from his autobiography, Crazy from the Heat), this was listed with the technical portion of the contract to check up on whether the venue and technical staff were correctly reading and honouring the technical and safety provisions in the contract. On arrival, if brown M&M's were found in the dressing room, then the band had reason to believe other parts of the contract were also not being fulfilled, and subsequently, every line of the contract was to be double-checked.

On Cartoon Network in 2000 there was a series called The Justice Friends, a group of superheroes who exist in the universe of Dexter's Laborator. One of the main characters, Valhallen (a contraction for Valhalla and Van Halen), an axe-wielding Viking God of rock with Southern Californian mannerisms, is a melding of Norse God Thor and Eddie Van Halen. His axe is shaped like a guitar to re-enforce this.

Influential American punk trio The Minutemen recorded a 40-second cover version of "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" for their landmark double album Double Nickels on the Dime (only the third verse, a guitar solo and the "hey, hey, hey!" outro were used).^[46]

Rapper Tone Loc used uncredited samples from "Jamie's Cryin'" on his hit "Wild Thing," but was not sued by the band; in Alex Van Halen's words, "It was 1987, who knew?" 2 Live Crew later sampled the riff of "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" for their song "The Fuck Shop" on their 1989 album As Nasty As They Wanna Be. Dance music act Apollo 440 sampled the guitar intro from "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" for their 1997 single "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Dub".

Despite the band's clear and important influence on rock music, both collectively - and as individuals in Eddie, Roth and Hagar's cases - Van Halen's fame has fallen away greatly since the mid 90s. Following Hagar's departure in 1996, the band received press attention about the controversy of his exit from the band. A poor selling album/tour (Van Halen III) with vocalist Gary Cherone, no public activity at all 2000-2003, and an overpriced (and thus, largely unaffordable) 2004 tour with Hagar in which Eddie's sobriety was questionable followed. In 2006, the band's long-time bassist Michael Anthony was forced from the band. With all the disagreements between Eddie and the group's lead singers, and with Alex quietly backing up his brother, Anthony was often seen as the voice of reason within the band. The activity (or lack thereof) during the period between 1996-2006 helped diminish the band's reputation among fans, and the inclusion of Eddie's teenage son, Wolfgang, as the new bassist announced for the Fall 2007 tour has not helped in the eyes of the harsher critics. The general public, though, responded to this new version of Van Halen with rapid sellouts in many venues, signaling a possible return to the band's former prominence.

Their arrangement of the song "You Really Got Me" (performed by other artists) was featured in the video game Guitar Hero II.

Out-of-band collaborations between Van Halen members

Members of Van Halen have collaborated with ex-members numerous times, or even in each other's side projects.

• 1972 - 1973: Mammoth, the band which would become Van Halen (featured both the Van Halen brothers) rented a PA system from David Lee Roth before he joined in 1974^[47]
• 1987: Eddie played bass guitar on I Never Said Goodbye, a 1987 Sammy Hagar solo album and was one of the album's backing vocalists and producers (Hagar was also one).^[48] Eddie also contributed a small guitar part, though it was uncredited.^[49]
• 1987: Eddie played bass and Hagar sang/played guitar on the song 'Winner Takes All' for the Over the Top movie soundtrack^[50]
• 1991: The David Lee Roth Band had Extreme (a band featuring future-Van Halen frontman Gary Cherone) as a support act^[51]
• 1996: The instrumental track 'Respect the Wind', for the Twister movie was by Eddie and Alex Van Halen. This is Alex Van Halen's only work outside of Van Halen, largely because he insists on only performing with his brother. Alex also played keyboards, usually Eddie's role. Often considered a Van Halen song - it was not released with any contributions from Michael Anthony, or Sammy Hagar (whose exit from the band had yet to be announced)^[52]
• 2002: Hagar and Roth combined for the Song For Song, the Heavyweight Champs of Rock and Roll Tour, also known as the Sans Halen tour^[53]
• 2002: On the first and second of June, Anthony came onstage for several songs during Hagar's set in the Hagar/Roth tour. He continued to appear periodically^[54]
• 2002: During Hagar/Roth's tour, Gary Cherone came on stage for a Boston date on August 28 during Sammy Hagar's set, as did Anthony^[55]
• 2002 - 2003: Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony were part of the Planet Us supergroup before leaving (and dissolving the band with them) for the 2004 Van Halen reunion tour^[56]
• 2003: Some of the recordings from Hagar and Anthony's performances together in 2001 and 2002 were included on a new Sammy Hagar live album, .
• 2004: Wolfgang joined his father on guitar in the 2004 reunion tour for some dates, before officially joining the band^[57]
• 2006: Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony's 'The Other Half' tour^[27]
• 2007 - present: Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony formed the Chickenfoot project with Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith though none of their work has been revealed^[59]
• 2007: Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony performed 'Why Can't This Be Love?' at Van Halen's Rock N Roll Hall of Fame induction, and spoke in several interviews together^[60]
• 2007: Michael Anthony is once again touring in the Sammy Hagar band, as he frequently has before

Notes

See also

• List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100 (U.S.)
• List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Mainstream Rock chart

External links

• Van-Halen.com - The official Van Halen website
• Van Halen NewsDesk
• VHLinks.com
• Van Halen at Discogs

Inductees of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
2007
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five | R.E.M. | The Ronettes | Patti Smith | Van Halen

•  • [ e] Van Halen
Band members
Current members: David Lee Roth | Eddie Van Halen | Wolfgang Van Halen | Alex Van Halen
Former members: Michael Anthony | Sammy Hagar | Gary Cherone | Mark Stone | Mitch Malloy
Discography
Studio albums: Van Halen | Van Halen II | Women and Children First | Fair Warning | Diver Down | 1984 | 5150 | OU812 | For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge | Balance | Van Halen III
Compilations: Best of Volume I | The Best of Both Worlds
Live albums:
Videos and DVDs: Van Halen - Live Without a Net | |
Concert Tours
Van Halen World Tour | World Vacation Tour | World Invasion Tour | Fair Warning Tour | Hide Your Sheep Tour | 1984 Tour | Monsters of Rock Tour 1984 | 1986 Tour | Monsters of Rock Tour 1988 | OU812 Tour | For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge Tour | Right Here Right Now Tour | The Ambulance Tour | III Tour | Van Halen Summer Tour 2004 | Van Halen North American Tour 2007