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Everybody Wants Some: Edward Van Halen, 1955–2020 (split from Guess Who Died)

Frayed Knot Oct 06 2020 01:45 PM

Eddie Van Halen - 65, throat cancer

whippoorwill Oct 06 2020 01:58 PM Re: Guess Who Died in 2020

Oh no!

whippoorwill Oct 06 2020 01:58 PM Re: Guess Who Died in 2020 Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Oct 06 2020 02:01 PM

Didn't they just release a new album? Edit: Bon Jovi

Johnny Lunchbucket Oct 06 2020 02:00 PM Re: Guess Who Died in 2020

sad. I re-read VAN HALEN RISING again recently. That's a truly fun book that deserves to be made into a movie and no doubt will. Eddie was of course wildly creative and influential beyond his any of his own ambition (he really had little ambition except to play, then didn't do a very good job taking care of himself or his legacy, which I sense he cared little for anyway)

Edgy MD Oct 06 2020 02:02 PM Re: Guess Who Died in 2020

I agree with that assessment. Half genius, half Muppet, and just a little bit too innocent for his own good.

Frayed Knot Oct 06 2020 02:09 PM Re: Guess Who Died in 2020

Apparently he's been fighting this cancer for a while -- if I were a better VH fan I'd have probably known that ... but I didn't. This also wasn't his first bout with cancer -- he had part of his tongue removed earlier in the 2000s on account of the Big C. Can't remember if I never knew, or had known but forgot, that he was born in the Netherlands -- Edward Lodewijk Van Halen -- and moved to the U.S. as a non-English speaker at age 7. Alex is the older brother by two years.

Edgy MD Oct 06 2020 02:45 PM Re: Guess Who Died in 2020

Yeah, along with Taco, they were part of an emergent post-Colonial Indonesian Dutch ethnicity.

Frayed Knot Oct 06 2020 03:01 PM Re: Guess Who Died in 2020

Wikipedia lists his mother as being from Indonesia But I thought tacos were of Mexican origin?!?

kcmets Oct 06 2020 06:14 PM Re: Guess Who Died in 2020

RIP [YOUTUBE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtYkEKKbHQU[/YOUTUBE]

Johnny Lunchbucket Oct 06 2020 06:39 PM Re: Guess Who Died in 2020

All through Renoffs book Eddie is described as a kid who didn't care for anything other than playing guitar, like, little interest in girls or cars or friends, or singing -- which as much as anything got Roth in the band -- absorbing everything he tried to play so completely he could and did do it better than the ones he copied, so once VH stopped being a note-for-note cover band and did their own stuff it unleashed this wild creativity he developed almost accidentally. Listened to a buttload of VH this evening driving in traffic to baseball practice, and it's amazin' how he could without fail build fantastic drama before firebombing the heavy riffs, and then noodle around making squeaks and laughing sounds to accompany Dave's vegas schtick, them BAM, get right back into it, often trailing his lumbering brother by a perfect millisecond, they were telepathic.

kcmets Oct 06 2020 07:03 PM Re: Guess Who Died in 2020

He married Valerie Bertonelli, a much larger feat to my age group than guitar magic.

Edgy MD Oct 06 2020 07:33 PM VH Split

This is VH at their power-poppiest. It's the one song from their second album that hadn't already been developed on the road. The record company sent them back into the studio to come up with a hit, something the girls could dance to, as the boys were seemingly already on board. And good God did they nail it. The refrain seems inspired by Fleetwood Mac's "Go Your Own Way," but the harmonies they laid out here would become as signature a part of their sound as Eddie's guitar tone. The guitar solo is simple but elegant — tapped out with one chord during a breakdown verse — and by the end of the song, the band stood out in about four different marketplaces. It fulfilled the studio's desire of a hit, but it went to #15 when it should have been #1 for about two months. But 1979 was a really good year for rock and roll reasserting itself on the charts (though disco was still ascendant). It was a last hurrah in many ways for FM rock programming. But a first for VH. [YOUTUBE]llfjDUB66Z4[/YOUTUBE]

kcmets Oct 06 2020 07:51 PM Re: Post-Mortem Juke Box

Not to be a Debby Downer, but that's the second worst song on the album. It just cried for more mainstream airplay for a hot band from it's handlers and label looking to ex- pand it's audience. It worked. Payola.

Frayed Knot Oct 06 2020 07:58 PM Re: Post-Mortem Juke Box

DLR, meanwhile, is simultaneously the epitome of everything you'd want in a front man but also a parody of that spot.

Johnny Lunchbucket Oct 06 2020 08:22 PM Re: Post-Mortem Juke Box

Dance the Night Away was my real introduction to VH. The NYC radio stations PLJ and NEW barely paid any attention to VH right away, it was still a time when different markets sounded different, and in order to really hear that song as often as I wanted I had to tune to I-95 out of Bridgeport, which we got on LI north shore as well or better than LIR which before they went new wave, was probably the only other station that played VH that early. Carol Miller (x-PLJ) tonight on Q104.3 said she saw VH in 78 but she sure didn't play em then. The only other pop culture way I absorbed early VH was VHII getting the Chew Bops treatment

Fman99 Oct 06 2020 08:53 PM VH Split 2

I didn't get on board with VH until "1984," but I went back pretty quick after that to soak up their initial albums. While I do enjoy some of the radio hits (I mean, I can still listen to "Panama" end to end and enjoy it), I feel like my faves are all the deeper cuts. I like this one, just to pick one that not everyone knows. The up-tempo numbers best do EVH's talents justice, too. [youtube]d681GuMZj6Y[/youtube]

Edgy MD Oct 06 2020 09:11 PM Re: Guess Who Died in 2020

Johnny Lunchbucket wrote: ... often trailing his lumbering brother by a perfect millisecond, they were telepathic. He didn't like to go for effects much — probably thought they were cheating — but he used a slight delay almost all the time, which may account for your sense of his spot in the pocket. He also tuned down way before the grungers thought they invented it — only he did it to compensate for Diamond Dave's lack of much of a higher register.

kcmets Oct 06 2020 09:30 PM Re: Guess Who Died in 2020

Edge, you're killing me here.

Edgy MD Oct 07 2020 06:22 AM Re: Post-Mortem Juke Box

=kcmets post_id=48131 time=1602035502 user_id=53]Not to be a Debby Downer, but that's the second worst song on the album.

Dancing gets me higher than anything else I know.

Fman99 Oct 08 2020 10:21 AM Re: Guess Who Died in 2020

Edgy MD wrote: He also tuned down way before the grungers thought they invented it — only he did it to compensate for Diamond Dave's lack of much of a higher register. I mean, Jimi tuned down a half step too, because it gave him more ability to bend strings to suit his will, and Tony Iommi from Black Sabbath did it because he lost the tips of two fingers in an industrial accident and it helped him compensate for that.

Frayed Knot Oct 11 2020 03:35 PM VH SPLIT 4

Edgy MD wrote: =kcmets post_id=48131 time=1602035502 user_id=53]Not to be a Debby Downer, but that's the second worst song on the album. Dancing gets me higher than anything else I know.

But when you dance, do your senses mingle then take a chance?

kcmets Oct 11 2020 05:38 PM Re: Post-Mortem Juke Box

I'm sure if one could dig deep in Circus or whatever magazine there are quotes that the song was total sell out. There may even be a quote that's like, 'ya know the record company put some heat on us to do a radio song or two 'cause ya know not all chicks don't dig stuff like On Fire." [YOUTUBE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6z-nxAYhGw[/YOUTUBE]

Fman99 Oct 11 2020 06:37 PM VH Split 3

Yeah, that's a good one too.

Fman99 Oct 11 2020 06:39 PM Re: Post-Mortem Juke Box

Here's another one I dug up this week that I had not listened to in a while. [youtube]l7rS3itMibE[/youtube]

Edgy MD Oct 11 2020 07:38 PM Re: Post-Mortem Juke Box

I'm sure if one could dig deep in Circus or whatever magazine there are quotes that the song was total sell out. There may even be a quote that's like, 'ya know the record company put some heat on us to do a radio song or two 'cause ya know not all chicks don't dig stuff like On Fire." Yeah, that's what I tried to get across. It definitely was a bone to the A&R guys. I still think it was a triumph. And I think "You're No Good" as an opener was a misfire. Eddie, after being a master cover-artist as a teenager, kind of resisted doing covers once VH started getting going. But I like that their setlist intersects with The Kinks in four (I think) different places. But "YNG" is uncharacteristically plodding, and it had already gone to #1 like four years before. But this is the album opener that gets me up in the morning. [YOUTUBE]e5Gk79FazKs[/YOUTUBE]

kcmets Oct 11 2020 08:27 PM Re: Post-Mortem Juke Box

Van Halen / Hagar probably deserves their own thread.

Fman99 Oct 12 2020 07:19 AM Re: Post-Mortem Juke Box

Edgy MD wrote: I'm sure if one could dig deep in Circus or whatever magazine there are quotes that the song was total sell out. There may even be a quote that's like, 'ya know the record company put some heat on us to do a radio song or two 'cause ya know not all chicks don't dig stuff like On Fire." Yeah, that's what I tried to get across. It definitely was a bone to the A&R guys. I still think it was a triumph. And I think "You're No Good" as an opener was a misfire. Eddie, after being a master cover-artist as a teenager, kind of resisted doing covers once VH started getting going. But I like that their setlist intersects with The Kinks in four (I think) different places. But "YNG" is uncharacteristically plodding, and it had already gone to #1 like four years before. But this is the album opener that gets me up in the morning. [YOUTUBE]e5Gk79FazKs[/YOUTUBE] Yep 100% agreed. This is one of my top 10 VH'ers. Clearly a lip sync'd performance but I don't care. It's fun to see them in all their synchronized glory.

Edgy MD Oct 12 2020 09:02 PM Re: Everybody Wants Some: Edward Van Halen, 1955–2020 (split from Guess Who Died)

If you have an hour, this Smithsonian interview with EVH is worth your while. Interviewer Denise Quan clearly adores the guy, but I'd be all heartbeaty too, so I can't really hold that against her, and you come out with the sort of story of an American journey that you don't really get anymore. [YOUTUBE]yb26D8bBZB8[/YOUTUBE]

Johnny Lunchbucket Oct 13 2020 07:25 AM Re: Everybody Wants Some: Edward Van Halen, 1955–2020 (split from Guess Who Died)

Watched most of this. I'm surprised at how lucid, awake and willing to talk EVH is here. Much of my understanding on post-VH Glory Days EVH was based on what I read in Sammy Hagar's book, which described a frightful state of health for him and his brother that spoiled much of the latter Hagar years. Sammy is a piece of work btw, a completely average Trumpian non-college-educated white "blue-collar" old man who steps in shit everywhere he goes and believes whatever dumb shit he wants to believe. Best you can say for him is that he more or less was a pro, but his remarkable gift was and is a nose for being in the right place at the right time, and at least intending to treat people right helping to present opportunities he'd never necessarily win on talent alone.

Edgy MD Oct 13 2020 09:47 AM Re: Everybody Wants Some: Edward Van Halen, 1955–2020 (split from Guess Who Died)

How many bands can you think of whose lead guitarist is so iconic that the band's name is just the non-lead-singing axe-man's last name? Five? I would say it would take you a while to think of five. We are the vehicle through which this demigod touches humanity! He's cooler than you can conceive of! His name is cool! And even if his name isn't cool, it's made cool just by being HIS name! And that's why it's OUR name! That's all you need to know! Are you ready to rock?! That's a rare-assed state of affairs. How incredible is it, then, that Sammy sang for two of them?

MFS62 Oct 14 2020 08:17 AM Re: Guess Who Died in 2020

=kcmets post_id=48127 time=1602032604 user_id=53] He married Valerie Bertonelli, a much larger feat to my age group than guitar magic.

You just nailed why I never really liked him.

He was schtupping Valeirie Bertonelli.

And I wasn't.



Later

Fman99 Oct 14 2020 09:22 AM Re: Everybody Wants Some: Edward Van Halen, 1955–2020 (split from Guess Who Died)

Edgy MD wrote: How many bands can you think of whose lead guitarist is so iconic that the band's name is just the non-lead-singing axe-man's last name? Five? I would say it would take you a while to think of five. We are the vehicle through which this demigod touches humanity! He's cooler than you can conceive of! His name is cool! And even if his name isn't cool, it's made cool just by being HIS name! And that's why it's OUR name! That's all you need to know! Are you ready to rock?! That's a rare-assed state of affairs. How incredible is it, then, that Sammy sang for two of them? I still can't think of the fourth/fifth ones! I got Santana in addition to Montrose & Van Halen. Are we counting the J Geils band maybe?

Johnny Lunchbucket Oct 14 2020 11:04 AM Re: Everybody Wants Some: Edward Van Halen, 1955–2020 (split from Guess Who Died)

There was a guy called Winger in Winger but don't know if he was the axeman. Steve Miller, but also the singer in that group and the incision of "Band" indicates it's more than he. DLR was the advocate for the Van Halen band name, which the brothers were ambivalent about and gives you an idea of how little they knew as to how to market themselves. Prior to VH they went by Genesis and then Mammoth, only to realize later there were other bands with those names already

Edgy MD Oct 14 2020 11:23 AM Re: Everybody Wants Some: Edward Van Halen, 1955–2020 (split from Guess Who Died)

No, Kip Winger was front man and (primarily) bassist. I got VH, Montrose, Santana, Vandenberg, and Samson. Samson was REALLY hard to come up with. Pre-Iron Maiden Bruce Dickinson sang for them. Guitarist Adriaan "Adje" van den Berg was also born in Holland. That sort of thing apparently helps in these situations.

Johnny Lunchbucket Oct 14 2020 02:34 PM Re: Everybody Wants Some: Edward Van Halen, 1955–2020 (split from Guess Who Died)

You could just go through the Amsterdam phone directory, or a Netherlands map, and come up with literally thousands of killer metal band names. totally overlooked santana FRIDAY! Head on over to the Hammerheads in South Babylon for an evening with the hard-hitting rock of ROTTERDAM https://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/funny-awkward-metal-bands-photos-3-58cb9b219cb75__605.jpg> Opening up, the diabolical rawk of DEN BAKKER https://i0.wp.com/www.metalinjection.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Gatecreeper.jpg?resize=700%2C467>

Edgy MD Oct 14 2020 02:54 PM Re: Everybody Wants Some: Edward Van Halen, 1955–2020 (split from Guess Who Died)

The first Rotterdam guy seems to be rocking his guitar strap as an accessory, sans guitar.

kcmets Oct 14 2020 02:56 PM Re: Everybody Wants Some: Edward Van Halen, 1955–2020 (split from Guess Who Died)

So a fb friend and classmate (K-12) posted on fb the other day that he saw VH in 1978 at the Paladium in NYC. My initial reaction was bullshit, but remembered to look and see if they actually played there, and it's plausible he saw VH at age 16-17 there. Here's some bootleg audio, god knows what it was recorded on but does give a little sense of what they sounded like coming to big cities not in California and kicking ass... [YOUTUBE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5UmfQ-jSVk[/YOUTUBE]

ashie62 Oct 14 2020 04:48 PM Re: Everybody Wants Some: Edward Van Halen, 1955–2020 (split from Guess Who Died)

I find it ironic that a very simple song "You Really Got Me" helped to break Van Halen.

Johnny Lunchbucket Oct 14 2020 05:41 PM Re: Everybody Wants Some: Edward Van Halen, 1955–2020 (split from Guess Who Died)

That Palladium show is the same mentioned by Carol Miller referenced above

whippoorwill Oct 14 2020 05:47 PM Re: Post-Mortem Juke Box

Johnny Lunchbucket wrote: Dance the Night Away was my real introduction to VH. The NYC radio stations PLJ and NEW barely paid any attention to VH right away, it was still a time when different markets sounded different, and in order to really hear that song as often as I wanted I had to tune to I-95 out of Bridgeport, which we got on LI north shore as well or better than LIR which before they went new wave, was probably the only other station that played VH that early. Carol Miller (x-PLJ) tonight on Q104.3 said she saw VH in 78 but she sure didn't play em then. The only other pop culture way I absorbed early VH was VHII getting the Chew Bops treatment God I absolutely forgot about that song Late 70s my sister and her husband had a record store and I worked there. If someone came in just looking and didn't know what they wanted she would every time recommend Van Halen

kcmets Oct 14 2020 05:56 PM Re: Everybody Wants Some: Edward Van Halen, 1955–2020 (split from Guess Who Died)

Johnny Lunchbucket wrote: That Palladium show is the same mentioned by Carol Miller referenced above Sorry, I need to catch up. r/lmpl... There's at least one more chunk of songs, maybe two I'll post a little at a time.

Edgy MD Nov 16 2020 11:03 AM Re: Everybody Wants Some: Edward Van Halen, 1955–2020 (split from Guess Who Died)

I never intended ‘Distance' to be the very first piece of music people would hear from me, but I also thought my father would be here to celebrate its release. This is for him. I love and miss you, Pop.” - Wolfgang Van Halen Proceeds from “Distance” will be donated to Pop's favorite charity, Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation MHOpus.org [YOUTUBE]HI3aPJkZmNU[/YOUTUBE]