EVH DEAD of CANCER Today RIP ED

This one hurts really bad ..... I have a copy of a cassette tape recorded in LA about two years before they were signed. He was the best then, loose and as lickity' split as can be, while Roth was drunk off his keister slurring his words. What's interesting about the tape is that all the different parts of the first two albums were all in other songs and different places of other songs.
 
So, I never really followed Van Halen. I think I've heard 3 complete songs by them in my entire life.

Yesterday, I decided to take the day off from the studio and just listen to Van Halen.

I started with some of their bootleg recordings, before they made it, then their debut album.

Diver Down was really strange sounding to me. I can't really explain it, bit ot just seemed like something was "off" on that record.

I learned about 5 VH songs yesterday, as it appears we are going to add "Runnin With The Devil" to our setlist. (Can I sing tnis???)

My big takeaway was how precise Ed's playing was. Even his fast runs are very, very precise.

I never took DLR seriously as a vocalist. He certainly was a showman though. I do hear things in his vocals where he does some pretty dramatic, albeit difficult passages, and pulls it off, so kudos to him in that regard.

I wasn't particularly fond of the synth-era VH, although it was very radio friendly.

It was a fun experience, but the light never really "came on" for me, as I was listening. I would say "Runnin With The Devil" and "Ain't Talkin Bout Love" were my favorites.

What i was hoping for - and expecting - was for a VH song to "grab me" the way Dio's "Last In Line" did.

I think Ed's more "relaxed" guitar tone (compared to Vivian Campbell's tone on Holy Diver) is one of those things that made it harder for VH to pull me in as a fan/listner, but Ed's precision, clarity and the production were all very satisfying aspects of my experience.

Sure sucks to see these guys passing... :-(
 
Robert Herndon said:
So, I never really followed Van Halen. I think I've heard 3 complete songs by them in my entire life.

Yesterday, I decided to take the day off from the studio and just listen to Van Halen.

I started with some of their bootleg recordings, before they made it, then their debut album.

Diver Down was really strange sounding to me. I can't really explain it, bit ot just seemed like something was "off" on that record.

I learned about 5 VH songs yesterday, as it appears we are going to add "Runnin With The Devil" to our setlist. (Can I sing tnis???)

My big takeaway was how precise Ed's playing was. Even his fast runs are very, very precise.

I never took DLR seriously as a vocalist. He certainly was a showman though. I do hear things in his vocals where he does some pretty dramatic, albeit difficult passages, and pulls it off, so kudos to him in that regard.

I wasn't particularly fond of the synth-era VH, although it was very radio friendly.

It was a fun experience, but the light never really "came on" for me, as I was listening. I would say "Runnin With The Devil" and "Ain't Talkin Bout Love" were my favorites.

What i was hoping for - and expecting - was for a VH song to "grab me" the way Dio's "Last In Line" did.

I think Ed's more "relaxed" guitar tone (compared to Vivian Campbell's tone on Holy Diver) is one of those things that made it harder for VH to pull me in as a fan/listner, but Ed's precision, clarity and the production were all very satisfying aspects of my experience.

Sure sucks to see these guys passing... :-(
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Listening to the albums in real-time as they were released, I gotta say I was never a huge VH fan. I liked them fine, and mostly listened to hear EVH's guitar playing, but they were never a band that I really locked into, and then I'd have to say that Van Halen II was/is my favorite album that they ever released. Fair warning was good too. By the time Diver Down and especially 1984 came around I was completely done with them, and by that time was listening to Metallica and Slayer, so...
 
gball said:
Listening to the albums in real-time as they were released, I gotta say I was never a huge VH fan. I liked them fine, and mostly listened to hear EVH's guitar playing, but they were never a band that I really locked into, and then I'd have to say that Van Halen II was/is my favorite album that they ever released. Fair warning was good too. By the time Diver Down and especially 1984 came around I was completely done with them, and by that time was listening to Metallica and Slayer, so...
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Good observations. I did enjoy the band's stage energy and Ed's guitar work.

IMHO, they sounded better with Sammy singing, but didn't have the strength of material (or energy) they did on the earlier VH albums.
 
Robert Herndon said:
Good observations. I did enjoy the band's stage energy and Ed's guitar work.

IMHO, they sounded better with Sammy singing, but didn't have the strength of material (or energy) they did on the earlier VH albums.
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The "Van Hagar" thing passed me by almost entirely. I'd hear those songs on the radio, lament the fact that VH had become some weird pop band, and change the station.
I liked Hagar of course in Montrose, he really sounded great there, and his early solo stuff was pretty cool (Standing Hampton is a great record) but that VH era never did a thing for me.
 
I've never understood DLR as a "Rock" vocalist. I can see him as a Michael Buble-esque singer, but the minute I heard that voice - back in my youth - I either changed the channel or popped in a cassette.

Having said that, I cannot stand my own vocals and I sing only when I have too.

I'm nervous because its been suggested that I sing "Runnin With The Devil" and I'm not sure i can pull it off.
 
Robert Herndon said:
I've never understood DLR as a "Rock" vocalist. I can see him as a Michael Buble-esque singer, but the minute I heard that voice - back in my youth - I either changed the channel or popped in a cassette.

Having said that, I cannot stand my own vocals and I sing only when I have too.
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It's a strange thing sometimes. See, I think DLR is the only singer that ever made sense in that band. Not a traditionally "great" singer, but great in context.
Like AC/DC - Bon Scott was not a good singer, but he was absolutely great in that band. I've never heard and AC/DC song with Brian Johnson singing that I could stomach. That band died with Bon for me.
 
gball said:
It's a strange thing sometimes. See, I think DLR is the only singer that ever made sense in that band. Not a traditionally "great" singer, but great in context.
Like AC/DC - Bon Scott was not a good singer, but he was absolutely great in that band. I've never heard and AC/DC song with Brian Johnson singing that I could stomach. That band died with Bon for me.
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I can dig that. I really enjoy your replies, because you often bring an entirely different dimension to the conversation that I never considered before.
 
@gball, always viewed it that way too, good fit for each in context.
I'm all in for Bon era and through Back in Black and somewhat For those About to Rock, but yeah, Bon era for the singing.
Always makes me laugh when Bon does a country drawl "I was guitar picker" in Little Lover, and "you could hear the fingers pickin' " in Let There Be Rock.

Unchained was always one of my favorites; I like the use of the flanger (? i think?) effect.
I dont find VH as interesting now as guitar study but enjoyed them as a rock music listener when I was young, dumb, and fulla ***.
I think I have mentioned that before.

 
Robert Herndon said:
My musical taste is so varied. I will often go from listening to Rory Gallagher's "Million Miles Away" to Ghost's "Dance Macabre" and everything in between
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The way it ought to be. I listen to music all day while I work, so I try to change it up often and challenge myself. Turns out some of my favorite new music being made is Downbeat Electronica and Lo-Fi Hip Hop. Who knew? But it's great stuff to have on when you need to concentrate.
 
gball said:
The way it ought to be. I listen to music all day while I work, so I try to change it up often and challenge myself. Turns out some of my favorite new music being made is Downbeat Electronica and Lo-Fi Hip Hop. Who knew? But it's great stuff to have on when you need to concentrate.
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Within our band, I'm the "Wild Card" suggesting obscure poop, like Gary Moore's "Cold Day In Hell" and Rory Gallagher's "Million Miles Away."

I'm also good for suggesting things like Scorpion's "Loving You Sunday Morning," which usually doesn't fly in our "popish" setlist.

I'm in the process of writing us an original tune called "Bad Dog," which is about a bloke who lives his life, much like a bad dog.

I'm hoping it turns out good...
 
gball said:
The way it ought to be. I listen to music all day while I work, so I try to change it up often and challenge myself. Turns out some of my favorite new music being made is Downbeat Electronica and Lo-Fi Hip Hop. Who knew? But it's great stuff to have on when you need to concentrate.
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Suffering from ADHD/ODD and Aspberger's, the really fast tempo stuff is what seems to calm me down and restore my focus.
 
Robert Herndon said:
I'm also good for suggesting things like Scorpion's "Loving You Sunday Morning," which usually doesn't fly in our "popish" setlist.

I'm in the process of writing us an original tune called "Bad Dog," which is about a bloke who lives his life, much like a bad dog.

I'm hoping it turns out good...
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Pretty tame by Scorpions standards though. If you want to defang it even more you could go with "Is There Anybody There" I guess.

I'm sure the new tune will turn out great.
 
Robert Herndon said:
Suffering from ADHD/ODD and Aspberger's, the really fast tempo stuff is what seems to calm me down and restore my focus.
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Does for me when I am doing anything physical. I listen to Stoner Rock and Metal when I work out/run/etc. And of course just for listening pleasure most of the time. But I find that when I listen to that music while I work it becomes a distraction because I like it so much I start paying attention to the tunes instead of my work. The mellower stuff has a nice atmospheric quality to it, like Jazz does, that makes it more environmental if you know what I mean. Like chill music at the pool of a happenin' hotel.
 
Well I know I am going to get backlash for this, but I never cared for sabath or zeppelin. Beatles , Stones, Animals, yardbirds, Guess who to me it depends what era you were born in I really get into the 60s vibe. I like to listen to music that has a great beat to it. It picks me up makes me feel good, some of the music I like is because of the beat, I never listened much to the words. Now that I am older I listen to some of the words, Now that I sing these songs and I know what the words are, some I choose not to sing. But I have to say I like upbeat music not wild, just up beat. I don't like to listen to depressing music, to me its a downer. I do like songs from certain artists Colin James, Serena Ryder. Green day has a song I would like to play. Classic Rock is where my heart is.
 
Session 5 said:
Well I know I am going to get backlash for this, but I never cared for sabath or zeppelin. Beatles , Stones, Animals, yardbirds, Guess who to me it depends what era you were born in I really get into the 60s vibe. I like to listen to music that has a great beat to it. It picks me up makes me feel good, some of the music I like is because of the beat, I never listened much to the words. Now that I am older I listen to some of the words, Now that I sing these songs and I know what the words are, some I choose not to sing. But I have to say I like upbeat music not wild, just up beat. I don't like to listen to depressing music, to me its a downer. I do like songs from certain artists Colin James, Serena Ryder. Green day has a song I would like to play. Classic Rock is where my heart is.
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Don’t think you’re gonna get backlash from this group. Pretty sure we all acknowledge different strokes for different folks. I was in grade school/jr high for the British Invasion. To this day I don’t own a Beatles/Stones/Zep album. Didn’t dislike the music.... just not enough to buy an album. I did buy Sabbath. But I also have Herb Alpert, Johnny Horton..... even have one ABBA album. Not sure how proud I am about that one.
 
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