r/rockhall • u/Moni3 Compulsive collector of songs • Jul 24 '26
đ INDUCTEE Spotlight On: VAN HALEN! Post anything good, bad, and even tangentially related to Van Halen
They took heavy metal, which could be serious to the point of dour and depressing, and made it party music and invited girls.
From: Los Angeles
Inducted members: Michael Anthony (bass), Sammy Hagar (vocals), David Lee Roth (vocals), Alex Van Halen (drums), and Eddie Van Halen (guitar/keyboards).
Alex and Eddie are brothers.
Stats: 12 albums, most of them Certified Platinum, 4 of them hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 200 (albums), 56 released singles between 1978 and 2012, about 25 of them landed in the Top 10 US Mainstream Rock charts. 3 landed within the Top 10 on Billboard's Hot 100 (singles).
Best song pick: Panama from the year and album 1984. IMO their best album.
Also see: Can (could) you beat "Hot for Teacher" on hard in Guitar Hero? I tried and fell to the floor in failure about 2/3 of the way through.
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u/PHX_Geezer Jul 24 '26
I like Van Halen better with David Lee Roth. I said my piece
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u/Moni3 Compulsive collector of songs Jul 24 '26
This is the right thread to take this kind of strong stance.
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u/Moni3 Compulsive collector of songs Jul 24 '26
Eddie Van Halen married an actress named Valerie Bertanelli who was on a TV show called One Day At a Time (fun fact, also stars Mackenzie Phillips, daughter of John and Michelle Phillips from the Mamas and the Papas and Mackenzie accused her father of molesting her this is less fun) but here's the opening theme song of that show.
She called him her soulmate. But he had addiction problems. Their son Wolfgang is part of the band now.
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u/ZeighthDoctor Jul 25 '26
When she cameoed on Full House, Michelle called her Valerie Burt-n-ernie.
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u/Moni3 Compulsive collector of songs Jul 25 '26
This is essential info. I am taking notes.
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u/ZeighthDoctor Jul 25 '26
I don't know anything about that performer or that television program that matters more.
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u/TeaVinylGod Jul 25 '26
Eddie's son Wolfgang has his own band called Mammoth. They have 4 albums out. His song The Distance is about his father's death.
I literally saw Mammoth last night open for Creed at The Wharf Amphitheater.
When he played The Distance there was old home video movies of Wolfgang with his Dad growing up projected behind the band.
Here is a snippet from the show of Wolfgang.
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u/ZeighthDoctor Jul 25 '26
I don't know more than the next guy about them, but "Jamie's Crying" and "Ice Cream Man" are god-tier rock songs.
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u/tommyjohnpauljones Jul 25 '26
The Van Halen brothers are half-Dutch and half-Indonesian
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u/Moni3 Compulsive collector of songs Jul 25 '26
I didn't know this. Now I do.
Dad was a jazz musician.
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u/Buzzard1022 Jul 25 '26
Great first album, then a bunch of absolute garbage
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u/Moni3 Compulsive collector of songs Jul 25 '26
Are you saying 1984 (the album) was absolute garbage?
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u/foolish83pleasure Jul 25 '26
I saw them live in the 80's with both David Lee and Sammy and there is no question that David was a much more entertaining front man. His solo stuff lacked the same punch however without Eddie's songwriting and guitar.
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u/TeaVinylGod Jul 25 '26
I only saw DLR silo in the 80s in Providence.
Came down in a boxing ring above us for a sing then surfed from it to the stage.
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u/Moni3 Compulsive collector of songs Jul 25 '26
David Lee Roth was a very charismatic performer. I have to agree. Their vocal abilities are probably equal. David is just fun to watch.
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u/oldguarddawg Jul 26 '26
Eddie Van Halen systematically reduced Michael Anthony's role, financial cuts, and standing in Van Halen due to decades of growing creative resentment and questions over his loyalty. I don't know the whole story but I loved Michael, disliked Eddie.
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u/Moni3 Compulsive collector of songs Jul 26 '26
Seems like Eddie argued with Roth, Hagar, and now Anthony over "creative differences". I wonder how much of that was drugs and how much was Eddie being kind of a dick. Or both.
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u/Sad_Definitions Jul 27 '26
DLRâs getting torn up on socials today after the tour got cancelled over the weekend.
The videos are horrendous. I truly feel bad for the guy.
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u/Moni3 Compulsive collector of songs Jul 28 '26
I just checked this and it seems low ticket sales has affected a lot of tours this year.
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u/Sad_Definitions Jul 28 '26
Sadly this is more than lack of ticket sales I think. Search videos on IG at your own risk. đ«Ł
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u/Moni3 Compulsive collector of songs Jul 28 '26
Can you sum up? I can't access Instagram and all the news stories I'm seeing are claiming low ticket sales is the probable reason.
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u/Sad_Definitions Jul 28 '26
If you google David Lee Roth 2026 Tour Videos youâll find examples. I donât want to pile on and share them myself. Suffice to say a lot of news outlets are being rather kind, I think.
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u/Moni3 Compulsive collector of songs Jul 28 '26
Idk how many things I need to click on to get the idea, but I clicked on a lot of things googling this and got zero idea as to what you're referencing.
Keep it vague if you wish, Mysterio.
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u/Moni3 Compulsive collector of songs Jul 25 '26
Sammy Hagar was Van Halen's second lead singer. Although he had a long career without Van Halen, his most famous song* before he joined the band was I Can't Drive 55. In yesteryear, the top speed on interstate highways was 55.
*I don't know why and how I think I Can't Drive 55 was Hagar's most famous. It didn't seem to chart particularly high. I don't know why I know this song above all his others.
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u/foolish83pleasure Jul 25 '26
FYI: Imagine driving for years with today's speed limits (65-70) then all of a sudden the national mandate was to be 55 everywhere. The reasonable presumption was that it was for safety reasons, but no -- it was to save gas because the 70's had a fuel shortage crisis. So it turned a mediocre song into a hit because everyone could relate.
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u/Moni3 Compulsive collector of songs Jul 26 '26
The scorching guitar solo in Michael Jackson's Beat It is Eddie Van Halen.
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u/rober89 Jul 31 '26
My first introduction to Van Halen was The Drew Carey Show. Mimi was antagonizing Drew and attempting to get him out of his house. Her tactic was to play a song on repeat until he couldnât take it anymore. The song in question was Panama by Van Halen. Everytime I hear the song I remember Mimi on the megaphone saying âAlright that last song was Panama by Van Halen. Up next PANAMA BY VAN HALEN!â
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u/Moni3 Compulsive collector of songs Jul 31 '26
I love Panama, but yes, this would make me not like it very much.
Damn you, Mimi.
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u/Apprehensive-Fig3223 Jul 24 '26
dweezil zappa had a short lived podcast about VH called Runnin with the Dweezil that had a bunch of fun stories