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Revision as of 13:54, 17 July 2003 view sourceFrecklefoot (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers45,330 edits wording, +links← Previous edit Revision as of 22:45, 4 August 2003 view source Xj14y (talk | contribs)342 edits Added brown M&M, commercials, keyboards in rock references, early Eddie and Alex info, added Jan Van Halen, Gene Simmons info. Updated singers info, and cleaned up article structure.Next edit →
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'''Van Halen''' is a ] ] ] named after the ]ist ] and his brother, ]mer ]. The band also includes ] on bass. The band has had a string of vocalists, starting with ] (]-]), ] (]-]) and culminating with ] (of ]) (]-]). Originally named ''Mammoth'', they changed their name to ''Van Halen'' after they found out that there was another band called Mammoth. They also considered ''Rat Salade'' after the '']'' song; Van Halen was suggested by original lead singer David Lee Roth. '''Van Halen''' is a ] ] ] named after the ]ist ] and his brother, ]mer ]. The band also includes ] on bass. Alex (the older of the Van Halen brothers) originally started out on guitar, while Eddie was a classically trained pianist who wanted to play drums. Eddie, frustrated by his lack of accomplishment on drums, traded instuments with Alex as children.


Eddie and Alex's father, Jan Van Halen, encouraged his sons' love of music and was an accomplished musician in his own right. He joined the brothers on clarinet for "Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now)" on the "Diver Down" album.
⚫ Their debut, self-titled ] was released in ] and featured a new soloing technique called ]: a technique utilizing both left and right hands on the guitar neck.


The band has had a string of vocalists, starting with ] (]-]), ] (]-]) and culminating with ] (of ]) (]-]). Originally named ''Mammoth'', they changed their name to ''Van Halen'' after they found out that the name was taken. They also considered ''Rat Salade'' after the '']'' song; Van Halen was suggested by original lead singer David Lee Roth.
⚫ Van Halen's most successful album sales-wise, was Roth's departing album, '']'', released in ]. After the subsequent tour, Roth was either dismissed by guitarist Eddie Van Halen or walked out on the band, according to different reports. Soon after, singer/guitarist/song-writer Sammy Hagar was recruited because of a previous tour with Hagar's former band ].


Gene Simmons of Kiss caught the band's show in Los Angeles in 1976, and financed a demo tape, but the tape did not lead to a record contract. The band was eventually signed by a Warner Brothers executive, Mo Ostin, after a show at the famed Troubadour in Los Angeles, California.
⚫ Van Halen's period with Sammy Hagar was a marked by two trends, an upward trend in the charters, and one of growing resentment of the departure of Roth. Hagar's ] were, on the whole, more serious, something die-hard, traditional Van Halen fans missed when comparing to Roth's early ] ], 'hair' influences.


⚫ Their debut, self-titled ] was released in ] and featured a new soloing technique called ]: a technique utilizing both left and right hands on the guitar neck. Leading up to the release of the album, Eddie would play his solos with his back to the audience during club dates, to hide his technique until the album came out.
Van Halen's most successful album, '']'', resulting in a #1 spot on the ] of ], was Hagar's last. Following was what was thought an attempt of a reunion with David Lee Roth which Edward (Eddie) says was nothing more than a project to record two new songs due to the lack of new tracks on the Greatest Hits album. All of this talk of a reunion was ended when Edward and David were doing ]s, after appearing together at the ], and David had blown up at Eddie for mentioning his ] replacement ]. So Eddie told him to not bother calling him back again, and that was the end of their relationship.


Van Halen also contributed to the modern concert technical contract rider. Though they had existed before, contract riders had not really been used for this purpose. Van Halen was the first major band with a full stage show to appear in some smaller cities. Few of the venues in these markets had dealt with a show of that magnitude, and were not equipped to handle Van Halen's stage, resulting in damage to the band's equipment and the venue. The now 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. This requirement was listed with the technical portion of the contract, which spelled out how big the stage was, how much it weighed, the power requirements, and the other technical specifications that had to be met for the show to happen safely. According to David Lee Roth, the purpose of the M&M's was to check up on venue management. If there were brown M&M's in the dressing room, then every line of the contract had to be doublechecked, to ensure safety. Shows were cancelled because of the venue's inability to handle the band's stage or equipment.
⚫ Gary Cherone was now recruited from his band ''Extreme'' to sing for Van Halen, resulting in a dismal failure in sales of a very experimental album, '']''. Cherone split amicably with the band after the ''VH3'' tour.


⚫ Van Halen's most successful album sales-wise, was Roth's departing album, '']'', released in ]. This album ushered keyboards into hard rock, something unheard of at the time. The album's lead single, "Jump" featured keyboards prominently, and became the band's first #1 single. After the subsequent tour, Roth was either dismissed or walked out on the band, according to different reports. Soon after, singer/guitarist/song-writer Sammy Hagar was recruited to join the band. They knew each other from a previous tour with Hagar's former band ].
Since ], the music of Van Halen has been non-existent, lacking a lead singer. Eddie Van Halen went through ] treatment in ] and has since recovered.


⚫ Van Halen's period with Sammy Hagar was a marked by two trends, an upward trend in the charts, and one of growing fan resentment regarding the departure of Roth. Hagar's ] were, on the whole, more serious, something die-hard, traditional Van Halen fans missed when comparing to Roth's early ] ], 'hair' influences.
⚫ In the summer of ], David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar teamed up to tour in the "Heavyweights of Rock," or 'Sans-Halen' Tour.

The "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge" album featured the song "Right Now". The video was nominated for for many awards, and the song was the first Van Halen song to be used in a commercial. "Right Now" was used to promote the ill-fated Crystal Pepsi (1990). The band's remake of The Kinks "You Really Got Me" from "Van Halen" was later used in a Nissan commercial.

Van Halen's album, '']'', resulted in a #1 spot on the ] of ], and was Hagar's last. Controversy followed.

A rumored reunion with David Lee Roth proved to be doomed from the start. The rumor contributed to Hagar leaving the band (or being forced to leave, the story varies). David Lee Roth entered the studio with the Van Halen brothers, Micheal Anthony, and the band's first producer, Ted Templeman. Two songs from those sessions were added to the band's Greatest Hits album. Around that time, the four original members of the band took the stage at the ] to present an award. Backstage, personalities and old arguments began to rub against each other, and the relationship again ended soon afterward.

⚫ Gary Cherone was now recruited from the Boston based band ''Extreme'' to sing for Van Halen, resulting in an experimental album, '']''. Sales were lackluster. Cherone split amicably with the band after the ''VH3'' tour.

Since ], the music of Van Halen has been non-existent, lacking a lead singer. Eddie Van Halen has had hip replacement surgery and went through ] treatment in ]. He has since recovered. David Lee Roth was arrested in 2000 for buying marijuana in a New York City Park, and continues to record and tour. Roth brought court action against Van Halen, their management, and record company in ], claiming he was left out of royalty renegotiations. Sammy Hagar created his own line of tequila, owns a bar in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and continues to record and tour.

⚫ In the summer of ], David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar teamed up for the "Heavyweights of Rock," or 'Sans-Halen' Tour. Bassist Michael Anthony joined both Hagar and Roth onstage.


==Discography== ==Discography==

Revision as of 22:45, 4 August 2003

Van Halen is a US hard rock band named after the guitarist Eddie Van Halen and his brother, drummer Alex Van Halen. The band also includes Michael Anthony on bass. Alex (the older of the Van Halen brothers) originally started out on guitar, while Eddie was a classically trained pianist who wanted to play drums. Eddie, frustrated by his lack of accomplishment on drums, traded instuments with Alex as children.

Eddie and Alex's father, Jan Van Halen, encouraged his sons' love of music and was an accomplished musician in his own right. He joined the brothers on clarinet for "Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now)" on the "Diver Down" album.

The band has had a string of vocalists, starting with David Lee Roth (1973-1984), Sammy Hagar (1984-1998) and culminating with Gary Cherone (of Extreme) (1998-1999). Originally named Mammoth, they changed their name to Van Halen after they found out that the name was taken. They also considered Rat Salade after the Black Sabbath song; Van Halen was suggested by original lead singer David Lee Roth.

Gene Simmons of Kiss caught the band's show in Los Angeles in 1976, and financed a demo tape, but the tape did not lead to a record contract. The band was eventually signed by a Warner Brothers executive, Mo Ostin, after a show at the famed Troubadour in Los Angeles, California.

Their debut, self-titled album was released in 1978 and featured a new soloing technique called tapping: a technique utilizing both left and right hands on the guitar neck. Leading up to the release of the album, Eddie would play his solos with his back to the audience during club dates, to hide his technique until the album came out.

Van Halen also contributed to the modern concert technical contract rider. Though they had existed before, contract riders had not really been used for this purpose. Van Halen was the first major band with a full stage show to appear in some smaller cities. Few of the venues in these markets had dealt with a show of that magnitude, and were not equipped to handle Van Halen's stage, resulting in damage to the band's equipment and the venue. The now 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. This requirement was listed with the technical portion of the contract, which spelled out how big the stage was, how much it weighed, the power requirements, and the other technical specifications that had to be met for the show to happen safely. According to David Lee Roth, the purpose of the M&M's was to check up on venue management. If there were brown M&M's in the dressing room, then every line of the contract had to be doublechecked, to ensure safety. Shows were cancelled because of the venue's inability to handle the band's stage or equipment.

Van Halen's most successful album sales-wise, was Roth's departing album, 1984, released in 1984. This album ushered keyboards into hard rock, something unheard of at the time. The album's lead single, "Jump" featured keyboards prominently, and became the band's first #1 single. After the subsequent tour, Roth was either dismissed or walked out on the band, according to different reports. Soon after, singer/guitarist/song-writer Sammy Hagar was recruited to join the band. They knew each other from a previous tour with Hagar's former band Montrose.

Van Halen's period with Sammy Hagar was a marked by two trends, an upward trend in the charts, and one of growing fan resentment regarding the departure of Roth. Hagar's lyrics were, on the whole, more serious, something die-hard, traditional Van Halen fans missed when comparing to Roth's early 80s party, 'hair' influences.

The "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge" album featured the song "Right Now". The video was nominated for for many awards, and the song was the first Van Halen song to be used in a commercial. "Right Now" was used to promote the ill-fated Crystal Pepsi (1990). The band's remake of The Kinks "You Really Got Me" from "Van Halen" was later used in a Nissan commercial.

Van Halen's album, Balance, resulted in a #1 spot on the Billboard of 1996, and was Hagar's last. Controversy followed.

A rumored reunion with David Lee Roth proved to be doomed from the start. The rumor contributed to Hagar leaving the band (or being forced to leave, the story varies). David Lee Roth entered the studio with the Van Halen brothers, Micheal Anthony, and the band's first producer, Ted Templeman. Two songs from those sessions were added to the band's Greatest Hits album. Around that time, the four original members of the band took the stage at the MTV Video Music Awards to present an award. Backstage, personalities and old arguments began to rub against each other, and the relationship again ended soon afterward.

Gary Cherone was now recruited from the Boston based band Extreme to sing for Van Halen, resulting in an experimental album, Van Halen 3. Sales were lackluster. Cherone split amicably with the band after the VH3 tour.

Since 1998, the music of Van Halen has been non-existent, lacking a lead singer. Eddie Van Halen has had hip replacement surgery and went through cancer treatment in 2001. He has since recovered. David Lee Roth was arrested in 2000 for buying marijuana in a New York City Park, and continues to record and tour. Roth brought court action against Van Halen, their management, and record company in 2003, claiming he was left out of royalty renegotiations. Sammy Hagar created his own line of tequila, owns a bar in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and continues to record and tour.

In the summer of 2002, David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar teamed up for the "Heavyweights of Rock," or 'Sans-Halen' Tour. Bassist Michael Anthony joined both Hagar and Roth onstage.

Discography