Van Halen
After the disaster of training in Hotel Management, I went back to education to do Accountancy, yes, a life full of excellent choices clearly.
I met a couple of guys who became friends one like me was a know it all on music whereas the other one claimed David Lee Roth was the greatest pop star ever. Naturally, we mocked him because we were arses. Then and still to this day I have never heard a David Lee Roth album but was quick to mock. Now I could hate them or love them, the fact is I don’t know, oh to be young and so superior again, sad, eh?
Can I review Van Halen’s debut? Finally, I get to listen to an album he is on as all I know about them is Jump and Why Can’t This Be Love. In fact reading up I didn’t even know that Lee Roth was not even the singer on Why Can’t this Be Love and I had obviously heard of guitarist Eddie Van Halen but who knew his brother Alex was the drummer, yep Mr Know It All should change his name to Mr Not Got A Bloody Clue.
Usual walk round the park and on first listen and it’s not unpleasant or changing my mind to the wonders of Van Halen. Leave it for a couple of days and try again. Second trip round the park with Van Halen and there are the odd riff and chorus here and there that I am starting to enjoy,
Third listen and its clicked. This is a record that was released in 1978, here in the UK Sex Pistols, Clash are changing people’s minds about music, but Brotherhood of Man, Brian and Michael and Boney M are having number one hits, and Led Zeppelin have disappeared for the last couple of years. What we don’t have is a band playing good time hard rock music for the fun of it with catchy riffs and big choruses, step forward Van Halen.
They don’t mess about Runnin’ with the Devil is straight out of the blocks all chunky riffs, a dependable rhythm section and Lee Roth preening and wailing and Eddie shows how to play a guitar on the instrumental Eruption before they decide to storm through The Kinks You Really Got Me.
Ain’t Talkin’ Bout Love has one of those nagging riffs that lodges in your brain and they all join in on the chorus before Eddie launches into a solo. They show they are no slouches on I’m the One but can take it down when they need to on Jamie’s Cryin’ which is a thoughtful song.
The vocal interplay and the riffs coming through on Feel Your Love Tonight are superior rock and Little Dreamer Roth shows he can sing and can match Eddie when needed.
Atomic Punk, Ice Cream Man are not for me but the record ends on a high with the riff crazy On Fire.
I enjoyed this, would I listen to it a lot, probably not but I am glad I did and when someone mentions Van Halen or David Lee Roth, I could advise them to listen to their debut, safe in the knowledge that I know what I am talking about.
Maybe….
7/10
GIVE IT A STREAM: Ain’t Talkin’ Bout Love