Tag: Van Halen

Feature LP

Tuesday, April 11, 2023 11pm ET: Feature LP: Van Halen – 1984 (1984)

1984 (stylized as MCMLXXXIV) is the sixth studio album by American hard rock band Van Halen, released on January 9, 1984. It was the last Van Halen album until A Different Kind of Truth (2012) to feature lead singer David Lee Roth, who left in 1985 following creative differences. This is the final full-length album to feature all four original members (Van Halen brothers, Roth, and Michael Anthony). Roth would return in 2007, but Eddie’s son Wolfgang would replace Anthony in 2006. 1984 and Van Halen’s debut are Van Halen’s bestselling albums, each having sold more than 10 million copies.

1984 was well received by music critics. Rolling Stone ranked the album number 81 on its list of the 100 Greatest Albums of the 1980s. It reached number two on the Billboard 200 album chart and remained there for five weeks, behind Michael Jackson’s Thriller, on which guitarist Eddie Van Halen made a guest performance. 1984 produced four singles, including “Jump”, Van Halen’s only number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100; the top-20 hits “Panama” and “I’ll Wait”; and the MTV favorite “Hot for Teacher”. The album was certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America in 1999, signifying ten million shipped copies.

1. “1984” 1:07
2. “Jump” 4:01
3. “Panama” 3:31
4. “Top Jimmy” 2:59
5. “Drop Dead Legs” 4:14
6. “Hot for Teacher” 4:42
7. “I’ll Wait” 4:40
8. “Girl Gone Bad” 4:35
9. “House of Pain” 3:19

David Lee Roth – vocals
Eddie Van Halen – guitars, keyboards, background vocals
Michael Anthony – bass guitar, synth bass on “I’ll Wait”, background vocals
Alex Van Halen – drums

Feature LP

Wednesday, April 5, 2023 8pm ET: Feature LP: Van Halen – Diver Down (1982)

Diver Down is the fifth studio album by American rock band Van Halen and was released on April 14, 1982. It spent 65 weeks on the album chart in the United States and had, by 1998, sold four million copies in the United States. In 2022, Diver Down was named #3 of ‘The 25 greatest rock guitar albums of 1982’ list in Guitar World.

  1. “Where Have All the Good Times Gone!” 3:02
  2. “Hang ‘Em High” 3:28
  3. “Cathedral” 1:23
  4. “Secrets” 3:28
  5. “Intruder” 1:39
  6. “(Oh) Pretty Woman” 2:53
  7. “Dancing in the Street” 3:43
  8. “Little Guitars (Intro)” 0:42
  9. “Little Guitars” 3:47
  10. “Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now)” 2:44
  11. “The Full Bug” 3:18
  12. “Happy Trails” 1:03

David Lee Roth – lead vocals, synthesizer on “Intruder”, acoustic guitar and harmonica on “The Full Bug”
Eddie Van Halen – electric and acoustic guitars, backing vocals, synthesizer on “Dancing in the Street”
Michael Anthony – bass guitar, backing vocals
Alex Van Halen – drums
Jan Van Halen – clarinet on “Big Bad Bill”

Feature LP

Tuesday 10/11/22 11pm ET: Feature LP: Van Halen – Van Halen II (1979)

Van Halen II is the second studio album by American rock band Van Halen. Released on March 23, 1979, it peaked at number six on the Billboard 200 and spawned the singles “Dance the Night Away” and “Beautiful Girls”. As of 2004, it has sold almost six million copies in the United States. Critical reaction to the album has been positive as well, with The Rolling Stone Album Guide praising the “feel-good, party atmosphere” of the songs.

  1. “You’re No Good” 3:16
  2. “Dance the Night Away” 3:06
  3. “Somebody Get Me a Doctor” 2:52
  4. “Bottoms Up!” 3:05
  5. “Outta Love Again” 2:51
  6. “Light Up the Sky” 3:13
  7. “Spanish Fly” (instrumental) 1:00
  8. “D.O.A.” 4:09
  9. “Women in Love…” 4:08
  10. “Beautiful Girls” 3:56

David Lee Roth – lead vocals
Eddie Van Halen – guitar, backing vocals
Michael Anthony – bass guitar, backing vocals
Alex Van Halen – drums

Feature LP

Friday 4/8/22 8pm ET: Feature LP: Van Halen – OU812 (1988)

OU812 (pronounced “Oh You Eight One Two”) is the eighth studio album by American rock band Van Halen. It was released in 1988 and is the second to feature vocalist Sammy Hagar. Van Halen started work on the album in September 1987 and completed it in April 1988, just one month before its release.

Just like its predecessor 5150, OU812 hit number 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, the second of four consecutive #1 studio albums for the band. Spurred by four Billboard Hot 100 top-40 singles (“Black and Blue”, #34; “Finish What Ya Started”, #13; “When It’s Love”, #5; and “Feels So Good”, #35), the album eventually sold over 4 million copies.

  1. “Mine All Mine” 5:11
  2. “When It’s Love” 5:36
  3. “A.F.U. (Naturally Wired)” 4:28
  4. “Cabo Wabo” 7:04
  5. “Source of Infection” 3:58
  6. “Feels So Good” 4:27
  7. “Finish What Ya Started” 4:20
  8. “Black and Blue” 5:24
  9. “Sucker in a 3 Piece” 5:52
  10. “A Apolitical Blues” 3:50

Sammy Hagar – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Eddie Van Halen – lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
Michael Anthony – bass, backing vocals
Alex Van Halen – drums, percussion

Feature LP

Thursday 12/9/21 1am ET: Feature LP: Van Halen – Best of Both Worlds (2004)

The Best of Both Worlds is the second greatest hits album by American rock band Van Halen, released on July 20, 2004 on Warner Bros. The compilation features material recorded with lead vocalists David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar, but omitting Gary Cherone’s three-year tenure with the band. Prior to The Best of Both Worlds’ release, Hagar reunited with Van Halen, and the band subsequently recorded three new tracks to include on the release. All three new songs were released as singles.

Debuting at #3 in the US, the album coincided with a reunion tour, and certified Platinum. It is the last Van Halen album to feature contributions from Michael Anthony and Hagar.

  1. “Eruption” 1:43
  2. “It’s About Time” 4:15
  3. “Up for Breakfast” 4:57
  4. “Learning to See” 5:15
  5. “Ain’t Talkin’ ’bout Love” 3:48
  6. “Finish What Ya Started” 4:24
  7. “You Really Got Me” 2:38
  8. “Dreams” 4:53
  9. “Hot for Teacher” 4:43
  10. “Poundcake” 5:20
  11. “And the Cradle Will Rock” 3:34
  12. “Black and Blue” 5:27
  13. “Jump” 4:04
  14. “Top of the World” 3:54
  15. “(Oh) Pretty Woman” 2:53
  16. “Love Walks In” 5:11
  17. “Beautiful Girls” 3:57
  18. “Can’t Stop Lovin’ You” 4:08
  19. “Unchained” 3:29
  20. “Panama” 3:32
  21. “Best of Both Worlds” 4:49
  22. “Jamie’s Cryin'” 3:30
  23. “Runaround” 4:20
  24. “I’ll Wait” 4:42
  25. “Why Can’t This Be Love” 3:48
  26. “Runnin’ with the Devil” 3:36
  27. “When It’s Love” 5:38
  28. “Dancing in the Street” 3:45
  29. “Strung Out”/”Not Enough” 6:48
  30. “Feels So Good” 4:32
  31. “Right Now” 5:22
  32. “Everybody Wants Some!!” 5:10
  33. “Dance the Night Away” 3:10

Sammy Hagar – lead vocals on tracks 2–4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 on disc 1; 2, 4, 6, 8, 10–12, on disc 2, rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Eddie Van Halen – lead guitar, rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar, keyboards, backing vocals, bass on tracks 2-4 on disc 1
Michael Anthony – bass, except on tracks 2–4 on disc 1, backing vocals
Alex Van Halen – drums, percussion
David Lee Roth – lead and backing vocals on tracks 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19 on disc 1; 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 13, 14 on disc 2
Steve Lukather – backing vocals on tracks 2–4, 14 on disc 1; 10 on disc 2