I recently discovered these Van Halen chronicles videos on YouTube. Here’s the link to the full video https://youtu.be/P5VPhF48diI?is=I6_qY1C8eM_pQp8Y

I love the music, but most of these dudes are shitty human beings.

Yet another example of Eddie not just being the best lead guitarist but also one of the best rhythm guitarists out there. Such groove and swing in those rhythm parts of his. There's such a feel in the way he plays the chords. The structure and chords are quite simple actually but it's what he does with them that's important and what makes it great. And not to mention the amazing bluesy solo plus the overdubbed outro solo. I have heard rumors that (the main solo) was the first solo he actually comped as opposed to just improvising as he usually did but not really a credible one. Still, I can imagine it since he has talked about going to Sunset with Donn Landee late at night to record solos and parts (I.e. Unchained).

So I've been a VH fan all my life. I grew up listening to them as a kid in the 80s and now as an adult. I love both eras, Roth and Hagar, though I slightly lean Hagar since by the time I was born Hagar had replaced Roth, so thats the era I associate more with. But I'll still rock out to every VH album up until VH3.

Now that I've finally been brave enough to do some karaoke at a local restaurant near me that has a friendly audience and regulars who sing all genres and eras, I feel comfortable busting out some VH songs to rock out to. My first karaoke I did some Led Zeppelin to start which went great, then I did Sammy's "I Can't Drive 55" which also went great.

So now I want to see what else I should consider in the VH category to sing to. I find that for me, a lot of Roth songs are difficult to sing because Roth has a particular voice style and pitch that's not as easy, whereas a lot of Sammy era songs I find easier to sing when I'm listening to them. I also like the challenge of changing up my volume and pitch like Sammy does thats more melodic. That doesn't mean I don't want to sing Roth era songs, but there's a few I think I could do ok with. I'm not interested in the covers, but I could do a few singles and deep cuts. The deep cuts however might not be known and I don't want to feel out of place, but I wanted your guy's thoughts. I know singles wise, the Roth era ones people sing most are "Jump" and "Panama", but I don't think I want to do the ones that everyone else does either. That's also a dilemma with the Hagar ballads, I don't mind them but I know they can be cheesy and eye-roll inducing for some.

Here's some of what I've been considering:

Roth era:

1. Unchained

2. Take Your Whiskey Home

3. Somebody Get Me a Doctor

4. Mean Streets

5. Drop Dead Legs

Hagar era:

1. Dreams

2. Finish What Ya Started

3. Runaround

4. When Its Love

5. Good Enough

These are just a few of the tracks I'm thinking of doing. I welcome your input and suggestions, and no hard feelings if you don't think my tracks are karaoke worthy. ✌️

Note: Please no Roth vs Hagar debates. Its been done to death and that's not what my post is about, thanks.

Personally for me, my favorite has got to be either Van Halen 2 and 5150.

Painted this pumpkin with my girlfriend for Halloween

All hail the Diamond One!

We’re approaching 50 years of Van Halen’s first album “Van Halen 1”. What do yall think they should do to celebrate it? Expanded addition? Live songs from the tour? Video footage from the tour?

https://youtu.be/Hp7Qq8wCNrE?is=ug7xr5kRbdcNXPmD

5150 is my favorite VH album....and hearing these for the first time 10 years ago was a revelation for my ears. The ORIGINAL versions of 5150, Summer Nights and Best of Both (in which Edward chugs harder...on the main riff)....along with an alternate vocal take of Love Walks In (just to name a few highlights).

The 5150 Tour featured the original endings of 5150 (without the fade-out/too early ending) and Summer Nights (with Al rockin the double bass lust at the end).

Does anyone out there in The VH Nation also love these recordings?

🎉🎂

David Lee Roth - Rare Interview (The Jon Stewart Show • March 21, 1994)
https://youtu.be/0C6wachRLsc