Van Halen Returns

It’s coming from all sides…first Joe mentions Van Halen, then Chez106 speak about how it has hit RED ALERT status on their website which can only mean one thing.

Chances are, Van Halen are coming to Ottawa.

Beauty. Whoever is interested, let me know.

What’s my history with Van Halen? Well, to recap my history in the music scene, I wasn’t really into music until the mid-90s. 1996 to be exact. I remember it well. Someone had lent me the Aerosmith – Get a Grip album. What a beauty. What were these amazing sounds coming from the speakers? Guitar solos? Sweet Mother of Pearl!

Later on that year, I picked up the Van Halen – Balance album where I was introduced to Van Halen. A decent album, I didn’t know what to expect. Then the cream of the crop came to me in the form of Best of – Volume 1. I didn’t know what the hype was about. Some old singer of theirs…a Mr. David Lee Roth had come back to the fold and recorded two new songs for the album. What’s the big deal? He isn’t the current singer, Mr. Sammy Hagar.

After listening to Best Of album, I realized that there was a whole world of Van Halen out there to experience. The David Lee Roth era was more rock (it seemed to me) whereas the Hagar era was more toned down, more “Hey, I’m getting a little older, but I’m cool with it.” rock. At least, judging from the Best Of album. I can’t say I own many other Halen albums other than 1984 (the quintessential!).

So now Diamond David Lee Roth has returned to the fold for a tour and Ottawa is a rumoured date. Excellent. This is an experience that doesn’t come around too often.

I am laughing to myself right now thinking of Troy and him saying “What the heck?! My first album was 1984, and Ryan didn’t even get know the band until 1996?!”

update: Alright, I’ve been listening to Balance again and I take it back. Van Hagar rocks just as well as the Roth Era. They must have just picked out the slow tunes as singles.

iplaying: Poundcake – Van Halen (Best Of…Volume 1)