DAVID LEE ROTH VS. VAN HALEN! The 1986-1988 Years: "Eat 'Em" "Skyscraper" VS. "5150" "OU812"

[RUSHHEAD666]

Again I think Jason Becker deserves some credit on this thread. The guy frigging shreds on "A Little Ain't Enough." Also Gregg and Matt Bissonette are both on the album as well!

 

Check out the ass kicker tune "It's Showtime!" Very Van Halen!!! Very "Hot For Teacher!"

 

 

Of course sadly Jason became very ill and was diagnosed with ALS. He was another barnburner guitar player. Up there with the best of them. JMO

[Rick N. Backer]

Sammy Hagar < David Lee Roth

Eddie Van Halen < Steve Vai

Michael Anthony < Billy Sheehan

Alex Van Halen < Gregg Bissonette

 

Steve Vai is better than EVH? Egads Earl. Vai is so bloodless. He actually played himself in the movie Crossroads. Lots of flash, but no emotion behind it.

 

Not to derail your thread, but EVH is the single most influential rock guitarist ever IMO.

 

I hear ya Rick! Just wanted to try and get a nice debate going! I've been listening to the first six VH albums all week. They are addicting and they never get old.

Eddie is a Pioneer.

I guess I should have written a thread: "Who is the better guitarist? Steve Vai or Joe Satriani.

I do believe Vai took lessons from Joe.

 

Eddie definitely has more BALLS than Vai.

 

I love the movie "Crossroads!" Vai is the Devil! Classic!

 

The "head cutting" scene is classic. I went out and bought a Robert Johnson anthology because of that movie.

[RUSHHEAD666]

Sammy Hagar < David Lee Roth

Eddie Van Halen < Steve Vai

Michael Anthony < Billy Sheehan

Alex Van Halen < Gregg Bissonette

 

Steve Vai is better than EVH? Egads Earl. Vai is so bloodless. He actually played himself in the movie Crossroads. Lots of flash, but no emotion behind it.

 

Not to derail your thread, but EVH is the single most influential rock guitarist ever IMO.

 

I hear ya Rick! Just wanted to try and get a nice debate going! I've been listening to the first six VH albums all week. They are addicting and they never get old.

Eddie is a Pioneer.

I guess I should have written a thread: "Who is the better guitarist? Steve Vai or Joe Satriani.

I do believe Vai took lessons from Joe.

 

Eddie definitely has more BALLS than Vai.

 

I love the movie "Crossroads!" Vai is the Devil! Classic!

 

The "head cutting" scene is classic. I went out and bought a Robert Johnson anthology because of that movie.

 

Hahahaha! So did I! I found a Robert Johnson gold cd on CBS Records!!! Very rare! He also has that cool box set!

[RUSHHEAD666]

Come on! Where are all of the Sam Halen fans??? DIAMOND DAVE IS LEADING!!! :D-13:

[Rod in Toronto]

Again I think Jason Becker deserves some credit on this thread. The guy frigging shreds on "A Little Ain't Enough." Also Gregg and Matt Bissonette are both on the album as well!

 

Check out the ass kicker tune "It's Showtime!" Very Van Halen!!! Very "Hot For Teacher!"

 

 

Of course sadly Jason became very ill and was diagnosed with ALS. He was another barnburner guitar player. Up there with the best of them. JMO

 

Have you seen Jason' s documentary Not Dead Yet? It's one of the most beautiful and yet sad movies I've ever seen.

[troutman]

Come on! Where are all of the Sam Halen fans??? DIAMOND DAVE IS LEADING!!! :D-13:

 

Here I am. :hi:

 

DLR was a great singer with VH. But overall Sammy blows him away. More professional and still kicks ass at the present time. Great attitude and still loves to rock! He leaves DLR in the dust. :haz:

 

Signed,

 

Jim Otto :D

Edited December 5, 2014 by troutman

[bathory]

Come on! Where are all of the Sam Halen fans??? DIAMOND DAVE IS LEADING!!! :D-13:

 

Here I am. :hi:

 

DLR was a great singer with VH. But overall Sammy blows him away. More professional and still kicks ass at the present time. Great attitude and still loves to rock! He leaves DLR in the dust. :haz:

 

Signed,

 

Jim Otto :D

 

besides the overall sound, sammy's "I'm a professional REAL singer and I'm here to do a job" attitude is one of the things that turns me off. I like van halen when they're dirty and dangerous sounding

[bathory]

@bathory:

 

I disagree that "soul" or emotion can't be judged in music. Here's a really simple example. Compare:

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=tZamjrXCDvo

 

With:

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=yyfNHlqymP8

 

Malmsteen is technically much better than Perry. But which one "feels" right?

 

Yes, I know this is subjective BTW

 

haha, I never liked that song anyway!

 

have you heard malmsteen's cover of anthem? it is not very good

[troutman]

Come on! Where are all of the Sam Halen fans??? DIAMOND DAVE IS LEADING!!! :D-13:

 

Here I am. :hi:

 

DLR was a great singer with VH. But overall Sammy blows him away. More professional and still kicks ass at the present time. Great attitude and still loves to rock! He leaves DLR in the dust. :haz:

 

Signed,

 

Jim Otto :D

 

besides the overall sound, sammy's "I'm a professional REAL singer and I'm here to do a job" attitude is one of the things that turns me off. I like van halen when they're dirty and dangerous sounding

 

 

It's his job to be professional,

 

BTW, It wasn't Sammy who hired himself too be part of VH. He accepted a job that was offered to him. Blame VH for that. Also, my bias towards Sammy goes back years before he joined VH. He had a great band and put on one of the best shows I have ever seen.

[RUSHHEAD666]

Come on! Where are all of the Sam Halen fans??? DIAMOND DAVE IS LEADING!!! :D-13:

 

Here I am. :hi:

 

DLR was a great singer with VH. But overall Sammy blows him away. More professional and still kicks ass at the present time. Great attitude and still loves to rock! He leaves DLR in the dust. :haz:

 

Signed,

 

Jim Otto :D

 

besides the overall sound, sammy's "I'm a professional REAL singer and I'm here to do a job" attitude is one of the things that turns me off. I like van halen when they're dirty and dangerous sounding

 

 

It's his job to be professional,

 

BTW, It wasn't Sammy who hired himself too be part of VH. He accepted a job that was offered to him. Blame VH for that. Also, my bias towards Sammy goes back years before he joined VH. He had a great band and put on one of the best shows I have ever seen.

Did you know that right after Eddie's band Mammoth broke up and they changed the name to Van Halen, Eddie asked Sammy to be the lead singer. Sammy wanted to do it but had to turn it down because he couldn't get out of the Montrose contract. Did you also know that Sammy Hagar was going to sing in Y&T, but again he couldn't break his contract with Geffen.

[RUSHHEAD666]

Come on! Where are all of the Sam Halen fans??? DIAMOND DAVE IS LEADING!!! :D-13:

 

Here I am. :hi:

 

DLR was a great singer with VH. But overall Sammy blows him away. More professional and still kicks ass at the present time. Great attitude and still loves to rock! He leaves DLR in the dust. :haz:

 

Signed,

 

Jim Otto :D

Hahahaha! Ok! I will give you that. David Lee Roth VS Sammy Hagar in 2014 it's obvious! Sammy still ROCKS! Although I saw his last show in San Francisco with Dave Meniketti helping out on the Montrose stuff. After those five tunes Sammy's set list SUCKED! But yes he is better now than Dave. Love, Jon Gruden

[bathory]

dude, I know sammy hagar didnt declare himself lead singer of van halen and just start showing up at practice

 

 

I just prefer the group's earlier, heavier stuff

[RUSHHEAD666]

dude, I know sammy hagar didnt declare himself lead singer of van halen and just start showing up at practice

 

 

I just prefer the group's earlier, heavier stuff

 

Hahaha! I know man, that was just shit I heard from the past. Personally the first Montrose album is a fuckking masterpiece. But after that forgetaboutit.

 

Sammy is Hammy.

 

The David Lee Roth Years are beyond EPIC. The first six albums are fuckikng perfect. I could listen to them everyday for the rest of my life.

[ReRushed]

I don't care how techniclally proficient a guitarist is... you gotta connect emoitionally or, at least, honestly. So, I don't care how many notes are played or how fast those notes are played. I love both Eddie Van Halen and Johnny Ramone for the same reason.

[bathory]

dude, I know sammy hagar didnt declare himself lead singer of van halen and just start showing up at practice

 

 

I just prefer the group's earlier, heavier stuff

 

Hahaha! I know man, that was just shit I heard from the past. Personally the first Montrose album is a fuckking masterpiece. But after that forgetaboutit.

 

Sammy is Hammy.

 

The David Lee Roth Years are beyond EPIC. The first six albums are fuckikng perfect. I could listen to them everyday for the rest of my life.

 

oh damn, I didn't know you posted in between us! I was responding to what troutman said

[1-0-0-1-0-0-1]

You guys are nuts! Even "A Little Ain't Enough" is an excellent album!

 

OU812 has a few solid songs but "Finish What Ya Started?" Are you kidding me? One of the worst songs ever made!!!!!

 

Remember local independently-owned music stores? I used to have one near me where I bought all my albums (vinyl, tapes, CDs), and they used to take trade-ins. Bring in your unwanted music, get a few bucks for them and buy some more music.

 

I wasn't in the habit of buying music that I didn't like, so over the years there were very few CDs that I traded in. "A Little Ain't Enough" was one of them. "Showtime" was the only song on that album worth a damn (good guitar work by Jason Becker), and I'm not exactly pining for it right now.

 

Nothing beats DLR-era VH. That said, "Eat 'Em" was a pretty good record, but none of DLR's subsequent releases did anything for me. Van Hagar still had Eddie doing his thing. Steve Vai was a better technician than Eddie -- a faster gunslinger had finally arrived into town -- but Eddie had more heart, was more fun and interesting to listen to, and he was a better songwriter than Vai. With the Van Hagar albums I would just skip over the pop stuff and go right to songs like "Get Up" and "A.F.U."

[Turbine Freight]

 

I wasn't in the habit of buying music that I didn't like, so over the years there were very few CDs that I traded in. "A Little Ain't Enough" was one of them. "Showtime" was the only song on that album worth a damn

 

Dogtown Shuffle is one of Roth's best solo efforts. The lyrics absolutely nail the subject material. Great song.

[troutman]

Come on! Where are all of the Sam Halen fans??? DIAMOND DAVE IS LEADING!!! :D-13:

 

Here I am. :hi:

 

DLR was a great singer with VH. But overall Sammy blows him away. More professional and still kicks ass at the present time. Great attitude and still loves to rock! He leaves DLR in the dust. :haz:

 

Signed,

 

Jim Otto :D

 

besides the overall sound, sammy's "I'm a professional REAL singer and I'm here to do a job" attitude is one of the things that turns me off. I like van halen when they're dirty and dangerous sounding

 

 

It's his job to be professional,

 

BTW, It wasn't Sammy who hired himself too be part of VH. He accepted a job that was offered to him. Blame VH for that. Also, my bias towards Sammy goes back years before he joined VH. He had a great band and put on one of the best shows I have ever seen.

Did you know that right after Eddie's band Mammoth broke up and they changed the name to Van Halen, Eddie asked Sammy to be the lead singer. Sammy wanted to do it but had to turn it down because he couldn't get out of the Montrose contract. Did you also know that Sammy Hagar was going to sing in Y&T, but again he couldn't break his contract with Geffen.

 

That's cool,

 

Sammy was on top of his game after Montose. His band kicked a**!! :haz:

[troutman]

dude, I know sammy hagar didnt declare himself lead singer of van halen and just start showing up at practice

 

 

I just prefer the group's earlier, heavier stuff

 

Who doesn't?

 

They were fu***** awesome! :haz: I was really pissed Sammy accepted the job. He did a good fill in for VH but I loved his previous band. :D

[Presto-digitation]

I wasn't in the habit of buying music that I didn't like, so over the years there were very few CDs that I traded in. "A Little Ain't Enough" was one of them. "Showtime" was the only song on that album worth a damn

 

Dogtown Shuffle is one of Roth's best solo efforts. The lyrics absolutely nail the subject material. Great song.

 

I really love Damn Good. Might be my favorite Roth tune ever, quite honestly.

[1-0-0-1-0-0-1]

I wasn't in the habit of buying music that I didn't like, so over the years there were very few CDs that I traded in. "A Little Ain't Enough" was one of them. "Showtime" was the only song on that album worth a damn

 

Dogtown Shuffle is one of Roth's best solo efforts. The lyrics absolutely nail the subject material. Great song.

 

I really love Damn Good. Might be my favorite Roth tune ever, quite honestly.

 

That's probably the only song I like off of Skyscraper.

 

http://youtu.be/-mIP7ySBXBg

[Rod in Toronto]

The solo on Hot Dog and a Shake saves the song.

[RUSHHEAD666]

You guys are nuts! Even "A Little Ain't Enough" is an excellent album!

 

OU812 has a few solid songs but "Finish What Ya Started?" Are you kidding me? One of the worst songs ever made!!!!!

 

Remember local independently-owned music stores? I used to have one near me where I bought all my albums (vinyl, tapes, CDs), and they used to take trade-ins. Bring in your unwanted music, get a few bucks for them and buy some more music.

 

I wasn't in the habit of buying music that I didn't like, so over the years there were very few CDs that I traded in. "A Little Ain't Enough" was one of them. "Showtime" was the only song on that album worth a damn (good guitar work by Jason Becker), and I'm not exactly pining for it right now.

 

Nothing beats DLR-era VH. That said, "Eat 'Em" was a pretty good record, but none of DLR's subsequent releases did anything for me. Van Hagar still had Eddie doing his thing. Steve Vai was a better technician than Eddie -- a faster gunslinger had finally arrived into town -- but Eddie had more heart, was more fun and interesting to listen to, and he was a better songwriter than Vai. With the Van Hagar albums I would just skip over the pop stuff and go right to songs like "Get Up" and "A.F.U."

 

Oh my goodness! Back then I was just like you! I was a cassette junky back in the day. I was living in Walnut Creek back in the early Eighties and we had a ton of record stores and Walnut Creek was a small city!

My favorite store which was independently owned was called "The Record Exchange." I would buy new and used albums and cassettes at a daily rate. I've been addicted to music for most of my life. The Record Exchange got me into every band that I am in love with. Rush included.

So back then here are the list of record stores:

 

The Record Exchange. Not only were they the best with bringing hard rock and metal they also brought in bands. Back then they had RATT do an in store signing for their EP. Also they had Queensryche do an in store signing as well for their new EP at the time.

 

Music Town. This store was really tiny but they had cool posters and hard rock tapestries. They even had a RUSHMAN and SIGNALS tapestry. Of course I bought those!

 

Banana Records. This little record store was mostly vinyl. It went out of business first.

 

Rainbow Records. This store opened up right after Banana Records closed.

 

The Record Factory. This was a great store more corporate of course but they had a smoke shop in the back. This store is where I mainly bought all of my new releases. I remember buying "GUP" and Y&T's "Meanstreak" on the same day!!! Heaven!

 

All of these record stores are GONE!

 

So then Tower Records and Rasputin Records were all I had left.

Then Tower went under.

 

So today all I have now is Rasputin Records and Amoeba Records. I am still an addict. I still sell cds, dvds and blu-rays back to both of these stores. The employees at both stores kid around and say that I am saving the record store business.

Vinyl is huge again out here. Not sure if it is in the east coast. I hope it is!

So sorry for rambling but I love the record store experience. I love being able to hold a product in my hand, Gaze into the artwork or perhaps read liner notes.

 

 

Now back to David Lee Roth. To be honest I thought "A Little Ain't Enough" was a flop. But over the decades I began to really enjoy it.

As a matter of fact thanks to this thread I played the album a couple of times a few days ago and it finally sunk in.

 

"It's Showtime" really is a barnburner of a song. Very Van Halen. Yep.

 

Even the videos Diamond Dave put out on MTV where EPIC at the time! Even Dave's "Crazy From The Heat" ep is a fun listen.

 

I love his version of "California Girls."

 

His videos blow away Van Hagar's.

 

But like you and many others on here there is no denying to overall greatness of Eddie Van Halen.

I know many on here love this stuff with Sammy but man to me he took a wrong turn. Granted his solos and riffs with Sammy are tasty I just can't get into the voice.

Sammy is a great entertainer. He's fun and he's a very intellectual business man. He made a killing on his Cabo Wabo tequila.

I love Sammy's solo work on the Capital Label right after that Montrose "Paper Money" album tanked.

Some of his Geffen stuff is good too. "Standing Hampton," "Three Lock Box," and VOA" come to mind.

 

Basically I just wish Sammy never joined Van Halen. But alas they did make a ton of money together.

 

I can't believe I actually saw the Gary Cherone Van Halen tour. Talk about an album of shit.

I will say though the highlight for that gig was when they opened up with "Mean Street." That was amazing.

Also when Gary went backstage for a wardrobe change Michael Alex and Eddie did "Somebody Get Me A Doctor" as a three piece and Anthony fukkin' killed it!! It was amazing!!

 

Cheers!

[RUSHHEAD666]

The solo on Hot Dog and a Shake saves the song.

 

Bloody brilliant!

[RUSHHEAD666]

dude, I know sammy hagar didnt declare himself lead singer of van halen and just start showing up at practice

 

 

I just prefer the group's earlier, heavier stuff

 

Who doesn't?

 

They were fu***** awesome! :haz: I was really pissed Sammy accepted the job. He did a good fill in for VH but I loved his previous band. :D

 

Hell yes! Sammy on Capital and Geffen were solid!!

 

BILL ELECTRIC CHURCH!