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RIP Eddie Van Halen

Patrick Bateman

By Patrick Bateman
in Music

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Buzzrock

Buzzrock 14,922

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That’s the crazy thing about music, and rock and roll especially. You never really know what combination is going to click or why. And it may or may not have anything to do with chops.


And it’s often a volatile mix that doesn’t last, as with the first iteration of VH.
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NWBuck

NWBuck 8,570

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2 minutes ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

Your mom is mammoth to this day. 

That's probably no longer true, since she's been dead for three years now.

(although, she did pass of health issues related to diabetes and congenital heart failure due to her weight, so who knows?)

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usmc0331horn

usmc0331horn 953

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Just read their manager's book about the band's run. Holy fucking shit do Dave and Eddie come off as assholes at times. They straight up bullied the shit out of Michael once they became really big. So much cocaine and alcohol. And Dave put on a tough guy routine all the time but was actually a pussy. So much fun reading it. And I don't understand the disdain for Dave's voice or antics. It was absolutely perfect for that band at that time in history. Also interesting that Eddie would have his coke dealer flown into wherever they were. Oh the life.

Edited by usmc0331horn
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Bozo_Casanova

Bozo_Casanova 26,474

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19 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

Well, they lasted almost 12 years and put out 6 albums.  That's a pretty good run.

I still think it's even more amazing that their most important album and their best album were their first and last, respectively. I would argue that the band was peaking in 1984. I mean, I would argue that there is no more Van Halen song than the zany energy of Hot for Teacher. It perfectly captures the zany, manic fun of the band at its best.  Maybe they had a better album in them and maybe they didn't, but part of why we all love the 6 album run VH is that we all wanted more of THAT. If DLR leaves after Diver Down we probably wouldn't  feel so strongly about the band, and not just because 1984 was such a big hit. 

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usmc0331horn

usmc0331horn 953

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2 minutes ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

I still think it's even more amazing that their most important album and their best album were their first and last, respectively. I would argue that the band was peaking in 1984. I mean, I would argue that there is no more Van Halen song than the zany energy of Hot for Teacher. It perfectly captures the zany, manic fun of the band at its best.  Maybe they had a better album in them and maybe they didn't, but part of why we all love the 6 album run VH is that we all wanted more of THAT. If DLR leaves after Diver Down we probably wouldn't  feel so strongly about the band, and not just because 1984 was such a big hit. 

1984 they finally had the time to perfect it, especially Eddie. The middle albums they had to basically churn them out. 1984 showed what they were capable of without time limits and insane constraints. But by that point there was no way that band was staying together. Dave wanted to do what he wanted to do, which is to become as famous as possible regardless of the band's blessing. They missed his song writing talents.

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Carl Spackler

Carl Spackler 3,485

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On 10/14/2020 at 5:40 PM, Sbbruin said:

Pretty cool.  Neighbor who went to PHS in the 70s posted this on Nextdoor

 

21981C1B-6CEF-4117-BE20-C1B9318CFE39.png

Saw another VH flyer posted on NextDoor a couple days after he passed -- a house party in East Pasadena way back when.  I wonder how authentic some of these flyers are, but whatever.  Not questioning your neighbor; just wondering. 

Have you been down to see the sidewalk shrines outside the liquor store at Villa & Allen and in front of the house in which he grew up?   

Edited by Carl Spackler
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Sbbruin

Sbbruin 21,858

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8 minutes ago, Carl Spackler said:

Saw another VH flyer posted on NextDoor a couple days after he passed -- a house party in East Pasadena way back when.  I wonder how authentic some of these flyers are, but whatever.  Not questioning your neighbor; just wondering. 

Have you been down to see the sidewalk shrines outside the liquor store at Villa & Allen and in front of the house in which he grew up?   

Yeah, I drive by that liquor store every day on the way home.  What's the connection there?  Where was his childhood home?  DLR's was over by the Arroyo in a tonier part of town.

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Carl Spackler

Carl Spackler 3,485

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1 minute ago, Sbbruin said:

Yeah, I drive by that liquor store every day on the way home.  What's the connection there?  Where was his childhood home?  DLR's was over by the Arroyo in a tonier part of town.

Legend has it that Eddie and/or Alex wrote "Van Halen" in freshly-poured concrete in the sidewalk outside that liquor store.  Apparently, the shrine kind of bloomed around that portion of the sidewalk.  From what I read, their old man would go to the store regularly and buy beer, and the store has been jokingly referred to as the "Van Halen Headquarters" from their early days.

The house is located just a couple blocks away from the store -- 1881 Las Lunas.  Apparently a shed in which the brothers practiced is still standing on the back part of the property, but I'm not sure if you can see it from the street.  Whoever lives there now is cool for dealing with all the drawings, flowers, etc. right in front of their house.   

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Rimbo

Rimbo 25,970

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4 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

That's 100% unlike what I might have expected.  Kinda cool.  Words are half gibberish, which is true to form.  Note the Bernie Taupin lift.

Meanwhile Wolfgang's song is... I felt like I was listening to any old generic 2000s rock song.

Maybe I'm missing something but... yeah.

And DLR's gibberish is evocative and at least means something to him, that he'll explain to you, if you've got ninety-five minutes to listen through all the digressions.

Edited by Rimbo
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