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Tag: Van Halen

  • This Day in Rock History: January 24

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    Jan. 24 has been a remarkable date in music history, filled with groundbreaking achievements, cultural milestones, and industry-defining moments. From Elvis recording one of his most iconic songs to David Bowie’s poignant farewell album, this day highlights the power of music to resonate across generations. It marks the birth of legendary artists, like Neil Diamond, and pivotal events, like The Beatles’ management contract with Brian Epstein. Join us as we explore these milestones, celebrating the enduring influence of January 24th on music and its cultural legacy.

    From groundbreaking releases to cultural transformations, Jan. 24 exemplifies the interconnectedness of music’s evolution across genres. These moments invite us to celebrate music’s history and influence.

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  • This Day in Rock History: January 18

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    Jan. 18 is a huge day in music history. It’s when The Beatles first appeared on American charts, and Bad Company was born. But it wasn’t all good news, as this was also a day when the rock world lost an icon. Keep reading to learn more about these and other major events that happened on this day in rock history.

    Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

    Milestones and breakthrough moments don’t get much bigger than these, from Jan. 18:

    • 1964: The Beatles entered the U.S. charts for the first time with “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” which debuted at No. 45 on the Billboard Hot 100. It got to No. 1 just two weeks later, starting an astonishing streak of seven No. 1 singles in one year.
    • 1974: Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke, former members of Free, joined forces with Mick Ralphs from Mott the Hoople and King Crimson member Boz Burrell to form a new band called Bad Company. The supergroup has since sold over 40 million records worldwide and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame last year.

    Cultural Milestones

    Important cultural moments from Jan. 18 in the rock world include:

    • 1989: Stevie Wonder became the youngest living Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee. He was inducted by Paul Simon and shared the date with other notable inductees from that year, including The Rolling Stones and The Temptations.
    • 2016: Eagles founding member and co-lead singer Glenn Frey died from multiple health issues at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center. He founded the band with drummer Don Henley in the early 1970s, and together they wrote most of the band’s hits, including “New Kid in Town” and “Take It Easy.”

    Notable Recordings and Performances

    Some iconic performances also took place on Jan. 18, such as the following:

    • 1984: Van Halen kicked off their huge 1984 Tour with a show at the Jacksonville Coliseum in Jacksonville, Florida. The tour was a massive production consisting of 101 shows over two legs.
    • 1991: The second edition of the Rock in Rio festival took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with acts such as Guns N’ Roses, George Michael, Prince, INXS, A-ha, Billy Idol, Judas Priest, Megadeth, Joe Cocker, and Faith No More entertaining the crowds at the Maracanã Stadium over nine days. The show was also broadcast live and watched by more than half a billion people in 55 countries.

    From The Beatles making themselves known across the pond to some of the biggest names in music playing for crowds in Brazil, these were the biggest rock-related events from Jan. 18 in years gone by.

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    Dan Teodorescu

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  • Van Halen Rehearsal Recordings from 2006-2007 Released as Instrumental Album

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    Writer and filmmaker Andrew Bennett released a compilation album of Van Halen rehearsal recordings from 2006 and 2007. These feature Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, and Wolfgang Van Halen without a vocalist. The recordings were captured at 5150 Studios between Nov. 2006 and Jan. 2007.

    The 10-track LP, The 5150 Sessions, includes instrumental versions of “Unchained,” “Atomic Punk,” “Ain’t Talkin’ Bout Love,” “I’m the One,” “Runnin’ With the Devil,” “Panama,” “Romeo Delight,” “Hot for Teacher,” “On Fire,” and “Somebody Get Me a Doctor.” It costs $50 on vinyl through vhsessions.com, and samples of each song are available. 

    Bennett documented the band’s activity during this period, and he got uncompressed audio files from the soundboard while filming jam sessions at the studio. “I had the honor to film numerous jam sessions at 5150,” Bennett said, according to Guitar World. “These tracks are a new way to hear the genius details of the band. I hope that when you drop the needle on this record player, your reaction is, ‘Holy shit! I have never heard Van Halen like this.’” 

    The group recorded as they got ready for their 2007 reunion, which marked the first tour with Wolfgang on bass after Michael Anthony was dismissed from the lineup. The sessions took place before David Lee Roth rejoined the band. Eddie, Alex, and Wolfgang practiced full set lists twice a week during this time.

    The release sidesteps debates between fans of David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar. The instrumental tracks showcase the guitar work and musicianship without vocals. Last year, Alex Van Halen said he was open to using AI to turn unfinished riffs and ideas from Eddie Van Halen into full songs.

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    Laura Adkins

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  • This Day in Rock History: December 21

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    Throughout the years, Dec. 21 has brought us iconic and history-making moments in the rock world. Bruce Springsteen dethroned Michael Jackson, Van Halen released their biggest hit, and Janis Joplin made her debut as a solo artist. You can read about all of these and more on today’s rundown of this day in rock history.

    Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

    Here are some of the biggest milestone moments from this day:

    • 1968: Glen Campbell’s eleventh album, Wichita Lineman, reached the top spot on the U.S. Billboard 200. It was mostly due to the huge success of the title track, which is seen as one of the most iconic country-rock songs in history.
    • 1985: Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the U.S.A. album surpassed Michael Jackson’s Thriller for total weeks spent in the Billboard 200 Top 10, becoming the second-longest running album ever in the Top 10, with 84 weeks. The only album with a longer streak was The Sound of Music.

    Cultural Milestones

    Today’s rock culture moments feature two of the most talented musicians to ever pick up a guitar:

    • 1940: Innovative guitarist and songwriter Frank Zappa was born in Baltimore, Maryland. A self-taught musician, his style blended multiple genres, including rock, jazz, and pop, and he earned a posthumous induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1995.
    • 1992: Blues pioneer Albert King died in Memphis, Tennessee. He’s widely seen as one of the most influential blues guitarists of all time and was one of “The Three Kings of the Blues,” alongside B.B. King and Freddie King.

    Notable Recordings and Performances

    Dec. 21 is also the anniversary of some iconic performances and recordings:

    • 1968: Janis Joplin had her first solo show at a Stax/Volt Records Yuletide Thing Christmas concert in Memphis. She had left Big Brother & the Holding Company for her new Kozmic Blues Band.
    • 1983: Van Halen released “Jump” as part of their 1984 album. It was their most successful single ever and eventually went Platinum in both the U.S. and the U.K.

    From Wichita Lineman going to the top to the release of “Jump,” these are some of the most impactful rock-related events that happened on Dec. 21. Visit us again tomorrow to discover everything that happened on that day in rock history.

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    Dan Teodorescu

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  • Top 10 Classic Rock Time Songs

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    Classic rock is filled with songs that wrestle with the idea of time, whether it’s slipping away, pushing forward, or reminding us of memories we can’t shake. Pink Floyd’s “Time’ is one of the most iconic examples of a classic rock time song, a brooding reflection on wasted years and the shock of realizing how fast life moves.

    “Too Much Time on My Hands” from Styx captures the restless energy of someone desperate for direction. Grand Fund Railroad’s “Bad Time” demonstrates how timing is everything. Meanwhile Boston’s “Foreplay/Long Time” blends incredible vocals with themes of change and personal growth. Each track uses the idea of time to tap into something universal, proving that even as decades pass, classic rock’s themes still feel… timely.

    Top 10 Classic Rock Time Songs

    1 – “Feels Like The First Time” – Foreigner

    “I have waited a lifetime… Spent my time so foolishly” Mick Jones wrote this song at a turning point in his own life. He was coming out of a divorce and had just come to America as Foreigner formed. This song was their first release.

    2 – “Where Have All The Good Times Gone” – Van Halen

    That is the question! Van Halen covered two Kinks songs during their career. This one and “You Really Got Me.” David Lee Roth had a Kinks compilation album. Ray Davies wrote the song, inspired by his dad and older relatives talking about how great life was before the war. Davies said of the song, “It’s got that hard edge The Kinks had, but at the same time, it’s got a reflective, poignant lyric.”

    3 – “Good Times, Bad Times” – Led Zeppelin

    “Good times, bad times, you know I’ve had my share” Making up and breaking up… Led Zeppelin telling the age-old story of coming of age.

    4 – “Nothin’ But a Good Time” – Poison

    “Ain’t lookin’ for nothin’ but a good time… And it don’t get better than this.” Bret Michaels sings about not having much money but still being able to enjoy life and have “good time.” Rikki Rockett talked about the song in an interview with AXS. He said, “It’s for the working class and the wish that you can have a good time among all that. Music is the way to escape.”

    5 – “Old Time Rock & Roll” – Bob Seger

    “In ten minutes I’ll be late for the door, I like that old time rock and roll!” It’s the song that Bob has referred to as the “Dumbest thing I ever did.”

    6 – “Too Much Time On My Hands” – Styx

    “Too much time on my hands, it’s ticking away with my sanity.” Tommy Shaw wrote this song on the fly. He was asked to write one more song for Paradise Theater, but he couldn’t think of anything to stay on theme. Instead he wrote “Too Much Time on My Hands” about a bar in Niles, Michigan where he was living at the time.

    7 – Bad Time – Grand Funk Railroad

    “I’m in love but I sure picked a bad time… to be in love” Grand Funk Railroad” doesn’t have many ballads, but this is one of their more sentimental songs. Mark Farner had a rough patch with his first few, Cheryl. He said in a Songfacts intyerview, “My first wife was in the kitchen. I can remember sitting at the piano – I had a little spinet in the dining room – and she’s threatening to put a 12-inch cast-iron skillet through my forehead. And I’m in there writing ‘bad time for being in love.’”

    8 – “Foreplay/Longtime” – Boston

    “Well, I’m takin’ my time, I’m just movin’ on.. You’ll forget about me after I’ve been gone..” This was the first song Tom Scholz recorded for the band that would become Boston. Radio always plays these two tracks together. Confession I’m one of those people who didn’t know the UFOs were upside guitars until well into the 2000s.

    9 – “Time” – Pink Floyd

    “Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day, Fritter and waste the hours in an off-hand way.” The age-old conundrum. Many of us don’t realize that we’re in the prime of our life until it has passed us by. The song starts with clock sounds that were put together by Pink Floyd’s engineer, Alan Parsons. Alan recorded the clocks in an antique shop, transferred them to multitrack and synchronized their ticks and chimes.

    10 – “Good Times Roll” – The Cars

    “Let the good times roll. Let them knock you around.” Ric Ocasek took satirical jab at the “good times” in rock music on this one. According lpm.org Ocasek said, “That was my song about what the good times in rock ‘n’ roll really mean, instead of what they’re supposed to be. It was kind of a parody of good times, really. It was kinda like not about good times at all.”

    Honorable Mention Songs About Time/Reflecting

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    Donielle Flynn

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  • Did David Lee Roth Block The Van Halen Tribute Shows?

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    Wolfgang Van Halen is dropping some serious hints about what went on behind the scenes when Van Halen’s final studio album, A Different Kind of Truth (2012), vanished from streaming platforms… and why the Van Halen tribute shows never happened.

    About the Record and Streaming Debacle

    In a recent interview with Paul Cashmere of Noise11, Wolfgang reflects. Wolfgang talked about how he dredged up decades-old demos. He worked alongside his father to resurrect songs that never made the cut in the ’70s. Wolfgang calling the fact the album got made at all “a miracle.” He underscores how much work it took, how careful he was to preserve the spirit of those early demos.

    But the real charge: Why was it pulled from streaming? Wolfgang said in another interview that the contract to keep it on streaming expired. The delay in bringing it backwas intentionally prolonged. “There are some people involved who do not like that record. They are not making it easy to get it back up there.” When pressed if one of those people is David Lee Roth (aka D.L.R.), Wolfgang answered: “Probably… he doesn’t like it and he’s not working with us to get it back up there.”

    Did David Lee Roth Block the Van Halen Tribute Shows?

    Wolfgang also broached the long-rumored Van Halen tribute concert that never happened. He’s alluded before, in a Rolling Stone interview, that although attempts were made, certain key personalities “make it very difficult to do anything when it comes to VAN HALEN.” Wolfgang also said he doesn’t like speaking negatively about people, but “some people … make it not happen.”

    To be clear: Wolfgang isn’t flat-out saying David Lee Roth killed the streaming deal or tribute plan. He couches things in familiar rock dynamics: “some people involved,” contractual quirks, artistic disagreements. When asked if a singer with three initials is at the heart of it, he notably replied, “Do your research … come to your conclusions.”

    The story is still unfolding. Will A Different Kind of Truth ever return to Spotify, Apple Music, your favorite streaming queue? Will there ever be an official, large-scale tribute to Eddie Van Halen? In the meantime, Mammoth’s latest single and its video seem to also be directed in the direction of DLR. Check it out:

    Seems like more shots fired to me.

    Donielle Flynn has two kids, two cats, two dogs, and a love of all things rock. She’s been in radio decades and held down top-rated day parts at Detroit, Philadelphia, and Washington DC radio stations throughout her tenure. She enjoys writing about rock news, the Detroit community, and she has a series called “The Story Behind” where she researches the history of classic rock songs.

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    Donielle Flynn

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  • This Day in Rock History: October 10

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    On this day in rock history, the world said a tragically early goodbye to one of the most talented and innovative drummers of all time. It’s also David Lee Roth’s birthday, as well as the anniversary of an album release that introduced fans to progressive rock. These are the most era-defining moments in rock that happened on Oct. 10.

    Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

    Rock music took two huge steps forward, just one year apart from each other, with these two landmark albums:

    • 1969: King Crimson released In the Court of the Crimson King via Island Records. The record was an important milestone for rock music, as it’s widely regarded as the first authentic progressive rock album, blending traditional rock sounds with a wide variety of other genres, such as jazz and symphonic music.
    • 1970: Paranoid, Black Sabbath’s second studio album, reached the top spot on the UK albums chart. It’s considered one of the best and most influential heavy metal albums of all time, powered by songs such as “Iron Man,” “War Pigs,” and title track “Paranoid.”

    Cultural Milestones

    Rock’s characters and their stories are part of its enduring appeal. These are the most important cultural moments that happened in rock on Oct. 10:

    • 1954: Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth was born in Bloomington, Indiana. After fronting the band from 1974 until 1985, he went on to have a successful solo career before rejoining his bandmates in 2006.
    • 1959: Following an argument, Ken Brown left The Quarrymen, which now consisted of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison. The remaining trio did pretty well for themselves, though, with the band they formed the following year, called The Beatles.
    • 1980: The funeral for Led Zeppelin drummer John “Bonzo” Bonham took place in Worcestershire, England. Alongside Bonham’s three bandmates, other notable attendees included Moody Blues and Wings guitarist Denny Laine and Electric Light Orchestra’s Jeff Lynne and Roy Wood.

    Oct. 10 is a day to celebrate genre-defining albums and legendary rock superstars. Come back tomorrow to discover what happened on that day in rock history.

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    Dan Teodorescu

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  • Sammy Hagar Shares Video from Van Halen Blizzard Show

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    At first glance I thought, “Van Halen blizzard show? Who booked an outside winter show for a band of Van Halen‘s caliber?” You think we get snow early or late here in Michigan… Colorado has us beat. September 20, 1995, Denver got one helluva a snowstorm; the same day as Van Halen’s show at Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre.

    What Happened?

    Denver got 8 inches of snow that evening. Marking the 30th anniversary of show, Sammy Hagar said on his YouTube post, “I’ll never forget looking out and it looked like we were playing for 18,000 snowmen.” He further wrote, Eddie (Van Halen) ended up playing half the show with gloves with the fingertips cut out if you could imagine!”

    In the video Sammy thanks the crowd for coming out under the conditions and says that management asked if the band wanted to cancel the show. Hagar responded, “If you can do it, we can do it.” The band kicks into “Poundcake” while Sammy puts on a scarf and collect some bras from ladies in the crowd.

    It is snowing pretty heavy. You can see Michael Anthony’s breath. I don’t know how they got through this show. Sammy said that Eddie was wearing gloves with the fingertips cut off through most of the show. They had heaters all over the place on stage.

    “Poundcake” Clip from the Van Halen Blizzard Show

    “The place was packed and everybody looked like a Q-tip out there. It was no big deal for the audience,” added Michael Anthony.

    Donielle Flynn has two kids, two cats, two dogs, and a love of all things rock. She’s been in radio decades and held down top-rated day parts at Detroit, Philadelphia, and Washington DC radio stations throughout her tenure. She enjoys writing about rock news, the Detroit community, and she has a series called “The Story Behind” where she researches the history of classic rock songs.

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    Donielle Flynn

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