Ok, all you Blogcritics and Blogcritic readers who are fans of Van Halen. Help me settle a dispute.…
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Van Halen or Van Hagar? It's a Battle Royale! - Comments Page 2
Ok, all you Blogcritics and Blogcritic readers who are fans of Van Halen. Help me settle a dispute.…
Article comments
— go to most recent comments26 - Duane
Panama provided a sad foreboding of even worse things to come. And we do not suck.
27 - Lono
Though the band broke the cardinal rule of rock when they replaced a living lead singer - I would have to say I prefer Sammy years.
Sure, it ain't as rockin'... but DLR is such an asshole it is a major distraction to everything. I mean, DLR has to be the biggest narcissist in the history of rock... and he wasn't even talented. he just sang.
If you are going to be a collosal asshole, at least have a tiny shred of music ability (am thinking of Axl Rose).
28 - El Bicho
"I always thought that song should be sung by a girl."- Roth about Sammy Hagar singing "Panama"
29 - Temple Stark
Ok- now what made DLR such an a-hole, no.1 bad man?
To the fans?
His bandmates?
Himself?
30 - JasonR
It's Diamon Dave as he had the style & stage presence plus some damn fine tunes. I like Hagar as well but after the 'Balance' album it all went fairly average even 'F.U.C.K.' only had a few good tunes.
31 - brutus chhangte
Been a Van Halen fan for years,since I was a kid in India....all i could get were pirated compilation tapes of Van Halen songs. I say both David and Sammy had their moments and contributions.Both are/were great!! Now all I want is a new Van Halen album to make me want to energize me, and make me smile, laugh, and beleive again in Rock n' Roll!!
32 - Soul Reaper
Dave all the way!
When Dave was in the band is was all about fun. Which came through in the music. Hot For Teacher, Panama, Atomic Punk ,Runnin' With The Devil and Jump just wouldn't work if that poodle haired nitwit (Hagar) was singing them.
Sammy Hagar's supposedly 'more mature' lyrics doesn't account for how much the music sucks. I can't bear Dreams, Can't This be Love, Is This Love, Up For Breakfast etc. etc.
With Van Hagar I think they dabbled too much into synths and keyboards, as proven by the less memorable guitar work EVH did with Hagar. EVH's guitar work with DLR was indeed memorable, it changed guitar playing as we know it (Eruption, Hot For Teacher, I'm The One, Panama).
Van Halen always will be and always has been Dave.
33 - wolfgang van halen
sammy paved the way for the true van halen why can this be love>dreams>right now>summer nights>humans being. sammy is a true rock star still rocking 2day. and i hope van hagar can put the past behind them and come out and tour 2006 van halen are the best ever.xx
34 - will@willcollier.com
Here's a disjointed ramble (cross-posted from Michelle's site).
Both versions of the band had one--count 'em--one legitimate great from start-to-finish album, and they were the first ones, "Van Halen" and "5150," in both cases recorded when the band had something to prove.
Afterwards, everything was very uneven. "Fair Warning" is rightly lauded for "Unchained" and "Mean Street", but most of the rest is filler--and that, sadly, is Van Halen's real track record: two or three great songs along with 20-30 minutes of filler (I might be moved to make an exception for "1984" on some days, but certainly not "Women and Children First," "Diver Down," or any of the post-"5150" Hagar albums). I'll readily grant that the best songs from Dave are by and large better than the best songs with Hagar (although I still have a sneaking suspicion that the title track from "5150" might be the best song VH ever recorded).
I missed seeing the original lineup. Had a chance at a ticket for the 1984 show in Birmingham, but it was on a Monday night, I was in junior high, and that was just too much hassle. "I'll catch 'em on the next tour," I said.
Who knew?
When "5150" came out, I was a record store dude (and they were still records back then, just barely). It was, by far, the best-selling album of my three-or-so years in that store. 100 copies in the first week, and that was unheard-of for a small town in south Alabama. We used to play it religiously, every night. At 8:30, "Good Enough" hit the turntable, we locked the doors at 9, and by the time "Inside" rolled off on side two, we were ready to GTFO for the night. I don't listen to it every day (okay, or even every month) any more, but I still love that record.
I did see Roth on his first solo tour, and that was one hell of a show. Too bad he's still doing the same tired act 20 years later. Caught the Sam-and-Dave tour a couple of years ago. Dave wasn't bad or anything (and frankly had better material as a whole), but Hagar blew him off the stage. It wasn't close.
35 - Tube
Van Hagar was crap. When Dave left, I switched to listening to other ("alternative") bands. It almost happened in 96 but the true Van Halen will never exist again. Do not even mention what's his name from Van Yawn 3. Disgrace.
36 - Triniman
The Dave era was superior. Eddie's guitar never sounded better than on the first two albums, and the songs are unbeatable heavy rock. The Sammy era songs are pop-rock and while some are pretty good, they just aren't as balls-bustin' as the Dave era material. Maybe this has more to do with Ed's songwriting ability waning over the last twenty years or so, while Sammy allowed them to continue on as a bloodless corporate rock act.
37 - Chris Beaumont
Just to get in on this, I enjoy some of thre Hagar stuff, but to me Van Halen will always by the DLR era!
38 - RobCan
I really like the David Lee Roth era. It's been mentioned a lot already that the band had more personality with him and I have to agree. Sammy was probably a better band-mate, but Dave was a much better showman. Yes, he's cocky and an ego-maniac, but he is charismatic.
39 - Tim
I can't believe there's still a debate over who is better. I thought I left these debates behind in high school when the change took place.
Look, here's the deal--it's two totally different bands. They should have changed the name. VH with DLR was quite the party band--they ROCKED. Eddie wanted to expand musically and DLR held him back. I remember an interview with Eddie in which Dave told him that they could not do the song "Jump" because no one wanted to see Eddie's ass sit behind keyboards--they wanted to see the guitar god. Face it, the musical portion of VH was changing and DLR was stuck in 1978. You can hear it on the albums, Van Halen was growing up and Dave stayed, as another poster stated, 18 years old.
Now bring in Sammy. Sammy isn't about being a rock star, he's about being Sammy, who happens to be a rock star. He didn't keep Eddie from being a guitar god, he let Eddie be a musician. The two of them created some great music together. If you liked DLR era VH, you probably didn't like Sammy era VH. Two totally different bands. One was musical and tried new things, the other was about partying and playing nothing but party music. DLR vs Sammy? No, DLR vs Van Halen. Van Halen with Sammy is the REAL Van Halen. If VH had started with another singer, they would have started playing Sammy-era music a lot sooner. Read the interviews with Eddie (the primary songwriter) and you'll find that this is his opinion. Eddie wanted to leave the band because DLR was stuck at 18 and was holding him back. He wasn't able to express himself musically until Sammy joined and let him do what he wanted to do.
Here's the bottom line: Van Halen with David Lee Roth is not Van Halen with Sammy Hagar. They are two totally different bands. Van Halen died when DLR left and it became Van Halen when Sammy joined. Same name, different band. You are welcome to like one and not the other. I personally like them both for different reasons. Sammy era VH is a musician's band that appeals to a more pop crowd. DLR era VH is a party band that appeals to a more rock crowd.
Some people like DLR era VH, some people like Sammy era VH, some people like both, some people (insane individuals) like neither.
End of story. Can we finally let this go?
40 - Team Lamb
Who cares about Van Halen. They are not as talented as Mariah Carey, the number one act in music history.
www.wisethinker.com/teamlamb
41 - mykel
For anybody who thinks that Sammy can't rock check out one of his old bands -
Montrose.
Sammy vs Dave - Different styles, different bands. Both have merit, whereas Gary C?
regards,
michael
42 - chris franklin
I think of DLR Van Halen and it makes me think of all the teenagers I respected as a little kid for being apparent badasses. But, by the time I was a teen, though, it was "OU812" and I was looking to Guns N Roses.
As for DLR, perhaps look to the wisdom of the immortal words of Rich James: ..."Cocaine is a helluva drug."
43 - SFC Ski
The greatest mystery is how a kick ass band like Van Halen and a kick-ass rocker like Sammy Hagar could combine to be so lame, is there a chemical formula to explain it?
44 - Duane
I don't know if it's chemistry, but it goes something like
EVH, guitar God gets challenged by the Satrianis, Vais, and Malmsteens
EVH wants to one-up the competetion and play keyboards
writes "Jump," which leads to 6 billion copies of current album and goofy MTV videos
DLR gets pissed, while getting rich
EVH plays on Michael Jackson song
DLR gets pissed, releases EP, decides he's a solo act
EVH gets pissed
DLR fired
Hagar joins
EVH decides that they will continue churning out pop/rock hits and make so much money that DLR will become envious. Also, EVH has short-lived concern that DLR will coast into superstardom as a solo act.
DLR bombs as a solo act, but it's too late baby. VH hits their 40s, and they don't mind the big paychecks.
It's just a guess, of course.
45 - Gmoney
Umm where's Gary Cherone?
Seriously there's me and like 3 other people in the world that liked Van Halen 3. Even the band seemed to hate it.
46 - michele
Gmoney, I defer to my 12 year old son, who wrote the following haiku as a homework assignment:
David Lee Roth rocks
Gary Cherone doesn't count
Sammy Hagar whines
47 - Duane
Cherone is a minor historical footnote to the van Halen saga. And that is not a comment on his ability as a singer and front man. Feel free to spice up my stab at the VH history.
48 - Mark Saleski
4 people.
i liked it too (except for that icky ballad that eddie made the mistake of 'singing').
the thing about Cherone is that he didn't seem all that dissimilar from Hagar.
49 - wow
actaully thats 5 people. i think van halen iii was a great album. A for Hagar vs. Roth. Van Halen made better songs with roth as their frontman, but in terms of who is the better singer Sammy wins by far.
50 - DLR_EngineRoom
What do Record execs, Rock DJs, Rap/Punk/Rock artists and the majority of Van Halen fans around the world all have in common?
FACT: THEY ALL PREFER CLASSIC VAN HALEN WITH DAVID LEE ROTH.
In the immortal words of Dr. Evil:
"Put that in your pipe, and smoke it!"
51 - sandy cherry
VH with Dave = Force
VH with Sammy = Farce
52 - KERRY WHEELER
"DAVID LEE ROTH IS VAN HALEN"
That should sum up my opinion right there! Dave was ROCK and Sammy was POP, which do you prefer? Dave Van Halen ruled the world and changed rock and roll. Sammy may have had the #1 albums, but that is because the 80's pop ruled when he was in the band. Put your favorite Dave songs in order and then Sammy's and see who dominates who! Dave will always be the only real Van Halen!
53 - Hagarfan29
Sorry guys,but Sammy Hagar is the one who belongs as VH frontman.Dont get me wrong,i like DLR and the retro VH,but to me,Sammys voice coupled with Eddies talent on guitar is a natural collaboration.Seems like all the macho-wannabe crowd tends to like DLR era.Sammys sound is not freakin pop.it sounds a lot better than some so called bands we have today.
54 - Mark Saleski
Love Walks In
Why Can't This Be Love
When It's Love
Can't Stop Lovin' You
just plain icky.
55 - 5150
SAMMY IS THE BEST BY FAR
56 - Dan
Both generations are great and should not be compared. Dave's stuff is great and filled with testosterone. When Sam came in, it afforded the band the opportunity to write more diverse music. There are a few who say that Sam doesn't rock..You can't say that Amsterdam, Sucker in a 3-piece etc. don't rock...that is ridiculous to say. Dave displayed a softer side in I'll Wait and Jump has that 'pop finesse' that all of you accuse Sam of having. Just face it everyone, their both great catalogs...Hell, the Cherone stuff is pretty darn good..Fire in the hole rocks.
57 - Jérôme
Sorry: I meant this
DLR IS VH!!! ;)
58 - Harry
DLR all the way.Put on vh1 or 1984.Those records still kick and scream ROCK AND ROLL.And 20years from now they still will.Van Hagar reminds me of REO Speedwagon.
59 - Mike777
If you were going to be deserted on a desert island and could only choose one era of VH to take with you which one would it be? I would take the original with Dave
over the Sammy era anytime. The first four
albums from VH rocked and were far better than any other they put out with Sammy.
60 - SYKO TOM
HAGAR Is a friggin disgrace to the DLRML!!!! Hahaha!! That's a Yahoo group called David Lee Roth Mailing List, in case you were wunderin. HI DLRML PEOPLE!!! :-P
61 - Kevin Staji
Dave era VH is superior to the Van Hagar era. VH with Dave was a Hard Rock party band. They became a Journey clone when Hagar came on board. I still listen to the 1st six DLR era cd's quite often.
62 - BRICKLAYER
Ridiculous question. Anyone who would choose Sammy over Dave has no sense of history, taste, or flair. Heck, Dave's first solo record is better than anything VH did in the Hagar era, and that record's pretty iffy itself. Nobody, and I mean nobody, filled out a pair of chaps like Diamond Dave. And on this, there can be no debate.
np: Chimaira "Inside the horror"
63 - Curt5150
The Dave era is the real Van Halen that last throughout the ages. Listen to the radio and you hear Ain't Talkin Bout Love, Cradle, JUMP, Panama, Where Have All the Good Times Gone. Sammy was good - I like VH - I go to the concerts. I buy and listen to all of the music and love it. But, Dave is Diamond and will always be.
64 - Harrison
David Lee Roth is the greatest hard rock entertainer of all time. Sammy Hagar is a rodeo clown. Crazy from the Heat, Eat 'Em And Smile, Skyscraper, and the DLR band album are much better than any Van Hagar mess. It's like if Led Zeppelin became Journey. Why can't this be love, Don't tell me what love can do, Love walks in, When it's love, and Can't stop loving you. Someone needs their poetic license revoked.
65 - Temple Stark
>>David Lee Roth is the greatest hard rock entertainer of all time
When you say it like that - you kind of lessen the honor / title. LOL.
Skyscraper .. there's another awesome VH song. So that's three.
66 - Bennett
"David Lee Roth is the greatest hard rock entertainer of all time."
Heh. You're joking, right? He doesn't even make the top 1000.
He was a frontman and vocalist for christ's sake. His solo career certainly showed what the man was capable of, eh?
Oh such raw talent!
67 - Temple Stark
He he. Mediocre minds think alike. LOL
68 - JR
I don't know about "greatest of all time", but he'd certainly make the top ten if he could sing.
69 - Dan
I must comment on the thought that DLR solo stuff is better than any of the Sam Halen; every Sam Halen album went platinum multiple x's...DLR solo albums collect dust on the music store shelf. Now with that said, the Dave era VH has outsold every band in history with exceptions to the Beatles and Led Zep.
Just respect both era's because they both rock !
70 - Temple Stark
Doh - it's just ocurred tome - Skysraper is a DLR solo song.
71 - Vern Halen
I got a vested interest in this thread....but I'll go with Roth, for his assasination of cover songs. The first time I heard them do You're No Good (made famous by Linda Ronstadt) on their second album, I thought it was Alice Cooper killing a chicken. And let's not forget the classic cover from Diver Down...Happy Trails, indeed.
72 - scotland
SAMMY WE LOVE U BUDDY.
73 - adolph
DIAMOND DAVE ALL THE WAY !! The first 6 Van Halen cd`s drip and ooze everything that makes rock and roll exciting and vibrant.And as the years roll on and dave and eddie get older those 6 cd`s are frozen in time forever to be enjoyed.Now for the later van halen cd they have aged like a Journey record.Vand halen with Diamond Dave will always be the ultimate rock and roll band.
74 - JoJo
Van Halen with DLR:
The hot slut you fuck hard in a cheap motel after snorting coke of her tight body.
Van Halen with Sammy:
The woman you have to go home too.
75 - Temple Stark
NO way ... Van Halen with Sammy? - the metaphorical skank who traps you in a corner at a party, thinks she's interesting and then keeps on bumming cigarettes. She goes for the fondle - and you MOOOOOVE out of the way.