What got you into Van Halen?

[JONEZY]

Christmas 1980. I wanted to get into hard rock. Until that point I wasn't really into any hard rock other than KISS. I asked a friend of mine at school and he suggested Van Halen. So I asked for a VH record for Christmas. I got "Women and Children First". Immediately put it on my cousin's turntable on Christmas Day and was hooked immediately after hearing the beginning of "Cradle". Never heard anything like it before, and it was awesome.

That was it, VH fan for life.

[unchainedguitars]

Christmas 1980. I wanted to get into hard rock. Until that point I wasn't really into any hard rock other than KISS. I asked a friend of mine at school and he suggested Van Halen. So I asked for a VH record for Christmas. I got "Women and Children First". Immediately put it on my cousin's turntable on Christmas Day and was hooked immediately after hearing the beginning of "Cradle". Never heard anything like it before, and it was awesome.

That was it, VH fan for life.

Same as me!

I was a hardcore Kiss fanatic UNTIL that fateful day i heard the opening bars of, "Cradle."

I was like, "WHAT WAS THAT?!!"

Pretty soon after, my Kiss dolls & Kiss baseball cards, were put into storage.
Sometime in the mid 90's, i was watching (what was it called) TBS superstation?
They had the midnight express show on, broadcasting a trippy, vintage Kiss concert.
Suddenly, i reclaimed my old passion for Kiss.

[unchainedguitars]

Haha. Well we know UG is a staunch CVH militant (in a good way)

But you said the magic words that I like to hear.
You liked it all but you realize >> IT DID NOT COMPARE to previous years.

That's all it comes down to. Even if ppl prefer the latter years fine by me. Just realize the first round was way more exciting, legendary and innovative. And not all bc of Samster.

I think i'm militant only because i love CVH so much.

When somebody says, "I LOVE classic van halen, but i also really dig the Sammy era," i immediately
think, "Right. You never understood the original Van Halen to begin with."

To really feel & understand the impact of those first six (might even say four) albums, there is just no way
one could embrace the "kick in the balls" that arrived with Hagar fronting the band.

I have more respect for the guy that says, "Nah, i didn't like the Roth era, but i love mach II."

At least, with that guy, i understand the type of VH he is attracted to (the more commercial, syrupy version).
That's okay, that's the music he likes.

But the guy that blindly proclaims, "I love all eras equally," is a thorn in my side.

To me, that cheapens the impact & magic of VH.
That's the guy that listens to EVERYTHING, but doesn't really listen, imo.

[Achilleslastand]

Around the winter of 78-79. Word in the school was some new band that had came recently and opened for Sabbath blew them away. A friend brought their first album to school and one of the first things he played me was eruption. I was completely blown and sat wondering how in the hell could he be doing that on a guitar. I mean I loved the stuff Page did as well as Aces live solo in Shock me but this was leagues beyond it easily. Couple that with the energy of the music and Roths delivery and bravado and I was hooked. Saw them about 6 months later at the OKC civic center and it was to this day one of the best shows ive ever witnessed.

[1234over]

I think i'm militant only because i love CVH so much.

When somebody says, "I LOVE classic van halen, but i also really dig the Sammy era," i immediately
think, "Right. You never understood the original Van Halen to begin with."

To really feel & understand the impact of those first six (might even say four) albums, there is just no way
one could embrace the "kick in the balls" that arrived with Hagar fronting the band.

I have more respect for the guy that says, "Nah, i didn't like the Roth era, but i love mach II."

At least, with that guy, i understand the type of VH he is attracted to (the more commercial, syrupy version).
That's okay, that's the music he likes.

But the guy that blindly proclaims, "I love all eras equally," is a thorn in my side.

To me, that cheapens the impact & magic of VH.
That's the guy that listens to EVERYTHING, but doesn't really listen, imo.

Preach on, UG...preach on!

[vhfanjack]

Around the winter of 78-79. Word in the school was some new band that had came recently and opened for Sabbath blew them away. A friend brought their first album to school and one of the first things he played me was eruption. I was completely blown and sat wondering how in the hell could he be doing that on a guitar. I mean I loved the stuff Page did as well as Aces live solo in Shock me but this was leagues beyond it easily. Couple that with the energy of the music and Roths delivery and bravado and I was hooked. Saw them about 6 months later at the OKC civic center and it was to this day one of the best shows ive ever witnessed.

This is badass, because not only were you around as it was all starting, but you were also old enough to go and see it in the flesh.

Didn't you see the classic line up 5 or 6 times?

[unchainedguitars]

Preach on, UG...preach on!

God bless you, 1234.

He knows, he knows!

[unchainedguitars]

This is badass, because not only were you around as it was all starting, but you were also old enough to go and see it in the flesh.

Didn't you see the classic line up 5 or 6 times?

My dick get's hard just thinking of the memories Achilles must have.

Can you imagine seeing them live in 1978, 1979?

Even those grainy '78 era video clips on youtube, just blow my mind.
Compare that to the '88 show i saw, and i might as well have been at a Hall & Oates concert.

[thismusicsux]

I think i'm militant only because i love CVH so much.

When somebody says, "I LOVE classic van halen, but i also really dig the Sammy era," i immediately
think, "Right. You never understood the original Van Halen to begin with."

To really feel & understand the impact of those first six (might even say four) albums, there is just no way
one could embrace the "kick in the balls" that arrived with Hagar fronting the band.

I have more respect for the guy that says, "Nah, i didn't like the Roth era, but i love mach II."

At least, with that guy, i understand the type of VH he is attracted to (the more commercial, syrupy version).
That's okay, that's the music he likes.

But the guy that blindly proclaims, "I love all eras equally," is a thorn in my side.

To me, that cheapens the impact & magic of VH.
That's the guy that listens to EVERYTHING, but doesn't really listen, imo.

I agree with everything here 100%. If you're able to enjoy and lump all VH eras together as equally great...then you can't possibly understand the impact and greatness they had when they were kicking ass in their 20's.

There were a couple posts at Links that I found very refreshing. Fans of all eras but specifically said there's no comparison to CVH. Someone likes those mellow Van Hagar songs, but called em how it is "pussy songs" compared to CVH. Someone else called CVH wayyyy more exciting and the most exciting band of all time < Hard for anyone to argue that.

[Achilleslastand]

This is badass, because not only were you around as it was all starting, but you were also old enough to go and see it in the flesh.

Didn't you see the classic line up 5 or 6 times?

Six times I think...
79
80
81
82
And twice in 84
Also on these last 2 tours.

And it was fucking glorious man. They spread across the US like Islam in the desert, you could just tell they were the next big thing. I cant imagine a kid these days getting the same feelings from whoever is the flavor of the month these days.