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Recently, unconfirmed plans were announced for the first-ever live Van Halen album with David Lee Roth — but was it the right one? The upcoming project is drawn from a 2013 Tokyo performance that is freely available on YouTube, rather than any of a number of treasures collecting dust in the Van Halen archives. Here are five other potential releases, sketched in part from a 1985 inventory of Van Halen’s holdings at Pacific Title Archives, which would showcase the band during its glory years with Roth
Oakland, June 11-13, 1981
Fans have long speculated about whether Van Halen filmed a full concert during their 1981 Oakland stand, or just the three songs released as promo videos for Fair Warning. Based on the Pacific Titles inventory, it appears that only "Unchained," "So This Is Love?" and "Hear About It Later" were in fact filmed. But what’s also in the archives are 16 reels of 24-track audiotape recorded on June 11, 1981 by engineer Wally Heider with his LeMobile Studio. It’s virtually certain that these tapes document that night’s complete performance. In addition, David Lee Roth later told DJ Jim Ladd that the band did have cameras rolling over the course of all three nights to capture performances of those three songs. Whatever film leftovers exist could be released on a Blu-Ray to accompany this audio recording
Largo, Maryland, March 25, 1984
The now-demolished Capital Centre was one of the first arenas to have a closed-circuit TV system. Bands like Eagles and AC/DC videotaped this feed when they played the Cap Centre, archiving these tapes for later release. Van Halen captured their 1982 performance, seen below. Another such recording, which finds them performing in front of a sold-out crowd in support of 1984, is also sitting in the archives. A Blu-ray of this footage would document the Van Halen’s live show at the peak of their popularity.
Osaka, Japan, June 1978
While researching my forthcoming book Van Halen Rising, a former well-placed individual in the Van Halen camp tipped me off to the fact that they had cameras rolling when the group visited and performed live in Osaka, Japan during their first world tour. This footage, which was shot for a potential Van Halen television special, was never utilized. According to the Pacific Titles inventory, the band had this film stored away, as of 1985. A Blu-ray of Van Halen’s invasion of Japan during its 1978 climb to superstardom would be revelatory.
Gene Simmons: Complete Recordings, 1976-1977
It’s well-established rock lore that Kiss' Gene Simmons "discovered" Van Halen in late 1976. Perhaps less well known is the fact that Van Halen recorded a 10-song demo tape for Simmons at New York’s Electric Lady Studios (heard below), so he could attempt to get the quartet a record deal. While it doesn’t appear Van Halen has a copy of this demo in the band’s archives, it’s likely that Simmons does. In addition, Simmons is in possession of demo recordings done in Los Angeles in 1977 that feature Eddie Van Halen on guitar, Alex Van Halen on drums, and Simmons on bass and vocals. This power trio cranked out versions of two Kiss songs: "Got Love for Sale" and "Christine Sixteen." The three also demoed “Tunnel of Love,” a song released on Simmons’ 1978 solo album. A release of these three tracks, along with the full Van Halen demo, could also foster some powerful cross-pollination across the Kiss and Van Halen fan bases, which would surely help drive anticipation for such a release.
US Festival, May 29, 1983
Perhaps no performance in Van Halen history is more legendary than the band’s raucous 1983 Memorial Day show in San Bernardino, California in front of 300,000 or so delirious fans. This show also happens to be one of the best-documented in Van Halen history. Hilarious, albeit staged, footage of the band preparing for the concert, along with audio interviews with a well-lubricated David Lee Roth, are all preserved. Van Halen’s full two-hour set was also filmed, and more recently, alternate camera angles of the show have been unearthed by Historic Films. All of this video material, bolstered with the edited and overdubbed three-song 1983 Showtime broadcast, and a high quality audio recording of the full show, would make for a fantastic box set.
It was written by Greg Renoff who is doing the Van Halen Rising book. Think he goes by FFONER on here.
There's so many other shows that could/should be done from Van Halen. A South American show would be great too, they played better there than the Largos show IMO. They have a lot to choose from really.
WACF tour, Rochester '79...they've got so much to release it's ridiculous.
This could be retitled " Five albums VH will never release". Sadly, Ed's passing and Wolf taking interest is the only way it's happening. Even then, fans won't get most of this stuff. It sucks!
Eddie is interesting, in that he is both VH's greatest & worst asset.
A remarkable musician & guitarist, truly one in a billion.
But then, also the worst possible person in marketing & celebrating his band's legacy.
If Jimmy Page was a slacker, you'd get Ed.
Nah, too much work!
I don't understand why he doesn't just let someone else do these things, and then approve the final product?Originally Posted by unchainedguitars
I think EVH does work on things a lot (as opposed to being lazy), but maybe doesn't have a sense of direction?
It can't be "Van Halen" without Roth, any more than it can be "Van Halen" without Eddie.
That's it UG. Taking the time to update the catalog when new tech comes along is one thing, but to change your stance on bootlegs and listen to the fans as to why they love these live recordings says a lot about Page. He took the time to listen too them.
I don't know, much of it is Ed's personality and genius, I assume. Most people that brilliant seem to be more into the next big thing than the past.
I do believe that all the drama and bad press over the decades didn't help either. With the internet now it's even worse. I imagine it doesn't let you embrace the fans as much as you could.
I think he's just not interested in anything live from the old days. I mean c'mon, you were considered a great live act of the day but no live record? You're Oakland vids were a hit on MTV but nothing live? Hell, a big reason you got a record deal in the first place was cuz everyone was loving your shows. You gotta be a complete moron not to think we should release a live record. In an era of live records. You shouldn't need a manager to tell you this.
They shoulda released a live record after the '79 tour. I'll let them pass on all the other tours ( most bands waited a bit before they did one), but to have huge record like 1984, you haven't dun it yet, and nothing! That shoulda been the concert vid tour and live record tour, if their ever was one. That tells me Ed wasn't happy with Dave's vocals. That's the only thing I can see. As ridiculous as it is.
at the very least.....2014 should've brought a 1984 30th Anniversary remaster with a LIVE DVD / box set deal. It's getting beyond insane now to continue to ignore those years.
I always assumed old live stuff would be hard to release now since they love to re-record and fix the live releases and 60 yo Dave can't go sweeten vocals now. But now that they are releasing 2013 Live CD --- Just can't see how 30 yo Dave would be any problem releasing at all.
Yeah, it's gotta be the Wolf factor now. Recognizing the old days means leaving him out an Ed aint gonna go their. Sucks.
The Stones are releasing stuff left and right, with more too come, just like them VH doesn't need to re-record stuff. Especially with Dave in crazy voice mode.
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