TheMightyVanHalen
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Number 1 albums don't mean much. If you look at the sales, yes, those Van Hagar albums debuted at #1 but they stalled out. 5150 sold 6 million and every album after that sold less and less, even though they debuted at #1. 5150 would not have debuted at #1 if Thriller came out a few years later. Thriller robbed 1984 of a #1 album. Music labels do the planning on that. I'm too lazy to look and I really don't care to look, but I'm curious to know what albums came out at the same time the Van Hagar albums did.
Van Halen has not one, but TWO Diamond Certified albums, Van Hagar has NONE. Musicians would rather have a Diamond album over a #1 album any day. Sammy wrote one of the cheesiest lines in a song when he wrote "Only time will tell if we stand the test of time." It's safe to say that his era didn't stand the test of time like Dave's era. According to Al, in his book, while looking back on the Van Hagar years, he said both him and Ed were like, "What were we thinking!" I agree, Ed and Al, I agree. It's not all Sammy's fault though. But they did had to bring in Mick Jones from Foreigner to teach Sammy how to write a hook, melody and harmonies. Go back and listen too Sammy's work before VH. Good songs but not a lot of catchy melodies and harmonies. "Red red! I want red, because green ain't mean enough for red." Gimme a T-R-A-N-S A-M, trans am!" Come on now. Lol Legendary producer Ted Templeman said he would've made the biggest mistake in rock history had he replaced Dave with Sammy" leading up to the recording of VHI. He said Dave was better lyricist and frontman while Sammy was a better live singer. No arguments from me even though I still prefer Dave over Sammy in a live setting. Not now, but back then for sure. Now, Dave is probably worse than Vince Neil.
To my eyes and ears, Van Halen was an obnoxious American muscle car that made all made on kinds of noise during those years (Ask Black Sabbath, Ted Nugent, Aerosmith, UFO, AC/DC, Sammy Hagar, Montrose, Heart, Journey and The Rolling Stones), while Van Halen with Hagar became a Fiat. From a rock band based on the blues to a pop rock band based on the typical sound of the 80's that Def Leppard and Aerosmith also fell victim to. They totally lost that edge that made them one of the most influential rock bands of all time. I have a book with quotes by legendary musicians from A to Z, from AC/DC to Zeppelin, talking about how influential they were and how different they were from everyone else.
I know music is subjective, so I don't laugh at anyone who prefers their pop rock songs like Why Can't Be Love, Love Walks In, Summer Nights, Dreams, over Light up the Sky, Fools, On Fire, Take Your Whisky Home and Somebody Get Me A Doctor. Like AC/DC with Brian Johnson and Black Sabbath with Dio, Van Halen and Van Hagar are two TOTALLY different bands. I get why there's division between the two sides. It's mostly between the late 50's early 60's crowd, which I fall into, and the late 40's early 50's crowd, which mostly Van Hagar fans fall into. Most Van Hagar fans didn't see Van Halen in their prime from 1977 to 1981. By 1982, their Diver Down tour, which is my least favorite Van Halen tour, they were burned out and definitely not the same. They still put on a great show, but Dave started half a**ing too much for my likings. Krell (their code name for coke), alcohol, cigs, his legendary whistle scream and none stop talking all led to him screwing his voice up. According to an opera singer who does reactions on Youtube, she said that type of whistle screams will damage your vocal cords. It makes sense now. Mariah Carey used to do them and now she can't sing like she used to. One more thing, I promise. If you have seen the Journey documentary called "Don't Stop Believing," Jonathan Cain tells Arnell Pineda not to talk so much while he's not singing so his vocal cords can rest. As you guys know, Dave never shuts up. His interviews with Joe Rogan's are legendary. The dude is weird and eccentric, but that's what you want in a frontman in a rock band. His lyrics were unique and original. In "On Fire" when talking about listening to their music, "I'm hanging ten now, baby, as I ride your sonic wave." That's an original lyric right there. Their songs are loaded with classic Rothisms.
