#415 Van Halen - Van Halen (1978)
MUSIC HISTORY WRITTEN BY HEAD WRITER DJ MORTY COYLE:
Released on February 10th, 1978 on Warner Brothers Records and produced by Ted Templeman this is the self-titled debut by Pasadena, California Hard Rock/Heavy Metal band Van Halen.
Eddie Van Halen and his older brother Alex were born in Amsterdam, Holland in the ’50s and moved to Pasadena in 1962. The children of a Dutch Jazz musician father, they were classically trained to play piano as young children before moving on to drums and guitar.
Alex picked up the guitar first and eventually Eddie decided on the drums. However after hearing Alex play drums Eddie switched to guitar and the brothers found their instruments.
Eddie would obsessively keep his guitar strapped on throughout the day while practicing.
In 1964 they formed their first band, The Broken Combs, in elementary school and while gaining local popularity at backyard parties changed their name to The Trojan Rubber Co.
By 1972 the brothers with Eddie singing lead formed a power trio with bassist Mark Stone first called Genesis and then Mammoth.
Another local group called The Red Ball Jets had a lead singer who owned a PA system that Mammoth would rent. Although this hyperactive lead singer had unsuccessfully auditioned for Mammoth they eventually asked him and his PA to join the band.
David Lee Roth had been born in Bloomington, Indiana and moved to Pasadena in his teens where he bounced around schools and psychiatrists. He was as much of a golden, Rock, god as he was a throwback to the broad Showbiz performers of the Borscht Belt.
By 1974 they replaced Mark Stone with a lead singing bass player from Snake, another local band who had lent them a PA. Originally from Chicago, Michael Anthony Sobolewski, like David Lee Roth, met the brothers at Pasadena City College.
After finding out another of their band names was taken and upon the insistence of Roth they changed their name to Van Halen.
Van Halen played all over Los Angeles including regular residencies at Myron’s Ballroom in Downtown L.A., Gazzarri’s on the Sunset Strip, and The Starwood on Santa Monica Blvd.
It was at The Starwood in 1976 that local legend Rodney Bingenheimer brought Gene Simmons from KISS to see them. Gene, with possibly secret designs to recruit Eddie for KISS, signed the band to his production company and took them to New York to produce a demo for them to find a record deal.
Gene played the demo to his band and management who didn’t think much of it so before leaving for another KISS tour he tore up their contract to let them be free with the promise to try to help them find a record deal when he got home.
They were seen shortly after by Warner Brothers Records executives Mo Ostin and Ted Templeman who did get them. Well, actually Ted really got Eddie who was already an electrifying guitar god that was so innovative that he would sometimes play with his back to the audience so people couldn’t copy his techniques.
Ted wasn’t so sure about David Lee Roth who, despite his captivating stage presence and airborne gymnastics, didn’t have the vocal chops or range by comparison.
Nonetheless Templeman brought them into the studio, first to record demos, and then to make this debut.
He still wasn’t sure about Roth’s voice but Dave’s unique train-whistle screams, deceptive depth, sense of humor, and showmanship made Ted work with what he had.
Ted was still completely blown away by Eddie who showed up with his home-built pedal board and modified guitars and amps that helped him achieve his unique and soon to be celebrated “brown” tone.
Most of the record was cut live to try and capture their energy but time was spent putting together Roth‘s vocals after the band had left.
The plan was to lean into Eddie’s strengths to outshine Dave’s limitations and with the brothers’ well rehearsed tightness, Michael’s solid bass note choices and playing, and Eddie’s and Michael’s incredible back up harmonies there were enough Pop sensibilities to stand out from the other Metal bands.
But most of Warner Brothers Records didn’t care that much.
Fortunately Ted Templeman was also the Vice President and worked his ass off to help promote, get them on great tours, and pumped money and influence into getting them on the radio and their record into stores.
It paid off.
While the music business was being watered down by Disco and the underground was bubbling up with sloppy and loose Punk, Van Halen’s debut arrived to save Rock and Roll from soulless synthesizers with virtuoso playing and some much-needed sex appeal.
It went to #19 on the charts, spawned four singles, sold a million copies by the year’s end, and proved that Hard Rock and Heavy Metal were still alive.
To date it has sold over twelve million copies and would be the last of their albums not to break into the Top 10.
Although this original line up of Van Halen only lasted until 1985 the band carried on to huge success when Sammy Hagar replaced David Lee Roth.
They also had a stint with Extreme’s Gary Cherone on vocals, and replaced Michael Anthony with Eddie’s and ex-wife Valerie Bertinelli’s song Wolfgang on bass.
Dave and Sammy have had reunions with the band but for many diehard fans this four-piece line up is the only real version of the group.
They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007.