In light of the recent passing of legendary guitarist Eddie Van Halen (RIP in peace), I’d like to drop an opinion of mine that has been unanimously disagreed upon. It received enough backlash that I tend to bite my tongue frequently when Van Halen is discussed (which is an abnormal amount for a kid like me).
Just like the undercover cop posing as a record producer (RIP in peace Harold as well) in the cult classic movie “Airheads”, I too like Van Hagar a little more than the David Lee Roth era.
Make no mistake, DLR is a phenomenal vocalist with a distinct sound that anyone can recognize. Producing great jams that even non-classic rock/hard rock fans still bob their heads to.
But for me, Sammy Hagar stands out as a heck of a vocalist for the band. Bringing a little more control to the classic VH sound. While DLR loves to bounce around between singing and literally having conversation mid songs, Sammy cleans it up a little bit and lets his voice do the talking.
I can listen to the entire 5150 album through it’s entirety and not be bored. Jams like Dreams, Why Can’t This Be Love, 5150, are powerful head banging tunes that will stay stuck in your head.
Flame suit is already on. I am ready for the backlash.