Diver Down is the quintessential DLR album

[Chong Li]

Diver Down was the blueprint for DLRs solo albums of the future. In many ways it is comparable to the "Diamond Dave" CD of today.

Like much of Daves solo work, Diver Down consists of remakes. At least 5 pieces- Where hav alll the good times gone, Pretty Woman, Big Bad Bill (is Sweet William Now) , Dancing in the Streets and Happy Trails are remakes.

The barbershop quartet sound that DLR obviously loves makes a double appearance with two of these songs. The first tribute to this sound was "Could this be Magic?" from WACF. When people complain about albums like Diamond Dave, I dont think they get. To Dave, "Diamond Dave" IS Van Halen. After all, he has been putting out that type of music for over twenty years now. Tunes like "Just a Gigolo" are a natural extension.

Other than the instrumentals, and perhaps the Full Bug, I dont believe EVH contributed alot to this album. Even with songs like Intruder and Full Bug, this is NOT a guitar focused album. It could just as easily be the Atomic Punks or the DLR band backing Dave up here. This is really Daves album!

Two other notes- the finest song, and most personal one from DLR in my opinion is the autobiographical "Little Guitars". For my money, its the best piece of singing Dave has ever done. I believe the "Senorita" choruses and lyrics are a rememberance of a gal Dave knew when he worked in a stable among Hispanics. Its an ode to a teenage love.

I also thing Big Bad Bill is a joke to EVH. The lyrics talk of a man that has gotten married and given up his wild ways. That is certainly EVH after marrying Valerie. I dont think its meant as mean or spiteful, just a little joke between two friends at the time, Dave is telling Ed, "you're whipped pal!".

1984 was Eddies album. I believe the last album where the entire group was in synergy was Women and Children First. That is a complete album showcasing the best of Dave AND Eddie. But thats an essay for another day.


Chong

[Dickface McSlapnuts]

Hey Chong
It doesn't impress anyone when you use words like quintessential
It just makes you look like an ignorant dickhead

DickFace

[Chong Li]

I dont need to impress anyone.

You do roids and I am still stronger than you!


Chong

[Sarge]

Shit this is a funny ass thread

[EbDawson]

Originally posted by Chong Li
Diver Down was the blueprint for DLRs solo albums of the future.

DD - Damn fine album but they should've dropped Dancing in the Streets.

[Chong Li]

Do you agree with my analysis Sarge? That Diver Down is a Dave solo album in effect?

[pardo]

I hear you about it havin a huge DLR influence - yeah, Dave was the one that pushed for the covers.

But to say its not a guitar driven album is a little nuts. Hang Em High is a amazing from start to finish. And while you're takin bout guitar, how can you forget about Cathedral? Mix in Little Guitars and Full Bug and you have a killer guitar album. Secrets is amazing too. And its a small thing, but I've never heard pick slides like the ones in the Where Have All The Good Times Gone solo.

Also gotta disagree about Women and Children First bein the last synergistic album. Fair Warning is a constant push / pull between Ed and Dave. Which is exactly what made Van Halen so good.

Don't even get me started about 1984!

[rustoffa]

Originally posted by Chong Li
Diver Down was the blueprint for DLRs solo albums of the future. In many ways it is comparable to the "Diamond Dave" CD of today.

Like much of Daves solo work, Diver Down consists of remakes. At least 5 pieces- Where hav alll the good times gone, Pretty Woman, Big Bad Bill (is Sweet William Now) , Dancing in the Streets and Happy Trails are remakes.

The barbershop quartet sound that DLR obviously loves makes a double appearance with two of these songs. The first tribute to this sound was "Could this be Magic?" from WACF. When people complain about albums like Diamond Dave, I dont think they get. To Dave, "Diamond Dave" IS Van Halen. After all, he has been putting out that type of music for over twenty years now. Tunes like "Just a Gigolo" are a natural extension.

Other than the instrumentals, and perhaps the Full Bug, I dont believe EVH contributed alot to this album. Even with songs like Intruder and Full Bug, this is NOT a guitar focused album. It could just as easily be the Atomic Punks or the DLR band backing Dave up here. This is really Daves album!

Two other notes- the finest song, and most personal one from DLR in my opinion is the autobiographical "Little Guitars". For my money, its the best piece of singing Dave has ever done. I believe the "Senorita" choruses and lyrics are a rememberance of a gal Dave knew when he worked in a stable among Hispanics. Its an ode to a teenage love.

I also thing Big Bad Bill is a joke to EVH. The lyrics talk of a man that has gotten married and given up his wild ways. That is certainly EVH after marrying Valerie. I dont think its meant as mean or spiteful, just a little joke between two friends at the time, Dave is telling Ed, "you're whipped pal!".

1984 was Eddies album. I believe the last album where the entire group was in synergy was Women and Children First. That is a complete album showcasing the best of Dave AND Eddie. But thats an essay for another day.


Chong

yeah,...... ....shit.....after all the thesaurus work and shit.....fuck... ......you should be proud. Quintessintial synergy and all that...... .....arrgh. My guess would be you watched the early years DVD and had an idea or something.

[Chong Li]

No, I am just not a fucking moron like you. Which 7-11 do you work at anyway? Is it true what they say about the hot dogs there?

[NathanRay]

Originally posted by EbDawson
DD - Damn fine album but they should've dropped Dancing in the Streets.

No way Dude your wrong that has some awesome guitar work on it and Dave owned it the solo killed and you could dance to it. Man the martian sound in the begging come on.


Could you see van halen doing dancin' in the streets??? Yes Ed and you rocked on it and you Know it.

[thebuldawg]

While I'll agree that VH rocked on Dancing in the Streets, I didn't really care for it and could have done with out it.

I also agree with pardo about Fair Warning. That is their best album in my opinion, and I think it's because there was collaboration on it.

I do think that, while it has great songs on it, 1984 was more Eddie's album, what with the more prominent keyboards on it.

Maybe this was a response to Dave's style that is all over Diver Down. Or maybe that's just the way the dice fell and those albums are what they all wanted.

[flappo]

..pretentious poseur's predeliction for procrastinating prose produces a perfunctory perpendicular puncture prob.

[Wayne L.]

Diver Down is a great classic rock album released in 82 during the VH/DLR era which represents where this rock band was at the time during the height of their reign which I would compare to Beatles For Sale by the Beatles mostly since it had more covers than originals.

[rustoffa]

Originally posted by Chong Li
No, I am just not a fucking moron like you. Which 7-11 do you work at anyway? Is it true what they say about the hot dogs there?

Oh god, more weenie infatuation. you're a sub-freudian nightmare. Go take your medicine bitch.

[ALinChainz]

Originally posted by rustoffa
My guess would be you watched the early years DVD and had an idea or something.

You're right, they did say the same thing on the DVD.

Alex makes the comment about how it Dancing in the Streets should have never been on a VH record.

Any boot I've ever seen, they don't look like they are hating having to perform those songs.

[EbDawson]

Originally posted by NathanRay
No way Dude your wrong that has some awesome guitar work on it and Dave owned it the solo killed and you could dance to it. Man the martian sound in the begging come on.


Could you see van halen doing dancin' in the streets??? Yes Ed and you rocked on it and you Know it.

Well to each his own, man. I love Intruder/Pretty Woman, Big Bad Bill, Happy Trails, Where Have All . . . but I can do without Dancing i/t Streets. It's the only Dave VH song I switch off when it comes on the radio.

Now having said all that, it blows away the Jagger/Bowie cover and if anyone's going to cover it, well I guess it might as well be VH. They do a great job, it's just that I don't think that they should have covered THAT song. Still if it yanks your crank, well then more power to ya.

[EbDawson]

Originally posted by ALinChainz

Alex makes the comment about how it Dancing in the Streets should have never been on a VH record.

Any boot I've ever seen, they don't look like they are hating having to perform those songs.

Right. For a band (Mike, Eddie, Alex) that says they were so miserable, they certainly put on a great act. At the US fest during Dancing i/t Streets, Eddie's smiling from ear to ear. Maybe it was the booze.

[TMR]

Little Guitars is in FACT Ed's LAST creative guitar work.

Sad to say, 1982 was a long itme ago!

[pardo]

TMR, 1984 is a GREAT guitar album!

Listen to the rhytme of Top Jimmy. The outtro to Drop Dead Legs.

Seriously man - listen to the solos on Girl Gone Bad and House Of Pain. The guy's head was in a completely different place. He sounds more like a sax player than a guitarist. Likely the Holdsworth influence. His phrasing and conviction are absolutely amazing.

Some of his best playing on that album!

[ALMOSTsaved]

"Diver Down" is the Dave, Eddie and Alex solo album.

Pure Dave schtick...Great Ed guitar...Al's trademark cymbals...hehe

But where the fuck is Mike?

I swear when they re-mastered it, they just had Mike come in and play along to the existing Diver Down masters in 2000.

[VHLifer]

Originally posted by EbDawson
DD - Damn fine album but they should've dropped Dancing in the Streets.

thats one of my favorites on the album

[EbDawson]

Originally posted by VHLifer
thats one of my favorites on the album

Well I didn't realize so many around here liked Dancing i/t Streets. I think there are 5 or 6 better tunes on there myself. This being on the weakest Dave/VH album. (Weakest being a relative term)

[secrets]

Diver down is way underrated. I love it. Some of the songs were performed better live I think. I love Secrets on the Live in Largo '82 concert. Also I preferred Dancing in The Streets live, with the delay on the guitar and not the keyboards, as in Live in Argentina '83.
The main riff and solo on Hang 'em High is just superb and Little Guitars is just such a VH classic.

[Hollywood Jesus]

Too much analyzing Chong Fu...

I love that VH did covers. It drove other rock bands to try it too. Ted Templeman had the BulletBoys do Money, Money, Money and that rocks.

[bru87tr]

DD is underrated and a great album. same with II, you get past the radio songs and you hear the albums core!

[secrets]

Originally posted by bru87tr
DD is underrated and a great album. same with II, you get past the radio songs and you hear the albums core!

You're right it is a great album and very underrated.

[Loons The Great]

Originally posted by ALinChainz
Any boot I've ever seen, they don't look like they are hating having to perform those songs.

That's the truth-a nah yez.