At this moment, someone somewhere is listening to VAN HALEN.
More than 30 years after emerging from the sun-soaked backyard parties of Los Angeles and the clubs along the city's fabled Sunset Strip, VAN HALEN remains one of the most important and influential bands of all time. The timeless music continues resonating today from countless car radios and mp3 players to VAN HALEN'S sold-out arena concerts.
When VAN HALEN formed in 1974, the band quickly won a loyal hometown fan base with their electrifying live shows. Upon releasing their self-titled 1978 debut album, VAN HALEN shook the foundations of rock, thanks largely to the band's songwriting abilities blending hard rock gusto with danceable partyhearty anthems. The album became one of the biggest selling rock debuts of all time with key tracks like "Eruption," "Running with the Devil," "Jamie's Cryin'," "You Really Got Me" and "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" leading the way.
The fiery fretwork of Eddie Van Halen, often imitated, but never duplicated, revolutionized rock guitar placing him alongside such luminaries as Hendrix, Clapton and Page. Soon, a legion of budding guitarists were driven to pick up the instrument attempting to replicate the finger-tapping technique he made famous. Lead vocalist David Lee Roth's unabashed stage presence and sex-charged swagger created a template for hard rock frontmen to come. Don't forget Alex Van Halen's thunderous drumming and signature style. VAN HALEN changed rock music forever.
Just one year after its first release, the band followed with "Van Halen II," armed with the hit single "Dance the Night Away" and a roster of instant rock radio classics including "Beautiful Girls" and "Somebody Get Me A Doctor." Subsequent discs "Women and Children First" (1980), "Fair Warning" (1981) and "Diver Down" (1982), along with worldwide touring, solidified the band's reputation for innovative and unparalleled live performances. And the definitive cuts kept coming including "Everybody Wants Some," "Unchained," "And The Cradle Will Rock," "Little Guitars" and "Mean Street," to name a few.
With their sixth album, released in and titled "1984," VAN HALEN rose to stratospheric heights. Recorded at Eddie Van Halen's 5150 Studios, the multiplatinum smash yielded Van Halen's #1 single and biggest hit, "Jump," which remained #1 on the Billboard charts for an astounding five weeks straight. Other hits from the album include "Panama," "Hot For Teacher" and "I'll Wait."
The band's record of achievement is hard to top. Presented with two Diamond Award RIAA Certified Status' for their albums "Van Halen" and "1984," VAN HALEN joins an elite short list of two-time Diamond Award honorees in the history of the music industry. The Diamond Award is presented to an artist for album sales of 10 million or more units. They are also in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the most #1 hits on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart than any other band in history. And VAN HALEN was inducted into the Rock 'N' Roll Hall of Fame in March of 2007.
As new generations discover VAN HALEN, the youthful exuberance found within the music continues to serve as a rock 'n' roll right of passage. The proof lies within the latest era of VAN HALEN, which includes Eddie Van Halen's 17-year old son Wolfgang on bass.
Wolfgang Van Halen joined Eddie, Dave and Alex on the band's acclaimed 2007/2008 North American tour. Sold-out crowds and charmed critics helped make it one of the most successful tours of the year. It also found VAN HALEN raking in accolades including a People's Choice Award nomination and an invitation to headline the exclusive Tiger Jam benefit for the Tiger Woods Foundation in Las Vegas, Nevada.
VAN HALEN continues embarking on its new beginning, and the fans are sure to be listening to the band's treasured body of work for decades to come.
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Originally Posted by ZahZoo
