The Official Van Halen, "Blood and Fire" review thread

[DLR'sCock]

I love how Dave sings....."now look at all of the people, here tonight..." at the end of the chorus.....

[Angel]

Everyone does it....from the large artist to us little people.......most song writers have books of old stuff....i know i do......i know friends do, it's just how it is.......and this is how VH has done it many many times.........this song makes me think of cruising down the highway with the top down in the summer or late spring........I AM SO STOKED FOR THIS NEW ALBUM...........oh how the naysayers will eat so much crow....

I agree, and it's something all writers do, not just song-writers. My ex had bags of stuff, from full songs, to lines jotted down on a napkin. I have files of my little snippets too, although not nearly as much as song-writers tend to accumulate. You don't hear about other bands re-worked stuff because they don't have the same rabid fans digging as deep as they can go just to find any glimmer of hope...

[FORD]

Ever since 1985, I thought that "Ripley" riff should have been a proper Van Halen song. Now, it finally is.

Praise Jesus!

(And Dave, Eddie, Alex, and Wolfie too!)

[Angel]

I'm still in awe over what the fans are getting from them, and this song feels like it's for the fans. I can't believe I'm even fucking saying that, for fucks sakes. But whether I'm right or wrong, I'm just going to sit back and enjoy, and hope like hell I find a way to get to see this tour, and I'm happy to say a BIG part of that is because I REALLY want to see Wolfgang live. I LOVE a really GREAT bass solo, and by that I don't mean swinging your instrument around your head. I have a feeling the kid's going to blow some minds this time around, and I want to be able to say I was there when both generations did so.

[if6was9]

"Ripley" always was my favourite unreleased track. However, Van Halen in "Blood and Fire" don't sound like a real band. It's like Ed & Al had recorded background and then Dave recorded his vocal. These two parts just don't fit together.

[DLR Bridge]

Ever since 1985, I thought that "Ripley" riff should have been a proper Van Halen song. Now, it finally is.

Brings a tear to the ol' eye, don't it? Damn, I hope a piano doesn't fall on my head before the 7th.

[DLR Bridge]

"Ripley" always was my favourite unreleased track. However, Van Halen in "Blood and Fire" don't sound like a real band. It's like Ed & Al had recorded background and then Dave recorded his vocal. These two parts just don't fit together.

I seem to recall you weren't so thrilled with Tattoo right off the bat. Now look at you, Mr. Tattoo avatar! Give it time pal, and Remember, this is only a 90 second clip. Patience!

[SNIPER]

Just played it through my desk top with the big bass speakers, It is a big beefy mother fucker and wolfie is thumping. Much better than my lap top speakers.

[vandeleur]

Brings a tear to the ol' eye, don't it? Damn, I hope a piano doesn't fall on my head before the 7th.

like in zombieland lol

[Zing!]

"Ripley" always was my favourite unreleased track. However, Van Halen in "Blood and Fire" don't sound like a real band. It's like Ed & Al had recorded background and then Dave recorded his vocal. These two parts just don't fit together.

I don't get that at all. If nothing else, I thought 'Tattoo' was a little too polished sounding, far more than 'Blood And Fire,' like they weren't in the same building when it was recorded. 'Blood And Fire' sounds to my ears like vintage Van Halen - like what I always imagined a classic 7-Pack song would sound like. I think maybe what is throwing you for loop (just a suggestion - so take it for what it's worth) is that we are all so familiar with 'Ripley,' that hearing it with lyrics is kind of jarring. I know I always thought it was a good enough hook to be on an =VH= album, but I never thought they'd be able to pull off words to the song - I always figured it would be an instrumental, just like on the movie. Leave it to Dave to come up with exactly the right mood, exactly the right summer-time vibe, exactly the right vintage 1985 attitude to fit the song. I think it all fits together perfectly from the little clip we have to work with!

[if6was9]

I seem to recall you weren't so thrilled with Tattoo right off the bat. Now look at you, Mr. Tattoo avatar! Give it time pal, and Remember, this is only a 90 second clip. Patience!

You recall correctly, I wasn't thrilled. Let's pray this one is a "grower", too

BTW, it's just an impression, but I think Al & Ed haven't changed a single note in this track. This is not how the band should work.

[fourthcoming]

At first I say its sounds like a Diver Down tune.

Couldn't agree with you more.....has a Diver Down/1984 feel

[joetas]

UK peeps can get it here! http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...7523002&sr=1-1 aswell as The Trouble With Never!

[fourthcoming]

After some careful and considered deliberation, I have determined that I will ABSOLUTELY be taking Wednesday, February 8th off from work. It is highly unlikely I will entertain any thoughts of sleep the previous evening.

ROTH ON, YOU FUCKERS!

Shit man, I may stack up my vacation time and take the whole month of February off.....I am going to be completely distracted at work anyway.

[Sensible Shoes]

Joe, it won't sell it to us here in the U.S. but thanks for the tip on "the Trouble with Never". Nobody's heard that yet as far as I know.

[DLR Bridge]

You recall correctly, I wasn't thrilled. Let's pray this one is a "grower", too

BTW, it's just an impression, but I think Al & Ed haven't changed a single note in this track. This is not how the band should work.

I know what you mean. I'd like to think that they didn't just say, "ok Dave, these are done. Sing over'em". I'm sure his requests for shortening or lengthening parts and moving things around are taken into account.

[SNIPER]

Holy shit!! "The Trouble With Never" fucking kills!!!!!!!!

[joetas]

Its a rockin' solo and spoken word bit from dave love it!!

Dunno why i never posted on here before!

Joe

[SNIPER]

The Trouble With Never sounds like it has a way groovy verse right when it cuts off!! I wanna hear all this shit now god dammit!!

[fourthcoming]

Anyway, I dig it. Has a Top Jimmy vibe to me. In fact I love it!! I was hoping Ed would not use a lot of that muffled down clean tone though, the kind used on Balance and 3.

Definitely a Top Jimmy feel to Blood and Fire and The Trouble With Never just ripped my fuckin head off after a 30 second clip!!!! Damn......THIS is what we have been missing all these years!!!! Classic lyrics..."When you turn on the stereo does it return the favor" and classic VH background vocals.

[SunisinuS]

That's the Trouble with Never! When was the last time you saw me for the first time!




Lol sounds a little like "Showtime"! And that is a good thing!

[DLR Bridge]

Dammit! I can't hear it. Does it sound like anything else?

[slimdon]

Thank you Van Halen for more blues skies and sunshine. I got a tan just from listening to the clip!

[fourthcoming]

Does anyone else have a huge shit eating grin plastered to their face right now? I feel like a friggin teenager again......unbelievable. Is it summertime yet cuz Van Halen always feels like summertime to me.

[SNIPER]

Does anyone else have a huge shit eating grin plastered to their face right now? I feel like a friggin teenager again......unbelievable. Is it summertime yet cuz Van Halen always feels like summertime to me.

I know I do!!

[Sensible Shoes]

Does anyone else have a huge shit eating grin plastered to their face right now?

So bad I want to get my teeth whitened.

Is it summertime yet cuz Van Halen always feels like summertime to me.

By the time the concerts get rolling it will be as good as summer. This stuff is all making winter nonexistant.

[ZahZoo]

Dammit! I can't hear it. Does it sound like anything else?

Yeah it reminds me of angels singing and heaven's parting right about that microsecond before you pop your nut...

[Warham]

Eddie's facebook page has a better quality clip for "Blood & Fire".

http://www.facebook.com/eddievanhalen

Wolfgang just rips on this track.

[hain23x]

I'm loving all the new stuf but on this track in particualr can't you just hear Mikey's high harmony coming in on the end of the line "the stakes have never been high"?. It's almost like a ghost moment for me. Like if you lost an arm and still itched. other than that it's fantastic

[ToraToraTora]

There's a spoken bit in Blood and Fire where Dave says, " See told you i was coming back" and i admit it, i had a tear in my eye. Wonderful stuff!

[Zing!]

I'm having early 80's flashbacks. Sitting in study hall talking about the best parts of the new Van Halen album. Next thing I know I'll be doodling the classic =VH= logo on my desk with a pencil (except the wifey would probably not approve).

It seems safe to say that if all of the previewed tracks so far haven't met or exceeded most everyone's expectations, then Dave's masterful handling of the PR certainly has! What a banner day to be a Van Halen fan, I say!

[chefcraig]

The timing of when that "Ripley" track was leaked to the net about a year ago is interesting. That could have been around the time VH were recording this new version.

[Halen High]

When the VHND put Ripley up on their site about a year ago, I played it about 30-40 times. Loved it, even without vocals and lyrics. Hearing Blood and Fire this morning with Dave singing and what they've done with it just blew me away. Reminds me of Little Guitars and generally how the band sounded during the late CVH era. So far, I love everything I've heard. This could be a great album.

[Halen High]

The timing of when that "Ripley" rack was leaked to the net about a year ago is interesting. That could have been around the time VH were recording this new version.

I think Jeff at the VHND had been told something. It seems too coincidental.

[Yount]

my first listen - don't laugh!

You can always tell the winners
Saints and the sinners
Down at the starting line
I’m a lucid vision
I’ll be your forgiven
I’m your wave tossed guy
Keep right we was runnin’
Double by the dozen
The stakes have never been higher
Come back when you’re younger
‘cause I can feel the thunder
1800-it’s time

ooh yeah!
We can through blood and fire

Now look at all the people here tonight! Ahh!
It’s a world of folk
But that’s just what’s expected
Nada from nowhere
Or even suspected
God must love the lazy, shifters and the crazy
Put so many in high

Oooh yyyyeaaaahhhh!

[Northern Girl]

We came, we came, we came through blood and fire!

[hain23x]

me+bourbon+this lil clip+25 years of waiting =an embarising hot mess lol

[Northern Girl]

embarising

Yes, that's embarrassing! LOL

j/k I don't give a fuck about spelling or grammar!

[Warham]

We came, we came, we came through blood and fire!

I just love the way you type that.

[Panamark]

2nd sip of coffee and listened to Blood and Fire sample, didnt kick me in the guts like Trouble with Never,
but it made me smile, same as Tattoo. Grower for sure.