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

[VAiN]

LOVE IT! It's as familiar as the roof of your mouth is to you... goddamn!! I want to hear the solo!! Ed is back and firing on all cylinders!! Glorious days!

[VanHalenI]

I just Erupted in my pants, Ripley would have been a good name for this song though. Diamond sound so cool!!

[jero]

This is classic Van Halen! Hands down!!!

[DLR'sCock]

No! I don't want any damn snippets! Well, at least I didn't have to watch a murder show to hear it! LMAO!

Love it! Sounds great! I am soooo happy!

I have no problem if the songs are reworks. I'm not a musician or songwriter, but I think that if you have unused material that you really love, it would be heartbreaking just to shelve it forever because it's not new.

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....

[Luke D]

Have had this on repeat all day. The chorus kicks ass, and Dave sounds awesome!

[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!