Lessons Learned: The 2012 Van Halen Tour

[envy_me]

You're coffee is a blend of fun, sex and rocks ??

Haha, you know what I mean :-) I don't even like coffee.

If there was such coffee, I'd drink it

[Kristy]

I can dig where you're coming from. Not quite the way I feel about the album myself, but I could see where a longtime fan of the band would feel that way.

I mean, I like the album, but not every track on it is a home-run for me, either. And I will readily admit that some of the songs lyrically seem at times like excuses for Dave to string together as many "Zen Master Rothisms" as possible...although now that I think of it, wasn't that always Dave's approach to the lyrics?

I never took Roth as being some sort of deep thinker when it came to lyric writing but on ADKOT none of his so-called "writing" seems to work with the music as it once did, just silly nonsensical crap juxtaposed to Eddie's flashy playing and amazing soloing. The album sounds worn more than anything else in terms of a how drugs/alcohol/bitterness and age in the band and time have all taken its toll on each (original) member. I wasn't expecting this to be another 1984 which is good because those days are long over but there is nothing dynamic, fresh or inventive going on here, either. Maybe ADKOT wasn't a major failure as it was a major disappointment.

[ELVIS]

I never took Roth as being some sort of deep thinker when it came to lyric writing but on ADKOT none of his so-called "writing" seems to work with the music as it once did, just silly nonsensical crap juxtaposed to Eddie's flashy playing and amazing soloing

Nah...

Outta Space, As Is, Stay Frosty, You and your Blues and Big River all have great lyrics...

[DLR Bridge]

It's all semantics. He's clever. Intelligent. Not necessarily a deep thinker. His words are far more interesting that that of the majority of bands that came out of his era.

Don't forget, this is the guy who opted to take a piss rather than talk philosophy.

But seriously, The VH book, California Zen Rock & Roll really does an excellent job of pin pointing Dave's 'keep it simple' way of of taking care of business.

[envy_me]

Nah...

Outta Space, As Is, Stay Frosty, You and your Blues and Big River all have great lyrics...

Why do you even care about what she says?? She obviously doesn't know what she's talking about.

[DLR Bridge]

Demos always sound better, especially these days. The final mix seems to suck out a bit of the rawness...

Didn't Grohl record the last Foo CD with all analog equiptment out of his garage or something? The less digital-ready you go, the warmer sound you get. I'm surprised that Ed, the very guy who coined the term "tone chasing" didn't go more this route with recording. For all you gain in constantly tweaking your sound, you lose so much in the digital compressing.

[Kristy]

Don't forget, this is the guy who opted to take a piss rather than talk philosophy.

Maybe that mindset worked back in 1984 but here in 2012, Roth's lyrics couldn't be any more perfunctory and dull. Sorry.

[DLR Bridge]

Why do you even care about what she says?? She obviously doesn't know what she's talking about.

That's not necessarily true. I'll admit Kristy's opinions are harsh and cutting at times, but like Terry said before, I can see where a fan of the classic VH might say things along these lines.

[envy_me]

Didn't Grohl record the last Foo CD with all analog equiptment out of his garage or something? The less digital-ready you go, the warmer sound you get. I'm surprised that Ed, the very guy who coined the term "tone chasing" didn't go more this route with recording. For all you gain in constantly tweaking your sound, you lose so much in the digital compressing.

The Hellacopters have the perfect sound to me. I hate the nu-metal sound that some of the rockbands nowdays are tyring to imitate.
I made a thread about Hellacopters in House of music. Just hear what they sound like. Very 70ies.

[vandeleur]

Don't get me started on how terrible Hagar's lyrics were. But the truth remains Dave's lyrics don't fair much better

Dave lyrics work on a lot of levels and have thought put into them , to even mention them in the same sentence as hagars beggars belief whose are at best corny/cheesy and at worst an insult to the intelligence of the poor sap who has to listen to them ...............

Hagar lyrics = Arse gravy of the highest order

[DLR Bridge]

The Hellacopters have the perfect sound to me. I hate the nu-metal sound that some of the rockbands nowdays are tyring to imitate.
I made a thread about Hellacopters in House of music. Just hear what they sound like. Very 70ies.

I saw that thread. Didn't get to check it out yet. I'll bend a listen.

[envy_me]

That's not necessarily true. I'll admit Kristy's opinions are harsh and cutting at times, but like Terry said before, I can see where a fan of the classic VH might say things along these lines.

But everything has it's place and time. You can't put a Paul Simon lyric on a VH tune. Just doesn't work. It's Van Halen. From the neck down, remember. I think Dave might have toned down the "fun" on this last album to avoid coming off as creepy.
Sammy does creepy lyrics. Then he smiles and licks his fingers. God he's gross. And creepy.

[envy_me]

I saw that thread. Didn't get to check it out yet. I'll bend a listen.

Yeah, just check out what they sound like. That is food to my soul, right there :-)

[Kristy]

Dave lyrics work on a lot of levels and have thought put into them , to even mention them in the same sentence as hagars beggars belief whose are at best corny/cheesy and at worst an insult to the intelligence of the poor sap who has to listen to them ...............

Hagar lyrics = Arse gravy of the highest order

Hagar never wrote lyrics - he just shitted on the studio floor and like a retarded kid with suffering pica shifted through his own excrement until words came out of his mouth and than sang them.

[Never was]

Not sure where you hear bitter in the lyrics?
Positive to the point of delusional at times maybe, but not bitter.

Kiss has gone to all analog equiptment at Paul's insistence for that exact reason, a warmer sound