'Van Halen Rising' Book Chat with Greg Renoff - Oct. 17th, 9pm ET

[Von Halen]

That's how I feel about bastards like you that saw them multiple times in the glory days!

What was your favorite old school show and why?

Man, that's tough. The first one is hard to beat, because the anticipation was so great. Then Heavy pulling us into the pit for the show, just made it even better. They were just on fire. I will never, ever forget Ed fucking running and jump kicking the wall of speakers over and over. They were rocking so much, I thought for sure they were going to fall over. What could be better than having the Mighty Van Halen standing right over you, on their first world tour?



I would honestly have to say, my favorites are exactly in the order they appeared. The 80 Invasion was my second favorite show, with the 1984 show coming in last. 84 was my least favorite, because Dave just seemed to throw off the tempo a little, with all the costume changes, and a lot of it being about him. Don't get me wrong, still a KILLER show, but not as good as the rest. The fucking stage was unbelievable though. What a spectacle.

The 80 Invasion show was the one where they seemed like they were having the best time. From Ed taking a bottle of JD from Dave and "hiding" it on the speakers (I have pics of Dave crawling (sneaking) up to steal it, to Dave pretending somebody threw a joint on stage, stopping the show and calling a roadie on stage to light the joint for him. There was no doubt at that point in time, they were the kings. They knew it. The crowd knew it. It was one big raucous party, with the best music ever, as the soundtrack.





I apologize for watermarking these, but I've recently had issues with people stealing my photo's and posting them in other places, without acknowledging they're mine.

[DLR Bridge]

As far as VH books go, there are 3 important reads with 3 different reasons.

Everybody Wants Some!! - The history of the band's recording years
Van Halen; Exuberant California; Zen Rock and Roll - the explanation of the band's mystique
Van Halen Rising - the history of the band's creation

Lots of other good ones out there, but if VH were to be a college course, these would have to be required reading, along with Crazy From The Heat.

[cadaverdog]

Dolemite MFR!! I had high expectations and they were thoroughly exceeded.

I knew about the EVH Goldenwest incident when VH opened for UFO..... But the anecdotes preceding the show....DLR saying he felt bad for Micheal Schenker..... then someone asks why???......Dave said EVH is gonna wipe the floor with him......

Then afterwards.....Phil Moog telling the guys....."You fucked with Micheal....he's Fucked Up".....

Welcome To America Motherfuckers!!!!!!!!!

UFO thought they were BIG SHIT.... About the hit the Big Time......

Then VAN HALEN opens up and blows them the fuck away!!!!!!!!

Dolemite Motherfucker!!!!

Dave called it days before he was telling everybody.

It's a Mans world bitches.

There's a lesson there to be learned....

Don't let VAN HALEN open your show.

I might be in the minority but that doesn't sound like something that would endear me to any band. If I was in UFO I'd have kicked them off the tour that night. I liked Dave's comments about The Clash at the US Festival but I heard The Clash bad mouthing Van Halen the night before from the house we were hanging out at across the freeway from the venue.

[Von Halen]

I might be in the minority but that doesn't sound like something that would endear me to any band. If I was in UFO I'd have kicked them off the tour that night. I liked Dave's comments about The Clash at the US Festival but I heard The Clash bad mouthing Van Halen the night before from the house we were hanging out at across the freeway from the venue.

You need to read the book, before you comment on what happened. It wasn't a tour. It was a one off show. UFO was in town to make their mark. VH hadn't made it yet. They were on a mission. Theoretically, it was a competition, and VH not only won that night, they won in the big picture.

They did go on to blow Black Sabbath off the stage every night on a tour, and Ozzy admits it. That also is detailed in the book.

[chuckjitsu]

Man, that's tough. The first one is hard to beat, because the anticipation was so great. Then Heavy pulling us into the pit for the show, just made it even better. They were just on fire. I will never, ever forget Ed fucking running and jump kicking the wall of speakers over and over. They were rocking so much, I thought for sure they were going to fall over. What could be better than having the Mighty Van Halen standing right over you, on their first world tour?



I would honestly have to say, my favorites are exactly in the order they appeared. The 80 Invasion was my second favorite show, with the 1984 show coming in last. 84 was my least favorite, because Dave just seemed to throw off the tempo a little, with all the costume changes, and a lot of it being about him. Don't get me wrong, still a KILLER show, but not as good as the rest. The fucking stage was unbelievable though. What a spectacle.

The 80 Invasion show was the one where they seemed like they were having the best time. From Ed taking a bottle of JD from Dave and "hiding" it on the speakers (I have pics of Dave crawling (sneaking) up to steal it, to Dave pretending somebody threw a joint on stage, stopping the show and calling a roadie on stage to light the joint for him. There was no doubt at that point in time, they were the kings. They knew it. The crowd knew it. It was one big raucous party, with the best music ever, as the soundtrack.





I apologize for watermarking these, but I've recently had issues with people stealing my photo's and posting them in other places, without acknowledging they're mine.

Another tough one for you. If you could hot tub time machine back to one and only one of the shows you saw back in the day, which one would it be? Based on your comment, sounds like the '79 show was your fave, but would that be the one you'd go back to if you could only see one?

[chuckjitsu]

Front row for Fair Warning tour. Was so damned loud and the lighting rig was giving us in the front a sunburn! Unbelievable that they could perform under those heat lamps.
Favorite memory: I threw a joint on stage and Dave stopped the song and had a roadie come out and fire it up!

Where'd you see them on that tour?

[Von Halen]

Another tough one for you. If you could hot tub time machine back to one and only one of the shows you saw back in the day, which one would it be? Based on your comment, sounds like the '79 show was your fave, but would that be the one you'd go back to if you could only see one?

Actually, I'd probably go with the 80 Invasion show.

[DLR Bridge]

Von, did you see them in '82? I don't recall seeing any pics from that show.

[Von Halen]

Von, did you see them in '82? I don't recall seeing any pics from that show.

I don't have all my photo's on my computer. I seem to have misplaced some. Is this 82?

[DLR Bridge]

I don't have all my photo's on my computer. I seem to have misplaced some. Is this 82?

I think those are Dave's '81 football pants. Is this that same jacket?
image.jpg

[Northern Girl]

NO- You don't understand.......

No, YOU don't understand. I'm sure it's great, but I don't care beyond the music anymore. I couldn't even bring myself to read your synopsis.

Since '78, I was Van Halen obsessed. I had to have everything I could get my hands on. I had everything VH you could buy plus a trunk full of 5 inch thick scrapbooks full of every magazine article and picture I collected for years.

But a few years back I'm happy to say I was able to let it all go...so I gave it all away...hundreds of dollars worth of stuff. (Zing! got the last of it last summer.) I still have all the music and kept a boot from each tour. I kept a little paperback of Dave's book and two of the original VH necklaces. I'm not interested in anything else and couldn't be happier about that.

You probably don't get that, but you don't have to.

[Anonymous]

No, YOU don't understand. I'm sure it's great, but I don't care beyond the music anymore. I couldn't even bring myself to read your synopsis.

Since '78, I was Van Halen obsessed. I had to have everything I could get my hands on. I had everything VH you could buy plus a trunk full of 5 inch thick scrapbooks full of every magazine article and picture I collected for years.

But a few years back I'm happy to say I was able to let it all go...so I gave it all away...hundreds of dollars worth of stuff. (Zing! got the last of it last summer.) I still have all the music and kept a boot from each tour. I kept a little paperback of Dave's book and two of the original VH necklaces. I'm not interested in anything else and couldn't be happier about that.

You probably don't get that, but you don't have to.

The music is good. The rest is bullshit.

[DONNIEP]

Dayum!! That pic could be 1981, 1982, or 2002! People bitch about Dave going back to his old look/stage antics in the late 90s/early 2000s but if I didn't know better I'd be hard pressed to tell the difference between some pics from those tours.

And yes, I cropped The Bitter Old Cunt out of the picture. Fuck that guy.

[DLR Bridge]

No, YOU don't understand. I'm sure it's great, but I don't care beyond the music anymore. I couldn't even bring myself to read your synopsis.

Since '78, I was Van Halen obsessed. I had to have everything I could get my hands on. I had everything VH you could buy plus a trunk full of 5 inch thick scrapbooks full of every magazine article and picture I collected for years.

But a few years back I'm happy to say I was able to let it all go...so I gave it all away...hundreds of dollars worth of stuff. (Zing! got the last of it last summer.) I still have all the music and kept a boot from each tour. I kept a little paperback of Dave's book and two of the original VH necklaces. I'm not interested in anything else and couldn't be happier about that.

You probably don't get that, but you don't have to.

I can see where you're coming from. They've been an exhausting band to follow and enjoy. It is their fault that they've got fans like you who've taken it upon themselves to scale back their interest or dedication to them. I've got friends who were as nuts about them as me who don't know and don't care what the band is up to these days. That's not to say that they'd turn off Unchained if it came on the car radio. I get that. Me? I'm still a hooked sucker. No big 'ting.

[Northern Girl]

I can see where you're coming from. They've been an exhausting band to follow and enjoy. It is their fault that they've got fans like you who've taken it upon themselves to scale back their interest or dedication to them. I've got friends who were as nuts about them as me who don't know and don't care what the band is up to these days. That's not to say that they'd turn off Unchained if it came on the car radio. I get that. Me? I'm still a hooked sucker. No big 'ting.

Nope, no big 'ting. It's funny though how bad some people need to be right and convince you your feelings are wrong. Makes me giggle.

I'm not washing my hands of them or anything. I'm more interested in the future than the past. If there is any future. But since info from them is so scarce, I'm not sitting around rehashing, speculating, predicting or even hoping for anything. Whatevs.