Van Halen’s ‘A Different Kind of Truth' At 10: A Track-by-Track Guide

[Nitro Express]

I work with a Midas Pro2c digital console currently and it's got some of the best clean sound available that's as close to many of the high end analog consoles I've worked on. You can get great sound and excellent mixing capabilities out of digital with the right gear.

There's very little you can do to improve ADKOT with an EQ and great system... the problem isn't tone or warmth... it's the way it's mixed into a packed wall of compressed sound with literally no frequency space unfilled.

As I've said before... the best description of how the final mix of ADKOT is... they stuffed a size 12 woman into pair of size 5 skinny jeans. Fits so tight, it can't breath!!

Yup. The mix down sucked. I said I added some color and depth back. I didn’t say I completely polished the turd.

[Terry]

Fresh pussy and getting slippery and wet while listening to Slippery and Wet. Nice memories! I don’t know if I could hold an erection while hearing Sammy’s voice so I assume you ate oysters when 5150 was playing.

Christ, at that age ANYTHING could have been playing, and oysters or little blue pills weren't even on my radar.

[Kristy]

slave SESH does it again. Defending the indefensible.

[Jérôme Frenchise]

I still skip China Town, never liked it.

I tend to let Bullethead unfold now. Used to dkip it too. Got that "different kind of truth line", the track makes it in retrospect.

I agree on Tattoo being an inadequate opener. Second or third would have fitted better.

She's The Woman kicks ass. Very old-school, but fuck those who don't like it.

You And Your Blues sounds like Van Hagar, but Dave's voice and lyrics make it very interesting. Love the slight accelaration before the solo.

As Is is a fucking great track. Hot for Teacher's lil bro. I really like the part with the slow, heavy as fuck riff.

I find Honeybabysweetiedoll more interesting music wise. Dave sounds like he's struggling to keep with the pace.

I've never liked The Trouble With Never a lot, though I love the bridge with the bass humming and Dave in that very low key.

Like Bullet Head, I've re-evaluated Outta Space. Not their most inventive track, but it's really powerful like a jackhammer.

Of course Stay Frosty will remain as their new Ice Cream Man. Masterful.

Big River has that highly energic groove.

I still love Beats Workin' and think it's a kick in the butt to Ki$$. Listen to that, Gene, and let the shit out of your filthy mouth.

[Kristy]

She's The Woman kicks ass. Very old-school, but fuck those who don't like it.

[Vinnie Velvet]

Fresh pussy and getting slippery and wet while listening to Slippery and Wet. Nice memories! I don’t know if I could hold an erection while hearing Sammy’s voice so I assume you ate oysters when 5150 was playing.

To this day I doubt anyone can hold an erection while 5150 is playing.

I mean, Van Hagar didn't make you wanna fuck but probably run to get your woman flowers and read her love poetry.

[Kristy]

Why is it you self-proclaimed hard core Rothy imbeciles keep on overlooking this masterpiece?



I can only surmise its due to your boring mind-hive collective that not one of you took the time to learn where Eddie was coming from on that album. Eddie, if you must know, was coming from a dark, dark place in his soul. He was an artist becoming and maturing into a blossoming flower of personal growth. As it has been said (because I just said it) if Eddie was the Sinatra of the guitar he needed to embrace the new, the uncharted and gain a new audience that was accepting of his craft.

All you aging muck rakes want to do is cling to the past. You live to polish the turd only a different kind of turd because it somehow nourishes your lack of will to accept the new. Praise Eddie. For he transcended his ego and allowed A Different Kind of Turd to be released to soothe the bloated ego of his highly annoying old singer who never gave a fuck about his band when he realized the cameras were on him. Roth is a Faustian idiot. He made a deal with the devil and pumped out crud - and don't get me started on the "bluegrass" shit. Eddie was in the process of rebuilding what he loved on Van Halen III but you fucking Roth tards, like Roth himself had to tear it all down.

Shame on you. Shame on all of you.

[FORD]

What VDIII proved beyond a shadow of a doubt was that Eddie Van Halen was a brilliant musician, but - by himself - a very poor songwriter. He wrote timeless classic rock songs with Roth, and commercially viable (at the time) pop songs with Hagar.... but apparently it was up to Dave or Sammy to shape those riffs into proper song structures. Cherone didn't have that same role. He just did the lyrics.

[ashstralia]

I’m forever jealous of you lucky #$&*’s who got to see/hear/experience RUSH in their prime.

[Nitro Express]

To this day I doubt anyone can hold an erection while 5150 is playing.

I mean, Van Hagar didn't make you wanna fuck but probably run to get your woman flowers and read her love poetry.

Or turn you gay to where you want to dump the girl for another man and a tub of anal lube.

[Nitro Express]

I’m forever jealous of you lucky #$&*’s who got to see/hear/experience RUSH in their prime.

Missed Moving Pictures but was at the front of the stage during the Signals tour. Alex would toss his guitar to the tech and the tech would toss another one out. They were throwing those guitars ten feet and never dropped one. Neil drummed with big ass can headphones on. I think that was the best Rush show I saw.

[Nitro Express]

What VDIII proved beyond a shadow of a doubt was that Eddie Van Halen was a brilliant musician, but - by himself - a very poor songwriter. He wrote timeless classic rock songs with Roth, and commercially viable (at the time) pop songs with Hagar.... but apparently it was up to Dave or Sammy to shape those riffs into proper song structures. Cherone didn't have that same role. He just did the lyrics.

Ed wasn’t much of a singer either. Yeah the guy was a very creative riff writer and really had the stardust in a live performance. I don’t think Van Halen would have made it without Dave. Bands are team efforts.

[Nitro Express]

VH3 was a product of Ray Daniel’s convincing Eddie he was the band leader. Dave Roth was the band leader and then Sam filled that role. Ray Daniel’s brought one of his clients in as singer. It was all about more money for Ray and VH3 is the result. I blame Ray for it all.

[Terry]

I still skip China Town, never liked it.

I tend to let Bullethead unfold now. Used to dkip it too. Got that "different kind of truth line", the track makes it in retrospect.

I agree on Tattoo being an inadequate opener. Second or third would have fitted better.

She's The Woman kicks ass. Very old-school, but fuck those who don't like it.

You And Your Blues sounds like Van Hagar, but Dave's voice and lyrics make it very interesting. Love the slight accelaration before the solo.

As Is is a fucking great track. Hot for Teacher's lil bro. I really like the part with the slow, heavy as fuck riff.

I find Honeybabysweetiedoll more interesting music wise. Dave sounds like he's struggling to keep with the pace.

I've never liked The Trouble With Never a lot, though I love the bridge with the bass humming and Dave in that very low key.

Like Bullet Head, I've re-evaluated Outta Space. Not their most inventive track, but it's really powerful like a jackhammer.

Of course Stay Frosty will remain as their new Ice Cream Man. Masterful.

Big River has that highly energic groove.

I still love Beats Workin' and think it's a kick in the butt to Ki$$. Listen to that, Gene, and let the shit out of your filthy mouth.

Didn't like China Town?!?!

Would you have liked it better if, say, Jerry Lewis had sung it?

[Jérôme Frenchise]

I'm sorry, never could bear that tune, except when I discovered the album through the mp3 I had purchased on the day before release.
The chorus, above all.
I'll give it another try soon.

It's too bad they never played Stay Frosty on stage, but just like a few other tracks you know the reason why. Ed, Al and Wolf would have been able to play them, but Dave would have had trouble keeping up and tally his studio performances. Not to mention singing in tune.