The Official Van Halen, "Tattoo" review thread.

[Halen High]

And that's why Tattoo is the single, and not something harder hitting, like Bullethead....

Yep - the single will reel them in... then Bullethead will smack them right between the eyes. I think they will get the perfect balance and old schoolers like us will be more than happy.

[GreenBayLA]

Compared notes with my best friend from high school, we saw the mighty Van Halen on every tour starting with Van Halen II. Both of us were non-plussed by Tattoo, no hook, doesn't sound like a single. But I can't wait for the new album...

[Halen High]

he didn't rule it out iirc mate! hope you're well.

I'm great mate! Bloody cold down here for summer though. I hope you're right about Dave not ruling it out. To buy this album in vinyl will just top it off for me.

[Grant]

yep, i like it.

I LOVE it!

The video just simply oozes of coolness...

FUCKIN' A...VAN HALEN ARE FINALLY BACK!!!

[Dave's Bitch]

Old or new material it is a very good song

[ashstralia]

yep. we gotta be remembering that these are men in their 50's, with a 20 year old bassie. it's not going to sound like 1982.

i reckon i can also hear a bit of the latter part of 'hear about it later' at the end there... the unison bends and dave wailing sexay dragon magic.
i'm surprised no-ones mentioned that, then again, i may be deaf.

tat-too tat-too

[DavidLeeNatra]

if it sounds good...it is good...

a coach of a football team once said, that there is nothing like old or young players but only good or bad players...

tat-too tat-too motherfuckers

[ashstralia]

yezz, natra!! good to see you mate.

back to topic;

fucking great song/video.

[Halen High]

yep. we gotta be remembering that these are men in their 50's, with a 20 year old bassie. it's not going to sound like 1982.

i reckon i can also hear a bit of the latter part of 'hear about it later' at the end there... the unison bends and dave wailing sexay dragon magic.
i'm surprised no-ones mentioned that, then again, i may be deaf.

tat-too tat-too

Someone at the VHND said the same thing and I agreed with them. From the 4 minute mark as they close out the song, you can definitely hear echos of Hear About It Later - not just musically but vocally. We are going to be picking up stuff in this track for years.

[Halen High]

if it sounds good...it is good...

a coach of a football team once said, that there is nothing like old or young players but only good or bad players...

tat-too tat-too motherfuckers

Good to see Germany is getting Tattooed - Van Halen style.

[ashstralia]

and there's a fucking WHOLE ALBUM of this stuff coming... i've got goosebumps.

[Halen High]

And to think we have Bullethead to come. I think we get the album a few days earlier than the US. Is that right?

[DLR Bridge]

Jeez - It's not rehashed if it has never been released before. It is only public, because it's on an illegal, bootleg, recording ... songs that aren't released (in the case of Down in Flames) don't even have publishers, so it's not like they were making money off it in one form then releasing it twice.

I'm a writer - and I go back to material I started writing ten years ago that *never made the grade* and try and find ways to do something with it. It's what artists - painters, musicians, writers - do. They have ideas that they don't really finish to their satisfaction (or their publisher / A&R / record company, etc., don't think make the grade)

In any case - in music publishing terms, the top line (i.e., the vocal melody, although
there may be slight similarities at parts of the song) and lyrics of 'Tattoo' are not the
same as 'Down in Flames'. Even musically, it is really only the bridge, the chord
changes under the chorus, and the swells at the end, which were at the beginning of
DIF, that are similar .

Spot on as always Scraps. I meant to mention the other day that that was a good call about the swells at the end tying into the ones in DIF. If the whole album is based on previously unreleased tracks, they should be praised for being true artists, not ridiculed. Hey, so long as we're happy with it, right?

[Halen High]

Fuck...I just had a thought. What if they are planning on doing a storyline video with actors for She's The Woman or Bullethead!!! None of us ever imagined we would see an official video for those unreleased gems.

[Vinnie Velvet]

what up show stoppa? I dont care that hop isnt the hop on my boots, ya know...

HOP! back in da muthafuckin house!!!

How ya doing bro?