Diver Down Sound

[Zing!]

I love the sound of Diver Down much in the way VAiN described it. My only problem with it, really, is the volume. There's nothing more annoying than listening to your I Pod on shuffle mode and going from a present day tune like As Is into Little Guitars. With all of today's technology, you'd think Apple or someone would have figured out a way to instantly auto-balance the volume levels. Somebody get on that.

Pandora has it figured out. You can listen to those tracks back to back with no noticeable difference. But yeah, i-Tunes is all over the place depending on which version or master you're listening to.

[78/84 guy]

I heard it was painfully difficult to make, enough to make Dave jump from the greatest band in the world, (or tell the greatest band in the world to jump.)

"Be sure you're hurting long before you fly, because you've got me.
Catch as catch, catch as catch.
Anybody in their right mind could see, you and me."

If I were Ed, Little Guitars would have been pretty tough to listen to after the fallout.

Well I don't think there was much more friction than in the past. But sure it was growing. I think Dave was getting a little full of himself the last few years of Van Halen. But let's not forget he did a world tour with them for 1984. He quit according to his book in 1985 because Ed & Al were drunk all the time and didn't want to work as fast. So I will stick with his reasons before anything the sisters say. Can't they just remaster older albums with more volume on them ? I don't have the remastered 6-pack.

[DLR Bridge]

The only remaster I bought was Fair Warning and I couldn't really tell much of a difference from the regular cd.

[Yount]

I don't have the remastered 6-pack.

Don't bother. To me, it was wasted cash. I only wish I had the 6-pack on vinyl in mint condition. All I have is 1984 that has a scratch on Drop Dead Legs

[Zing!]

Don't bother. To me, it was wasted cash. I only wish I had the 6-pack on vinyl in mint condition. All I have is 1984 that has a scratch on Drop Dead Legs

Just bought quality VH II, FW, and 84 at a half price books today for $3.99 a piece. Gonna frame those mofos (my personal copies are so worn down the album covers all have the white 'record rings' on the front). All but FW had dust jackets on them too!

[Yount]

Is it just a mistake that the back of 1984 vinyl is upsidedown or is that the way it is everywhere?

[chefcraig]

Is it just a mistake that the back of 1984 vinyl is upsidedown or is that the way it is everywhere?

Here ya go: LINK

[Zing!]

Both of my 84's are upside down on the back. I assumed that was simply the boys being cheeky...

[jcrizzy]

The only remaster I bought was Fair Warning and I couldn't really tell much of a difference from the regular cd.

Remasters... yea last year I got jazzed to get them all remastered since I never bothered before. Well overall can't tell much difference. Most ARE louder as they should be to match today's production more. But still not much diff from the originals. But allowed me to replace my original VH CDs from when CDs first came out in the 80's

[jcrizzy]

I have no problem w DD songs or production. I know it gets dogged a lot. Too short? yeah but most VH albums were 30-40mins and 10 songs. Too many covers? Fair enough...but VH always made cover songs their own...so they all feel like VH songs to me. Production-wise I don't mind it.

Like all VH albums... if you grew up with them...listening now can transport you back to that time in your life. I was just getting into VH around '82 (unfortunately a little late)...so DD was the first album I was waiting to buy.

FW wasn't a big hit commercially at the time, even though the tour was huge. So DD almost makes sense to come back to more light and fun album. They started to get even bigger in '82, with another huge tour, US Fest, etc... Then 1984 = superstars.. woot.

And every album has their own distinct vibe (songs and production)... and together as a collection they all makes sense. That's what I love.

[gbranton]

I don't really have a problem with the sound or production either. When it came out I was 17 and didn't give it much thought, now that I'm older it sounds like an old friend and anything else just wouldn't be right.

As for the length of the album, yeah it's a little short but ANY album with Hang Em High, Secrets, Little Guitars, The Full Bug, Big Bad Bill and Where Have All the Good Times Gone on it has done yeoman's work.

[Yount]

It's that throwaway sound on first listen, someone before said radio sound. There's more happening under the surface. A turd is a turd, polished or not, Diver Down ain't no turd, Edward! Van Halen were writing this as I was just being created. So it always stands apart from the others.
They have such an appeal because every album is unique and different yet similarities here and there (for example "Counter blast" and "Stay frosty" from the new album.) Every album offers you into their vision to it their way - you gain experience and perspective from this. Diver Down offers something in the lyrics, in the music. I used to maybe feel against it but now I'm ALL for DiVeR DoWn!

Full bug!

Cathedral/Secrets!

Where have all the good times gone???!!

Little guitars suite!

Big Bad Bill!

Intruder / Pretty woman!!

Hang em high (the pre to Big Trouble!)

All good stuff!

Dancin in the streets is cool if you've had a few drinks!

Pump this up tonight!

[vandeleur]

ok after reading everyones posts , i knew i was driving today so oiked ADKOT out of the cd player in the car and banged in DD.
To be honest its been a long time since i listened to it in its entirety . It has always been a funny cd for me it has some of my fav tracks but blah blah blah all the same old shite we have discussed about since forever.

I like the sound on it , ed sounds great etc.
Trying to listen to it anew and stuff thats jumps out is ... Fuck is that another instrumental ...
And Dancing is the street I still cant get away with , i want to but i just dont like it.
And for aband who had just got off the road and wernt getting along it does come across as pretty mellow.
To some up todays Jaunt i could lose my voice to little guitars any time and the full bug and hang em high get my dick as hard as a quadratic equation.

[DLR Bridge]

Dancing in the Street is way better live, like on the US Festival recording. More guitar driven rather than mini moog or whatever the fuck that was.

[DLR Bridge]

Yeah! I loved how he viciously bangs out the opening chords to that tune just after Cathedral. Al is pretty thunderous on that live as well. Now that's how ya deliver a ballad, real VH style.