Diver Down Sound

[thismusicsux]

All great points. DD is probably the most debated VH album as we know over the years.
It's been said before... but it's the perfect Summer-time album for whatever reason. Light and fun. Has some of the greatest VH originals. 3 instrumentals is all good for the EVH/musician types.

But yea...even a few months ago as summer was starting up... I had DD on a few times! Definitely brings me back to '82 when it was fresh and new.

[Terry]

I've always thought the production on DD sucked. Compared to the rest of the six pack, the sound is thin, the album sort of quiet. One of the hallmarks of the early VH sound was the rich, full sound - and this album doesn't have it at all. When I first bought it, I wondered if maybe I'd bought a defective disc.

Yet, I've never heard anyone talk about it on any of the VH forums I've lurked at. Nor have I heard Ed (or anyone else) mention it in any interviews. The only thing I've ever heard was that Ed had a string catch on a bobbin on Franky on the WDFA tour, adversely affecting his tone from then on. But even then, that just refers to his tone. I know I've heard Ed remark on the production for VH II (the whole 'lot of coke on the console' statement), but nothing for DD.

Has anyone ever heard any comment on why DD sounds the way it does? I've sometimes wondered if it was influenced by the sound of radio - I recall an interview where Ed mentioned that they were listening to a transistor in Louisville, KY when "Big Bad Bill" came on, and the band collectively had an orgasm over it. My only theory is that the production was some kind of homage to the sound of radio.

Still, I feel cheated. My complaints about the album are not the typical ones about song selection, but rather that the songs don't sound as rich as they could.

Thoughts?

I would tend to agree.

When I think of Diver Down, the word "dry" comes to mind: just a very dry sounding album.

Even more so when played in context after Fair Warning (man, what a great sounding album) and 1984 (at least the sonics had some richness and depth to them).

Diver Down...dry...and brittle-sounding.

Might be part of the reason that when I do put it on, I only tend to listen to Hang 'Em High, Secrets, Little Guitars and The Full Bug. The production sound DOES work really well for Big Bad Bill...the rest of it lacks tone...especially the bottom end.

[Terry]

However, even with that being said, even CVH's lesser moments are more brilliant than the vast majority of rock bands could ever aspire to on their best day.

[hambon4lif]

I don't really have a problem with the sound or production either.

Neither do I. I also have no problem with 'Diver Down' being what it was...which was Warner Bros. pressuring Van Halen into releasing an album to capitalize on a single. In retrospect, I think they did an awesome job......it is what it is. You can name any of the greatest bands in rock history, and I can name you the 'Diver Down' in their discography. Every band has one.
The trick is that it doesn't sound contrived, and as an album, it works. It's cool, it's loose, and if anyone were to ask me about the genius of Eddie Van Halen, I'd play them the solo from 'Dancing In The Streets'.

Is it the first album or 'Fair Warning'? Of course not! But it is part of the 6-pack, and it more than holds its own.

[Terry]

Neither do I. I also have no problem with 'Diver Down' being what it was...which was Warner Bros. pressuring Van Halen into releasing an album to capitalize on a single. In retrospect, I think they did an awesome job......it is what it is. You can name any of the greatest bands in rock history, and I can name you the 'Diver Down' in their discography. Every band has one.
The trick is that it doesn't sound contrived, and as an album, it works. It's cool, it's loose, and if anyone were to ask me about the genius of Eddie Van Halen, I'd play them the solo from 'Dancing In The Streets'.

Is it the first album or 'Fair Warning'? Of course not! But it is part of the 6-pack, and it more than holds its own.

I'd say when DD cooks, it cooks right up there with the best of the 6-pack.

I'd also say that there's some stuff on DD which didn't thrill me that worked much better live as played on the 1982/1983 tour (specifically Where Have All The Good Times Gone? and Dancing In The Streets).

I'd have to agree totally that DD doesn't sound the slightest bit contrived or over-labored. It sounds like the band just went into the studio and let it rip...so in some ways it sounds more natural than Fair Warning, performance-wise.

[jacksmar]

I think the sound was PERFECT due to the purpose of Diver Down: this was made for the radio.

3 Eddie moments – Cathedral, Intruder, Little Guitars

Mike’s best backing vocals to date.

Al VH proves his meter is as good as or better than pro session drummers. Al is the bottom line on this record, he keeps it fun.

Dave is a musical genius. This word gets tossed around too much. Dave knew VH needed a hit for WB and Dave got VH on the radio.

Dave got them 2 hits. Pretty Woman - Dancing In the Streets

Dave played is ass off on the Full Bug.

Dave directed a hit video.

Dave found Big Bad Bill for the band and it’s my belief, for Eddie and Al’s dad. I believe Dave respected and appreciated Jan Van Halen. Those types of guys only come around once and Dave respected that whole era of talent and musicianship.

Secrets was the inspiration for Can’t Get That Stuff.

The sound was PERFECT due to David Lee Roth trusting Ted and WB trusting Ted.

The best part was the fact that they had just come off the road and due to Dave keeping the momentum with the band, allowed them to do what they could do when on “auto pilot”. Dave knew the industry at this point and knew the work habits of the brothers. Dave pushed the band back to the studio and even appeared in a Frank Sinatra vid.

Dave doesn’t get enough credit for Diver Down and how great it sounds, IMO.

[jhale667]

Totally agree....but WHO ARE YOU and what have you done with jerksmear?

[Hummingbird]

Cool input on the topic - thanks everybody! Interesting to find that a lot of people love the DD sound. I suppose I'd just always assumed that it was missing something because I felt that way (And I'm the center of the world ), and the friends whose opinions I'd consulted on the topic had agreed with me. I still love the songs as a whole, don't get me wrong - probably even more so than WACF or 1984.

Maybe a better way to put it would have been to ask why the sound on DD is so different than the rest of the six-pack. I think VHII has a bit of the same quality I'm asking about, but not to the degree of DD.

Oh well, just a long-running question I've wanted to ask other VH fans. Way cool to get a bunch of different perspectives!

[Romeo Delight]

For some casual Van Halen Fans, this is the ultimate summer party album of their day.

[Romeo Delight]

Little Guitars and Secrets are 2 of my favorite Van Halen tunes, but overall the sound does dissapoint. Wouldn't change anything with Little Guitars though...

Still, I love this thing

[Matt White]

DD was the 1st VAN HALEN recording bought upon release....

Spring of 1982................I was 14..............

DIVER DOWN is a BRILLIANT outing.....KICK ASS guitar & Songs.....

Tonewise? THE BROWN SOUND in its purest form............

[DLR Bridge]

I never understood why Ed always complained that the album had too many covers, then proceeded to play even more covers live on that tour. Heart Break Hotel, Lucille, Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers, Summertime Blues. Those all would have been great on Diver Down, should that album have been made up of all covers.

[SNIPER]

..Although you have to turn up this album a lot, at the right volume it sounds like razor blades shooting out of a machine gun into a pool of melted butter! I like it!!!!

[thismusicsux]

DD was the 1st VAN HALEN recording bought upon release....

Spring of 1982................I was 14..............

DIVER DOWN is a BRILLIANT outing.....KICK ASS guitar & Songs.....

Tonewise? THE BROWN SOUND in its purest form............

Agreed!!! My first brand new VH record bought in 1982 when I was 11 too.

Total brown sound

[Headly1984]

Diver Down is to CVH what Some Girls is to the Stones

They owned the covers, & they laid down a nice variety of tracks

I have blown 2 sets of speakers to Intruder, once on purpose - the 1st night in my 1st house - I had an old pair turned up to 11 and the ptthh -nothin lol!

Dancing in the Streets is a great party sing along song - that song is a swizzle stick in the drink imo - guys liked it, chicks loved it

CVH has always been party or sunshine & beach music to me - that album,Diver Down, could be released today and still shoot to #1 imho