Van Halen

Van Halen started life as a paid bar band that gained a considerable live following in the 1970's. Frontman David Lee Roth grew up in an affluent California family which helped the talented Van Halen brothers and their bassist/backing vocalist make it in the Sunset Strip scene.

A considerable part of the Van Halen sound was the futuristic, tehnique laden approach of Eddie Van Halen (guitar, keyboards), although their music remained routed in their classic rock covers band material. Van Halens image, album covers and iconic videos were pieced together or driven by David Lee Roth, who was also a quotable tv and radio personality.

Van Halen is also a prime example of branded music entertainment; the band and its singers have collectively produced guitars, picks, amplifiers, t-shirts, cooking items, bikes, sunglasses, hats, videos, books and a specialist fans-only magazine called 'the Inside', all designed to extend and, some would say, water down the Van Halen name.

Fans are usually in favour of the bands earlier albums, in particular the guitar opus Fair Warning and their chart topping 1984 disc, titled "1984". In 1985 the bands singer and biggest personality was replaced by a mediocre classic rock/80's pomp rock vocalist called Sammy Hagar, who had released excellent and not-so-excellent material since the early 70's.

Van Halen is f*cking cool

No - Van Halen is not cool, its overrated suburban b-grade metal crap

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