1984 - Van Halen's best album ?

DrCornelius

Just having a clear out and found the CD so played it in the car whilst dropping son off at work.

Forgot how much I loved it when it came out, I appreciate VH1 was groundbreaking but imho this album has it all. Keyboards that work with the song, slow rockers, totally out there tunes like Panama and brilliant straight ahead rockers like House of Pain. 

I defy you to name a better VH long player !

Winny_Pooh

Toss up between 1984 and VH1, really depends on your mood. So many brilliant riffs and off the cuff licks. 

Leiversalone

Van Halen and Led Zep are the only bands that I constantly change my mind about what the best album is. 1984 is a bit of a masterpiece, but I find myself listening to VHII more than the others these days, there's simply no track I dislike. And 'Spanish Fly' is arguably the most impressive bit of guitar work King Edward ever recorded. 

DrCornelius

Maybe it's my age, I was 16 when 1984 came out and it made me want to play the guitar.  I bought the album and I remember when I started work proper with my first pay packet I went to Oxford Street (Virgin megastore maybe?) and bought every other album. That was a great weekend :-)

SimonC

The correct answer is of course Fair Warning

DrCornelius

SimonC said:

The correct answer is of course Fair Warning

Bit too dark for me although the solo in mean streets is incredible 

SimonC

DrCornelius said:

SimonC said:

The correct answer is of course Fair Warning

Bit too dark for me although the solo in mean streets is incredible 

Yes it’s dark, but that’s what makes it so good.

Leiversalone

Best solo on Fair Warning = Push comes to shove. Perfecto!

adampeter

SimonC said:

The correct answer is of course Fair Warning

This /\

RobDavies

SimonC said:

The correct answer is of course Fair Warning

It has Unchained, so it's clearly the best.  

Kebabkid

VH1 and Fair Warning are my faves. As an off-the-wall but accessible solo, "One Foot Out the Door" takes a lot of beating but EVH is also one of the best rhythm players out there!

Oh, and with FW, that intro and riff to "Mean Streets". He's also got quite a clean tone on this album and I feel the gain was backed off a bit

bingefeller

Leiversalone said:

Best solo on Fair Warning = Push comes to shove. Perfecto!

I have to agree with you on this.  EVH does Allan Holdsworth - fantastic!

So This Is Love has a cracking solo too.

peteri

1984 was my first VH album and just love it. 

This theead has got me listening to fair warning again. 

Forgot just how good it is and just how good Dave was then, just perfect for the band 

Boromedic

No way I could choose tbh, all the tracks you've been mentioning are so cool. I love VHI, Fair Warning and 1984 the most, although other albums come close. Really liking 5150 of late actually, I forget how good Sammy was (and still is unlike DLR), Runnin With the Devil is still my fave VH song though of all time, with that cranking out of the car stereo all is well with the world.....

Philly_Q

Van Halen III.


















No, not really.  Fair Warning.

Leiversalone

5150 is indeed a cracking album. The title track and Best of Both Worlds sound even better live. I'm assuming everyone here owns the Live without a net concert? Eddie's playing is so effortless to watch it's jawdropping. I bought the VHS when I was 15 years old and it's still my favourite live concert to watch, next to Let There Be Rock . . .

mudslide73

Fair Warning is my fav. There are no duffers- I particularly love Dirty Movies (great verse riff and octave bits), Hear about it Later as well as the usuals (Mean Street and Unchained). 

It's a toss up between 5150 and Carnal Knowledge for my fav. Van Hagar ones. 

Philly_Q

Going back to 1984, I just remembered that when it was first released in the UK they put a strip of paper across the bottom of the album cover to hide the fact that it was a baby smoking a cigarette.  I wonder if that would create a stir nowadays?

Boromedic

Leiversalone said:

5150 is indeed a cracking album. The title track and Best of Both Worlds sound even better live. I'm assuming everyone here owns the Live without a net concert? Eddie's playing is so effortless to watch it's jawdropping. I bought the VHS when I was 15 years old and it's still my favourite live concert to watch, next to Let There Be Rock . . .

I have only watched this in the last year for the first time! I know kill me... 

However it is flipping ace it has to be said, and as daft as it may sound I agree with Pete Thorn and Jude Gold from the No Guitar podcast when they say he is still underrated in terms of his influence on the guitar world.

I always cringe a bit when I hear a guitarist say they don't get EVH. I just think you're not listening as its not all widdle widdle, he was massively influenced by Clapton and you can hear it in his playing. You might not like the music but you can't deny his talent or influence.

peteri

I'd forgotten about that live recording! Devoured that back in the day.

I agree on the comment on Eddie, what's just sickening is how at one he is with the instrument - it's just so easy and joyous for him - all the time in the world and effortless.

Completely inspirational and crushing simultaneously!

SimonC

Not sure if this has been posted before. It’s a bit of a commercial thing really, but there’s some really interesting footage of his Picking technique, and his incredible accuracy.