It was the real deal.
When Eddie Van Halen launched into ‘You Really Got Me,’ followed by ‘Runnin’ With The Devil,’ there was no question. They’re back.
Oh, there have been rumblings before. In the late 90’s, there was the Van Halen III album and tour. Eddie was hinting at the potential he used to show, for the first time in years. But it wasn’t enough. I couldn’t get excited about it. During their live concert special (I think it was MTV – back when MTV still played music), many of us witnessed their new frontman, Gary Cherone, a fine singer who seemed totally out of place, struggling to sound like Sammy Hagar, with moves more suited to a Broadway musical a la Rent or Rock Of Ages. It was painful. Anyone who were raved about the tour and album was in denial.
But the Van Halen that played the other night at Madison Square Garden was, while not exactly the same as the band in their original heyday, a version that finally did it justice. The VH brothers have not only put their differences with David Lee Roth behind them, they’ve honed in on their classic tones, improvisational moments and chosen a set list that ranged from mega-hits like ‘Panama,’ ‘Jump’ and ‘Hot For Teacher’ to fan favorites like ‘Romeo Delight’ and ‘Everybody Wants Some,’ truly capturing what was great about Van Halen 1.0. Despite Dave’s voice aging a bit, along with his slowed down kick-boxing moves, it works. And with all due respect to Sammy Hagar (whose solo albums I appreciate), the adult light rock fare of his period of Van Halen ( ‘When It’s Love’ etc…) just never had the ‘essence’ of ‘Van Halen.’
This latest version of Van Halen, while missing Michael Anthony, has that original essence. I was as skeptical as anyone, but I felt the old magic. Exactly the same? No. Doing it justice? Absolutely.
Most importantly Eddie, although no longer reinventing the wheel with each album as he did in ’78 – ’85, seems to have at last recaptured the character of his playing during those years. (For a detailed account of Eddie Van Halen’s impact on guitarists in the late 70’s and early 80’s, see my recent blog for Guitar Player. ). His open solo, which drew from such moments as ‘Spanish Fly,’ ‘Mean Streets’ and of course, ‘Eruption,’ was a big ‘F- You’ to all those guys from one hit wonder glam bands of the 80’s who poorly copied Eddie’s style without doing their homework as well as the elitist trendsters of the 90’s whose neanderthal-like thinking led to the guitar solo being widely viewed as ‘self-indulgent.’ This was not ‘Spinal Tap’ like at all, it was an act of sonic creation that was purely musical. We were at last hearing the quality that made Eddie one for which a term applied that’s rarely attributable to rock musicians: ‘genius’
Geniuses are often troubled, particularly in the musical realm. There are exceptions – young prodigies that go on to become great innovators and appear, by all indications, well balanced individuals (Herbie Hancock comes to mind – a 60’s teen piano prodigy who has always appeared healthy, continuing to create relevant music into his 70’s). But far too many, from Mozart and Shumann to Jimi Hendrix and Jaco Pastorious, become tragic figures, victims of their own demons and/or mental instability. Eddie Van Halen easily could have gone that route.
The Wykipdia history of Van Halen reads like a Shakespearian drama with Eddie as the tortured main character. Like other gifted, troubled souls, Eddie’s appeared unable to keep himself clean and healthy for himself, but occasionally has been able to pull through for loved ones. And that seems to be the case with his son, Wolfgang. Although largely speculative, the opinions of a few credible industry pundits, some with connections to camp VH, have led to a plausible theory: Wolfgang, who most seemed to overwhelmingly agreed is truly coming into his own as a bassist and performer, likely has a lot more to do with this current revitalized Van Halen than any of us realize.
While it may be difficult for some of us to overlook the absence of original bassist Michael Anthony, whose positive energy, supportive presence, smile, solid bass playing and most of all, wide ranging back up vocals (an ingredient that was always overshadowed but now glaringly absent), the reality is this: having Wolfgang on board assures the youth factor has returned to the band. In addition, Wolfgang is thought to be a voice of reason – no band history, no personal agenda – simply a kid who ‘gets it’ and happens to be the one person his father and brother will listen to. But there is more…
Wolfgang is of an age that was the band’s target audience at one time, (before Van Halen 2.0 or the short lived Van Halen III came along). As Chuck Klosterman wisely points out in ‘Eating The Dinasaur,’ pop music (and hard rock music especially) is a youth generated medium that creates a ‘transfer of minor power.’ Judging by the amount of people Wolfgang’s age at that Van halen concert, the youth of today is reminding the band and older fans of something that got overlooked: it was the original Van Halen that broke all the rules, musically and otherwise. And breaking the rules is what rock’n’roll is all about.
The late great guitarist and inventor Les Paul was an example of someone who always retained his craft, well into his senior years (see Goodbye Les Paul). His playing retained the sound and attitude that had made him great, even into his 80’s and 90’s. Some of the facility was lost but you still felt like you were seeing ‘Les Paul!’ With Eddie’s 60’s fast approaching, it be great to see him follow Les’s example, retaining his core depth, character and conviction as Les did, even if the fast licks have to slow down a bit.
Eddie has inspired us as much as any musician can do. Wolfgang (and I’d imagine other close relatives and friends) has in turn inspired Eddie to get clean and re-focused. Here’s to hoping this continues and that we’ll be able to see Eddie in a good place and doing what he does best for many years to come.
