Published on Aug 10, 1998
With the third version of Van Halen currently on tour — and
getting reamed by the critics (I read Larry’s review) — I thought
it’d be nice to revisit the previous two versions of the Van Halen
ship and see where and how they differ. Today, we’ll go back to VH,
Part Deux (or Van Hagar).
After the classic split between David Lee Roth and the Van Halen
boys, Ed was seriously thinking of just getting a number of guest
vocalists as replacement. Instead, he called on veteran Sammy Hagar
(who has been on more bands than I can count) and was coming off
his biggest success with his hit single, “I Can’t Drive 55.” The
result was
5150 — probably their finest album with Hagar.
The album has some good rockers like “Good Enough” and “Summer
Nights” as well as the soft ballads for which Hagar gets hammered
on a daily basis – “Love Walks In,” the title track, “Why Can’t
This Be Love” among others. The ballads work great. I mean, “Love
Walks In” is so pretty and “Dreams” could never have been done by
classic Van Halen.
Then there’s some of the different lyrics that couldn’t found in
earliest Van Halen. Take “Best of Both Worlds” for example. “I
don’t know what I’ve been living on/ But it’s not enough to fill me
up/I need more than words could say/I need everything this life can
give me.” While some might find them questionable or dumb, this
reviewer finds them more honest than much of the drivel that passes
for lyrics in these days.
There are a few strikes in here as well. “Inside” tries to be
both progressive as well as funny — but it’s neither. However, one
big strike out of nine songs isn’t that bad. Overall, you can feel
maybe a bit of relief from the band that they don’t have to be “Van
Halen,” but can be a band.
Though the albums on the Van Hagar years moved more and more
towards a progressive, adult-oriented, rock, in here you will find
the bridge from
1984 to the present. While the classic Van Halen was a
rocking machine, it was their years under Hagar that allowed them
to part ways and expand their sound. Now, if they could get to
kicking ass again….