Hello everyone, classes are out for the summer, I have taken the rest I have earned, so here we are and not only will I deliver a music review, I’ll also give you my first movie review!

News

Peter Frampton has announced a blues album for release on June 7. Okay, I’ll check it out.

And now to top it all off, The Rolling Stones are reissuing The Rock and Roll Circus on June 7th in the US and June 28th in the UK. Hell Yeah, I can’t fucking wait!

Alright, now for the awesome Van Halen II, released March 23, 1979 on Warner Bros Records. Produced once again by Ted Templeman, the album is made up largely of songs written or at least started prior to the first album’s release, with the exception of two songs.

A little fun fact: the bumblebee Frankenstrat that Eddie has on the back cover

…is currently buried with Dimebag Darrel from Pantera. For those who aren’t in the know, Eddie was launching a guitar line where he’d personally tape up each guitar in a custom pattern. Dime had caught wind of this and met with Eddie to ask about one patterned like the Bumblebee. Of course, Dime was killed before any of this could happen. At the funeral, Eddie showed up to pay his respects before revealing his original to bury with Dime, because in his words “an original deserves an original”.

And now, let’s proceed to kick off this album, which begins with….

1. “You’re No Good” (Clint Ballard):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GBN3BtdIr0Y

“You’re No Good”, a cover of the song written by Clint Ballard and made popular by Linda Ronstadt. This was a song that Van Halen often did in the club days and was chosen to open the album.

We start things off with a little bass intro by Michael Anthony. For years it was rumored that this was culled from a bass solo but Michael himself has since debunked that rumor. And then it leads into some fantastic excellent drumming by Alex, with Eddie’s guitar volume swelling and then BAM!! Diamond Dave comes in and seriously, anybody that says David Lee Roth wasn’t a great singer back then can kiss my ass, this is a fantastic vocal, with such feeling and such conviction. He sings like a man who has seen it all and done it all, and of course Mike with the fantastic harmony and Eddie is fantastic as he always was during the classic period. And this is just absolutely fantastic as you’d expect from the mighty Van Halen.

2. “Dance The Night Away” (David Lee Roth/Eddie Van Halen/Michael Anthony/Alex Van Halen):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pQ9pYwCKopE

Oh man, “Dance The Night Away”, the first single, the band’s first Top 20 hit, and was inspired by a drunk chick who had sex with boyfriend in the parking lot of Mitty’s where the band was and then danced around with her pants on backward. The song, originally called “Dance Lolita Dance” before being renamed at Eddie’s suggestion, was also inspired by “Go Your Own Way”

And man, where do I begin with this song? First you have Alex kicking things off on the cowbell, and you get a song that structurally feels like a total throwback to the Motown, the R&B, the 60s girl groups that Dave was totally into and brought into the group. And the funny thing is the band went lighter and poppier with Bette Midler at the helm and never did pop nearly as well. And this right here is some prime pop, with some really tasteful playing by Edward Van Halen, who does not play a solo and it works perfect.

This song is an absolute classic.

3. “Somebody Get Me A Doctor” (Roth/Van Halen/Anthony/Van Halen):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NkJOZOOXJWk

“Somebody Get Me A Doctor”, which dates back to 1976 or 77 and it’s basically a song about being fucked up.

I’ve never been fucked up in my life but man would this be such a great song to get fucked up to, this is just good time rock and roll, with that Van Halen touch, every member delivers on here. Before anyone asks, yes I’ve heard the live version with Michael Anthony singing lead. To be honest, I found it underwhelming. Yes he sounded better than Sammy Hagar, but really, that isn’t a high bar to set for yourself. Mike as a lead singer, it’s passable but there’s no real flavor to it. It isn’t enough to just sing or play, you have to add something to it. But no matter, Mike does enough right on bass and harmonies so I give him a pass.

How does the Mighty Van Halen manage to keep being so mighty.

4. “Bottoms Up!” (Roth/Van Halen/Anthony/Van Halen):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8fYlqqg-pQ

“Bottoms Up!”, a down and dirty number that really just gets it rolling into a party vibe. Everybody is gathered, you’ve had a long ass day and you’re just ready to unwind. And it’s the most loose, organic groove, and the backing vocals on the chorus are fantastic.

A little tid bit: the line pretty maids all in a row is referenced in the album artwork….

…and the cast Dave is wearing in that pic came as a result of breaking his leg doing this shoot.

Also, the come om om om baby, bottoms up! with Dave snickering a bit, which gives it the off-the-cuff feel that made Van Halen so awesome, and of course, Eddie’s fantastic guitar solo is just icing on the cake of excellence, next track!

5. “Outta Love Again” (Roth/Van Halen/Anthony/Van Halen):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TU64RQYLbtk

“Outta Love Again”, subtitled: Alex Van Halen Shows Off How Awesome He Is And How He Is Not To Be Underestimated”.

Man, the drums on this song are just wicked, it’s pretty much a drum solo. Alex is easily the-well, you could say Mike but he gets plenty of credit nowadays so yeah, Alex is the unsung hero of Van Halen. Very one of a kind drummer (at least on the Roth albums) who doesn’t always get his due since of course his brother is Eddie Van Halen.

And even beyond the badass drumming, the everything else is stellar as always-Dave’s performance and lyrics, Eddie’s guitar playing, Mike’s bass and harmony vocals. It’s Van Halen, of course it’s great.

6. “Light Up The Sky” (Roth/Van Halen/Anthony/Van Halen):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4uiqgwUs1l4

Man, “Light Up The Sky”. Eddie wrote the main riffs to this song after the first album wrapped up.

The way the guitars and bass kick in the song, and let’s mention Mike in particular. He’s known mainly for his background vocals but man, he does some crazy bass runs on this tune as well as most of this and the first four albums as a whole, very underrated bass player. Alex just shreds on the kit and goddamn do I love that little middle part where Dave goes Ooh, mama see the firelight.

My favorite on the album, and one of my favorite Van Halen songs ever. God I love this song.

7. “Spanish Fly” (Roth/Van Halen/Anthony/Van Halen):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iDsa4uDM3zU

Now Eddie goes acoustic with “Spanish Fly”. This came about when Ed picked up an acoustic during a New Year’s Eve party at Ted Templeman’s house, and Ted Templeman suggested he write an acoustic piece for the next album. For this track, Eddie used a nylon-stringed Ovation.

What can I say, Eddie shows his greatness as always and it’s so so cool what he does on the acoustic. It really is like a fly jumping all around man.

8. “D.O.A.” (Roth/Van Halen/Anthony/Van Halen):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-0XdzSMzwgw

“D.O.A.”, which comes off the Warner Bros demo but was left off the first album as the song needed some refining.

I don’t know if it’s me but I get a little bit of a You Really Got Me vibe, not Van Halen’s version but the original Kinks tune. And I’m mainly talking musically, Dave pretty much does his own thing. Basically it’s primal rock and roll done Van Halen style. And godDAMN is it badass. We’re on the run, the cops have found a dirty faced kid in a garbage can-I don’t even know what that necessarily means but it’s still cool-and it’s just….it’s the Mighty Van Halen, shut the fuck up!

“D.O.A.”, or Dead or Alive, what an awesome, awesome song.

9. “Women In Love…” (Roth/Van Halen/Anthony/Van Halen):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iofxm92XcMI

“Women In Love…”, about a guy losing a chick to another chick.

First off, just a beautiful intro by Eddie. Even when he isn’t shredding like a demon, he can do these absolutely amazing things on guitar, just little things.

MAAARGE! YOU’RE BREAKING MY HEART! That’s not what Dave is actually saying but it sure sounds like it, so I’m picturing Homer singing this song. But you know what, this is stil…so, so good man. Fantastic melody, the harmonies are a thing of beauty. I saw an article a while back called Five Van Halen Songs That Suck and this was included. Can I just say that person deserves to watch Brad Pitt fuck his wife dry and then the wife leaves him for Brad Pitt. Van Halen, real Van Halen, is pure gold. And this song is pure gold.

This is an absolute classic.

10. “Beautiful Girls” (Roth/Van Halen/Anthony/Van Halen):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bJ9h2m06sFQ

The second single off the album, and the perfect summertime, good time song with the catchy little hooks and Dave’s cool and confident delivery.

Let’s also talk about what a fantastic rhythm player Eddie is, his riffs are top notch and his feel is second to none, and that’s what truly separated him from everyone who came after him. Plenty could do all the technical gymnastics but never could be Eddie Van Halen.

And that is “Beautiful Girls” and Van Halen II, an absolute classic record that you should all have. Be sure to comment, subscribe, and recommend this to your friends. You can also suggest future artists and albums to cover on here as well.