Van Halen Reborn
In chapter 6 of Mix Tapes and Stolen Tests, Mix puts Van Halen's 5150 in his cassette player. As noted in the book, this was also Van Halen's first album to reach the number 1 spot on the Billboard album charts.
Much has been written about the band at that time. You could read Van Halen's Saga for details. This blog will be about things I remember that I read through the years.
I first heard of Van Halen when Diver Down first came out. Their version of Dancing in the Streets got radio air play. Their next album had the huge hit Jump. This song had synthesizers on it, which was new to the Van Halen sound. The next single, I'll Wait, while not as popular also featured synthesizers more than guitar. This would become the template for the future of Van Halen. 1984 would also have the guitar heavy Panama and video favorite Hot for Teacher.
The use of keyboards was one more thing dividing lead singer David Lee Roth and band founder Eddie Van Halen. I had read that the Eddie Van Halen cameo on Michael Jackson's song, Beat It also created tension. According to Roth, Eddie had a rule that no one in the band performed on other people's work, a rule he himself violated.
Roth was a video star and he followed all of 1984's success with a solo album. The band split with Roth.
Fans wondered if that was the end of the band. How could they break apart right when they hit mainstream success?
Sammy Hagar was named the new lead singer. I had seen the video for Can't Drive 55. I knew the name, but for many, Sammy Hagar wasn't a big name. He was an opening act, but not Diamond Dave well-known. What would this new Van Halen be like?
In 1986, the world found out. 5150 was released. The album went to number one on the album chart and the lead off single would be a top ten hit.
5150 had keyboards. It had hard rock. The bad-boy imaged changed to professional musicianship and men with new families. The old songs weren't in the set list for concerts.
What did this mean to the band, some answers can be found on the song, Outside. Hagar sings the closing track saying about following another's act.
For music fans unaware of old Van Halen, they accepted this new incarnation. The band sold more albums and concerts. They licenced songs to sporting events and movies.
When Mix Tape plays this cassette, he would be just like millions of other teen boys of the time.
