Decibel Geek Podcast

If there is one band that truly defines having a "good time" it's Van Halen. Formed in 1974 in suburban Pasadena, California, brothers Alex and Eddie Van Halen were joined by bassist Michael Anthony and vocalist David Lee Roth and set forth in creating music history. Blessed with other-worldly talent, Eddie quickly redefined the art of hard rock guitar playing via two-handed tapping and whammy bar dive bombs. Alex's drumming, rooted in the influences of Ginger Baker and Buddy Rich, was an aggressive undercurrent to the band's sound. Michael Anthony's rock solid bass playing was only overshadowed by his angelic backing vocals. And David Lee Roth's ringmaster routine; featuring high jumps and other assorted acrobatics, rounded out a band that would marry classical influences with Harlem soul to create the combustible mix that was the Roth-Era of Van Halen. After 1984, it seemed that the spirit of original Van Halen was lost forever with Roth embarking on a long solo career and the brothers starting to w