The 500 - #415 - Debut - Van Halen (Part Two)

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

Album # 415

Album Title: Debut (Self-Titled)
Artist: Van Halen
Genre: Hard Rock, Heavy Metal
Recorded: Sunset South Recorders, Hollywood, California
Released: February, 1978
My age at release: 12
How familiar was I with it before this week: Very
Song I am putting on my Spotify Mix: Runnin' with the Devil

Part Two--About a week ago, as I was thinking about this blog post, a friend of mine Glen "Archie" Gamble posted (below) an incredibly cool picture of Van Halen from this era. It was captioned "When Gods Walked The Earth" and those feelings of star-struck awe from my youth returned in a flash. I reached out to him to share some thoughts on the band. He is a writer, traveller, music fan and has been a professional drummer for 30+ years. He is also host of the YouTube Travel-Vlog The Gamble Ramble I knew he would have an interesting perspective.

Van Halen's original Late 70s/Early 80s line-up

It was the summer of 1978 and, despite being only ten, I was quickly burgeoning into a dedicated fan of music. At that time, the band KISS ruled my turntable and, almost obsessively, my life. One day, a school chum I knew only vaguely invited several of us to his house to hear a band that he proclaimed "...better than KISS".

"Better then KISS!?" "Blasphemy!" KISS was the hottest band in the world in 1978 and had been at the forefront of my every waking thought every day of that scorching summer in Brantford, Ontario. I wanted to laugh off the suggestion and walk away, but the prospect of a cool, air-conditioned basement was too appealing. I'd humour him.

Kiss (Original Line Up)

As the needle dropped on the first side of the record, an uneasy feeling crept over me. The sound of a massive group of car horns (tuned to A-440 Hz) began to hum through the speakers, slowly, the sound dipped to an E tuning and the car horn symphony was supplanted with a eight throbbing bass pulses. I was riveted, fully attuned to the "bottom-end" attack on the speakers, when a sprite-like "plink" as a pick scraped the strings on the headstock of a guitar made the hair on my arms stand on end.  

Then the drums steamed in, full force, with a mighty kick/snare introduction, and we were off to the races. As this sonic shockwave rolled over me, the voice of a true Rock & Roll god graced my ears...but wait...this wasn't singing in the traditional sense? It sounded like the wail of a half-drunk lion living on a diet of Jack Daniels, Marlboros and Cheeseburgers. "Who IS this guy?" I thought as I grabbed for the album cover. The "lion" in question...David Lee Roth...one-part Jim Dandy and two-parts "Rat-Pack" crooner...shaken, not stirred. 

As the song continued to play, I stared at the record cover, mouth agape. With the confusion of adolescent loyalty racing through my brain, I began to embrace it. "Was my school chum right? Am I listening to my new favourite band?" 

"I live my life like there's no tomorrow!" The incredible opening lyrics to the band's first original hit Runnin' With The Devil. But, it wasn't just the words he sang. It was the perfectly timed screams and his impossibly perfect heavy-metal take on jazz style scat-singing that made his vocal delivery so remarkable. 

I fought it, fiercely. I had to. How can ANYTHING be better than KISS?! But, the Panzer like assault of sonic waves continued from this basement stereo. The next song, Eruption, gave me pause.

"There is no way that is a guitar player!" I confidently announced to my friends.

They quickly agreed, after all, I was the musician in our group.
"It's got to be a keyboard or something..." I proclaimed as this musical assault of lightning fast melodic scales continued to pound us all into aural submission.

I would soon learn I was wrong. It was not a keyboard...but a fretboard...masterfully played by Edward Van Halen, perhaps the greatest guitarist in the world, credited with revolutionizing the instrument with his finger-tapping virtuosity.

Yep...in that cool, dark basement in 1978, I split my allegiance from the KISS Army and shared active duty in the Van Halen Corps. 

Signed, Sealed & Delivered and Reporting for Duty, Sir.

Glen "Archie" Gamble