Right. I like much of Van Hagar, and I love Sammy as a person (from what I've seen of him, I don't know him personally! ), but as soon as I heard 5150 I knew it was over. They had plenty of success with Sammy too, but the Van Halen feel and mood was just gone. They'd become a different band.
Eat 'Em And Smile was my introduction to Steve Vai and I was immediately blown away. I was very much in the Roth camp when he split from Van Halen, especially since 5150 was so keyboard heavy and Roth already had released "Crazy From The Heat" and the resulting videos from that EP just gave you more of what you loved (or hated) from the 1984 videos. I remember the frequent war of words I would have with the other kids in high school over who was better. This band was just incredible; an embarrassment of riches. I grabbed any rock magazine that Roth and Vai were featured in and it led me to picking up Flex-Able and, eventually, "The Talas Years." Shy Boy has also won me numerous prizes from radio stations when they've done trivia asking who wrote the song, even as recent as 2 years ago. Seeing Vai in the videos also led me to picking up the guitar and I wanted that flames guitar more than anything (still do). "Tobacco Road" is my favorite song on the album. I didn't realize it was a cover until years later. I think that the only real downside of this album is how many covers there are on the album. "I'm Easy" almost comes across as a leftover from the "Crazy From The Heat" sessions. I think it would've been OK as a b-side to "California Girls" but falls short on EEAS. "Shy Boy" is an easy inclusion on the album as it spotlights Sheehan's playing and is just a barnburner of a song. Lately I've wondered if there was ever a consideration to doing a cover of "Stevie's Spanking" on the album. I think the lyrics are tailor made for Roth and would fit better on EEAS than if they tried to do it for Skyscraper, but I do wish there were more of the originals on the album (after I just asked for a different cover song and stated my favorite song is a cover). My original copies of Crazy From The Heat, EEAS and Skyscraper were all cassettes. Years later I would pick them up on CD. When I started getting into vinyl a couple of years ago, those three were on my "must have" list. Those three albums really do sound great on vinyl and can be picked up for less than $20 total for all 3. I think I found a sealed CFTH for $10. EEAS really shines on vinyl. To this day I remain jealous that one of my friends saw him on that tour with Cinderella opening. He did get me a bandana from the tour, which I still have. I actually broke it out the other day to use as a mask and I folded it just right so that from the nose down it looked perfect. It actually got a lot of laughs from people when I went out with it. I can at least try to have some fun with the times we are in right now.
I'm Easy Interestingly this track was written by Billy Field an Australian singer/songwriter who had a hit in Australia with a song called Bad Habits, and a minor hit with You Weren't in Love With Me.... I always assumed this was an old Sinatra type thing, but that was the style the Field had. This is a fun song, and stays fairly straight. I think in terms of the album it gives it a nice balance. After the great single, the wild look how good my band is song, we get Dave just singing his personality into this song, and for me it works well.
Ladies Night In Buffalo Well I am trying to figure out why all these links are Spanish/Mexican.... I assume this album was big in Mexico? Anyhow, this is another great piece of sequencing. We had the laid back feel to give the album another dimension again. The band has a nice groove going and it is a nice chord progression. Dave was always good at delivering a song ion the studio. I think Dave and Steve wrote really well together..... Vai leaves Dave space during the vocal section and colours the song beautifully with his rhythm playing and then comes in with a beautifully melodic lead break. That moves into a nice bridge that rolls back around to a fade. I think this is actually an excellent song, but I kind of assume it is considered lesser by many, as I never really hear anyone talk about it.
FZ said: "Basically this is Ahmet's song, I helped him a little bit with the words" from All you need is glove
Ha! Yeah, I guess so many French peeps don't speak very good English that a lot of it was lost in translation but those who do speak reasonable English I'd say got a real crack at it not necessarily because of the funny/offensive lyrics (and they're mostly true on the stereotype aspect but also obviously on the story telling from a Frejus show that was a circus tent-as were lots of French venues in the late 70's-early 200's) but mostly because they were honored FZ mentioned their native country in any shape or form! That was my very first FZ album that I bought in 1991. Unbeknownst to me was how ill FZ was at the time and that he'd pass away less than 2 years later and so shortly after I had became aware of his music. I kept exploring the Vai featured albums at first and remember being a bit disappointed (not knowing anything about how old he was then or how he got the gig in the first place, etc...) because I was probably expecting something closer to P&W or Skyscraper. Oh well, I have caught up big time with all of the above since then and FZ is probably the only artist I'd bring up in any conversation push comes to shove, if asked who my fave is. Wonderful thread by the way and the contributing messages are fantastic as well. My profile pic is from Halloween 2016 by the way, celebrating the 30 years release in true spirit of that astonishing band!
Well said Mark I love this album! That was my first Vai album outside of DLR stuff and I had no idea who PIL was and that Lydon was Johnny Rotten! The energy (pun semi-intended) from Rise is infectious and to me it sounds like it has not lost much of its sonic appeal and has aged real well. Music is so much fun in the sense it keeps opening doors we never suspect are there in the first place and when we open them, what a world out there to discover! I came from a "hard-rock/heavy metal" background very par for the course for a kid in his teens in the mid 80's so opening my mind up with not only new musics to get acquainted with but also new intellectual concepts to come to grasp with was to say the least mind-blowing! I am so thankful such phenomenon exists and keeps some of us from doing stupid stuff we'd be regretting having done. Anyway, i am soooo digressing, haha! "Compact Disc" as I argued with a buddy who owned "Cassette" was the same "Album" (see what I did there? ) and if nothing else encouraged me to pick up other PIL outputs ("Tokyo" being my 2nd fave).
I sort of can see what you mean by that. To me the chorus doesn't live up to the rest of the song. I mean "shyboy, shyboy.....shyboy, shyboy,......shyboy, shyboy,.....etc...." ....er? Seriously? No magic DLR spontaneous addition to that boring bit? Was a bit disappointed by that lack of glitter from anyone on the chorus, especially the track being a cover so, could have been somewhat reworked a tad more and enhanced in that department. Just my 2 cents of course, I won't turn the radio off if it ever gets played on NPR)
Absolutely right on the money with that comment Mark! I'd go a step further and claim that you can only make 1 (one) decent (not brilliant) Van Hagar album out of the 4 (and change). "Why can't this be love", "Summer Nights" and "5150" from 5150, nothing (!!!) from OU812 (ugh.....what a drag this album was and still is(((, "Judgment Day", "The Dream is Over" and "Top of the World" from F.U.C.K. and whatever is half-decent from Balance (nothing is outstanding on that either but nothing is awful either if I recall correctly). I am no big Sammy Hagar fan (the Montrose stuff is ok to me but not revolutionary) and I think he is a great guy and definitely a better technical singer but DLR is well,....DLR and no one will be another DLR ever again, warts and all!
Funny bit: first time I travelled to the US, I made a point finding a quart of that ice cream brand after buying the magazine so I could bring it back home and thought I'd be the only one to have that kind of Vai related product in my neck of the woods and beyond! I still have it somewhere at my folks' attic I'm sure!)
looks like we got a ‘Big Trouble’ clip there, Mark! As far as LNIB goes, I think it’s great. There was a tab of the solo in British magazine ‘Guitarist’, and I think it was the one with Vai on the cover with the triple-neck heart guitar. That was my first encounter with a Steve, and I was intrigued to say the least. Of course, over the years I’ve tried playing that solo, but...no chance. My fingers don’t move that fast. Its a great solo, well constructed (and it does feel ‘constructed’), with nice melodies, and a bit of flash. It’s a good song, different in style to the other songs-but then, every song on that album is different. Tight, a bit of funk, and a lyric that fires up the imagination. I’m tempted to go to Buffalo and check out the ladies...
Incidentally, there’s some nice shots of the ‘Green Meanie’ guitar above. I think someone stole it from Steve, which is a shame. I saw an article once by a guy who recreated it, with authentic stickers and everything. Pretty cool. I’ll try and dig up a link.
Goin Crazy I really love the intro guitar. It has this slippery feel and a nice melodic structure. This is one of those kind of fun songs, that probably only Lee Roth could get away with. I assume the song was inspired by the EP title. I like the layering in the mix. The synths aren't obnoxious (for this kind of track. I have nothing against synths ) . The acoustic guitar under neath adds nice texture and the song comes together really well. Vai gives us some of his easily recognised style in the lead break, but plays within the lines, and for him it is an understated, melodic lead break, that does just what it needs to do, without trying to steal the show. Another show of Vai's discipline regarding songs and structure. A very good track that keeps the album flowing nicely.
Tobacco Road Well that is really annoying .. the English version doesn't appear to be available.... Anyway, this is actually one of my favourite tracks off the album. It is just really good rock song. Nice riff, and arrangement, and it works really well for me.
Eat'em and smile is one of my favourite albums of all time. Steve's playing on it is simply amazing. Anybody knows if all cd releases share the same mastering? I mean I have the German one and the Japan disc for the USA, but both sound meh. My Japanese vinyl sounds wonderful but I'm still curious if there's any good Cd version comes close?
Those Spanish EEAS tracks are funny. They seem to be sped up a couple of bpm. Dave has to cram in a couple of extra syllables in places. The mixes are a bit...unfinished. an interesting curiosity. Did any other megastars attempt this sort of manoeuvre?
Sorry, I was short on time this morning and I just can't find a link for Elephant gun anywhere. Hopefully back in the groove tomorrow
My most humble apologies, but due to circumstances beyond my control, I will be unable to continue with the threads. It would be great if someone could take the wheel and drive this home, and if able I will participate, but unfortunately for now, it seems I am out of commission. Again apologies Cheers Mark
No apology needed, Mark. Thanks for your work. Take care of yourself and take care of your own, and come back when you're ready and able. You have my best wishes.
