Van Halen (album)
Encyclopedia
Van Halen is the debut studio album
by American rock
band Van Halen
, released in February 1978.
, it gives Van Halen two original albums with Diamond status
in sales. At 35 minutes, it is the longest album in the David Lee Roth
era.
The album cover was shot at the Whisky a Go Go
. The guitar pictured on the cover of the album is Edward Van Halen's famous Frankenstrat
Guitar, made from a neck purchased from Boogie Bodies and a Stratocaster style body custom made by Wayne Charvel
in California
and assembled in Edward's parents' garage.
In 2003, the album was ranked number 415 on Rolling Stone
magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time
.
In 2006, Guitar World
readers ranked it 7th on a list of the Greatest Guitar Albums of All Time.
In the band's licensed game, Guitar Hero: Van Halen
, nine of the eleven tracks of this album are available for play; only "Little Dreamer" and "On Fire" do not appear in the game.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by American rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Van Halen
Van Halen
Van Halen is an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. The band has enjoyed success since the release of its debut album, Van Halen, . As of 2007 Van Halen has sold 80 million albums worldwide and has had the most #1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart...
, released in February 1978.
History
Recorded in 1977, Van Halen sold over 10 million copies in the US alone, becoming one of the most successful debuts by a rock band. Along with 19841984 (Van Halen album)
1984 is the sixth studio album by American hard rock band Van Halen. One of the band's more popular albums , 1984 is to date the final album featuring singer David Lee Roth before he left the band in the spring of the following year.-Background and recording:Eddie Van Halen,...
, it gives Van Halen two original albums with Diamond status
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
in sales. At 35 minutes, it is the longest album in the David Lee Roth
David Lee Roth
David Lee Roth is an American rock vocalist, songwriter, actor, author, and former radio personality. Roth was ranked nineteenth by Hit Parader on their list of the 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Singers of All Time....
era.
The album cover was shot at the Whisky a Go Go
Whisky a Go Go
The Whisky a Go Go is a nightclub in West Hollywood, California, United States. It is located at 8901 Sunset Boulevard, on the Sunset Strip.-History:...
. The guitar pictured on the cover of the album is Edward Van Halen's famous Frankenstrat
Frankenstrat
Frankenstrat is a guitar created by Eddie Van Halen.-Overview of the Frankenstrat:The Frankenstrat represented Van Halen's attempt to combine the sound of a classic Gibson guitar with the physical attributes of a Fender. It was originally made from an ash Stratocaster body, with pickup routing that...
Guitar, made from a neck purchased from Boogie Bodies and a Stratocaster style body custom made by Wayne Charvel
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and assembled in Edward's parents' garage.
In 2003, the album was ranked number 415 on Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time
The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
"The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" is the title of a 2003 special issue of American magazine Rolling Stone, and a related book published in 2005.Related news articles:...
.
In 2006, Guitar World
Guitar World
Guitar World is a monthly music magazine devoted to guitarists. It contains original interviews, album and gear reviews and guitar and bass tablature of approximately five songs each month. The magazine is published 13 times per year...
readers ranked it 7th on a list of the Greatest Guitar Albums of All Time.
In the band's licensed game, Guitar Hero: Van Halen
Guitar Hero: Van Halen
Guitar Hero: Van Halen is the third and final band-specific rhythm video game in the Guitar Hero series. As with the previous games Guitar Hero: Aerosmith and Guitar Hero: Metallica, the game features 25 songs from Van Halen along with 19 additional songs from selected artists that have been...
, nine of the eleven tracks of this album are available for play; only "Little Dreamer" and "On Fire" do not appear in the game.
Track listing
Band members
- David Lee RothDavid Lee RothDavid Lee Roth is an American rock vocalist, songwriter, actor, author, and former radio personality. Roth was ranked nineteenth by Hit Parader on their list of the 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Singers of All Time....
– lead vocals, acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
on "Ice Cream Man" (credited as David Roth) - Eddie Van HalenEddie Van HalenEdward Lodewijk "Eddie" Van Halen is a Dutch-American guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter and producer, best known as the lead guitarist and co-founder of the hard rock band Van Halen, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, backing vocals - Michael Anthony – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals - Alex Van HalenAlex Van HalenAlexander Arthur "Alex" Van Halen is a Dutch-born American musician, best known as the drummer and co-founder of the hard rock band Van Halen. Originally, his brother Eddie had taken lessons for drums, while Alex practiced guitar...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Production
- Producer: Ted TemplemanTed TemplemanTed Templeman is an American record producer.-Career:He began his career in the mid 1960s in the Santa Cruz area as a drummer in a band called The Tikis. At the suggestion of Lenny Waronker, the group decided to change their name. Harpers Bizarre was born in 1966, with Templeman switching to...
- Engineers: Donn Landee, Peggy McCreary, Kent Nebergall, Logan Jervis
- Project coordinator: Jo Motta
- Art direction: Dave Bhang
- Design: Dave Bhang
- Photography: Elliot Gilbert
- Typesetting: Jodi Cohen
Album
Billboard (North America)| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Pop Albums | 19 |
| 1984 | The Billboard 200 | 117 |
Singles
Billboard (North America)| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | "You Really Got Me" | Pop Singles | 36 |
| 1978 | "Runnin' with the Devil Runnin' With the Devil "Runnin' with the Devil" is a rock song and the first track from Van Halen's 1978 eponymous debut album. The song lyrics were inspired by the Ohio Players song "Runnin' from the Devil". In 2009 it was named the 9th greatest hard rock song of all time by VH1.... " |
Pop Singles | 84 |
| 1978 | "Jamie's Cryin' Jamie's Cryin' "Jamie's Cryin" is a song by Van Halen from their 1978 debut album, Van Halen. The song was written and recorded live during the three week sessions for the album. The song discusses a woman who meets a man that only wants a one-night stand. She turns him down, but is sad for what might have been... " |
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| 1978 | "Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love "Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love" is a song by Van Halen, from their 1978 eponymous debut album.When Eddie Van Halen originally wrote the song a year before the album was released, he did not consider it good enough to show his bandmates.... " |
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