Van Roth or Van Hagar?

For me, the question of "Van Roth or Van Hagar?" is easy. It's Roth all the way. I've long been a Van Halen fan, but I must - absolutely must - have David Lee Roth singing, or I'm outta here. The band released six stellar albums from '78 to '84, all with the incomparable Roth on vocals. And it's not like Diamond Dave was a great singer. No, he was competent enough, maybe even a bit sloppy in concert. But it was his presence, his showmanship. He was the perfect frontman for the world's greatest party rockers. And with a little help from his bandmates (guitarist Eddie was lead vocals before Dave came along; and bassist Michael Anthony actually possessed a strong set of pipes), the vocals were just fine for VH's brand of hard rock. 

The Van Halen brothers were so fortunate to have tripped over Dave back in the day. His over-the-top personality and charisma and wacky ways with a wardrobe helped put VH on the map. Clad in striped spandex to furry boots, and from glitter vests to bell bottom pants, Roth brought the circus to town... and he was the ringmaster. The master of ceremonies, so to speak. The voice of the band, and even of rock'n'roll - for a time. He brought a touch of Broadway and even disco to the hard rock camp. 

Hey Dave, Cyndi Lauper

called.....

The rowdy, good-time attitude of Van Halen and their music ushered in an era of decadence - an updated version of the "wine, women, and song" credo. The 80's L.A. Sunset Strip and its glam metal spawn borrowed heavily from Van Halen, including Roth's outlandish outfits. Of course, the imitators upped the ante with garish make-up and hairstyles and even wilder stage costumes. Their music could not compete with Van Halen's so they had to try harder in every other department. 

David Lee Roth's physicality was also part of the show. Part gymnast and part martial artist, Roth kicked and spun and leaped as his mates hammered their drums and guitars. Bassist Anthony and primo guitarist Eddie Van Halen followed Roth's lead and developed their own stage moves, many of which became guitar hero standards. Just watch videos of any other rock band of the 80's and tell me you don't see Eddie's trademark poses in play. 

Now.... Sammy Hagar. Hmm. Naturally, I was crestfallen when I learned that Roth was out of Van Halen after their 1984 album. I only knew a little about Hagar thus far.... probably just his I Can't Drive 55 song, and maybe a few others. Pretty good, I guess, but not terribly memorable. I was panicky about the possible demise of the band VH, so when I heard they would carry on with a new vocalist, I was filled with hope. 

When in 1986 5150 hit store shelves, and then my tape deck, I was fairly pleased with the Hagar/VH combo. It was fresh and familiar all at the same time. Hagar's voice seemed to fit in all right. But that initial enthusiasm eventually wore off. The vibe wasn't quite right. Hagar always sounded like he was forcing it, trying too hard. Van Halen's next offering, OU812, was the first and final nail in the coffin. How could the kings of rock fall so low? OU812 was terrible!

OU812 held a little interest at the outset, but at least a couple of things became apparent. The opening track lacked the Van Halen punch that every album deserved. Largely lightweight and tame, this album pitter-pattered like a rabbit in the pantry. And Hagar became very, very annoying. He simply sang too much. The ballads became tortuous with Sammy at the helm. Me no like. Whether it was Hagar's doing or not, Van Halen's sound was taking a turn for the worse. 

Sure, Eddie could still noodle like a demon, but the songwriting was weaker on OU812. There were spots of guitar brilliance, but the overall package - of each song, and of the album - was clearly a step down for the band. And Hagar's annoying whine really got on my nerves. Finish What Ya Started reminded me a little of the silly ditties on '82's Diver Down album, but at least Diamond Dave would have treated the song with more fun and flavour. 

It wasn't long until I decided that OU812 could no longer reside in my home. I sold it to some unlucky slob. Now my Van Halen collection, small as it was, became a bit purer. Oh, and 5150 eventually went out the door, too. The band's approach had changed just enough with the arrival of Hagar that I could not bear to associate 5150 and OU812  with the Van Halen name. 

Years later, when I heard For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge on a friend's CD, I discovered that at least Eddie had resumed some of his heavier edge on guitar and in songwriting. I noted some high points on that album and gave a little more credit to the band. But Hagar still bugged me. 

I've heard that 1995's Balance was a good one, but Hagar's presence scared me off. I've listened to bits of songs, but I can't get past the lead vocals. Meh. It's too bad, because I do hear some interesting things on guitar there. 

When I learned that Roth would return to the fold to record some new material for Best Of - Volume I in '96, I was overjoyed. I snapped that up without even having heard it yet. The remastered early hits packed even more crunch and wallop, but it was the two brand new VH tracks that I desired most. Those songs may not have been among the best Van Halen ever wrote, but the fact that Dave was back on the mic made up for any deficiencies. In fact, I quite like the songs; nothing fancy, but not at all bad, either. I could picture Roth strutting around in some ridiculous get-up, hollering for a big ol' party.

Get the f**k out! Ex-Extreme mic man Cherone (appears on 

Van Halen III) looks like Michael Bolton's little brother. Yeesh.

I totally missed 1998's Van Halen III. I can't explain that.... other than I must have been so immersed in Miles Davis and BT at the time to even notice that blip on the radar. Gary Cherone of the somewhat embarrassing band Extreme came aboard as lead vocalist for VH III. Maybe that was all I needed to hear. But my curiosity may prompt me to check out the album someday, just to see how it rates with the Hagar messes I'd heard thus far. 

Then fourteen long years passed. The announcement of a new Roth/Van Halen album had me twitching like a mental patient. When A Different Kind of Truth hit the store shelves in 2012, I was there in a flash. I had already warmed up for the album by watching the lead single Tattoo video online... over and over again. I liked what I was seeing and hearing. Van Halen had returned to form. Pretty much. The album is a hash of very early unreleased VH material and new tracks. If the songwriting is a bit uneven, then VH makes up for it with an aggressive and energetic performance. Many songs are good, and some are just okay, but the deciding factor for me is good ol' Diamond Dave. I think ADKOT qualifies as a comeback. 

And as for that ages old debate of Roth vs Hagar (as VH singer),  I once heard it summed up best that "Roth was a showman and a frontman, while Hagar was a singer and a musician". Simply stated, easily understood, and impossible to argue. Hagar just wasn't frontman material.... a singer, yes, but not a colourful driving force like Roth, nor a strong enough personality to lead such a legendarily rowdy band. 'Nuff said.