Van Halen

Artist Image: Van Halen
Attribution
Image Credit: digboston (Van Halen in concert), CC BY 2.0

Biography

Van Halen is an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. The band achieved success after the release of its debut album Van Halen (1978). As of 2007, Van Halen has sold 75 million albums worldwide and has had the most #1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, Van Halen is the 19th best-selling band/artist of all time with sales of over 56 million albums in the United States alone, and is one of five rock bands that have had two albums sell more than 10 million copies in the U.S. In 1996, the RIAA certified their debut album diamond for ten million in U.S. sales. The band is also known for the drama surrounding the exits of former members. The multiple exits of lead singers David Lee Roth, Sammy Hagar and Gary Cherone were surrounded in controversy and press coverage, including numerous conflicting press statements between the former singers and the band. Following their 2004 concert tour the band was on a hiatus from the public until September 2006, when new bassist Wolfgang Van Halen's place was confirmed and Roth reunion rumors began to re-surface, both events coinciding with the band's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction on March 12, 2007. After years of speculation, Van Halen began a tour with Roth across North America in 2007 and into 2008. On December 26, 2011, Van Halen announced a tour for 2012, and released their first album in 14 years, A Different Kind of Truth, on February 7, 2012. Born in Nijmegen, Netherlands, Eddie Van Halen and Alex Van Halen are the sons of musician Jan Van Halen, who arranged for them to have music lessons. The Van Halen brothers started playing music together in the 1960s when Eddie played classical piano and later drums, and Alex played the guitar. While Eddie was delivering newspapers on his paper route, Alex would sneak over and play on Eddie's drumset. Eventually Eddie found out about Alex playing his drum set and was so frustrated that he told Alex, "OK, I'll go play your guitar." In 1972 the Van Halen brothers formed a band called "Genesis" featuring Eddie as lead vocalist/guitarist, Alex on drums, and Mark Stone on bass. They initially rented a sound system from David Lee Roth but decided to save money by letting him join as lead vocalist even though his previous audition(s) had been unsuccessful. By 1974 the band decided to replace Stone, so Michael Anthony, bassist and lead vocalist from local band "Snake" was auditioned. Following an all-night jam session, he was hired for bass and backing vocals. The band later changed its name to Mammoth when they discovered the name "Genesis" already was being used. So in 1974 "Mammoth" officially changed its name to "Van Halen". According to Roth, this was his brainchild. He felt it was a name that had power, like Santana. They played backyard parties and on a flatbed truck at Hamilton Park. Van Halen played clubs in Pasadena and Hollywood to growing audiences, increasing their popularity through self promotion: before each gig they would pass out fliers at local high schools. This soon built them a major following. Later that year, the band got its first break when it was hired to play at Gazzarri's, a formerly famous but down-at-the-heels night club on the Sunset Strip which closed in 1996.

Details

Item Name Item Details
Year Formed 1972
Number of Albums 24
Record Label Warner Bros. Records
Website www.van-halen.com
Wikipedia Van Halen on Wikipedia
Social Networks

Genres

Hard Rock Rock

Trivia

Who was the lead guitarist of the band?

Eddie Van Halen

... energetic live shows and for the virtuosity of its lead guitarist, Eddie Van Halen . The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007...
When was the band inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

2007

... Van Halen. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007 . From 1974 until 1985, Van Halen consisted of Eddie Van Halen; Eddie's b...
How many copies did the album sell in the U.S.?

10 million

...eached No. The album 1984 was a commercial success with U.S. sales of 10 million copies and four hit singles; its lead single, Jump, was the band's on...
What song was the only number one single in the United States?

Jump

...h U.S. sales of 10 million copies and four hit singles; its lead single, Jump , was the band's only U.S. number one single. In 1985, Roth left the band...
Who was the lead vocalist for the band?

David Lee Roth

... Eddie Van Halen; Eddie's brother, drummer Alex Van Halen; vocalist David Lee Roth ; and bassistvocalist Michael Anthony. Upon its release in 1978, the...
When did Roth leave the band?

1985

...s; its lead single, Jump, was the band's only U.S. number one single. In 1985 , Roth left the band to embark on a solo career and was replaced by forme...
Who replaced Roth in 1985?

Sammy Hagar

...rk on a solo career and was replaced by former Montrose lead vocalist Sammy Hagar . With Hagar, the group released four U.S. numberone, multiplatinum a...
What was the name of the band's first greatest hits collection?

Best Of Volume I

... in 1991, and Balance in 1995). Hagar left the band in 1996 shortly before the release of the band's first greatest hits collection, Best Of Volume I ....
Who was the Kiss guitarist that funded and produced their first recording session?

Gene Simmons

...ger David Lee Roth's onstage antics caught the eye of Kiss guitarist Gene Simmons in 1977, and he funded and produced their first recording session. T...
When was Edward Lodewijk Van Halen born?

Nijmegen, the Netherlands

...ars Edward Lodewijk Van Halen was born on January 26, 1955, in Nijmegen, the Netherlands , and moved with his family to California in the early 1960s. ...
Where did Eddie move with his family to in the early 1960s?

California

... 26, 1955, in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, and moved with his family to California in the early 1960s. While growing up in Pasadena, Eddie and his broth...
Which instrument did Eddie switch to as teens?

guitar

...proved to be an early musical standout. As teenagers, Eddie switched to guitar and Alex to drums, leaving classical music behind and starting a rock b...
What was the name of the rock band that Eddie and Alex started as teenagers?

Mammoth

...o drums, leaving classical music behind and starting a rock band called Mammoth . In 1974, the Van Halen brothers hooked up with vocalist David Lee Rot...
In what year did the Van Halen brothers join forces with David Lee Roth and Michael Anthony?

1974

...aving classical music behind and starting a rock band called Mammoth. In 1974 , the Van Halen brothers hooked up with vocalist David Lee Roth and bassi...
Who was the bassist that Van Hale was a part of?

Michael Anthony

...n Halen brothers hooked up with vocalist David Lee Roth and bassist Michael Anthony to form Van Halen. Within a few years, the band, on the back of Ed...
In what year did Kiss bassist Gene Simmons find them?

1977

...lar in the Los Angeles rock scene. Early Success The band got a break in 1977 when Kiss bassist Gene Simmons discovered them at a local club and finan...
In what year did he cofounded the band van Halen with his brother?

1972

...tarist and keyboardist of the rock band Van Halen, which he cofounded in 1972 with his brother, drummer Alex Van Halen, alongside bassist Mark Stone a...
What was Van Halen's brother's name?

Alex

...ther family members in Pasadena, California, where Eddie and his brother Alex attended a segregated elementary school. Since the boys did not speak En...
What technique allowed rapid arpeggios to be played with two hands on the fretboard?

tapping guitar solo technique

...yers in rock history and was well known for popularizing the tapping guitar solo technique , allowing rapid arpeggios to be played with two hands on th...
Where did the family eventually settle?

Nijmegen, Netherlands

...ith two hands on the fretboard. The family eventually settled in Nijmegen, Netherlands . After experiencing mistreatment for their mixedrace relationsh...
Where did Eddie and his brother Alex live?

Pasadena, California

...y to the U.S. in 1962. They settled near other family members in Pasadena, California , where Eddie and his brother Alex attended a segregated elementa...
Who was Van Halen's piano teacher?

Stasys Kalvaitis

...from Pasadena to San Pedro to study with an elderly piano teacher, Stasys Kalvaitis . Van Halen was never taught to read music; instead, he watched rec...
Where was the annual piano competition held?

Long Beach City College

...tched recitals of Bach or Mozart and improvised. Between 1964 and 1967, he won first place in the annual piano competition at Long Beach City College ....
When did Eddie and Alex van Halen turn to rock music?

soon after their family emigrated from the Netherlands to southern California in the 1960s

...an Halen turned to rock music soon after their family emigrated from the Netherlands to southern California in the 1960s . In time Eddie, a drummer, an...
Who financed the demo for the band Van Halen?

Gene Simmons of Kiss

... and Alex, a guitarist, switched instruments. A demo financed by Gene Simmons of Kiss led to their bands critically acclaimed debut album, Van Halen (...
What year was Halen released?

1978

... of Kiss led to their bands critically acclaimed debut album, Van Halen ( 1978 ), which eventually sold more than 10 million copies in the United States...
Who replaced Roth in 1996?

Gary Cherone

...Roth returned briefly but was replaced by former Extreme lead singer Gary Cherone . Cherone was greeted with dismal album sales and lukewarm fan respon...
What album did Van Halen release in 2004?

The Best of Both Worlds

...ormer frontmen, Van Halen released the greatest hits collection The Best of Both Worlds (2004) and recruited Hagar for a North American tour. In 2006 ...
Who was the one constant draw for fans throughout the years?

Guitarist Edward Van Halen

... Guitarist Edward Van Halen was the one constant draw for fans throughout the years, as the band went through three different singers who brought varyi...
Who played saxophone and clarinet in jazz bands?

Jan Van Halen

...ith yet another change in style and musical direction. Their father, Jan Van Halen , played saxophone and clarinet in jazz bands, and encouraged his so...
When did the Van Halen brothers form their first band?

1965

...nd clarinet in jazz bands, and encouraged his sons interest in music. In 1965 , the Van Halen brothers formed their first band, the Broken Combs, when ...
How old was Eddie when he formed the Broken Combs?

11

...rst band, the Broken Combs, when Alex was just 13 years old and Eddie was 11 . Eddie played piano and Alex played saxophone in the Broken Combs lunchro...
What did Eddie buy with money he made on his paper route?

a drum set

...hool. A year after they formed their first band, Eddie decided to buy a drum set with money he made on his paper route. At the same time, Alex bought ...
Who is Eddie Van Halen second to?

Jimi Hendrix

...former Eddie Van Halen is generally considered to be, second only to Jimi Hendrix , one of the most influential, original and talented rock guitarists ...
Who was Eddie Vanhale's mother?

Eugenia Van Beers

...an accomplished saxophone and clarinet musician. Eddies mother was Eugenia Van Beers , who was born in Indonesia in 1914. The family moved to the U.S.A...
Where was Eugenia Van Beers born?

Indonesia

...larinet musician. Eddies mother was Eugenia Van Beers, who was born in Indonesia in 1914. The family moved to the U.S.A. in 1962 and settled near othe...
What instrument did Alex play better than Eddie?

drums

...hers switched instruments, a wise move because Alex became better at the drums than Eddie, and Eddies prowess and fame as a rock guitarist is legendar...
What rock guitarists influenced Eddie's development as a guitarist?

Eric Clapton and Jimmie Page

...uitarist is legendary history. Hard rock guitarists, such as Eric Clapton and Jimmie Page , influenced the development of Eddie as a guitarist. However...
What is Eddie's career?

Stage and Screen Performer

... Stage and Screen Performer Eddie Van Halen is generally considered to be, second only to Jimi Hendrix, one of the most influential, original and talen...
What genre of music did Van Halen create in the late '70s and early '80s?

hard rock and heavy metal

...e '70s and early '80s, and in the process set the template for hard rock and heavy metal for the '80s. Throughout the '80s, it was impossible not to h...
When was Hagar fired or quit?

As the group prepped a greatesthits album

...st as tensions between Hagar and Eddie began to arise. As the group prepped a greatesthits album , Hagar was fired (or quit) and Roth was brought back ...