JOHN LENNON vs. VAN HALEN – “Imagine A Jump” mashup by “Mighty Mike”
I love it. It’s certainly not complex but it’s brilliant how the two songs fit together, given a little fidgeting with the timing. I really like this. I never would have “imagined” (see what I did there?) these two songs fitting together like this.
One of the cool things about the internet, digital music, and computers in every home is that people can create something like this themselves. While it’s not the same as writing and recording your own original music, I think there’s a certain amount of creativity involved in envisioning a mashup this well executed.
Lennon’s vocal has been erased and we’re left with just the piano and drums from “Imagine”. Dave’s vocal from 1984 has been reduced to a capella, and it melds seamlessly with Lennon’s piano recorded in 1971. I think I will always think of one song, when I hear the other in the future.
Turn Up The Music! is a compilation by EMI Special Markets. Translation: You know those cheap CDs that they sell at gas stations? That’s what this is. It has no booklet or liner notes, it runs at a brief 35 minutes and the tracks are not remastered. However I really enjoy this CD and here’s why.
Back in ’89, I got this album on cassette. I remember going to a pharmacy store to get acne medicine with my parents and this tape was sitting in their cheapie bin. Yep, I was so cool there at the pharmacy store with my folks buying zit cream. I remember seeing a girl there from my highschool on this particular trip. I was so embarassed. I always remember that detail when I listen to Turn Up The Music!
This was my first exposure to pre-“I Can’t Drive 55” Hagar. To this day I don’t know a lot about this stage of his career but mostly because those albums are hard to find on CD, not because I don’t dig the music. I lost this tape a while ago (probably in a Thunder Bay landfill), but it’s pretty easy to find the CD version online.
I know “Trans Am” and “Plain Jane” come from the Street Machine album (one that I do have). I love these two songs. I wish Van Halen covered “Trans Am” live, that would have been something. Eddie would have gone bananas on those cool guitar slides. “Plain Jane” is just a really cool Seger-esque song, based on piano and acoustic guitar on the verses. The bass line bops along and Sammy sings awesome.
“Iceman” is kind of an odd duck. It tries to be atmospheric and bluesy but it really only sizzles during the chorus. “Run For Your Life” was my second favourite song after “Plain Jane” and I am really glad to finally have this song back in my collection again. It’s really 70’s in this cheesy/cool Journey way. In fact Steve Perry sings on it.
“I’ve Done Everything For You” is also from the Street Machine remastered CD. This song, I am 110% certain, was not on my cassette original. It could be this is an extra track. Anyway, this pop rocker was a major hit for Rick Springfield later on, apparently.
Side two of the original cassette began with “Rock N’ Roll Weekend”. This is a cool fast rocker, another one that Van Halen would have sounded awesome covering. The lyrics are your typical “Been working hard all week, now the weekend’s here and it’s time to party lyrics.” And that’s fine, there’s always time to party. If I feel like listening to something more serious I already have all the Dream Theater albums….
“Turn Up The Music” is a fun rocker with a nice tuneful riff. There’s some nice Seger-ish piano backing this one too. “Urban Guerilla” is one I never liked much for its awkward riff. As far as hard rock goes, this is as heavy as Sammy’s ever been. This one is pure heavy metal, fast and brutalizing. If only it had decent production. Unfortunately the song is tinny and the hi-hat is maddeningly annoying.
“Love Or Money” is a fast over the top rocker, catchy and memorable as hell. The final track is also quite metallic in delivery, “Reckless”. Aside from the overused title, this one is loaded with charisma. It works great as a compilation closer. An organ riff keeps it grounded inside a solid pocket.
So there you go, 10 songs, a full 7 of them being worth owning to me. Maybe there is a better compilation of this material elsewhere, I really don’t know. I do own the really cool Essential Red Collection but most of these songs are not on there. There is a CD called The Best of Sammy Hagar that has 7 of these songs, but my second favourite song “Run For Your Life” isn’t on it.
Proceed with that in mind, and purchase accordingly. The original cover of the cassette, by the way, was the same picture as the Danger Zone album cover. Weird!
DAVID LEE ROTH – Greatest Hits/The Deluxe Edition (2013 Warner CD/DVD)
Dear LeBrain readers,
I’ve been here writing reviews for the better part of 21 months now. I think we know each other well enough, you and I, that I can skip the formalities in some instances. I don’t think I need to describe in detail classic David Lee Roth recordings such as “California Girls”, “Just a Gigolo”, or “Just Like Paradise”. I’m willing to bet that with exception to the 1990’s material, most readers already know most of the songs on this album. If you happened to stumble upon later albums like A Little Ain’t Enough or Your Filthy Little Mouth, then you probably know them all.
If you’re familiar with David Lee Roth but don’t own any as of yet, then your next question is likely to be, “Is this a good place to start?” Sure, why not? Dave’s latest “hits” compilation, simply called Greatest Hits (his last one was called The Best), does the trick in most regards. It even includes Dave’s entire first solo EP Crazy From the Heat albeit not in the original running order. (1. “Easy Street” 2. “Just A Gigolo” 3. “California Girls” 4. “Coconut Groove” in case you feel like re-arranging the tracks as originally released.) “Easy Street” is an Edgar Winter Group original, and Dave has Edgar guest on his version too.
Some of the best songs are distilled from Eat ‘Em and Smile, but that’s a 5/5 star album that needs to be owned on its own regardless. From Skyscraper is “Just Like Paradise” and “Hot Dog and a Shake”, but not the single “Stand Up” interestingly enough. Present are the three singles from A Little Ain’t Enough: the bluesy “Tell the Truth,” the title track and the swanky “Sensible Shoes”. Three tracks are included from Your Filthy Little Mouth, only one of which is a head-scratcher (the reggae infused “No Big ‘Ting”) but by-and-large this an acceptable slice of Warner Brothers era David Lee Roth.
What you readers are likely to be most interested in is the bonus DVD. This “Deluxe Edition” (there’s no other edition available) includes most of Dave’s groundbreaking, genre-hopping classic music videos. The “Dave TV” segment has uncut videos for “California Girls” and “Gigolo” interspersed with Dave’s commentary. Continuing the fun are Dave’s first two “band” videos, “Yankee Rose” and “Goin’ Crazy!” along with Dave’s cast of characters. These of course includes the fabulous Picasso Brothers!
As an added bonus they also included the Spanish version of “Goin’ Crazy!” (“¡Loco Del Calor!”) which appears to be an entirely unique cut, based on the same video shoot. There are fewer costume changes and stunts, but it’s cool that Dave’s attention to detail included lip-synching an entirely separate video for another territory.
The odds and ends on this disc are pretty scarce, such as the videos for “Sensible Shoes”, “The Nightlife”, and “Tell the Truth”. None of these videos are nearly as entertaining as the colourful classics. Let’s face it, Dave’s great in front of a camera, but he’s at his best when it’s one hell of a party happening behind him.
In Canada, this is an import and I paid about $26. In the US it’s under $19 which is a much more reasonable price. For fans who don’t own anything, get this, it just makes sense to. For fans who already have all the albums, you are now forewarned that you’re buying this solely for the DVD. There’s nothing much else special in terms of packaging, although lyrics are included.
There’s been some Van Hagar bashing recently here at mikeladano.com. First there was this, and then this…some strong language here and there as well. Seems that “Hagar Bashing” has been a hobby for me for a long time. Witness this nearly decade old record store journal entry that I found.
Date: 2004/08/26 10:03
Someone should pass a law preventing Sammy Hagar from singing any old classic DLR tunes. “I got my ass against the record machine”??? Fuck you Sammy, go drink your tequila.
I kind of like that, I wish I’d worked that into my Best of Both Worlds review. “Fuck you Sammy, go drink your tequila!” I’m sure that would be considered a very professional review! Speaking of which, apparently I wasn’t too impressed with a review that I read in Bass Guitar magazine, judging by the journal entry below.
Date: 2004/08/25 00:25
I hate reading an article in a magazine, and realizing I could have done a better job than the guy who gets paid all that cash for being in a big glossy. I am reading a bass magazine, and there’s an article on Van Halen. They’re talking about how consistent Michael Anthony’s sound and style has been, and continues to be on the three new songs.
Well, if the writer had bothered doing any checking, he would have seen that Anthony doesn’t play bass on the three new songs. He in fact has nothing to do with the new album whatsoever. I would have known that, not made a mistake in the article, and in addition asked Anthony about it in the interview! I could have done a better job than this pro…and I wouldn’t even ask for a dime!
And I still haven’t made a dime! Goal achieved.
Legend has it that Sammy Hagar liked this song even though Thelonious Monster meant it to be insulting.
I’ve been hinting at this for a couple weeks now. No more teasing! For this is…THE WEEK OF SINGLES! Each day this week I’ll be bringing you reviews and images of a recent single acquisition. For the purpose of this week, EPs count as singles. First up comes one I teased you about in myOverload of Van Vinylgallery.
VAN HALEN – “Best of Both Worlds” (1986 Warner 7″ single)
Craig Fee returned with this single (among many) from Jerry’s Records in Pittsburgh. It was actually $3, not the $2 on the sticker (no big deal). About the store itself, Craig says:
Jerry’s Records in Pittsburgh has incredible online reviews for a reason. When I was last there, Jerry and I chatted about the legendary Peter Dunn’s Vinyl Museum(s) in Toronto. We laughed about the random samples of Bible verse stamped on every single record sleeve that Peter sold. It was completely over the top! Glad to hear I wasn’t the only one who WTF’d the first time I encountered it.
I asked Craig to pick up any Van Halen singles with picture sleeves that he could find. Of those, “Best of Both Worlds” has one of the least interesting covers. No pictures of the band, just a generic looking sketch of a globe and two jet planes. Not even a proper Van Halen logo to be found. This lack of anything amusing on the cover is compensated for by the exclusivity of the tracks.
The A-side is a version that I didn’t have before. It’s a 3:58 edit version of the song, chopping 50 seconds out. The edit is quite noticeable at the 1:00 mark, where the second verse is chopped out, and then replaced after the chorus. It’s into the guitar solo from there, and then the final verse. Missing is the “There’s a picture in a gallery, of a fallen angel looked a lot like you,” verse.
Van Halen never released the ubiquitous Live Without a Net home video on any kind of official audio format. Some of those songs, such as the live version of “Love Walks In” did make it onto an unofficial CD called In Concert (found at Encore Records in Kitchener). “Best of Both Worlds” did not make it onto In Concert, but here it is on the B-side. It’s live in New Haven, complete with the extended intro, bringing the track to over 6 minutes. The intro features Eddie and Sammy doing a fun call and response bit and I’m glad it wasn’t edited out for the single release. I’ll always have a fondness for the old Live Without a Net versions. Back in ’86-88 I didn’t have the money to buy every single album by bands that I liked. I didn’t have 5150, and Live Without a Net was on TV enabling me to record it. Therefore I probably know this version of “Best of Both Worlds” better than the 5150 version! It’s a little tougher, where the album version’s a tad too sterile.
I don’t mind this song. It’s not a Van Halen classic, but it’s still catchy. Unlike some of the other singles, it wasn’t keyboard based. That gave it an edge to my 16 year old self who didn’t like keyboards as much as guitars. Craig on the other hand had a different reaction to it:
“Best Of Both Worlds” is the song that might’ve been the catalyst for my divorce of Van Hagar as the logical continuation of my favourite band. The lyrics are absolute fucking cornball nonsense. Look them up. You’ll see what I mean. The Live Without A Net version on the B-side of the single brought me vivid flashbacks of those awful pink sweat pants Eddie wore onstage for the concert video. Those terrible Sammy and Mike harmonies. That cheesy walk Mike, Sammy and Ed did onstage. Sammy’s spray painting of the shoes and the accompanying ad-lib were possibly the lamest shit I’ve ever heard. Do you think David Lee Roth would’ve had a pair of fucking SHOES thrown onstage? Hell no! There’s a reason I don’t own a copy of this myself.
He does have some valid points there. Thankfully this 7″ single contains just the music, and not those cheeseball visuals! Why was Eddie so into sweat pants? I blame Sammy Hagar. For me, this was a great find and a great way to kick off Singles Week at LeBrain HQ. Check back tomorrow for another rarity! (A brand new release in fact.)
My pal Craig Feehas returned from Jerry’s Records in Pittsburgh with a bag full of goodies for me!
Craig strongly recommended a two to three day stay at Jerry’s Records should I ever find myself in Pittsburgh. That’s how much vinyl they have. He also told me that they had a whack of old Van Halen picture sleeves. I said cool, bring ’em back to me! So he did, every single one that they had. He also picked up a promo Helix 12″ single for “Wild in the Streets” on red vinyl! That and some Triumph 12″ promos, plus a surprise that I think tops them up. I think the real treasure may be David Lee Roth’s “Stand Up”, from Skyscraper — a 12″ remix vinyl single that I was previously unaware of! Pretty exciting huh? Additionally, the Van Halen “Best of Both Worlds” contains the live version from the Live Without A Net video on the B-side.
Total expenditure? $45 bones. Craig is a great shopper. Thanks man!
All of these will come in handy in the future, because they coincide with a couple different series ideas that I was already going to work on. Now, those series will be even cooler. Stay tuned.
One can indeed judge a book by its cover. David Lee Roth is hands-on with every aspect of his product, be it a photo shoot, a recording session, or an interview. He must have known his Diamond Dave album was crap, so he made a terrible cover to match it. Check out the tan, that wig and them pants! (Also notice: furry walls!)
This album, following up another aborted Van Halen reunion and the surprisingly powerful album DLR Band, switches gears and shows Dave’s “multi-faceted side”. Sure, we all know Dave likes disco, jazz, blues, showtunes, and standards. It’s Dave doing what he did very successfully on Crazy From the Heat, and trying to do so again. To make an album of this stuff would be fine, but Diamond Dave lacks any sort of zap. At all. It’s just one “who cares” cover after another, a couple crappy originals, and a Van Halen tune.
Dave’s voice just doesn’t generate the heat it once did, and all of Diamond Dave suffers for it. The way Van Halen did A Different Kind of Truth used a lot of production on Dave. Here, Roth is a whimper, a wheeze, a breathless gasp at the greatness that once was. To listen to this album in one sitting is an exersize in stamina. I know because I’ve done it.
Positives: Instrumental moments on the Steve Miller cover “Shoo Bop”. The ace rhythm section of LoMenzo and Luzier are complimented by a guitarist named Brian Young who is shit-hot on this. Then Dave goes all dance-y on it…ugh. “She’s Looking Good” is old-school and well done.
The indigestible: The Doors’ “Soul Kitchen”. Nobody needs to cover the Doors; Dave makes them sound like Smash Mouth. Hendrix’ “If 6 Was 9” has too much of Dave’s boring talking voice, but not enough crooning. His cover of the otherwise excellent Beatles number “Tomorrow Never Knows” (which he actually had the audicity to rename “That Beatles Tune”!?) sucks all the life and innovation out of a great song, as he wheezes to the finish line. This is by far the worst song, even though he also covers “Let It All Hang Out”.
There is only one number here worth owning, which is his Las Vegas version of “Ice Cream Man”. He did this shortly after Your Filthy Little Mouth with Edgar Winter, Omar Hakim, Greg Phillinganes, and Nile Rodgers! According to Dave’s autobiography Crazy From the Heat, this was recorded in a live in a video shoot. The video was never released, but the audio finally was. It lives up to the hype if not the wait.
Decide what you are willing to pay for one or two songs, and buy accordingly.
DAVID LEE ROTH / DLR BAND: DLR Band (1998 wawazat!!)
In 1998, David Lee Roth was angry. He’d been conned by Van Halen into appearing on the MTV awards with them to promote their new greatest hits, and implying that Dave was back. Dave was not back. Van Halen released the derided Van Halen III with Gary Cherone earlier in ’98, while Dave sat back waiting to unleash the DLR Band.
The DLR Band consisted of Dave himself on vocals, John 5 (yes, the John 5) and Terry Kilgore on guitar, and Ray Luzier on drums. Of course, today John 5 is well known for his work with Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie, and Ray Luzier is in Korn. Terry Kilgore had been working with Dave since 1994’s Your Filthy Little Mouth. Cover art was simple, a picture of Bettie Page over an American flag and no real indication that this was David Lee Roth. A lot of stores didn’t know either, and filed it under “DLR Band” instead of Roth, guaranteeing lack of sales.
So this was one smokin’ band, and with John 5 on board, a hot guitarist to rival the flaming fingers of St. Eddie. John 5 sounds to me like a cross between Van Halen, Steve Stevens and Tom Morello. For the bluesier sounds on the album, Terry Kilgore’s strat aptly filled the gaps. And that basically sums up the album. It goes from bluesier grooves such as “Lose The Dress (Keep The Shoes)” to space-age fast-paced VH shuffles like “Slam Dunk!” Additional guitar and writing is supplied by Mike Hartman.
Dave’s not as poetic on the lyrics this time, with “Counter-Blast” being particularly bad. I can’t think of one good song about the internet, and this is no exception. “I’m gonna fax you into the atom age”? “Your page or mine”? Sorry Dave. Stick with what you know. Hot cars, girls, a drink and some philosophy of life.
Highlights for me are many. On the faster, space-age side are “Slam Dunk!”, “Relentless”, and the aforementioned “Counter-Blast” which is great musically. On the groovier, sleezier side are “Wa Wa Zat!!”, “Weekend With The Babysitter”, and “Lose The Dress (Keep The Shoes)”. The album ends with “Black Sand”, an atmospheric sunset-stained journey. But really, there are no lowlights on this album of strong rock songs. No ballads.
The sound of the album is crisp and tight, recorded in just 10 days like the Van Halen albums of old. No gloss, no flourishes, no flashy production except in John 5’s guitars. Where this album differs most from Van Halen classics is Dave’s voice. On the old albums, Dave could hide his voice’s weaknesses behind Mike and Ed’s backing vocals. Here, Dave’s voice is naked, sometimes flat, sometimes sharp, sometimes wheezing.
Having said that, I still recommend DLR band to fans of Roth who love that attitude and hot guitar. However, if you’re expecting the man to sing like he’s 25 again, best to stick to the old albums.
One Saturday in 2002 after a long (8 hour +) shift at the record store, I went over to my friend Shannon’s house. Her next door neighbors were having a karaoke party that night and we were invited. I like karaoke, although Shannon warned me in advance that her friends didn’t have many songs I’d like. If any.
She was right. Among the Shania Twain, Meat Loaf and Grease songs were a few rockers, but her neighbors didn’t like rock. So I sat quietly and listened to some of the worst singing I’ve heard this side of Britney Spears. A little bit later on, another rocker guy showed up. For the life of me I cannot remember his name. (George? Gord? Gomer?) It doesn’t matter, because from that day forward he was known to us as Steve. Steve Perry.*
As soon as he walked in, long hair and pack of cigs in hand, I whispered to Shannon, “Does that guy not look like Steve Perry from Journey?”
Shannon turned and looked. Turned back. “Oh my God. He kind of does!”
Once Steve Perry showed up, we managed to get a little rock into the night. I dueted with him on “Jump” by Van Halen, but I was most excited to share the microphone with Steve on “Don’t Stop Believin'”. A picture was taken of this life changing moment. Incidentally, singing Journey songs in general is really, really hard! I don’t recommend it to the weak willed.
Microphone in one hand, pack of cigs in the other.
I sent the picture to My Favourite Aunt. “Doesn’t this guy look like Steve Perry?” I asked in the email.
She responded, “No. Steve Perry from Aerosmith is sexy. That guy doesn’t look anything like Steve Perry.”
I was a little ashamed that I had to explain the difference between Joe Perry and Steve Perry to my Aunt. She told me she didn’t know who Steve Perry was so she couldn’t offer her opinion on his doppelganger. However I remain convinced that my co-lead vocalist that night bore a passing resemblance to the rock great. Visually, not vocally. Vocally, “Steve” would have given Rebecca Black a run for her money.
Note: Shannon tells me that for some reason, she still remembers Steve Perry’s real name: Ed!
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