5150 was where Van Halen and I parted ways. I was never a particularly huge fan of Sammy Hagar before he joined VH, and when it was announced that he was going to be replacing DLR my initial reaction was something along the lines of "You gotta be kidding me." The first couple of singles released from that record sounded far removed from the VH I knew and loved, sounding like borderline AOR at times. So I never bothered with this album (or any of the stuff that came afterward either, for that matter).

There have been a few "Van Hagar" songs over the years that I thought were OK, but never enough to make me run out and buy any of the albums. Dorky as it may seem, I was always a DLR diehard.

When my friends and I went to see "Van Halen's Monsters Of Rock" tour in 1988, we left the venue before VH even came on.

Of course, Van Hagar went on to sell bazillions of records and is arguably the more popular/successful version of the band so what the hell do I know anyway?

"Old Van Halen, when I was in it-classic Van Halen-makes you wanna drink, dance and screw, right? And the new Van Halen encourages you to drink milk, drive a Nissan and have a relationship."

~David Lee Roth

Funny because Sammy is known for his partying ways, he just doesn't show it the same way. I was already a Hagar fan so I was willing to give this a chance and I liked it. i never expected them to be the same and was happy to have them still doing music.

I've always been a Hagar fan, I have everything he's ever done and always will so I think this album is very good. There are a couple of cheesy songs but the good songs more than make up for it. Hell, I even like the Van Hagar ballads.

Van Halen - OU812
Released May 24, 1988

Track List:
"Mine All Mine" – 5:11
"When It's Love" – 5:36
"A.F.U. (Naturally Wired)" – 4:28
"Cabo Wabo" – 7:04
"Source of Infection" – 3:58
"Feels So Good" – 4:27
"Finish What Ya Started" – 4:20
"Black and Blue" – 5:24
"Sucker in a 3 Piece" – 5:52
"A Apolitical Blues" (Lowell George) – 3:50

After the success of the 5150 tour, Van Halen headed back to EVH's home studio to record the follow up, with Donn Landee as producer once again. Since the album sold very well and was Van Halen's first # 1 album, the record label didn't push for an "outside producer" this time. The album was titled OU812. This was in response to DLR's album "Eat 'Em And Smile" and is pronounced "Oh, You Ate One Too?" and just EVH throwing a dig to Diamond Dave. The band Gang Green was inspired by the album title and named their first EP "I81B4U".

The album picks up where 5150 left off and is the most commercial Van Halen album yet. This is not Metal album, but a Hard Rock album. The best known tracks are "Finished What You Started" and "When It's Love". Of those, "When It's Love" is a good ballad and "Finish What You Started" is a GREAT track - probably my favorite on the album. While a different type track for VH, still a great song with Eddie & Sammy both playing Guitar - a perfect, fun summer track!

A.F.U was written about being on the road, while 'Cabo Wabo' was written about the Mexican resort town of Cabo San Lucas. Van Halen would eventually open up the "Cabo Wabo Cantina" in the town and Sammy would eventually start his own brand of premium Tequila, Cabo Wabo Tequila. And it is a very good Tequila - I highly recommend it if you (as Paul Stanley said on KISS Alive) "like to drink tequila!" (insert Peter Criss drum roll). Hager would eventually selll 80% of his interest in the company for $80 million dollars. Cabo Wabo is a good song, but personally I prefer the tequila to the track.

"A apolitical blues" is a little feat cover and the only cover that the Sammy era of Van Halen ever recorded in the studio. Producer Donn Landee was actually the engineer on the original recording of the song by Little Feat and suggest the band record it the same way Little Feat did, which was the band playing it live together with two mics in the studio.

While Van Halen released another great album, it is my least favorite of the Sammy era. If you are completing a VH discography, this would be the last Sammy era disc to add to your collection.

Some of the songs feel like leftovers from 5150. Some good songs but more filler then most VH.

OU812 is a pretty good follow up to 5150. I like the songs well enough but the standout for me also is Finish What You Started (maybe my favorite Hagar era tune) followed closely by Black and Blue.

This is the album I like least from Van Halen, I felt the songs where not as strong and one of the songs (Finish What You Started) has a similar riff to John Mellencamp's (Martha Say) which is cool since I like Mellencamp.

'Sucker in a Three Piece' is one of the dumbest lyrics in rock history, making David Lee Roth sound like Dylan Thomas in comparison. Their cover of the Little Feat tune 'A Political Blues' is even worse then the original which is an complishment itself.

'Cabo Wabo' is kind of cool song, but that is mainly due to the underrated Michael Anthony's backing vocals. 'Source of Infection' is also steaming pile of turd as is 'AFU' which sounds like it was left over from the David Lee Roth era.

The songs I do like are the singles, 'When Its Love' is a good pop tune as is 'Feel so Good'

'Black and Blue' is a good song despite having lyrics sound like they were written by inexperienced 13 year old who has never seen a woman naked let alone touched one.

Overall ok album but not a great album, where I liked and still liked '5150' I did not care for this one as much. Of course this album went on to sell millions of copies so what do I know. I personally would have considered this their worst album if they had not released 'Van Halen III'

I will give it another spin tonight and see if I have changed my mind

Since I was still firmly entrenched in the Diamond Dave camp at the time, I paid this album no mind at the time of release. Although I will admit that hearing 'Finish What Ya Started' had me thinking "Well, maybe it's not that bad".

It would still be a few years later before I'd go back and purchase the Van Hagar discs, but I think OU812 is a decent enough follow-up to 5150.

I knew that VH didn't write 'A Apolitical Blues', but didn't know until just a few minutes ago that it was a Little Feat cover. The HoM strikes again. Filling my mind with more usless trivia.

My fave VH of 'em all. I can't explain why really it just is.

Van Halen - For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge
Released June 17, 1991


Track listing

All songs written and composed by Michael Anthony, Sammy Hagar, Eddie Van Halen, and Alex Van Halen.
No. Title Length
1. "Poundcake"
2. "Judgement Day"
3. "Spanked"
4. "Runaround"
5. "Pleasure Dome"
6. "In 'n' Out"
7. "Man on a Mission"
8. "The Dream Is Over"
9. "Right Now"
10. "316"
11. "Top of the World"

After another successful Van Hager album and tour, the band headed back to EVH's newly remodeled and expanded studio, 5150, to record the new VH album. Sammy had wanted to call the album, simply Smurf to push the issue of censorship with the likes of Tipper Gore's PMRC. When a friend sucggested calling it "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge", Sammy backed off and that is what the album was called.

Eddie and Alex also kissed and made up with Ted Templeton, who had previously committed the ultimate sin by producing DLR. He was brought in as one of two producers 0 Andy Johns being the other.

The album was change from the past 3 albums in that the synths where used only on one song, Right Now. They were used sparingly on that song as piano was featured. The album was a return to Van Halen's Metal roots and the heaviest album they have put out since Fair Warning!

The album kicks off with EVH taping guitar picks to a drill (Racer X anyone?) to get a "cool" intro out of the song "Poundcake" - typical Sammy lyrics about his favorite part of a woman's body. They lyrics are typical Sammy, and it's all fun and good - from titles such as 'Spanked', 'In N Out' (I don't think he's talking about the burger joint) and 'Pleasure Dome' - which are all great songs!!!

Of course, the hits where the previously mentioned 'Poundcake', 'Top of The World', 'Runaround' and the mega-hit 'Right Now'.

Every track on this album is killer and this is the best Van Halen album in years!!! I played this one to death when it came out and I remember feeling that Van Halen had returned with a vengeance!!!

An interesting note, this album was released at the end of Metal's dominance of the charts and the start of the "grunge" movement, yet was another huge hit for the band, hitting number one and selling like crazy. Thankfully the image of "Crystal Pepsi" commercials is finally out of my mind!

I have to agree with the jokerman, this is an excellent Van Halen album, and all the tracks on it are all very and it was nice to see Eddie Van Halen have the guitar so high in the mix.

Hagar still was writing lyrics that made him seem like that good dog that won't get off your leg, but then Hagar never claimed to be anything more then a party rocker so it works.


Overall IMO the best album since the original line up disbanded.

I remember seeing the video for 'Poundcake' (remember those days of MTV?) and finally thinking it was about time to give Van Hagar a shot. I bought this on cassette when it was a new-ish release and it was the first Van Hagar album I purchased (used) in that new-fangled compact disc technology that everyone was talking about.

My friend Dave, who is a huge Racer X/Paul Gilbert fanatic, and I used to argue back and forth about who did the "drill thing" first or better. My argument was that Eddie was using the side of the drill on the strings and pick-ups to create unique sounds as opposed to Paul Gilbert, in Mr. Big at the time, who was using picks taped to a drill to just pick faster.

It was a really retarded argument. No wonder chicks avoided us.

Back to the album. It's a classic in the Hagar era of the band. I did play the heck outta this tape in my Sony Walkman, riding the train to and from art school. They guys were just hitting on all cylinders again with this one. No lame synths, just great playing all around and even making a social statement with the 'Right Now' song & video. Still a different beast from the DLR days, but as close to a classic as they would get with that line-up.

Glad to see Ted TempleMAN back, personally. This album is great and yeah Sammy did write a lot about err...umm...kitty but throughout his tenure in VH he did have some thought-provoking lyrics as well. His time in VH was when he was at his best lyrically & vocally IMO. Glad there was hardly any synth pop on this one.

Van Halen - Live: Right Here, Right Now
Released 2/23/93

Track listing

All songs credited to Michael Anthony, Sammy Hagar, Alex Van Halen and Edward Van Halen except where noted.
Disc 1
"Poundcake" – 5:28 (from For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge)
"Judgement Day" – 4:52 (from For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge)
"When It's Love" – 5:22 (from OU812)
"Spanked" – 5:08 (from For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge)
"Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" (Anthony/Roth/Van Halen/Van Halen) – 4:37 (from Van Halen)
"In 'n' Out" – 6:20 (from For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge)
"Dreams" – 4:49 (from 5150)†
"Man on a Mission" – 4:49 (from For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge)
"Ultra Bass" – 5:15 (Michael Anthony bass solo)
"Pleasure Dome/Drum Solo" – 9:38 (from For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge/Alex Van Halen drum solo)
"Panama" (Anthony/Roth/Van Halen/Van Halen) – 6:39 (from 1984)
"Love Walks In" – 5:14 (from 5150)
"Runaround" – 5:21 (from For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge)
Disc 2
"Right Now" – 6:13 (from For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge)
"One Way to Rock" (Hagar) – 4:58 (Sammy Hagar solo song, from Standing Hampton)
"Why Can't This Be Love?" – 5:22 (from 5150)
"Give to Live" (Hagar) – 5:39 (Sammy Hagar solo song, from I Never Said Goodbye)
"Finish What Ya Started" – 5:50 (from OU812)
"Best of Both Worlds" – 5:00 (from 5150)
"316" – 11:37 (from For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge)
"You Really Got Me/Cabo Wabo" (Ray Davies/Anthony/Hagar/Van Halen/Van Halen) – 7:58 (cover from Van Halen, originally by The Kinks/from OU812)
"Won't Get Fooled Again" (Pete Townshend) – 5:41 (cover, originally by The Who)†
"Jump" (Anthony/Roth/Van Halen/Van Halen) – 4:26 (from 1984)†
"Top of the World" – 4:59 (from For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge)

In 1993, Van Halen released their first and only live album. The title was taken from the mega-hit song "Right Now". Andy Johns was brought in to record the live album, which was recorded over 2 nights at the Selland Arena in Fresno, CA.

The album contains all the hits of the Van Hager era as well as most of the Smurf album, as the album was recorded on that tour, called the F.U.C.K 'N" Live tour. This live recording also contained 4 songs from the David Lee Roth era, which was probably a record, since Sammy and Eddie treated "Van Hager" as a different band than the DLR era. Sammy does a great job on "Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love", "You Really Got Me", "Jump" and "Panama"

Also included are two great Sammy tracks from his solo albums, "One Way To Rock" and "Give To Live" and they fit in perfectly on this Van Halen set.

The band also does a kick a$$ cover of The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again". Of course, the Alex drum solo and Eddie guitar solo are including and both are amazing!!!!! After hearing Eddie's solos for years, it is awesome to hear Alex bang out an awesome drum solo and it shows what an amazing drummer he is!!! The album was another huge seller for the band, going double platinum in the US.

As far as a live album, it is a good one and a worthy addition to the Van Halen discography. I would not include it in my top live albums of all time, which include KISS' Alive, Maiden's Live After Death, Priest's Unleashed, Cheap Trick's Budakon or Purple's Made In Japan. Still, it's a decent enough live album and worth adding to your Van Halen collection.

I have to agree with this review, not a bad live album but not a classic live album.

The band sounds great and Michael Anthony on this live recordings show why he was so important to the Van Halen sound with his backround vocals

Hagar does he decent job on the few DLR era songs but it is on his own songs that he shines and it is to be excepted that this set list is top heavy with F album since this is what they were promoting.

Overall not a bad live album and document of what I imagine to be one of their better tours with Hagar

This one is missing from my otherwise intact Van Halen discography. Overall blase attitude on live albums in general and having no desire to hear Sammy singing Dave's songs.

I've heard some cuts over the years and even owned the Live Without a Net dvd at one point, but I'll probably never own this one unless it magically falls from the sky and lands in my lap. Which, if I were given the option, would be pretty far down on the list of things I'd want to fall out of the sky and land in my lap.

How i'd get behind? Don't answer!

F.U.C.K. was called a return to form and it was good to hear the guitars up front again but it wasn't as good imo as the first two with Sammy. Things sound a little forced at times, like they were trying to be the band they used to and in my ears it didn't always work. Still, some good stuff and worth owning.
I totally agree with MG about the live album.

Van Halen - Balance
Released Jan 24, 1995

Track List:
All songs by Michael Anthony, Sammy Hagar, Alex Van Halen and Edward Van Halen.
"The Seventh Seal" – 5:18
"Can't Stop Lovin' You" – 4:08
"Don't Tell Me (What Love Can Do)" – 5:56
"Amsterdam" – 4:45
"Big Fat Money" – 3:57
"Strung Out" – 1:29
"Not Enough" – 5:13
"Aftershock" – 5:29
"Doin' Time" – 1:41
"Baluchitherium" – 4:05
"Take Me Back (Deja Vu)" – 4:43
"Feelin'" – 6:36

After the hugely successful "Smurf" album and tour, Van Halen took a break and then headed back to the studio to record the fourth Van Hager studio album and 10th Van Halen album overall. This time, the band hired one of my least favorite producers in the world, Bruce "Throw some horns in this song" Fairbairn to handle the production duties. This new alone should have made any Van Halen fan worried about the album - i.e. it wouldn't be up to Van Halen standards. Fortunately, Eddie kept a much tighter leash on him than Gene Simmons did during the recording of "Psycho Circus". Or. for once, Mr Horns understood what a established band's fan base wanted to hear (unlike, say KISS).

The album was released during after the "grunge" movement had beat up and left for dead all things hard rock and metal in the US and was Van Halen's first release following the change in the music scene. Despite this, the album debuted at number one on the charts and sold over 2 million copies. "Grunge" hadn't killed Van Halen - they kept doing what they do - released good, quality albums and the record buying public kept buying.

Overall, Fairbairn did a good job on Balance. Sonically, the album sounds fantastic. It does have that "pop" sheen to it, but still sounds great. It was recorded at both EVH's 5150 studios and at Fairbairn's Little Mountain studios.

The songs are classic Van Hager era songs. The album kept the hard rock/Metal edge that "Smurf" had, yet was more polished - most likely due to the producer's tendencies.

Best tracks of this one include the opening number, "Seventh Sign" that was originally going to be the title of the album, "Can't Stop Loving You", "Aftershock". The song 'Amsterdam' is named after the Van Halen bros city of birth, but Sammy wrote the lyrics about his favorite thing to do in that city which is visit the coffee shops. Of course, if you don't know, the coffee shops in Amsterdam do not sell Coffee. The song includes a shout out to one coffee house called "The Bulldog". Funny story - I was in Holland back in 1999 for a wedding and did the day tour of Amsterdam and saw that coffee shop (didn't go in) and had that song in my head for the rest of the trip.

The producer's signature is all over the ballads on 'Balance" adding strings. It actually works and the songs are decent.

Overall, another great Van Halen album and one worthy to add to your collection. All was still well in the "Van Hager" camp at this time and unfortunately this would be the last of the "Van Hager" studio albums.....

When I first purchased this album it did not knock me out I liked it but for the most part I was a bit indifferent to the album.

Over the years I have listened to this album and it is one of the best albums in the Van Halen discography, at least the Sammy Hagar years.

This album is a darker album and probably more to do what was going on in the band member's individual lives and then a reflection on what was going on in the music scene at that time.

Excellent album and one I will be spinning when I get home tonight

I was fully on-board with Sammy at this point and Balance was the first Van Hagar disc that I purchased brand new the week of it's release. I remember actually looking forward to hearing this new album, as by this point, Dave's solo material was in a downward spiral.

Great album and a little darker in nature than previous releases. Maybe that was their subtle nod to the grunge era that was all the rage at the time. Feel-good, party rock wasn't cool anymore. But Van Halen managed to "balance" out the darker moods with some lighter fare too. Good album that still gets regular spins from me.

Excellent album, the production is top notch here and everything is tight like the anger had them totally togehter. I find this to be much better then the previous album.

I love this album, it has killer tunes but a couple stinkers in 'Strung Out' 'Doin' Time'. I have the import version with an extra song called 'Crossing Over' which has a nod to 'Kashmir' towards the end.

Never heard that, good song.