Alex Van Halen

ChrisD said:
Alex has been a big influence on me.I found after "1984" however that he started doing the same fills on all most of the albums.His best work was on "Van Halen 2" and "1984" I think.

I think that is a pretty fair assessment. Actually a lot of us Van Halen fans really lost interest with Van Hagar. I think all those Dave albums were much different overall for the whole band, and not just because Sammy took over. With 5150 and OU812 (Hagar) era, they just went in a different direction. After that, I really just stopped listening. I would have liked to have seen them live with Hagar singing the early album stuff, since I like his voice better than Dave's, but for some reason, I'm thinking he wouldn't pull it off convincingly. Anyone seen Haggar sing the old stuff live?

I think Van Halen I, and 1984 are two of the best Rock and Roll albums ever recorded, not for the drumming, but just for the overall quality of most every song.
 
Stu_Strib said:
I think that is a pretty fair assessment. Actually a lot of us Van Halen fans really lost interest with Van Hagar. I think all those Dave albums were much different overall for the whole band, and not just because Sammy took over. With 5150 and OU812 (Hagar) era, they just went in a different direction. After that, I really just stopped listening. I would have liked to have seen them live with Hagar singing the early album stuff, since I like his voice better than Dave's, but for some reason, I'm thinking he wouldn't pull it off convincingly. Anyone seen Haggar sing the old stuff live?

I think Van Halen I, and 1984 are two of the best Rock and Roll albums ever recorded, not for the drumming, but just for the overall quality of most every song.

Actually, I have their "Best of Both Worlds" album, and it's great. Although, Sam Hagar doesn't do very good with the David Lee Roth songs. I think I just like Diamond Dave better. :p Also, I'm pretty sure from the concert footage I've seen of the Reunion Tour, the only reason Van Hagar wouldn't do very good, is because, he just doesn't have the spirit and flamboyance of David Lee Roth. I still like Hagar though.."5150" was his best album with them. Also, I think I like "Women and Children First", second to "1984".
 
Drummer_Boy said:
Actually, I have their "Best of Both Worlds" album, and it's great. Although, Sam Hagar doesn't do very good with the David Lee Roth songs. I think I just like Diamond Dave better. :p Also, I'm pretty sure from the concert footage I've seen of the Reunion Tour, the only reason Van Hagar wouldn't do very good, is because, he just doesn't have the spirit and flamboyance of David Lee Roth. I still like Hagar though.."5150" was his best album with them. Also, I think I like "Women and Children First", second to "1984".

You don't think Van Halen I was the best ever????
 
Well Van Halen 1 was very influential, it'd probably be my 3rd favorite album from Van Halen. It was pretty much the first rock album to just kick Punk and Disco's butt...I like all their albums though. =P
 
Drummer_Boy said:
Well Van Halen 1 was very influential, it'd probably be my 3rd favorite album from Van Halen. It was pretty much the first rock album to just kick Punk and Disco's butt...I like all their albums though. =P

Along with Highway to Hell.
 
Who said Tommy Lee was better than Alex Van Halen, that was a joke right?

Anyways, I really think Alex is a good drummer, both in showmanship and musicianship.
A great example of his style is on the track Girls Gone Bad off of 1984.

I saw Van Hagar in concert and he did a little solo, not nessesarily the most inventive but technicaly I'd say it was pretty good.

Also, love love love his use of Rotos and those octoban thingys

He's not the greatest drummer every but Van Halen wouldn't have been half the band (or (guess 3/4) without him.
 
LOL yeah, I don't see how Tommy Lee could be better than Alex Van Halen. But, Tommy Lee is alright. He's just popular since he was in Motley Crue, a hair metal band in the 80's.
 
this guys reel good. i love his octobans on the dvd. really cool solo.
 
solid rock drummer, definitely...hot for teacher, definitely his showpiece...roth vs hagar, love 'em both, for different reasons, (cherone, ummm....no). alex vs. tommy lee, tommy was more diverse in his chops, i think. apples and oranges, mostly.

one thing i don't care for is alex's signature over-wash, from all his cymbals. i say signature because i can pick out unfamiliar van halen tunes by it. that "wall of sound" crap should have died with phil spector's career....

hehe, read in an interview with eddie that he and alex switched places (alex was guitar player originally) because alex could play "wipeout" and eddie couldn't. what a different world it would be if it was the other way around eh?
 
Hot for Teacher was definitely a huge moment for Alex. People are STILL trying to figure it out. I just wish Alex did drum clinics!!

His solo on Live without a net is awesome.
 
Re: Alex Van Halen Reply:

I have always loved Alex's style and especially the huge customized Ludwig kits. Did you know that Alex actually started their career playing with a Tama Crystar "acrylic" drum outfit? Then eventually switched to Ludwig..Even though his main sets are Ludwig, he has used North Toms, even Straccotto toms as well just to give his kit a different sound plus the blend of a futuristic work. The octa-bons that he uses are very cool looking and sounding, were are made by Pearl. If you notice there is no Ludwig small classic lugs.
On ALEXS Black/White Pattern "F" Verical Bar Rainbow Vistalite set the you will notice a few of the larger drums (bass drums and few larger rack toms as you don't see the stripes on the inner side of the toms or bass drums) were coated with what they call Vibrafibing. It is a coating that help project the sound, reinforces the interior of the drum shell especiall when they have multiple seams like the Vertical Bar sets which I've repaired many from seam cracks and replacing several panels in various sized drums, it was design that was very attractive but it had some real problems with staying togather..I think they should have discarded it from production, but then, what other patterns could you have came up with? Some of the toms were originally double headed and some were not. I personally would like to know how they packed away those huge bass drums after a concert.
Alex uses a hammered brass and bronze 6.5"x14" Ludwig Supersensitive snare drum. He tunes it to what he calls the brown sound. Every drummer is different
...
Alex will always rock!!! - Don't knock the man - He is a musician not a superstar!!
Do you think it's easy comming up with different beats, solos, ect. for each new song or remember the older ones? Put yourself in his shoes. I don't think so....
 
Re: Alex Van Halen Reply:

midwestrecovering said:
I have always loved Alex's style and especially the huge customized Ludwig kits. Did you know that Alex actually started their career playing with a Tama Crystar "acrylic" drum outfit? Then eventually switched to Ludwig..Even though his main sets are Ludwig, he has used North Toms, even Straccotto toms as well just to give his kit a different sound plus the blend of a futuristic work. The octa-bons that he uses are very cool looking and sounding, were are made by Pearl. If you notice there is no Ludwig small classic lugs.
On ALEXS Black/White Pattern "F" Verical Bar Rainbow Vistalite set the you will notice a few of the larger drums (bass drums and few larger rack toms as you don't see the stripes on the inner side of the toms or bass drums) were coated with what they call Vibrafibing. It is a coating that help project the sound, reinforces the interior of the drum shell especiall when they have multiple seams like the Vertical Bar sets which I've repaired many from seam cracks and replacing several panels in various sized drums, it was design that was very attractive but it had some real problems with staying togather..I think they should have discarded it from production, but then, what other patterns could you have came up with? Some of the toms were originally double headed and some were not. I personally would like to know how they packed away those huge bass drums after a concert.
Alex uses a hammered brass and bronze 6.5"x14" Ludwig Supersensitive snare drum. He tunes it to what he calls the brown sound. Every drummer is different
...
Alex will always rock!!! - Don't knock the man - He is a musician not a superstar!!
Do you think it's easy comming up with different beats, solos, ect. for each new song or remember the older ones? Put yourself in his shoes. I don't think so....


Wow, you're more of an AVH addict than I am. LOL
 
I must admit, AVH was definately one of my bigger influences in the 80's. Still is I guess.
He is in my top 5, along with Neil Peart (my No.1) , Bonzo, Jeff Porcaro and Tre Cool, all of them for different reasons, but that's a personal view, everyone's would & should be different, as is everyone's tastes.

I think trying to compare or rate one drummer against another is a waste of time and is unfair to the drummers in question. They aren't in competition with each other, they have to fit the band and the style of music they play.

As I live in Australia, I have only had 1 chance to see VH live, in 98, with Gary Cherone....yes....I know....what a mistake. But the band ROCKED, AVH was great, with EVH and MA going nuts together, truely amazing outfit.
 
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AVH is a great drummer although we haven't seen him do astonishing chops or whatever, he is great for the music they play and sometimes comes up with sweet little patterns.

Undeniably the drumkit he had in the "jump" video was one of the best I've ever seen....better than Bozzio's in my opinion
 
I used to think the same thing about Bobby Blotzer but then I listened to a solo that he did for Yamaha and, believe it or not, he was actually very good. Not saying I like him more or less than Alex, but he's probably underrated as a player.

Bonzo said:
HAHAHAHA!!! Tommy Lee? Tico Torres? Bobby Blotzer? For cryin' out loud! You need to get out and see some drummers, my friend!
 
Alex Van Halen Sticks ROCKS! 17 5/8'' long! whoa, just too long. but i love to play with these sticks!
 
Crazy said:
AVH is a great drummer although we haven't seen him do astonishing chops or whatever, he is great for the music they play and sometimes comes up with sweet little patterns.

Undeniably the drumkit he had in the "jump" video was one of the best I've ever seen....better than Bozzio's in my opinion

Actually his 1984 album has some great chops. I have seen him live, and he can do plenty. There are not too many drummers you could name in the rock world that Alex could not equal. And that means double kick work as well.
 
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