Rock n Roll Gods and Garage Band Kings
Eddie Van Halen Madison Square Garden NYC 1984
Van Halen was a force to be reckoned with from the very beginning. Eddie's guitar style was so fresh because at the time no one else had developed it. They also proved that you could lose your lead singer and still play to big arenas.
They were a hard working band from the start and would play the Palladium every two weeks on various bills before signing to Warner Bros. They were also very secretive because during their sound checks the hall was closed to everyone. I mean the maintenance man couldn't sweep up the litter until the band finished their rehearsal.
They brought new attributes to the rock arena. They brought a lead singer who could do gymnastic splits in mid air while wearing chaps with no pants underneath to cover up his cheeks. They brought a bass player who would drink straight Jack Daniels before, during and after a solo, a drummer who didn't mind playind a solo forever and a guitarist who smoked.
This band was one of the first groups to earn the status of a super group from America. They still play huge arenas around the world and it's nice to see them still rock.
