By Steve Newton Here's the last excerpt I'm gonna post from my 1995 interview with Alex Van Halen. I'd like to thank author Greg Renoff for his help in getting these audio clips to the hardcore Van Halen fans. I highly recommend his book Van Halen Rising: How a Southern California Backyard Party Band Saved … Continue reading That time I asked Alex Van Halen what the best thing was about being in Van Halen
Tag: Alex Van Halen interview 1995
That time Alex Van Halen told me which drummer first blew him away with style and feel
By Steve Newton Everybody has their favourite all-time rock drummer. Mine, for example, was the Who's Keith Moon, who won me over forever with his frenzied work on Quadrophenia. Many others point to the precise timekeeping of Led Zeppelin skinbasher John Bonham. When I interviewed Alex Van Halen back in 1995 he told me that Moon … Continue reading That time Alex Van Halen told me which drummer first blew him away with style and feel
That time Alex Van Halen told me how early on he and Eddie discovered the fascinating power of live music
By Steve Newton We've all heard the old joke before: "What do you call somebody who hangs around with musicians? A drummer." I think it's fair to say that drummers don't always get the credit they deserve. I haven't interviewed that many over the years--for the simple fact that I prefer talking to guitarists--but some … Continue reading That time Alex Van Halen told me how early on he and Eddie discovered the fascinating power of live music
That time I asked Alex Van Halen when he first knew that Eddie had the makings of a guitar legend
By Steve Newton Everybody remembers the first time they heard Eddie Van Halen. Or they should, anyway. For me it was sometime in early '78 when the band's first single, "You Really Got Me", scorched the airwaves. It was clear right away that the guy creating the six-string racket had the makings of a guitar … Continue reading That time I asked Alex Van Halen when he first knew that Eddie had the makings of a guitar legend
That time I asked Alex Van Halen which of Van Halen’s David Lee Roth-era albums was his fave
By Steve Newton If you asked me which of Van Halen's David Lee Roth-era albums was my fave, I'd probably have to say the first one. I mean, that album is pretty freakin' hard to beat. I liked Van Halen II a lot as well, but there was nothing like hearing Eddie for the first … Continue reading That time I asked Alex Van Halen which of Van Halen’s David Lee Roth-era albums was his fave
That time Alex Van Halen told me that Sammy Hagar was almost Van Halen’s first singer
By Steve Newton Everybody knows that David Lee Roth was Van Halen's first singer. But not everybody knows that he almost wasn't Van Halen's first singer. At least that's the "little dirt" that Alex Van Halen dished up for me when I interviewed him back in 1995. Have a listen: To hear my full 21-minute … Continue reading That time Alex Van Halen told me that Sammy Hagar was almost Van Halen’s first singer
That time I asked Alex Van Halen about his earliest memories of jamming with Eddie
By Steve Newton I haven't interviewed that many drummers over the years--mainly because I like talking to guitarists more--but when Van Hagar was heading to Vancouver for a show in 1995 and the opportunity came to chat with Alex Van Halen I didn't turn it down. And boy was I glad I didn't, because he … Continue reading That time I asked Alex Van Halen about his earliest memories of jamming with Eddie