Tag: Eddie Van Halen

That time Nicolette Larson told me that her mystery lead-guitar player was Eddie Van Halen

By Steve Newton Today (July 17, 2024) would have been American pop vocalist Nicolette Larson's 72nd birthday. She was best known for "Lotta Love", the catchy, Neil Young-penned #1 single she recorded on her 1978 debut album, Nicolette. Sadly, the beautifully gap-toothed singer with the astonishingly long hair passed away on December 16, 1997, as … Continue reading That time Nicolette Larson told me that her mystery lead-guitar player was Eddie Van Halen

Remembering the godawful album cover that was nearly Van Halen’s debut

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JAN. 19, 2015 By Steve Newton In a story posted on the Ultimate Classic Rock website today, rock historian Greg Renoff—who has a book on Van Halen coming out this year—writes about the artwork that almost became the cover of the band's monumental debut album of 1978. Apparently, the powers-that-be at the group's label, Warner Bros., … Continue reading Remembering the godawful album cover that was nearly Van Halen’s debut

That time I asked Alex Van Halen how much longer he expected Van Halen to keep on rocking

By Steve Newton Back in August of 1995 I interviewed Alex Van Halen, legendary skin-basher for Van Halen, while the band was touring behind its Bruce Fairbairn-produced Balance album. That tour had been dubbed "The Ambulance Tour" by Eddie, due to his hip problems and Alex rupturing three vertebrae in his neck. So as the … Continue reading That time I asked Alex Van Halen how much longer he expected Van Halen to keep on rocking

Eddie Van Halen: what Steve Vai, Allan Holdsworth, Jake E. Lee, Leslie West, and brother Alex told me about “the king”

By Steve Newton One of the biggest regrets of my career in rock journalism--and there aren't that many, believe it or not--was never getting the opportunity to interview Eddie Van Halen. I did get to chat with his big brother Alex once, and he gave me a really great interview, but it just wasn't the … Continue reading Eddie Van Halen: what Steve Vai, Allan Holdsworth, Jake E. Lee, Leslie West, and brother Alex told me about “the king”

That time I asked Steve Vai if he was daunted by stepping into Eddie Van Halen’s shoes with David Lee Roth

By Steve Newton I did my first interview with Steve Vai in May of 1990, when he was just 29. He had just released his solo album Passion and Warfare, and was touring with Whitesnake, which was then basking in the glory of its multiplatinum Slip of the Tongue album. Before Whitesnake Vai had played … Continue reading That time I asked Steve Vai if he was daunted by stepping into Eddie Van Halen’s shoes with David Lee Roth

Album review: Joe Satriani, Flying in a Blue Dream (1989)

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON DEC. 15, 1989 By Steve Newton Joe Satriani is the ultimate hero for air guitarists. When he burst on to the mainstream recording scene with the all-instrumental Surfing With the Alien last year, his high-voltage attack had people everywhere going, "What the hell is that?" Not since Eddie Van Halen's appearance had … Continue reading Album review: Joe Satriani, Flying in a Blue Dream (1989)

Album review: Van Halen, OU812 (1988)

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JULY 8, 1988 By Steve Newton So this album is selling like hotcakes, eh? I hear they shipped a million copies, and are still running out at a lot of record stores. Well, I know that it's hard not to like a band that includes two stars like Eddie … Continue reading Album review: Van Halen, OU812 (1988)

Album review: Joe Satriani, Surfing with the Alien (1988)

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 3, 1988 By Steve Newton Boy, talk about a guitarist's wet dream! This Satriani guy comes up with some of the wildest, most innovative rock guitar sounds in many a day. He even makes Eddie Van Halen sound like a hacker! Okay, so maybe he's not that good. But if you want to … Continue reading Album review: Joe Satriani, Surfing with the Alien (1988)

Album review: Tony MacAlpine, Edge of Insanity (1987)

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, FEB. 20, 1987 By Steve Newton Tony MacAlpine is the recent discovery of talent promoter and Guitar Player magazine columnist Mike Varney, and what a find he is. On Edge of Insanity, MacAlpine performs 11 songs that feature him on guitar--with no vocals to get in the way--and he comes up … Continue reading Album review: Tony MacAlpine, Edge of Insanity (1987)

Album review: Van Halen, 5150 (1986)

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, APRIL 11, 1986 By Steve Newton One of the most talked about lineup changes in rock these days involves Van Halen's switch from David Lee Roth to Sammy Hagar. "Nobody could replace Diamond Dave", said some, while others pointed to the fine work Hagar did with influential metal band … Continue reading Album review: Van Halen, 5150 (1986)

Album review: Yngwie Malmsteen’s Rising Force, Marching Out (1985)

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 8, 1985 By Steve Newton Swedish guitar hero Yngwie Malmsteen has been heralded as the rock guitarist of the eighties, a successor to Eddie Van Halen and the late Randy Rhoads. And there's no doubt that Yngwie is several cuts above the typical metal guitarist. But blinding speed and technical dazzle … Continue reading Album review: Yngwie Malmsteen’s Rising Force, Marching Out (1985)

Album review: Quiet Riot, Metal Health (1983)

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MARCH 25, 1983 By Steve Newton Dedicated to the memory of Randy Rhoads, the first album by his former band is one heavy chunk of vinyl. "Metal Health", "Slick Black Cadillac", and "Breathless" are all excellent, bang-your-head crotch rockers, but the album's most outstanding cuts are the bluesy "Don't Want to Let You Go" and … Continue reading Album review: Quiet Riot, Metal Health (1983)