Van Halen

Best of Both Worlds

Dave Out - Sammy In - Sammy Out, In - $$$

Review Score:

(8/10)
Well, well, well - very deep subject, as is the VAN HALEN saga. LISTEN...let's be HONEST...the three new songs are "not up to Van Halen Standard" and obviously were last minute thrown together attempts to cheer on a returning and triumphant, yet humble, SAMMY HAGAR. Sammy has had great moments with the band, and even greater as a solo artist in his own right - I have alotta respect for him, and like him alot. DAVID LEE ROTH will eternally be celebrated as "the voice of Van Halen", regardless of his exile to Rock obscurity, never to be forgotten, as his recordings with Van Halen have become this band's CLASSIC TRADEMARK SOUND. DAVID LEE ROTH's immense and diverse talent was equal to the sum of this band's remaining parts as a whole. HAGAR's "live" versions of ROTH's Van Halen classics are tasteless - it's just as silly as Lindsey & Stevie singing Christine McVie's FLEETWOOD MAC classics "live" on their concert tour since McVie exited too. Still, Hagar, Buckingham & Nicks have every right to interpret their respective bands' back catalogue, however insipid and uninspired they may come across in the process. The VAN HALEN brothers exibit a desire to forget the past - so much as to not include a single picture of DAVID LEE ROTH anywhere on this new compilation - and limit mention of their former lead singer's name in the liner notes. How ungracious, indifferent, ungrateful and hypocritical[This CD's liner notes ask "What happened?"]...let's not forget how you all got where you are today, and you're still making $$$ off DAVID, and because of his presence in your recording history. Van Halen should move forward, forget the past, and stop living $$$ off their pre-1986 glory days. SAMMY HAGAR will always have his successfull solo career(and much more)to fall back on. What the hell...great music here!

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