Van Halen: The Eruption and the Aftershock

Van Halen was a fresh, wild, and enrapturing rock band in the late 70s, composed of two Dutch-born brothers, a bass player with a golden throat, and a frontman with attitude and gravity-defying acrobatics. They went from headlining backyard keggers to top billing at the US Festival in five years, but imploded from the inside out. With ex-Montrose howler Sammy Hagar leading them to four consecutive number one albums, Van Halen: The Eruption and Resilience of Hard Rock Legends tells the story of how one of America's greatest bands weathered the most dramatic soap opera in rock and roll history.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 264 pages
Publication date: 06 December 2021
Publisher: Hal Leonard Corporation

In the late 1970s, the rock music landscape was plagued with the remnants of bands that had succumbed to excess partying, burnout, or complacency after achieving success. The door was wide open for something fresh, unbridled, and captivating. Enter Van Halen. Comprising two Dutch-born brothers, one on drums and the other whose guitar was an extension of his very essence, a bass player with a golden throat, and a frontman who compensated for his lack of vocal prowess with attitude and gravity-defying acrobatics onstage, they were unlike anything ever seen before.

Alex and Edward Van Halen, Michael Anthony, and David Lee Roth closed out one decade and burst into the next with a brand of music that defied categorization. It was not punk, not metal, and not subtle. Within five years, they went from headlining backyard keggers to taking the main stage at the US Festival in front of three hundred thousand people. It seemed as if there was no obstacle capable of slowing down the unstoppable rise of Van Halen. However, just when it appeared that nothing could halt their momentum, the group imploded from within, causing a seismic shift in their fortunes.

But, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Van Halen rebounded stronger than ever before, with ex-Montrose howler Sammy Hagar at the helm. Under Hagar's guidance, they released four consecutive number one albums, solidifying their status as hard rock legends.

Van Halen: The Eruption and Resilience of Hard Rock Legends is a captivating account of how one of America's greatest bands weathered arguably the most dramatic soap opera in rock and roll history. Through their songs, which became an integral part of the fabric of musicians who heard them, and an electrifying live show that was unmatched, they etched their name in the annals of rock and roll history. This story, filled with exclusive interviews with insiders, fans, and artists who were present to witness the rise, turmoil, and creation of legends, demands to be read and believed.

Weight: 370g
Dimension: 153 x 228 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781493062096