50 Fun Facts About Van Halen

In which California city was Van Halen formed in 1972?

They built a following playing backyard parties and high-school events, drawing up to 2,000 people to city parks.

In which country were Eddie and Alex Van Halen born?

Their father Jan was a Dutch musician and their mother Eugenia was Indonesian-born; the family moved to Pasadena in 1962.

Which instrument did each brother originally play before they swapped?

Frustrated, Eddie told Alex 'OK, you play drums and I'll play your guitar.'

Which band name did the brothers drop in 1972 because a British group already used it?

They became Mammoth, then in 1973 simply Van Halen.

How did the band first get to know David Lee Roth?

Roth was an Indiana-born Pasadena transplant with a PA system the young band needed.

Which Kiss member was persuaded to see Van Halen play at Gazzarri's in 1976?

Rodney Bingenheimer made the introduction; Simmons produced an early demo.

On what did Warner Bros. reps write their letter of intent after seeing the band at the Starwood in 1977?

Mo Ostin and Ted Templeman saw them play to an almost empty room on a rainy night.

Which producer made all of Van Halen's albums up to 1984?

He also produced Montrose and Sammy Hagar's VOA, which is partly how Hagar came onto the radar.

What was Van Halen's first single, from the 1978 debut album?

It was a cover of the Kinks' 1964 hit, following the guitar solo Eruption on the record.

Which instrumental on the debut album showcased Eddie's finger-tapping technique?

On studio documents it was titled simply 'Guitar Solo'.

What RIAA certification did the debut album Van Halen eventually earn?

That means more than 10 million US copies; the band is one of only five rock acts with two studio albums past that mark.

What was Van Halen's only No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100?

Roth was uneasy about Eddie playing keyboards instead of guitar on it.

On which synthesizer was the famous keyboard riff of Jump played?

Eddie wrote the line around 1981 and the rest of the band initially rejected it.

Which album kept 1984 from reaching No. 1 on the Billboard chart?

Ironically Eddie played a guitar solo on that album.

On which Michael Jackson song did Eddie Van Halen play a guest guitar solo?

He reportedly did it for free while the rest of the band was out of town.

What is the studio Eddie built, whose name also became an album title?

The name is police code for a mentally disturbed person; the 1986 album became the band's first No. 1.

Sammy Hagar, who replaced David Lee Roth in 1985, had previously fronted which band?

Ted Templeman had produced that band's debut, and Hagar's solo hit 'I Can't Drive 55' came out the year before he joined.

How were Eddie Van Halen and Sammy Hagar introduced?

Warner boss Mo Ostin heard the new lineup and said, 'I smell money.'

How many US No. 1 albums did Van Halen record with Sammy Hagar?

5150, OU812, For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge and Balance.

Which Van Halen album won the 1992 Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance with Vocal?

Its initials spell a word the band could not put on a record sleeve.

Which film's soundtrack sessions triggered Hagar's 1996 departure?

Eddie rewrote 'Humans Being'; Hagar said he was fired, Eddie said he quit.

Gary Cherone, singer on Van Halen III, came from which band?

The 1998 album's 'How Many Say I' even had Eddie on lead vocals; Warner Bros. pushed for Cherone's exit.

Which bassist did Eddie reportedly approach in the early 1980s about replacing Michael Anthony?

Sheehan's band Talas had just toured with Van Halen; Anthony stayed until Wolfgang took over in 2006.

What was Van Halen's final studio album, released in 2012?

It was the first Roth album in 28 years and the only one featuring Wolfgang.

In which year was Van Halen inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

Neither Eddie nor Alex attended the ceremony.

What did Van Halen's famous tour rider demand about M&Ms?

It was a canary in the coal mine: brown M&Ms meant the venue probably had not read the safety specs either.

What is the name of the striped guitar Eddie built himself from parts?

He never named it himself; the case said 'Frankenstein', which Wolfgang considers official.

What did Eddie use to repaint his homemade striped guitar red in 1979?

It had originally been white with black stripes, as seen on the debut album cover.

Which guitar company gave Eddie his first endorsement deal, the Baretta, in 1982?

He later designed the Music Man EVH with Ernie Ball and then the Peavey Wolfgang.

What was the name of Roth's solo EP that spawned covers of California Girls and Just a Gigolo?

He was also offered a $20 million film deal for a script of the same name.

What was the album Diver Down rushed out in?

Warner Bros. pressure cancelled a planned hiatus.

What did the band nickname the Balance-era road trip because of all the injuries and ailments?

Hagar had throat trouble, Eddie a hip injury from avascular necrosis and Alex a neck brace.

Which two supergroups did Michael Anthony form with Sammy Hagar after leaving Van Halen?

He was the band's longest-tenured bassist, playing on the first 11 albums.

What was the source of the song title '316', which Eddie played while his son joined him onstage?

Wolfgang was born on March 16.

In which year did Eddie Van Halen die of cancer?

He was first diagnosed in 2001; a month later Wolfgang confirmed the band was finished.

Roughly how many albums has Van Halen sold worldwide?

They are 20th on the RIAA's all-time US list with 56 million.

Which two songs from 1984 both peaked at No. 13 in the US?

'Hot for Teacher' completed the album's run of MTV favourites.

Which venue in Japan gave its name to the band's first live album with Roth, released in 2015?

It captured the June 23, 2013 show.

What did the band's members do when their car broke down on the way to the Warner Bros. contract meeting?

They did not want to look like an irresponsible band.

What was the debut album's first single a cover of?

Ray Davies later said he preferred the original.

The band adopted the Van Halen name in 1973. What had it been called just before?

Roth claimed the name change was his idea, reasoning it would have lasting identity and marketing value, like Santana.

The Kiss member who produced their 1976 demo suggested renaming the band what?

The 29-track 'Zero' demo went nowhere after Kiss management decided the band 'had no chance of making it'.

Van Halen set a Guinness record with a $1.5 million fee at whose 1983 US Festival?

The 90-minute set was the highest-paid single appearance by a band, though insiders called it an artistic disaster after Roth drank enough to forget lyrics.

What was Van Halen's first hit single, from 1979's Van Halen II?

It peaked at No. 15 on the Hot 100. The band recorded the whole album in two weeks in late 1978 between tours.

Which singer from the band Scandal turned down Eddie's invitation to replace Roth?

Daryl Hall was also offered the job in 1985 and also said no, as he later confirmed to Hagar on Live from Daryl's House.

What did Warner boss Mo Ostin proclaim after hearing 'Why Can't This Be Love' at 5150 Studios?

He was right: the song reached No. 3 in the US and the 5150 album became the band's first Billboard No. 1.

Which Van Halen III track turned up on the Lethal Weapon 4 soundtrack?

The album only went Gold, poor by the band's standards, but its single 'Without You' gave them a record 13th Mainstream Rock No. 1.

In 2001, talks with which singer to front the band ended because of his reality show's schedule?

Coverdale also had to deny rumours he was being approached, saying he had always done his own thing since leaving Deep Purple.

Roth's uncle Manny owned which New York City club until 1968?

Van Halen returned there on January 5, 2012, for an intimate club gig that drew wide praise ahead of A Different Kind of Truth.

As a boy, Eddie won a piano recital contest repeatedly despite never mastering what?

He learned classical piano entirely by ear, winning the annual contest two or three years running.