Brian Young | Melomane Blog

Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 10th October!

David Lee Roth (Van Halen)

Mr. David Lee Roth was born on the 10th October 1955. The American singer was and is again the lead vocalist of the hard rock band Van Halen. Roth is also known as a successful solo artist and as a radio personality with his show „The David Lee Roth Show„, a short-lived morning radio program in 2006, which was aired in seven markets on CBS-owned-and-operated stations in the USA.

In 1972 David Lee Roth met the Van Halen brothers Eddie and Alex who had a band called Genesis. Bass player Michael Anthony completed the line up and shortly after that they changed the group name into Mammoth. In 1974 Roth suggested to change the name again – into Van Halen. Under the new moniker the quartet performed in several clubs in Pasadena and Hollywood and they became famous in California, especially in and around Los Angeles.

In 1977 Gene Simmons of Kiss produced a demo tape but Van Halen didn’t succeeded. Shortly after that Mo Ostin and Ted Templeman of Warner Bros. Records attended a Van Halen show at the Starwood in Hollywood and they were deeply impressed by the performance and offered the band a recording contract. In September/October 1977 Van Halen recorded their self titled debut at Sunset Sound Recorders studio, which was released in February 1978 and reached Nor. 19 on the Billboard charts. It features classics like „Runnin‘ with the Devil“ and the outstanding guitar solo „Eruption„, which showcased Eddie’s use of a brandnew technique at that time – the so-called „finger-tapping“. In 1979 the follower „Van Halen II“ with the hit single „Dance the Night Away“ hit the stores. With the albums „Women and Children First“ (1980), „Fair Warning“ (1981) and „Diver Down“ (1982) the fanbase grew bigger and bigger. The LP „1984“ marks Van Halen’s big breakthrough. The single „Jump“ went No. 1 and also the other three outtakes „Panama„, „I’ll Wait“ and „Hot for Teacher“ charted. Due to personal tensions David Lee Roth decided to leave the band on the 1st April 1985 and started his successful solo career featuring his big hits „California Girls“ and „Just like Paradise“ (from the album „Skyscraper„) and „Just a Gigolo“ right after leaving Van Halen.