Van Halen II
Today's entry in my album/song series will be the 1979 sophomore album from my favorite band, Van Halen. I will discuss the great songs on this album, but more interesting is the liner notes on the record, and their connection to Madison, Wisconsin.
Van Halen had released their debut album in 1978, and it blew minds and speakers across the country. Eddie Van Halen's guitar playing was the reason. No one had heard playing quite like that, and that continued on with their second album.
Van Halen II has so many wonderful, melodic, and impressive guitar riffs, as well as terrific vocals by David Lee Roth and Michael Anthony, and of course Alex Van Halen's booming drum sounds. The big hits on the album were "Dance The Night Away," "Somebody Get Me A Doctor," and "Beautiful Girls." Eddie's playing shines on every single track, and favorites of mine are "Light Up the Sky" and "D.O.A."
In 1978, the band went out on it's first tour, playing with Journey. They were scheduled to play their 4th show in Madison, Wisconsin, but there wasn't enough room for three bands to play at the venue, so VH got the night off, and ended up staying at the Sheraton Inn for several nights. Now, a young and rowdy rock band that doesn't have a show to play starts to get restless, so they start to party, and party, and party. Drugs and alcohol were a major part of this scene, as well as members from other bands, local writers, and special guests.
According to the band's manager, Noel Monk, they had already started to trash and basically destroy hotel rooms early on in their tour. Well, the Sheraton in Madison was the same, but several nights worth. An extreme amount of ketchup was put all over the walls, floor, ceiling, and any ladies that happened to walk into the hotel rooms. (These ladies/groupies were known as the Ketchup Queens.) Many items were thrown out windows, or smashed. After Noel met with the manager of the hotel, who asked "How bad is it?", the band agreed to pay for all of the damages, and the hotel actually asked the band to come back again.
So, in the "Thank you" section of the liner notes of Van Halen II, the band thanks The Sheraton Inn (seventh floor) in Madison, Wisconsin. Every time friends and I would drive by the Sheraton on the way to a show, we would remember that one of the greatest bands of all time destroyed the top floor there.
Side 1:
You're No Good
Dance the Night Away
Somebody Get Me A Doctor
Bottoms Up!
Outta Love Again
Side 2:
Light Up the Sky
Spanish Fly
D.O.A.
Women In Love...
Beautiful Girls
Van Halen II
Today's entry in my album/song series will be the 1979 sophomore album from my favorite band, Van Halen. I will discuss the great songs on this album, but more interesting is the liner notes on the record, and their connection to Madison, Wisconsin.
Van Halen had released their debut album in 1978, and it blew minds and speakers across the country. Eddie Van Halen's guitar playing was the reason. No one had heard playing quite like that, and that continued on with their second album.
Van Halen II has so many wonderful, melodic, and impressive guitar riffs, as well as terrific vocals by David Lee Roth and Michael Anthony, and of course Alex Van Halen's booming drum sounds. The big hits on the album were "Dance The Night Away," "Somebody Get Me A Doctor," and "Beautiful Girls." Eddie's playing shines on every single track, and favorites of mine are "Light Up the Sky" and "D.O.A."
In 1978, the band went out on it's first tour, playing with Journey. They were scheduled to play their 4th show in Madison, Wisconsin, but there wasn't enough room for three bands to play at the venue, so VH got the night off, and ended up staying at the Sheraton Inn for several nights. Now, a young and rowdy rock band that doesn't have a show to play starts to get restless, so they start to party, and party, and party. Drugs and alcohol were a major part of this scene, as well as members from other bands, local writers, and special guests.
According to the band's manager, Noel Monk, they had already started to trash and basically destroy hotel rooms early on in their tour. Well, the Sheraton in Madison was the same, but several nights worth. An extreme amount of ketchup was put all over the walls, floor, ceiling, and any ladies that happened to walk into the hotel rooms. (These ladies/groupies were known as the Ketchup Queens.) Many items were thrown out windows, or smashed. After Noel met with the manager of the hotel, who asked "How bad is it?", the band agreed to pay for all of the damages, and the hotel actually asked the band to come back again.
So, in the "Thank you" section of the liner notes of Van Halen II, the band thanks The Sheraton Inn (seventh floor) in Madison, Wisconsin. Every time friends and I would drive by the Sheraton on the way to a show, we would remember that one of the greatest bands of all time destroyed the top floor there.
Side 1:
You're No Good
Dance the Night Away
Somebody Get Me A Doctor
Bottoms Up!
Outta Love Again
Side 2:
Light Up the Sky
Spanish Fly
D.O.A.
Women In Love...
Beautiful Girls