- Artist: Jerry Van Rooyen
- Title: At 250 Miles Per Hour
- Year: 1996?
- Format: Vinyl 12 in.
- Rating (1-10): 8
- Owner: Tracy
- Acquired: Amazon? - 1998
- Keeper: Yes
- Search: Insound, Amazon.com, Google
At 250 Miles Per Hour was put out by a German label with a seriously painful name, Crippled Dick Hot Wax. Jerry Van Rooyen had a habit of writing original scores for strange late ’60s movies that were either horror or soft porn, and sometimes both. Maybe even weirder than that is the fact that this sub-sub-genre of swinging music has a solid cult following.
How did I hear about it? No, mom, I wasn’t watching “The Castle of Bloody Lust” when Mr. Van Rooyen’s grooving jazz caught my attention. It was a comedy from 1998 that featured William Shatner called Free Enterprise. The producers, wisely, chose to re-use Rooyen’s kicking number “The Great Train Robbery” to open the movie. I recommend the movie and the tunes. I play this CD all the time, all the time.
My favorite song is the exquisitely short “Fabienne Is Going Wild.” It’s barely over one minute and it’s the best strip music I’ve ever heard. If it were any longer people’s clothes would start flying. Check out the clips.
- Artist: Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble
- Title: In Step
- Year: 1989
- Format: Vinyl 12 in.
- Rating (1-10): 7
- Owner: Tracy and Bob
- Acquired: 2005 - Inherited from Bob Bobala
- Keeper: Yes
- Search: Insound, Amazon.com, Google
In Step is the last album to come out from these boys before Stevie died in a helicopter crash. It’s also his first album after he had sobered up. The album definitely has a more upbeat vibe than the earlier records. But positivity and the blues don’t really go together. In Step seems to be missing the grit of the first three records, but if that’s the price of being sober please stop killing yourself. All that said, I do like the whole record. Surprisingly, my favorite song is the nine minute jazz instrumental “Riviera Paradise” that closes the album. It’s blissfully smooth and low-key, not what you expect from Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble.
- Artist: Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble
- Title: Couldn't Stand the Weather
- Year: 1984
- Format: Vinyl 12 in.
- Rating (1-10): 9
- Owner: Tracy and Bob
- Acquired: 2005 - Inherited from Bob Bobala
- Keeper: Yes
- Search: Insound, Amazon.com, Google
Oh, too many to blogs to keep up with. I haven’t been posting as often as I want. It’s too late and I’m too tired to do this record justice. Suffice it to say that Stevie Ray Vaughan was a massively talented genius and Couldn’t Stand the Weather is an excellent album. I think if I listened to it for another day I’d probably rate it a “10.” From memory I was thinking that this record wasn’t quite as good as the first, but now I’m not so sure. Stevie and Double Trouble (Tommy Shannon on bass and Chris Layton on drums) are slamming on all eight tracks. My favorite is the heavy funk title track, “Couldn’t Stand the Weather.” And their version of Hendrix’s “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)” is phenomenal. I’m a huge Hendrix fan, but I like listening to this version just a little bit more. Vaughan’s tone is super fat. This is another record Bob should have kept.
More about Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble.
- Artist: The Vandals
- Title: When in Rome Do as The Vandals
- Year: 1984
- Format: Vinyl 12 in.
- Rating (1-10): 4
- Owner: Mary
- Acquired: When? "I think someone gave it to me."
- Keeper: No
- Search: Insound, Amazon.com, Google
Uh, well, more old school comedy punk from The Vandals. When in Rome Do as The Vandals came out in 1984 and it wasn’t exactly old school then, but it sounded more like early punk instead of hardcore, which had already been around for a while. The first song “Ladykiller” is an anomaly. That ditty sounds more like a bad, comic version of the early Red Hot Chili Peppers. It was probably fun then.
- Artist: Van Halen
- Title: 1984
- Year: 1983
- Format: Vinyl 12 in.
- Rating (1-10): 8
- Owner: Tracy
- Acquired: Not sure when, bought it used at Plan 9 Records in Richmond, VA
- Keeper: Yes
- Search: Insound, Amazon.com, Google
Guess when this record came out. Incorrect! Or maybe, correct! I don’t know. Everything on the record and sleeve says 1983, but according to some sites it was January, 1984. Anyhow, what’s more important is that this was the last Van Halen record with my hero Diamond Dave. The guy’s lyrics were excellent, his singing was crazy, and he was, is maybe, a world class entertainer like no other.
The album starts off sounding like Eddie has OD’d on Human League. The synth stuff is over the top. Maybe that’s the reason I tend to forget how great this record really is. It’s chock-a-block with hits and lesser-known gems. At the time I thought the hit “Jump” was a bit cheesy, but of course it’s an excellent song with excellent lyrics which explains why someone like Aztec Camera/Roddy Frame would make a cover of it.
Another popular winner is “Panama” which I always associate with one of my many lessons in humility. Back when 1984 was new I remember being at a guitar store with my friend Tom Bundick when he started playing “Panama” and I think I responded with something like “what the hell are you doing?!” To which Tom replied “that song is great!” Of course, he was right and I was too punk, too cool for my own good. I’ve mentioned that affliction before, but at least I eventually got hip to these records.
1984 was their best selling album at the time. 10 million! Everyone knows the hits, but I also really like “Top Jimmy” and “Drop Dead Legs.” Of course the most awesome classic is “Hot for Teacher”, even the video is a classic. And awesome. For real.
“I don’t feel tardy.”
- Artist: Van Halen
- Title: Diver Down
- Year: 1982
- Format: Vinyl 12 in.
- Rating (1-10): 7
- Owner: Tracy
- Acquired: Used. Can remember when or where...
- Search: Insound, Amazon.com, Google
This is the fifth Van Halen record, and at least the third time I’ve mentioned how cool there were because they performed covers on their records. Name another multi-platinum selling hard rock group that did this on a regular basis. It was a tradition that mostly died in the 1960s, when bands were covering even comtemporary hits. On “Diver Down” they might’ve gone over the top. There are five covers here, and from all types of music and periods.
“Where Have All The Good Times Gone” by The Kinks is my favorite cover, and maybe my favorite song on the album. I’ve always loved The Kinks. “Diver Down” was a rush job and that’s probably why there are so many covers. ClassicVanHalen.com explains the whole sitch.
- Artist: Van Halen
- Title: Fair Warning
- Year: 1981
- Format: Vinyl 12 in.
- Rating (1-10): 8
- Owner: Tracy
- Acquired: Dunno
- Search: Insound, Amazon.com, Google
I should’ve mentioned this earlier. Ted Templeton’s production work on these records is fantastic. He’s a genius. Anyhow, Van Halen’s “Fair Warning” is excellent and the lead track, “Mean Street”, is possibly my favorite song from all their work. It’s rock and roll perfection, from the guitar solo intro, Dave’s lyrics and singing, the riffs, the bridge, to the slow fade. Other hits and personal faves include “So This Is Love?” and “Unchained.”
And we don’t worry ’bout tomorrow
Cause we’re sick of these four walls
Now what ya think is nothing
Might be something after all
- Artist: Van Halen
- Title: Women and Children First
- Year: 1980
- Format: Vinyl 12 in.
- Rating (1-10): 9
- Owner: Tracy
- Acquired: No idea.
- Keeper: Yes
- Search: Insound, Amazon.com, Google
“Women and Children First” is the third album by Van Halen, and it’s brilliant, if not quite as stunning as the first two. These guys followed no rules. It’s hard to believe how eclectic this record is. “Loss of Control” sounds like Slayer for a minute or so, and this is only 1980! Then there’s “Could This Be Magic?”, which is an acoustic number that I suppose you could call old-time folk, blues, or maybe even a “standard.” I don’t know. That one includes the line “Women and Children First” which became the album title. The big hits from this record are “And The Cradle Will Rock…” and “Everybody Wants Some!!”
Have you seen Junior’s grades?
- Artist: Van Halen
- Title: Van Halen II
- Year: 1979
- Format: Vinyl 12 in.
- Rating (1-10): 9
- Owner: Tracy
- Acquired: ? Bought it used...
- Keeper: Yes
- Search: Insound, Amazon.com, Google
Oh man, the unpacking continues. But tonight I got my priorities straight and finally set up the stereo. And what was the first record to rock the house? That’s right, “Van Halen II.” Considering that we bought this house from a woman in her 80s who lived here since the 1960s I think it’s safe to say tonight is the first time Van Halen shook these walls. My daughter Paris came downstairs and said: “Mom, stop dancing. And can you guys turn it down some?” We couldn’t help rockin’ out.
As I mentioned before, Van Halen is one of a very few popular rock groups to have the guts to perform covers on their proper albums. This time they open the record with one, “(Baby) You’re No Good” by Clint Ballard, Jr. This song was popularized by Linda Ronstadt a few years earlier. My mother likes to tell a story about how my brother as a child heard Linda’s version in the car one day and started crying because that lady was saying mean things to a “baby.” Sorry G, had to tell that.
Other hits include “Dance the Night Away” and the most awesome “Beautiful Girls.” My favorites include “Somebody Get Me a Doctor” and acoustic solo “Spanish Fly.” Tonight when “D.O.A.” started with Eddie’s chunk-chunk-chunk guitar riff Mary said “that’s sooo rock ‘n’ roll.” Yes it is.
This site about Van Halen has the scoop about every song on this record.
- Artist: Van Halen
- Title: Pretty Woman
- Year: 1982
- Format: Vinyl 7 in.
- Rating (1-10): 8
- Owner: We're not sure.
- Acquired: We're not sure.
- Keeper: Yes
- Search: Insound, Amazon.com, Google
Ah, Van Halen, one of the few mega rock bands with enough guts to record covers and actually put them on their proper albums. Most bands tend relegate covers to b-sides or other oddball releases. Van Halen on the other hand celebrated the covers, with complete respect for the songs and the original artists, and put them out front so folks could hear these tunes again. When their version of Roy Orbison’s “Pretty Woman” came out I remember my friend Bennie, hardcore VH fan, thinking it was goofy, but I thought they rocked it solid. OK, the flipside cover of “Happy Trails” is a little goofy.
