Van Halen Rising: How a Southern California Backyard Party Band Save

Great book.

Van Halen exploded onto the music scene in 1978 after years of strenuously performing live within the Southern California area, and brought about a resurgence of hard rock during a time when disco and punk/new wave had dominated. As a life-long die-hard fan – along with being an avid history buff – this book by Greg Renoff is nothing short of manna from heaven. Seldom has the early history of the band been documented in such an extensive historical context that fans have had to rely on every possible snippet of information throughout the years – particularly from interviews with the band members themselves. Renoff is to be commended here for telling the story of the genesis of Van Halen and their rise to legendary rock status in such an informative, coherent and readable fashion. I only had (finally!) decided to purchase this book back in mid-2020 with the intention of reading it in the upcoming New Year 2021 holiday season, when I would be able to afford some free time...Then, on 6th October 2020, came the sudden, devastating news that Eddie Van Halen, the band’s legendary songwriter and rock’s game-changing guitarist, sadly passed away of complications from throat cancer at the age of 65. This ultimately made this one an obligatory and bittersweet read.I have always been intrigued and fascinated by Van Halen’s early history – especially their hometown performances that generated Pasadena’s rowdy, and often at times, chaotic backyard party scene which has become the stuff of legend, right up to the club days on the Hollywood Sunset Strip. Renoff’s account here is jam-packed with gems of information that I have not previously come across before that is meticulously well-sourced; I am eternally grateful that he has been able to trace many of the band’s surviving friends and acquaintances during this period, and for putting their accounts on the record that helps chronicle this terrain in such illuminating detail. With these firsthand accounts and a multitude of other available sources, it covers extensively the Van Halen family story and emigration from Holland to Pasadena; Edward and Alex’s initial background training on the classical piano; Edward’s other major influences on the electric guitar beyond Eric Clapton (and Cream’s “I’m So Glad”); how the cocky and flamboyant David Lee Roth managed to ingratiate himself into the band; Mammoth/Van Halen’s territorial rivalry with other musical group acts within Pasadena’s Battle of the Bands circuit; the way Eddie – ever the tone-chaser – came to initially touch upon his trademark “Brown Sound;” and how the guitar virtuoso became further inspired to eventually formulate his groundbreaking two-handed tapping technique (only after getting the idea when watching Jimmy Page perform “Heartbreaker” live). There is also a good portion of previously unreleased photographs; it was stellar to finally see one of a young swaggering Roth fronting his former band Red Ball Jet. Overall, this account goes well and truly beyond in enriching us further with a much greater comprehension and appreciation of the musical apprenticeship and arduous workmanship of the prodigious Van Halen brothers fused with the dichotomy of influences brought by Roth and Michael Anthony to the band (nods also go to Dennis Travis, the late Mark Stone, and Jim Pewsey) that propelled them – through their occasional trials and tribulations – on a path to success of the American Dream.Hats off to Greg Renoff for doing his homework here! As he notes poignantly, you can’t get this stuff no more.

Bellissimo libro, l'ho divorato. Documentato in modo meticoloso, si focalizza sulla musica e sulle persone che c'erano. Si può usare per ricostruire un'ipotetica setlist di cover dei Mammooth. Fa piacere leggere che i fratelli Van Halen erano ossessionati da Cream, Ten Years After, Cactus, ZZ Top... ma anche Captain Beyond, Trapeze e Spooky Tooth.Alcuni tendono a dimenticare che Eddie Van Halen è stato sì un Copernico della chitarra elettrica, ma non qualcuno che abbia fatto tabula rasa di chi è venuto prima di lui, anzi... Molto meglio del libro scritto dal road manager, un mitomane frustrato e penoso.

Great book so far.ive read jus about every word published about VH. This is great. Only just started it though

This book is great. One of the best researched and entertaining rock biographies I've ever read. Covers the early yrs of VH before they became famous and gives great insight into the band's early yrs. Goes well beyond the usual "lore" you get in most bios. And a definite page turner, well written and informative. Based on many interviews and a huge amount of research. I'd recommend this book for any VH fan and any budding musician trying to make it for insights and motivation.