Never managed to see VanHalen, would have preferred VanHagar actually...although in the early days, the orignal band would have been great to see too. I justliked Hagar better once he joined the band. Then gain I was already a ong time Hagar fan and thouoght he was a great fit for Van Halen. He did write some of their better songs too. Always though Roth was just a buffoon..great singer, but an egotistical jerk.
Did get to see Blue Oyster Cult in 1976, excellent band and show. BOC was doing the laser light thing, Bloom had a ring they would hit with the laser and you got it right in the eyes...Buck Dharma did some righteous guitar too, great player. (I’m speaking from a lifetime guitar player frame of mind, I still play, been at it since 1960).
Only problem was the opening band...Rush...as great a band as BOC is, I felt dorry for them, by the time they got about 5 songs into their show, half the audience had got up and left, BOC was a let down after 90 minutes of Rush. They did the entire first side of their 2112 album, including Alex detuning his guitar and retuning, and I can’t remember whart all else, but they were a fanstastic band, especially for a 3 piece. Many of their more popular songs, like Tom Sawyer, XYZ and Red Barchetta didn’t exist yet.
I stayed till the end, I wanted to see BOC too, and they did do a fine show, I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. Can’t remember what songs they played, but Don’t Fear the Reaper was one of them, and one song in which everybody was onstage with guitars. Godzilla hadn’t been recorded yet. Reaper was great though.
Come to think of it, I’ve been trying to get my current band to play Burning For You...
You need to look up “Imaginos”
Good, bizarre album.
Loved Sammy
Loved Van Halen
LOATHED Van Hagar.
Apart they were both fun, aggressive party rockers.
Put them together and they turned in whiney chick-rock:
“Come on baby finish what you started” UGH!
Yes, they sold a crap-ton of albums, but it was chick-rock about feelings, not fun!