Product Description
From their eponymous 1978 debut through their colossal 1984 album (they've sold over 75 million albums worldwide), Van Halen rewrote all the rules. Nobody rocked or partied harder. Photographer Neil Zlozower first met the band in 1978, worked with them again on Van Halen II, and soon became their friend, hanging out in L.A. and hitting the road on tour with them. Van Halen collects more than 250 backstage, candid, and full rock-out photos of the all-powerful, spandexed, high-kicking, guitar blazing, stadium-shaking, original Van Halen lineup. Accompanying Zlozower's amazing photos are an introduction about his wild ride with VH, a foreword by David Lee Roth, and testimony from the rock pantheon paying homage to the band, including members of Led Zeppelin, Guns N' Roses, Def Leppard, Judas Priest, KISS, Motley Cr e, and more. Turn it up! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

The review of Van Halen book by Neil Z
To be honest, I was a little disappointed when I received this. I thought I was going to be seeing a lot of photos that were never really published. you know behind the scenes type of shots.We'll most of the pictures in here are shots that have been used& reused over & over again. I'm sure you've definitely seen most of these (if your a big fan of VH like I am) in Creem, Hit Parade, Rock Scene and Circus magazines,etc....There are a couple of great shots, 1 of Ed during photo shoot for VH IIWhich I think he (Neil) should of shown more of. Which I'm sure he's got tons of rolls from that day. And some band exterior shots through out Los Angeles. The size of the book is roughly 9 1/2 X 10 1/2 and with big colored pictures.Another thing that I didn't really care about was all the comments made by all these rock stars telling about how they saw VH or how they've helped them to make it big. I mean who gives a F**k what Matt Sorum, Jamie St James or Mike Tramp says. I mean come on.........I think Neil could've done something more structural with this. It's a good thing I only paid $4.00 for this.I don't mean to sound bitter but that's the truth. I just think he could've done better with showing more rare photos.I mean he was with them for 6 yrs and these are his best shots ??? The same ones I've seen in other magazines ?There's gotta be more better ones. Hopefully his next Van Halen book (if he publishes
another one) will have some rare shots that haven't been seen before.

Book Rocks!
If you are a Van Halen fan you will love this book.It will inspire you to play like Eddie.But we arent Eddie so instead get a "wanna be Eddie guitar" and dream of paying.....[...]........Rock on guys!

All that need's to be said...
This should be on every Van Halen fan's coffee table. It's on mine.

That's all.

Great Photos
Fantastic pictures and testimony from other musicians and those in the industry about Van Halen. If you're fan of the band with Roth, then this is a must purchase.

This is where its at!
No ifs ands or buts about it. This is the best VH book to date. Given their recent tour there were actually two books about the band released this past year. This was one. The other was EVERYBODY WANTS SOME. Friends and fellow fans there is simply no comparison. Van Halen: A Visual History 78-85 by Zlozower is the ultimate in pictures and commentary. Zloz was shooting, hanging and partying with Dave, Eddie and the rest of the gang back when the author of that other book was still wetting their huggies. If you could only buy one VH book this would be it. Why waste your money on cut-and-paste tripe pieced together by an outsider with no ties whatsoever to the band and their crew when instead you can own what will surely be considered the best VH book ever presented to us by a world class photographer who was practically the fifth member of the band during their run with DLR. This is the best book out there, at least until the band decides to tell the story in their own words. There aren't enough stars to rate this so just do yourselves a favor and grab one! ... Read more

Product Description
The first definitive biography of the ultimate American rock band

How did a pair of little Dutch boys trained in classical music grow up to become the nucleus of the most popular heavy metal band of all time? What's the secret behind Eddie Van Halen's incredible fast and furious guitar solos? What makes David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar so wacky? And, are all those stories about groupies, booze bashes, and contract riders true? The naked truth is laid bare in Everybody Wants Some--the real-life story of a rock 'n' roll fantasy come true. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (40)

I was there
The book is very accurate. I was there. In the book is a copy of a flyer for the Pasadena Center. The flyer introduces an opening act, Smokehouse. That was my band. I witnessed the meteoric rise of Van Halen from the earliest years. It was obvious they would make it once the four of them came together from their respective founding groups. It was a pleasure to witness it all.

Don't let some of the reviews here misguide you
I've been on a real metal/hard rock biography kick recently. I'm not a huge fan of Van Halen, but like many people who grew up in the 80's, I certainly have had exposure to Van Halen and enjoy plenty of their songs. Even more so recently. But I'm much more the metalhead, Iron Maiden, Sabbath, etc.. Anyway, I thought about buying this Van Halen book a while back but saw a lot of these negative reviews here. I held off. Eventually I decided, why not and bought it. I knew somewhat of the author, and figured, not being the kind of fan that already knows every single little detail about Van Halen, maybe the book would have something to offer me at least. And it certainly did, and then some.

Yeah, I've heard some of the story within the book before, but there was plenty of things I knew nothing about, and it was great to see everything all in one book. The whole story from the beginning days of Halen to the recent reunion with Roth is covered. And it was covered in a way that made me want to keep turning the pages to find out what happened next in epic story that is Van Halen. It was pretty exciting! And, there is enough guitar tech talk (deservedly), but not too much so overtly. I found it very interesting, and very informative with plenty of insights and side stories etc., that you would expect of any rock bio. It may not be as detailed as Motley Crue's "The Dirt", or some of the detailed books on Iron Maiden or Black Sabbath, or Led Zeppelin, but honestly I found that the book was just fine for me and I don't really see what so many people here are SO bothered about. It seems like a typical average band bio to me. Even a bit above average in places. Maybe that's what get's some people upset. For many, Halen is not a typical band and they want some 600 page monster or something.

Perhaps it is the fact that the author is covering a band with a history of drama and controversy, and plenty of insights and quotes covering the inner turmoil of Halen are included, along with the author's attitude here and there. Maybe he could have been more unbiased in places, but I don't get the feel that he really "sides" with anyone overtly, he is just willing to point out if this or that person in the band was acting like a jerk. Maybe some people would prefer an author who was more stand off-ish, more dry, and just presented the facts. But I found that this book was just fine the way it was, and written by someone who obviously has a deep love for Halen during all time periods, but especially for the Roth era. He really pours his heart into the book. I certainly don't agree with everything in the book, or everything done by the band themselves, but that's up to the individual.

Is this the final say on Halen? Probably not. But it could be a whole lot worse believe me. If this is all that is ever written on Halen, it stands as a decent, informative book. A summation of the Van Halen story. I like that it had a lot of quotes. Halen was very public in a lot of the things they said and did, and that public record makes up a lot of the story about Halen, whether its always positive or not. Could the author have dug deeper? Sure, probably, but I think some things would have been just run into the ground if he did.

I kind of wonder if some of the people who have given negative reviews of this book just don't like the story that comes to light about Van Halen when all the information and drama is put together in one book like this? With Halen there are some glory years for sure but then it truly descends into darker years. The author still tried to show the love of the band by himself an by the fans even when they made what were clearly bad decisions regarding the direction of the band and the personal lives of band members.

All in all, this is one time I think that, for me at least, some of the negative reviews here are a little overboard. But Van Halen is an extreme subject, they were extreme times. I guess I should expect nothing less than drama and controversy when it comes to Van Halen, even when it comes to books about them. And I suppose that will go for reviews about this book as well.

My final thoughts on this book, for the average reader looking to learn about the band and wanting to hear some stories about those times from one particular perspective, the book is a bit above average considering the subject matter it is covering. It could be much more exhaustive in many areas, but it does the job adequately for the average reader who's expectations are not raised too high and are just looking for the typical meat and potatoes on the Van Halen saga... up to 2008 anyway.

I think of all the education that he missed....
This could have been written for Tiger Beat magazine.There is no insight, nothing that hasn't been reported a thousand times, no answers and many great stories/quotes that weren't discussed at all.No one of importance was interviewed for the book and it is obvious that the author simply read a lot of issues of CREAM magazine and put together a book based on that 'research'. David Lee Roth is a quote machine and even he didn't come off as playful and fun.

This is a great book if you don't know anything about the band, but for those of us who haven't been in a cave, with our fingers in our ears, in the dark, on the moon and with our eyes closed, it is a lot of promise and no real delivery.A few typos but not sloppy... it is just (is it possible considering the subject matter!)... boring.

Lots of Opinion, little knowledge...
Just finished "the book". I knew it was suspect when I got a little ways in and read that Van Halen did not play the Handlebar Saloon in Pasadena, CA. Really!? I saw them there when they were the HOUSE BAND! Very little research or investigation of scandals, stories, legends, just poorly regurgitated general knowledge gleaned from the media and Roth's book. It could have also used a proofreader...

Red Hell
Now she's all over my dreams, no way OUT, we're making children and I wake up glowing. Fine enough, the day gets going, routine and rocking, but I can't ever seem to turn up the Sammy loud enough to drown out thinking of her. What, she's louder than Sammy Hagar? MERCY! Then I get the empties again. OK, off to dinner even though I'm not hungry, I do it because I've got a long, alone night ahead of me and I need to see her, just for a MINUTE, all the way across the room, a little glimpse to get me through. Oh no, now I'm sorry, there she is, working yet another guy. He's even already got a girl. While her other guy sits there, opiated. This is EVIL! What's wrong with these people, don't they know how precious love is, they consume each other like cigarettes. Why is this narrative happening to me? Where's the nearest train, either I wanna get on it or throw myself in front of it. What a LONG night tonight's gonna be. ... Read more

Product Description
Titles in this dual-album matching folio include: Runnin' with the Devil * Jamie's Cryin' * Ice Cream Man * Eruption * You Really Got Me * Dance the Night Away * Beautiful Girls * Spanish Fly * Outta Love Again * You're No Good and many more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

There are MISTAKES in the tab
Overall a good source, however certain songs have several mistakes. The tapping section of "Eruption" is tabbed on the "G" string! WRONG! Its played in different positions and on the "B" string!! The last part of the solo in "On Fire" is also incorrectly tabbed on the "G" string, Again, should be the "B" string. Many other subtle mistakes are found throughout. So if you are already versed in the Van Halen style, you will KNOW where the mistakes are, if you are not, most assuredly confusion and frustration will ensue. CAVEAT EMPTOR!

Very Nice Book!!!
You've got to have some experience with tabs before otherwise you'll
find it hard because it's a very detailed book.The techniques described
are not the easiest.

Hey Kids, get your Van Halen guitar tabs!!!
This book is perfect for the beginner to turn into a more advanced guitar player. The tabs are easy to read, the stuff isn't that difficult to play, and the songs are legendary and still heard on the radio today. I say go for it.

Van Halen I & II
If you are into learning rock / hard rock guitar, this book provides thekey to exploring some of the most brilliant electric guitar composition todate.Although this music is somewhat dated, the guitar virtuosity ofEdward Van Halen is timeless.The book provides excellent guitar tablatureof all of Van Halen's fist two releases.Recommended accompaniments tothis book are 1) Peavey Wolfgang Electric Guitar, 2) Peavey 5150 Combo Amp,& 3) the CD's of the first two albums. ... Read more

Product Description
Arranged for Guitar Tablature & Standard Notation With Lyrics & Chord Names. Matching songbook to Van Halen's 10 million selling CD. Contents: 19984, Jump, Panama, Top Jimmy, Drop Dead Legs, Hot For Teacher, I'll Wait, Girl Gone Bad, House Of Pain ... Read more

Product Description
Arranged for Guitar Tablature & Standard Notation With Lyrics.

Thirty-three classic Van Halen songs transcribed in note-for-note tab: Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love * And the Cradle Will Rock... * Beautiful Girls * Best of Both Worlds * Black and Blue * Can't Stop Loving You * Dance the Night Away * Dancing in the Street * Dreams * Eruption * Everybody Wants Some * Feels So Good * Finish What You Started * Hot for Teacher * I'll Wait * It's About Time * Jamie's Cryin' * Jump * Learning to See * Love Walks In * Not Enough * Oh, Pretty Woman * Panama * Poundcake * Right Now * Runaround * Runnin' with the Devil * Top of the World * Unchained * Up for Breakfast * When It's Love * Why Can't This Be Love * You Really Got Me. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Get it "Right Now"!
Many people wonder why they should bother buying a book with music and TABs when there are many ways to download TABs for free on the internet.The answer is simple, most of the TABs you get for free are WRONG!Don't just learn to sound close to Van Halen, learn how to play it the way he plays it exactly!The accuracy of this book is amazing.Plus learning how to play it the way he plays it will make you a better player, learning all kinds of licks and tricks.Make no mistake, you need to know how toplay the guitar before trying to play Van Halen.
Don't make the same mistake many others do, don't start with eruption get discouraged and quit.Learn why he is such a great rhythm player, start with Panama.

Essential VH TAB Book! BUY IT!
Awesome VH TAB book which accompanies the CD of the same title.Which I don't have, ut it's basically most of the classics with some new songs. Dave stuff, and Sammy stuff.
Bottom line, it has a LOT of songs, I'm estimating like 25 or more, the TABS are GREAT and it's EVH! What else could you want?
Anybody looking to study VH music wil love this book. I am a profesional guitar teacher and this is my go to reference for anything VH related.I have used, PANAMA, POUND CAKE, HOT FOR TEACHER, ERUPTION, UNCHAINED, MEAN STREETS, & YOU REALLY GOT ME.Maybe more.The tabs are accurate.The book rocks just like the music.
EXCELLENTE!

Maybe only little flaw - it's too big! LOLSeriously, thick hard bound book, hard to open on music stand.I usualy photocopy out what I need and use the photocopy sheets! ... Read more

Product Description
No musical entity has been more closely associated with Guitar World magazine over the years than Edward Van Halen - the man who, in the late seventies and early eighties, changed the course of guitar history. This collection of classic and new interviews with the great Edward tells the real story behind his earth-shaking technique, brilliant songwriting, and relationship with both David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar. This is the authoritative book - revised and updated with new exclusive interviews and information on one of the greatest rock bands of all time and the guitar god at the center of it all. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Mighty Van Halen is America's Led Zeppelin!
Just got this great collection of interviews today, half are from the the greatest classic Van Halen era 1978 - 1984.I had the previous Guitar World edition and any hardcore Van Halen fan would pay ten bucks to have another three interviews from 78, 79, & 80 all in one very cool book. ... Read more

Product Description
Titles are: "Runnin' with the Devil," "Eruption," "You Really Got Me," "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love," "I'm the One," "Jamie's Cryin'," "Atomic Punk," "Feel Your Love Tonight," "Little Dreamer," "Ice Cream Man," "On Fire." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great books from Alfred Publishing
I own these books. They are the most accurate I've seen. The last guy who rated 1* didn't read the description, it did read all the songs in the book. The picture on the front is the album that it has inside! Buy it!!!

Product Description Doesn't Match The Book
I ordered this and Amazon sent me a tab book of the first VH album, not what is described above, which lists songs from several different VH albums.I returned it for a replacement and they sent me the same book again!I contacted them and they told me what I received was correct.It would have been nice to get the book I thought I ordered.This product description doesn't match the book. ... Read more

Product Description
Arranged For Guitar Tablature With Lyrics & Chords. Matching songbook to Van Halen's 1980 release. Contents: And the Cradle Will Rock... * Everybody Wants Some!! * Fools * Romeo Delight * Tora! Tora! * Loss of Control * Take Your Whiskey Home * Could This Be Magic? * In a Simple Rhyme. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellant Van Halen Transcription
I bought this book because the band I play in wants to cover "Romeo's Delight". I am very particuliar about transcription accuracy, fingering positions, etc...I haven't checked every song in this book, but Romeo's delight is "dead accurate" right down to the intro tapping section. I checked it against the original recording at half speed. I would highly recommend this book. ... Read more

Product Description
This outstanding folio is a guitarist's dream. The 30 selections include: And the Cradle Will Rock * Beautiful Girls * Best of Both Worlds * Dance the Night Away * Finish What Ya Started * Hot for Teacher * Jamie's Cryin' * Oh, Pretty Woman * Panama * Runnin' with the Devil * When It's Love * Why Can't This Be Love and more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

For those who are serious rock guitarist.... GREAT !!!!
Amazing book- to guitar players only - , if you want to learn VH songs and EVH style, this is the book, of course,you have to know about it and have good technical skills with the instrument, add some good ears too... all the tabs are oriented to the guitar and are perfect... exacts and easy to understand...

"what it's understood need not be discussed..." ... Read more

Product Description
Van Halen are one of most successful American rock bands and this book is a powerful learning tool that will help you extend your stockpile of licks and fills and develop your improvisational skills. The combination of musical notation and guitar tablature in this book together with backing tracks on the CD gives you the opportunity to learn eight of Van Halen's tracks note-for-note and then jam with a professional session band. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Nice.
My son started playing guitar in the Summer of 09.He just got an electric guitar last April and loves playing the "shred" solos.This book is great.The CD w/back ups just makes it that much easier to learn the songs and the timing. Great product...and we bought it used.V ... Read more

Product Description
A new series from Guitar World magazine! These books feature many articles organized in a logical manner to create a history of the artist or band. Covers their start to current day activities. Some titles include transcriptions of solos or riffs. Metallica, Van Halen, S.R. Vaughn & Kiss! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

GREAT BOOK!
This book made all the VH albums like new to me again because of Eddie's more indepth descriptions of how he made those great sounds.
The Mozart of our time!

EVH: The Interviews
This book is filled with 12 different interviews with one of Rock's legendary guitar heroes: Eddie Van Halen. All of the interviews are culled from past Guitar World issues, and to my knowledge, are complete. They arearranged by publication dates, which range from 1981 to 1997.

Most arefilled with the typical questions, and more than a few touch on the DavidLee Roth's departure. One interview is given by Billy Corrigan (SmashingPumpkins)! Never would have saw that one coming!

I have read most ofthese interviews from the magazine, but it was great to have them in onebook. After reading several of them, I realized that either I hadn't readthe orginal interviews completely, or I just plain forgot about some facts!It was a joy to go back and re-read them.

It's nice to see a timeline ofEddie's progress from a childhood pianist to a full fledged guitar god.It's also nice to see a bound book with these gems, as the ink from a bookdoes not smear from constant reading like a magazine does!

While therewere pictures peppered here and there, they were black and white. I wouldlike to see more pictures (color), and the originals sidebars thataccompanied the magazine editions (ie. equipment, setups, etc...)

If thepublishers had included that last bit of info, I would definately give thisbook a five. Who knows, Eddie is still kicking, maybe they will releaseanother edition! ... Read more

Product Description
Arranged For Guitar Tablature With Lyrics & Chords. Matching songbook to Van Halen's 1981 album. Contents:Titles are: Mean Street * Dirty Moves * Sinner's Swing! * Hear About It Later * Unchained * Push Comes to Shove * So This Is Love? * Sunday Afternoon in the Park * One Foot Out the Door. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (53)

Unbelievably bad
This is one of the worst written books I have ever read. It reads like it was written by a semi-literate idiot who didn't mind repeating himself over and over (and over). Sometimes within two sentences. And the content is completely useless.

The fact that anyone could rate this more than two stars is shocking.

Fair warning
David Lee Roth made Van Halen."Van Hagar" was a pale immitation and I'll be polite and not mention "Van Halen III" more than I have to.This book - despite being a bad collection of cliche, shallow worship of the Van Halen brothers, etc - doesn't cut it.Only for Eddie fans.Look at the cover for crying out loud...that's the whole book is an instant!

Reads like it was written by Jeff Spicoli (Fast Times Ridgemont High)
I'm not going to waste a lot of space reiterating what other reviewers who gave this a '1' stated. What a disappointment! The only interesting content is some of the in-depth opinions from other musicians and people in the music industry. But even that gets old as you realize anything they might have said that could be construed as detrimental towards Ed was probably left out by the fanboy author. I myself have always been a big fan of the original band (DLR albums), but only the music and Eddie's playing style, not their personal lives and conflicts, so I wasn't looking for a soap opera(which it isn't). Unfortunately, this book is pretty nauseating in its constant praise and fan worship and I wouldn't recommend it unless you are a big Van Halen fan with a huge inferiority complex. Reading it is like listening to Jeff Spicoli talk about surfing in Fast Times at Ridgemont High...at least that was meant to be funny.

Best VH reference book ever
Sorry haters but this is hands down the best VH reference book ever writtten. Even the notoriously stiff Rock HOF approved. Why wouldn't they seeing as how we're guided through an accurate fun unique journey surgically detailing the entire life, career and catalog of this legendary American rock institution. Considering the incredible depth, width and breadth of this group's legacy that's no small feat. Somehow Sanchez makes it look easy. Learn everything from how the group formed and Eddie's influences to how he built his guitars and achieved that famous brown sound. Want to know what other musical minds think of Eddie? Check out the tribute inside 101. It contains page after page of top flight players openly discussing EVH. Zakk Wylde, Joe Satriani, Allan Holdsworth, James Hetfield and BB King are just a handful of the monster names who for the first time anywhere gave us their honest uncensored opinion of Van Halen.

You almost have to feel sorry for these few trolls who come on here spewing garbage. Bet most of them didnt even read it. Actually the majority of the negative reviews seem to come from the same source. The ultimate sign of bonafide lameness. True fans know better so it's all good. Anyone interested in a more classic approach to the rock bio pick up the new Everybody Wants Some by Ian Christe. It's good too.

Van Halen 2007!

Flawed but fun
It is very, very obvious that this book was written by a smitten fan-boy. It showers Van Halen with the most ridiculously reverent, absurdly awestruck praise you will ever find. The author repeatedly and unrelentingly pounds the reader with hyperbolic descriptions of Ed's guitar prowess. Reading this, you'd think that Eddie Van Halen was the Messiah and that being a guitar god is the Only Thing That Matters on earth.

The author either is a mall-rat, slacker, fan-boy ... or tries very hard to sound like one. He uses "dude" and "baby" at least as frequently as he uses "Eddie" or "Dave". Maybe he imagines the average Van Halen fan to be a stereotypical Beavis-&-Butthead metal-head, and just wants to sound like "one of the guys". But it sounds ridiculous.

Yet despite all of this, this book is actually quite charming. Van Halen fans will not mind the lavish praise of one of the undoubted greatest rock bands of all time. In fact, fans will appreciate the passionate, detailed (but how accurate?) descriptions of the rise and rise of Van Halen - from rebellious school beginnings, through the glam club scene, to triumph on a global scale. It certainly brought me nostaligically back to the 80s, when Van Halen provided the soundtrack to much of my youth. For a trip down memory lane like this, you'll find an enthusiastic fan-boy is not necessarily bad company.

You can tell that this is a work of love on the part of the author. He painstakingly invited a Who's Who of hard rock to submit their own personal tributes to EVH - a monumental feat in itself. The author also goes to great lengths in researching production details, sales figures and various bits of trivia about each of the albums.

Yes, a lot of the text is the author's own subjective opinions on topics such as EVH's place in the history of rock etc. But if you buy this book, you are probably a fan already - and reading the views of a fellow (if rather over-zealous) fan on your mutual favorite band is suprisingly enjoyable. With subjective comments, you will find parts where you disagree. Sammy fans will note with some discomfort the author's unabashed preference for Dave. The author also makes little effort to hide his adoration of Metallica, and how he feels they later overshadowed Van Halen. But these become points for fans to contemplate or discuss, and really don't detract from the enjoyment of reading this book.

So overall, this book does have its flaws. It is often amateurish in its writing, over-opininated in many areas, and sickeningly over-the-top in its hero-worhip of the band (and EVH in particular). But despite all this (maybe even because of it), it becomes a weirdly entertaining book to read for any fan of Van Halen. Yes, it's not a cheap book to buy - but at least I think I got a good dose of fun, laughs and nostalgia from a fellow fan-boy. ... Read more

Product Description
Arranged For Piano, Vocal & Guitar. 13 all-time great hits by Van Halen.Ain't Talkin' ' Bout Love, 1984, Jump, I'll Wait, Dreams, Love Walks In, Why Can't This Be Love, When It's Love, Feels So Good, Right Now, Not Enough, Neworld, How Many Say I ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Feels So Good?Guess I'll (need to) Wait.
Missing a few goodies, but otherwise these transcriptions get the job done.Unlike other pop keyboard transcriptions these do not try to include the vocal line as part of the arrangement making them more authentic to the original recorded versions, however, "Ain't Talkin' Bout Love" ain't no keyboard song.Would have preferred "Feels So Good". ... Read more

Product Description
Arranged For Guitar Tablature & Standard Notation With Chords, Lyrics & Chord Frames. Includes songs recorded with David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar. 115 songs by the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame group.Contents: 1984,316,5150,A.F.U. (Naturally Wired),Aftershock,Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love,Amsterdam,And The Cradle Will Rock..,Apolitical Blues,Atomic Punk,Ballot Or The Bullett,Baluchitherium,Beautiful Girls,Best Of Both Worlds,Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now),Big Fat Money,Black And Blue,Bottoms Up!,Cabo Wabo,Can't Get This Stuff No More,Can't Stop Lovin' You,Cathedral,Could This Be Magic?,D.O.A.,Dance The Night Away,Dancing In The Street,Dirty Movies,Dirty Water Dog,Don't Tell Me (What Love Can Do),The Dream Is Over, Dreams,Drop Dead Legs,Eruption,Everybody Wants Some,Feel Your Love Tonight,Feelin',Feels So Good,Finish What Ya Started,Fire In The Hole,Fools,From Afar,The Full Bug,Get Up,Girl Gone Bad,Good Enough,Hang 'Em High,Hear About It Later,Hot For Teacher,House Of Pain,How Many Say I,Humans Being,Ice Cream Man,I'll Wait,I'm The One,In A Simple Rhyme,In 'N' Out,Inside,Intruder,It's About Time,Jamie's Cryin',Josephina,Judgement Day,Jump,Learning To See,Light Up The Sky,Little Dreamer,Little Guitars (Intro),Little Guitars ,Loss Of Control,Love Walks In,Man On A Mission,Me Wise Magic,Mean Streets,Mine All Mine,Neworld,Not Enough,On Fire,Once,One Foot Out The Door,One I Want,Outta Love Again,Panama,Pleasure Dome,Poundcake,Pretty Woman (Oh),Primary,Push Comes To Shove,Respect The Wind,Right Now,Romeo Delight,Runaround,Runnin' With The Devil,Secrets,The Seventh Seal,Sinner's Swing!So This Is Love?,Somebody Get Me A Doctor,Source Of Infection,Spanish Fly,Spanked,Sucker In A 3 Piece,Summer Nights,Sunday Afternoon In The Park,Take Me Back (Deja Vu),Take Your Whiskey Home,Top Jimmy,Top Of The World,Tora! Tora!,Unchained,Up For Breakfast,When It's Love,Where Have All ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Thank you
I ordered this Aug. 20th and I recieved it Aug. 25th in perfect condition and my boyfriend loved his birthday gift. Thanks

It's all here
This is a huge book, several inches thick and it's all in here.The print is a little small but how else would they fit it all in.Several years worth of learning in one volume. I'm glad i have it.

If you seek Amy
I subscribe to Plekhanov's Question of the Individual's Role in History, and historical materialism in general. So it makes total sense to me VH's debut was right place, right time. "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" characterized, even epitomized, the assend of the swinging 70s. Sneer. That funky DIYish Frankenstein guitar sure looked punkesque. Plus "You Really Got Me" wasn't all that far removed from "My Generation," which Sid Kids considered OK. Could there have been a Billy Idol without a David Lee Roth? Anyway, times changed and it was fortunate Roth split. Sammy Hagar just in time. Now the message was "Why Can't This Be Love" and "When It's Love" (it lasts forever). What changed the times? Aids, of course, right in the middle of the 80s. Monogamy got a big boost there; even the supposedly salacious "Poundcake" avers it. Anyone who remembers the Surgeon General mailing in '87 will have serious doubts about poly ~ and swinging, sorry DLR. So VH, very smart, two distinctly different voices for two quite opposing eras. Dialectical players unified by insane guitar, timeless guitar. And, btw, chump, it lasts forever when it's love. (So, yeh, it's worrisome Roth is "back" in the 00s, 'cause nothing is postAids ~ think.)

Every EVH masterpiece accurately transcribed - Brilliant!
Every Van Halen track with all Eddie's parts accurately transcribed. The best Van Halen product out there - it's all you'll ever need to play every Van Halen song like Eddie - providing you also have the talent, taste, tone, guitar & amp!

If not, then you're like the rest of us!,but you'll have thousands of killer licks, ideas and techniques to learn, borrow & use to make you a much better player.

Overall, excellent. The only Van Halen book you will ever need!

Van Halen!
Great product.Five stars.Some have complained that this book is as big as a phone book...BUT THAT'S THE POINT!!! LOLIt's packed with one great VH tune after another, a must for any true musician with a love for one of the greatest bands of all time.Others have noted the fact that the type is small, making it difficult to distinguish the numbers in the tablature but any guitarist worth his salt will be able to easily decipher the tunes.Rock on! ... Read more

Product Description
Part of the Fretmaster series, this book is geared to teach players both the history and technique of one of rock’s greatest guitarists. It explores the musical life and legacy of Eddie Van Halen, whose innovative style is emulated by even the youngest generation of guitarists. The book covers Van Halen's career from his high school days in Pasadena, California, to the present day; provides detailed accounts of his most significant recorded work; and offers commentary from Van Halen himself and the well-known guitarists he has influenced. Lessons on technique provide the skills and encouragement players need to emulate this musical master. An in-depth look at Eddie’s guitars and gear rounds out this compelling musical portrait. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Greatest Guitar Player
This book was purchased for my boyfriend who is a huge EVH fan! Eddie is the greatest guitar player in our opinion and my boyfriend mimics him well. EVH doesn't get the credit he deserves for the music that he has created over the years; this book is well put together and I'm sure I will purchase more.
Thanks

the CD is sound alikes not actual Eddie licks
It's a decent account of Eddie's career. The CD has licks to play and background tracks that sound like Eddie's style, but are not the actual licks or songs he plays due to copyright laws.

More opinion that facts, but it isn't completely worthless...
I read all of the reviews on this book, but yet still ordered it, as I am a huge Van Halen fan and a guitar player. Plus, at this point, it isn't really expensive.

Executive Summary: If you are a VH fan, and especially a guitar player interested in his style, buy the book (on sale), but skip the first 60 pages.

Like the other reviewers have eluded to, this is kinda 2 books in onespiral bound package. The first part, by Malcolm Dome, is an effort to provide the history of the band all the way up to the 2004 reunion tour with Sammy. However, where it is lacking detail and correct facts, those gaps are filled in by the author's own opinions. Even including his personal thoughts on every single track off of every album. Ug.

From that standpoint it is a hard read because I found myself on more than one occasion asking "WTF is he talking about?!"

If you want a more factual history of the band, done by a much better writer, then you need to read: "Everybody Wants Some" by Ian Christie.

The second part by Rob Fogg contains exercises and explanations of Eddie's style of playing. It has been criticized that all of the examples are not from actual VH songs, but more of "in the style of..." EVH. I actually like that aspect since I already have plenty of books/DVD's that tell me how to play the stuff note for note. Instead I want to better understand the overall style, direction, technique and theory that is behind Eddie's playing. In that regard, this book does a decent job.

PROS: Nice Spiral Binding, Guitar instruction is good.
CONS: Malcolm Dome is a tool, and his work on this book is really bad. His contribution to this peice is worth skipping.

Worst Van Halen book ever...
This book is terrible. The writing is completely subjective, biased, and opionated, it lacks very little, if any factual information. Never does the author note any relationship between himself and Eddie, no interviews, nothing, and yet he seems to proclaim that he knows what Eddie was thinking and when Eddie was thinking it. it seems that the author's thesis is that Van Halen I was the bands greatest work and that everything they released afterwards was sub-par. Along with this the author seems to attest that the rest of the band was holding Eddie back and that the genius of EVH was absolutely stunted by his band mates.

As for the playing part of the book... Well let's put it this way, it was worse than the writing! The CD tracks are awful MIDI backing tracks that have the worst groove I've ever heard. The guitar players tone, (as noted in other reviews) is terrible and lacks any characteristics of the brownsound. And finally the riffs, and licks aren't Van Halen, they are just "in the style of", and are just poor, ugly variations on VH tunes....

Fortunately for me, I never purchased the book, I just borrowed it from the library...This is how mad it made me and I didn't even shell out any cash for it! If you want to learn about the psyche of Eddie then check out the "Guitar World Presents" book with interviews with the real EVH. For playing, I recommend the Guitar Anthology or just listen to the recordings and transcribe em!

A complete joke
The word extensive shouldn't be used to describe it and it's as bad as everyone's saying. The only thing worse than the book was the press release Backbeat Books put out. False advertising to the enth degree. They said Eddie would be telling his story in his own words by recounting each step of the band's career. That was a grotesque lie. Eddie was in no way involved in the making of this book and neither was anyone else in the band. Eddie's own words were nothing more than a few ancient quotes cut and pasted into the book. They said the book pours over Eddie's style with expert detail. Another lie. The lessons if you can even call them that are sad to the point of being hysterical. They didn't even include the tablature for any Van Halen songs! The lessons are some hamhanded attempt at copping Eddie's style that fall well short. The history if you can even call it that is more a discography masquerading as a history. They said the book included quotes from all the different guitar players Eddie influenced. Another lie. There's one or two quotes from Leslie West and no one else. I could go on and on but I don't care to. You get the point. They even messed up Eddie's birthday. He was born in 1955 not 1957. If you need a good Van Halen book pick up the VH Encyclopedia by CJ Chilvers or the recently released Van Halen 101 by Abel Sanchez. The knowledge those two men have about VH is a million times stronger than that of anyone involved in this pathetic attempt to cash in on the Van Halen name. By a country mile. Dome and his crew couldn't carry Chilvers or Sanchez jock. ... Read more

Product Description
Arranged For Guitar Tablature With Lyrics & Chords. Matching songbook to their 1982 multi-platinum album. Contents:WHERE HAVE ALL THE GOOD TIMES GONE!, HANG 'EM HIGH, CATHEDRAL, SECRETS, INTRUDER , (OH) PRETTY WOMAN, DANCING IN THE STREET, LITTLE GUITARS (INTRO), LITTLE GUITARS, BIG BAD BILL (IS SWEET WILLIAM NOW), THE FULL BUG. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Book
Great book, easy to follow althought all TABS are not 100% accurate, these books help alot in learning 98% of songs and just figuring out the rest.I HIGHLY recomend these books for people who dont have alot of time to learn songs by ear, or havent devoloped there ear yet ... Read more

Product Description
This book contains authentic TAB transcriptions of Eddie Van Halen's legendary guitar work. Titles: Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
* And the Cradle Will Rock . . .
* Atomic Punk
* Beautiful Girls
* Cathedral
* Dance the Night Away
* Eruption
* Everybody Wants Some
* Feel Your Love Tonight
* Hang 'Em High
* Hear About It Later
* Hot for Teacher
* Ice Cream Man
* I'm the One
* Intruder
* Jamie's Cryin'
* Jump
* Little Guitars
* Little Guitars (Intro)
* Loss of Control
* Mean Street
* Panama
* (Oh) Pretty Woman
* Romeo Delight
* Runnin' with the Devil
* So This Is Love?
* Somebody Get Me a Doctor
* Spanish Fly
* Unchained
* You Really Got Me. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Biased Book with limitations.
An excellent book if you feel the lead singer is the only band member that matters. As a picture source the book scores big. However, if you are a fan you will love it in spite of its shortcomings.

Some Kewl Pictures, That's About It
Warning...this book is very very very pro-DLR. Very.It is so slanted towards that viewpoint, it's almost unreadable to a really big-time VH fan.The only good part is the pictures. ... Read more

Product Description
An extremely detailed history of the world's greatest rock band, Van Halen. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Great book.
This is a great book, very interesting and knowledgeable, the author clearly knows that he's talking about. Here's the thing though, this book is available free direct from the publisher (the revised second edition). Google search it and you will find it.

Makes a good doorstop
Dull dull and dull. A guaranteed good time for anal retentive fans with no life. For the rest of us it's about as exciting as watching paint dry. No pictures, no band interviews, no opinions, no new info, nothing. Just a billion pages of information, about 10% of which is useful. The other 90% is just there to take up space. Save your money.

Jam Packed With Tons Of Info...
As you might know if you have read my other Van Halen product reviews, I am a Van Halen fanatic...which means I know a lot about the band, but with this book, the band members themselves could learn something! 425 pages containing things such as past concert dates, numerous pages of information on each song that they wrote, a 25-page timeline, I could keep going on all day.

Find all the good times!
Find anything you want to know about this amazing band! Dates, song, events you get the idea it's all in there!

Redefines the word ENCYCLOPEDIA!
A true Encyclopedia. This book should be the definition of it. Nothings missing in this compact book that is available at a bargain I think. Van Halen fans should not live without this excellent book. ... Read more