The rock band Van Halen was formed in California, in 1972. The current lineup includes Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, David Lee Roth, and Wolfgang Van Halen. The band is particularly famous for such songs as “(Oh) Pretty Woman”, “Jump”, “Why Can’t This Be Love”. The band earned several awards, including one Grammy.
In 1972, brothers Eddie and Alex Van Halen, who learned how to play the guitar and drums back when they were kids, formed a band called Mammoth. Soon they found out that the name was already taken and changed the name to Van Halen. For the next few years, the band performed at Californian clubs, mostly singing other bands’ songs. With time, Van Halen started writing their own songs. At that moment, Eddie came up with a unique playing style called tapping.
In 1977, the bass guitarist from Kiss saw Van Halen perform and helped the musicians record their first demo album. A little later, the band signed a deal with Warner Bros.
The first LP was recorded in just two weeks and became one of the most commercially successful debuts in hard rock. The album Van Halen (1978) reached the 19th spot on Billboard 200 and received a platinum certification in 5 months. Such songs as “Ain’t Talking Bout Love’ and “You Really Got Me’ became big hits. Eddie was recognized as the best guitarist of the year.
The second LP Van Halen II (1979) was even more successful than the predecessor. It received several platinum certifications. The single “Dance The Night Away” reached the 15th spot on Billboard Hot 100. The musicians went on a tour to support the album and became international celebrities.
The band went through some lineup changes, which didn’t interfere with their work. They kept creating successful albums and going on tours. The concerts were selling out in a flash. The band went on several hiatuses but always ended up reuniting. Their last LP to date A Different Kind of Truth (2012) reached the 2nd spot on Billboard 200. Van Halen continues to work on new music and performs live.
