Van Halen or Van Hagar

Both are great, and i say that it's difficult to determine the best of them.
Found an interesting article:
http://blogcritics.org/music/article/van-halen-or-van-hagar-its/

I grew up near Pasadena and actually played street football with Alex when we were kids. Anthony lives in my hometown. I saw numerous versions of the band at backyard five keg events from 1973 to 76, when they finally launched. For the San Gabriel Valley, it was strange to think that our two greatest cultural exports were Van Halen and In-N-Out burger. I think Eddie deserves credit for reimagining the "guitar god." By 1978, when they openned for the Stones, Led Zep and Jimmy Page were on the descent, largely due to his troubles with heroin.

Eddie was and has been largely hampered by his alcoholism, which really started to take over in 1983, at the time of their US Festival gig. I used to him tits up all the time around town, in the local grocery store and record shops. I like the fact they were able to tour briefly four years ago, while he was sober on the first part of the tour, the first time in close to 24 years. It brought back good memories of the first years. David Lee actually could sing on key, through most songs, and was especially fit.

Bongo, I never go to In n Out when I am in SoCal, is it worth a stop?

Absolutely. In Houston, it would equal to the Lankford Grocery. Consistently good quality ingredients at a cheap price. Has a rabid following here in So Cal.

Van Halen w/ David Lee - great hard rock band with a sense of humor and a real front man

Van Halen w/ Sammy Haggar - pop band with easy listening ballads and a buffoon(although a ridiculously rich one).

1984 was the turning point musically, it's been all downhill from there.

I prefer Tommy's burger over In & Out. More meat, more flavor, more everything - especially the double chili cheese.

I've seen Eddie about a few times in the last few years. Last time was in Burbank, it was ~10am and he was going into a liquor store for smokes and a bottle. Looked like something the cat dragged in. Really sad to see him like that.

I would add votes for Van Morrison and Dick Van Dyke.

I've got Diver Down on the platter right now! Probably my favorite VH album.

I'm in the DLR camp, but did think 5150 was a great album (albeit with awful engineering and production). If it was well produced, I could forgive the front-man swap out (on that release only). It was all downhill from there.

Oh...a friend of mine writes for EW, and says 5150 is loaded with amazing material that will never see the light of day. Pity.

Roth please....i remember (vaguely) seeing VH open for Black Sabbath in '78 @ Baltimore Civic Center. Roth in those yellow/black striped tights doing his acrobatics & Eddie ripping it wide open....great debut. for Hagar's best imo checkout Montrose, self-titled album, one of my old favs.

Yea, Nrenter, EVH said (guitar player mag) he has 20 albums of new material that may never been put out...what a same.

I like them both but VH w DLR was a force. There are not many bands that you can distinctly recall when you first heard them but I vividly remember hearing the debut LP and thinking that it was amazing and running out the next day and getting it. I saw them live around 1980 and it was a fantastic rock and roll show and DLR was a great entertainer as well as singer.

Check out what Eddie Van Halen looks like these days.

Valerie is definately doing better than Eddie....

Whoooo...ooo Darkmoebius, nice punch in gut... father time is cruel/turned Eddie guitarboy into the Sea Hag.

That pic of Eddie is years old and he looks way better now. That picture created an internet meme where people Photoshop that image into funny scenarios. There's like a 200 page thread over at the harmony-central forums. Gut-busting stuff in there.

Nomatter who you like,ya gotta enjoy this.
http://www.last.fm/music/Van+Halen/_/Eruption

Van Halen = In my collection.

Van Hagar = Bland.

No dis to Sammy, love him as the Red Rocker but...
Hands down, Van Halen DLR era. My fave????? Actually Fair Warning. Early was great simple entry level rock, super classic. Women started to really expand the creativity and uniqueness. I really think VH pinnacled at FW. Diver Down was just than. End of story for VH as we knew and loved.

I absolutely agree that Fair Warning was the best Van Halen album ever. The new Different Kind of Truth takes me back to the DLR era and that's why I love it. Clearly not their best ever but what a breath of fresh air. That wink, wink with a nod humor is back. "Told you I was coming back. Say you missed me, say it like you mean it". A little decrepit but also surprisingly spry. I'm a kid of the 70's/80's. I love this band. Always will. NOT for audiophiles, but iconic.

I like Sammy Hagar but he did nothing for Van Halen. Sure, they made a little money but Van Halen IS Diamond Dave, and unfortunately for this upcoming tour Michael Anthony. Michael Anthony is the high pitched voice in all the classic VH music, like Jamie's Crying. I saw Diver Down tour and again with Hagar on OU812 and there was no comparison. David Lee loved being the lead singer of Van Halen and he showed it in concert. He put his heart and soul into that band and they took him for granted. I had friends in high school that could play guitar almost as good as Eddie Van Halen, but I never knew anyone who could sing along side of him while leaping off giant stacks of amplifiers.

Side 2 fair warning!...Ted templemens' production on all classic era VH is immaculate

I'm in the minority giving a small edge to Sammy Hagar. His vocal skills and songwriting are superior to DLR. VH also matured with Hagar especially on a favorite of mine "Feelin'". They could also get down and dirty with what I consider their best song "Black and Blue".

Von Zepplin.

Synthfreek-

Metallica...There is another band-ahh with an annoying lead singer-ahh.

Please tell me you're being facetious.