Retro Spins: Van Halen - 5150

Did Sammy Hagar ever stand a chance of successfully stepping into the Van Halen arena, and filling David Lee Roth's shoes? No. The answer is no. No.

Regardless of who you spoke to, it all came down to clashes between Roth and Eddie Van Halen over artistic direction, control over the band's sound, the singles being released, and the pace of it all. Roth had recently found success with the EP Crazy From The Heat and was even in talks with CBS for a movie deal. As such, it was the perfect time for him to say farewell and bow out of the band.

Eddie approached both Patty Smyth of Scandal, and Daryl Hall of Hall and Oates fame to fill the shoes of lead singer. However, both would ultimately decline. The guitarist would be introduced to Sammy Hagar through his mechanic. At that point in time, Hagar was already a successful solo artist with his album VOA, and single, I Can't Drive 55, as well as for his work with the band, Montrose. Ironically, both he and the band had been produced by Ted Templeton, producer of all Van Halen albums thus far. Everything just seemed to line up.

Warner Bros. president Mo Ostin would literally say, "I smell money," when the band demoed Why Can't This Be Love for him. No doubt, the money came. 5150 would be the band's first number one album on the Billboard charts. The single would race up the charts to peak at number three, and was followed by Dreams, and Love Walks In, which both reached the top thirty.

The subsequent tour which followed was supported by the VHS and laserdisc, Live Without A Net, which featured live performances from the show recorded live at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in New Haven, Connecticut. It appeared that despite the popularity of David Lee Roth, the world was ready, and willing to embrace Sammy Hagar as the new frontman, and welcomed him with open arms.

Van Halen takes everything that made MCMLXXXIV so popular, builds on it, and layers it with Hagar's voice. Songs like Get Up are so familiar in sound, that it could easily be mistaken for a faster version of Hot For Teacher - If you can imagine the drums and guitar in that song getting any faster. In fact, it's so familiar that it barely stands out as its own album at times.

Yes, there are definitely hits here, the aforementioned ones noted above, and these ultimately are the reason I picked up the album. However, I also have to admit to myself that Hagar does indeed hold his own. Though Earth shattering at the time, in retrospect, it's a transition that works. Van Halen could indeed continue forward with a new frontman, and perhaps even be better for it.

I do have to ask though. Why is it when I'm listening to Dreams that I feel like I'm on a snowy mountain slope in the 80's, skiing my heart out to save the lodge in some super unrealistic wager between myself and the local rich bully?

Hmm...weird.

Overall, 5150 is a solid album. Is it better than MCMLXXXIV, no, I don't think so. However, it's definitely a solid launching point for Van Hagar. From there, I suppose I would go into the band's final 80's album from the era, OU812. However, as they say, been there, done that. In review of that write up from back in 2022, I wasn't too invested in it. My review was short, and to the point. Perhaps a little too summed up. I may have to give it another shot. Until then, this ends my trip through Van Halen.

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