This is the second annual Roctober Mewsic Festival hosted by Mary from Jingle Jangle Jungle and I’m happy to join along with her in the fun.
This month, I’m revisiting some of the classic 70s mewsicians and songs that either I didn’t catch the artist/band name or just forgot that I loved in my teen year. I hope you’ll stick around to enjoy some lost gems from the past.
In 1972, American hard rockers from Pasadena California consisted of two brothers, Eddie (songwriter/mewsician/founder) and Alex (drummer) known as Van Halen with David Lee Roth (vocalist) and Michael Anthony (bassist). It wasn’t until the late 70s that the band hit my radar. Give a listen to the band’s self-titled 1978 studio album to reach the US Billboard Pop Music chart at number 19.
Van Halen song titles in track order: 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.
A bit of trivia. Van Halen’s ‘You Really Got Me’ is a 1966 Kink’s cover with six other cover artists to record the song since it’s release.
It’s interesting, I watch these old videos of male rockers while rolling my eyes. I never thought they looked sexy with unbuttoned or no shirts. I thought it made them look silly. I guess that’s just me but it doesn’t change the fact that these rockers have more talent in one pinkie than all ten fingers of today’s mewsicians.
Van Halen cranked out another album before the decade came to an end with Van Halen II (1979).
Van Halen II song titles in track order: You’re No Good, Dance The Night Away (the band’s first #1 hit), Somebody Get Me A Doctor, Bottoms Up, Outta Love Again, Light Up The Sky, Spanish Fly, D.O.A., Women In Love, & Beautiful Girls.
The 80s brought future successful for the band but by the mid-80s David Lee Roth was out of the band due to conflicts between him and Eddie. Sammy Hagar played with Van Halen from 1986-1996 and Gary Cheron (1996-1999). There’s been some downtime and Van Halen reunions with lead singers (Roth & Hagar) but I haven’t kept up with the band in years. Their early years will always live in memory.
More trivia...I liked the bands ‘You’re No Good’ cover which I always thought originated with Linda Ronstadt but wrong! Dee Dee Warwick performed the song first for Jubilee Records in 1963. The same year, Betty Everett, peaked #51 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and #5 on Cashbox R&B Locations charts. A year later on the other side of the pond, UK’s the Swinging Blue Jeans charted #3. Since Ronstadt’s cover, the song has been covered a couple of dozen times.
I hope you’ll travel with me back in time tomorrow with another edition of Rocktober Mewsic Festival!
X💋X 💋, Cathy