The Van Halen Album Eddie Hated – Screamin’ Scott

With a total of 12 studio albums, two "live," albums and two greatest hits albums, it's hard to believe that Eddie would hate any of his efforts. Finding out years later in interviews and first accounts over the years is pretty crazy. It was the process of making one of the Van Halen albums that made Eddie Van Halen not so happy. Eddie had a problem with Van Halen's "Diver Down" album. The album had huge success with cover classics by the Kinks and Martha Reeves. The only highlight was on a cover song, "Big Bad Bill (is Sweet William Now)." That features Eddie and his brother's father on clarinet. Eddie had the feeling he was losing control of the band. I saw a big change in the band coming off the heals of the band's "Fair Warning" album, which was much a Halen's streak of albums with David Lee Roth and as close to perfect as you can get for the very beginnings of what would become hair metal heavier in the song track listings.  Released in 1982, "Diver Down" peaked at #3 on the album charts. It sold 4 million copies. Out of the 12 songs, five of them were cover songs, making Eddie not very happy. Maybe the album cover was a metaphor for something going on with the band. I don't know, but I feel it was becoming the David Lee Roth show and the guys in the suits at the record company. In my opinion, this is a case of checkers selling more than chess because "Diver Down" isn't half as good as "Fair Warning."   https://www.wearethepit.com/2022/11/the-van-halen-album-eddie-van-halen-hated-making/ [select-listicle listicle_id="831561" syndication_name="best-power-ballads" description="yes"]