With the other comparos going on here in GD, thought I'd do one that really mattered...

So, who's your man, why, and maybe what's your favorite song?

I've got VH's Best of Both Worlds in the garage CD player, so I've been going over this for a while... My pick would probably be Sammy. I like David too, but I would say I like the hair band 80's style stuff they did once Sammy signed up... As far as a favorite song... That's tough, maybe Right Now?

Oh, and if you like Gary better, please, for God's sake explain yourself!

 

after Dave left and Sammy joined, I started saying that Van Hagar and Bob Seger should join together for a "Lounge Lizard Tour".

Dave was the better song writer by far and rocked harder. Sammy's best days were with Montrose and that was a very long time ago...

 

Short answer: Dave

Long answer: Without Sammy (or someother new lead) Van Halen would have only lasted maybe 1 or 2 more albums with Dave. He lost his voice and his hair and his type were not allowed to succeed in the early to mid-nineties when flannel took over. VH with Sammy were able to contiune in the first half of the 90's...

Daves songs were all about girls, parties and booze. Thats why I love Dave's era so much. Sammy had much of that, but also had many sappy songs...

 

tough, tough, call....

Ultimately, I'd have to give it to Dave...

He WAS the ultimate rocker/showman. Don't get me wrong, I love a lot of stuff with Sammy, but Dave fit the bill on sooo many levels... I think my favorite OVERALL song would have to be "Panama".

 

Yes me too, favorite song overall Panama. Favorite song w/Sammy, Humans being. (Dreams a close 2nd)

 

No disrespect to Hagar, but clearly DLR wins this battle. At the peak of his powers he had game. Like some others (Rod Stewart comes to mind) the years have not treated him so well, but those first two VH albums had very impressive performances by everyone in the band.

Gonna go back to VH II with "Dance the Night Away" for my favorite track.

 

Sammy without a doubt! Very few people in the business can wail like he does!

 

SAMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I used to think David was the only real singer for VanHalen - I liked Run Around and Pound Cake off of the F.U.C.K. album, but I still thought David was the man. Then I got the Best of VanHalen Volume I album and I was started to get turned on to Sammy. I got a burned copy of Unboxed and 5150, and I quickly changed my mind. SAMMY IS THE MAN!

After the Gary era someone asked Eddie who he would rather reunite with - Eddie said Sammy because he was a much better song writer. (I thought Gary got a bad rap - the album wasn't that bad, especially compared to what was being put out at the time)

I was ecstatic when I heard Sammy was back in VH. Even though there were only a three new songs on the Best of Both World album, I had it the first day it came out. I now find myself skipping the Dave songs and listening to Sammy.

From what I've heard, Sammy may not stay w/ VH much longer. It sounds like Sammy is getting fed up w/ Eddie's attitude towards the fans. Everyone except Eddie has been doing radio spots to promote the band, and I've also heard Eddie is hitting the boos pretty hard again.

As for favorite song - there are too many to pick one sung by Eddie and Sammy. As for the Gary era, 'Fire in the Hole'

 

Oh, man, that's a tough question. I think I like Sammy, though, because he's got a good voice and he's a stoner. I think my fav song is Panama, though.

 

Please is this even a real question,Diamond Dave.

 

firstly, Gary was nothing without Nuno.


Eddie is the principal songwriter. Dave's solo stuff worth mentioning was being driven by Steve Vai and Billy Sheehan (why do you think he assembled a superstar band for his solo work?) It's like Ozzy. He's only as good as his guitar player (notice how his sound changes with each player? Tony, Randy, Jake, Zakk)


I think Van Hagar would have been even better if Eddie afforded Sammy more freedom to write and play guitar.