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VAN HALEN

From page 82 of Classic Rock Magazine May 2000

Cover of May 2000 issue.

Video Hits Volume I

(Warner Vision, 65 minutes)

***** Even when you take into account the fact that pop videos were in their relative infancy when Van Haien were at their peak and that MTV had barely had a chance to make a major impact doesn't make up for the lack of quality present here.

For many, the Diamond Dave era will always be the best but has anyone forgotten just how poor videos were back then? Now, in glorious DVD-0-Vision you can revel in the appalling production values of 'Jump', 'Panama' and 'Hot For Teacher'. Terrific songs one and all, let down by the standards of the times. Still, there is plenty of fun to be had watching ol'

Dave groping the gals and hamming it up so tastelessly that he overshadows much of Eddie's coolest fret work. Very much a nostalgic treat.

When you see these videos back to back, the Sammy Hagar era seems, quite rightly, utterly tame in comparison. Yes, Van Haien rocked, as is evident from the likes of 'Poundcake', but where's the fun factor? Hagar was basically nice teeth and hair, and ridiculous trousers not unlike DLR, actually but without any of the hyper-vaudeville razzamatazz of his predecessor. Hence, things reach an all time low with the pretentious video for 'Right Now', with pointless messages being projected over the lads as they play.

Finally, it makes you wonder why they even bothered with ex-Extreme dude Gary Cherone. 'Van Haien III' was boring and the video for 'Without You' for some reason featuring an arctic theme makes about as much impact as the song. In other words,

exactly none. And thus ends `...Volume makes you wonder just what delights await in '...Volume Essi Berelian