Van Halen Gave Rock And Roll Something Loud And Crunchy

Van Halen in 1978 A new heavy sound with an amazing lead guitar player first caught our ears.  The Kinks' biggest hit "You Really Got Me" was done by Van Halen. What was really amazing was the guitar intro before the song "Eruption".  Van Halen debuted on the chart with their first single "You Really Got Me". January 28th, 1978.

Ray Davies wrote the original version for the Kinks back in 1964 and introduced music fans to, "PowerChords." In 1964 there wasn't much heavy metal but influenced many bands later. The song was a breakthrough hit as part of the British Invasion and the band's first top-ten hit. According to a book by Myers, Marc. Anatomy of a Song Ray Davies said that he had been inspired to write the song one night during his college days. When he saw an attractive girl on the dance floor. He said: "When we finished, I went off to find her, but she was gone and never returned to the club. She really got me going."

Van Halen back in the bar band days played lots of cover songs including, Aerosmith, ZZ Top, and Edgar Winter and they loved playing a bunch of Kinks songs as David Lee Roth liked when the dance floor was packed. When it came to releasing the first single, the Kinks cover of You Really Got Me." was a good choice.

Van Halen's debut album was released a few weeks later. Not long after, 140 radio stations had it in rotation and the song made its way into the Top 40. It not only helped launch Van Halen's career, and one of their most recognizable songs. Not the only Kinks song the band covered. On Van Halen's Diver Down album, they covered the Kinks again with, "Where Have All The Good Times Gone."

A lot of details go into it becoming an epic moment in time. Factors go into determining how great the event is going to be. Let's start with the concert announcement. All the greatest, Most Epic Moments in Live Music started on the radio. Some of the great ones were way before social media was a thing. Radio would be the first clue when the radio personality would tease coming up at 10 am a major concert announcement. Waiting all morning even guessing at who might be coming to town. My concert memories always had that, "it will be something to tell your grandkids someday.

Concert announcements by looking in the local newspaper. Pine Knob would post in early Spring the concerts for the upcoming season. There was always word of mouth about a concert coming to town or a friend who worked at a local record store.

The next step in the process was who was going to go with you to the show. Would it be an epic night with close friends or a concert with your best girl? Choose carefully as one wrong choice had major ramifications. Next was the transportation to and back from the show. Yes, I said back from the show. How many have ever been left at a show to find their own way home?

The last is to enjoy the show. Favorite beverage, or extracurricular activity to say it lightly. Remember you want to remember the show. What was nice is that some on this list have no cell phone documentation. Don't be that person that goes Facebook live with distorted audio and you singing in the background.

Some of you attended some on this list of the Most Epic Moments in Live Music

Woodstock - 1969 the culture music event of the decade and arguably to this day the single most profound event in the history of music. If you stayed to the end the performance from Jimi Hendrix was a show stopper. Jimi got paid, $18,000 for his set.

Organizers said Queen was the best performer of the show. Queen had something to prove that they were still at the top of their game. Tragically Freddy Mercury would pass a few years after this performance. Still one of the most epic live performances ever.

Doesn't matter how many times I watch this I still get chills. Prince does a solo that melts the hearts of everyone in the audience. Imagine if you had the lucky chance to sit and watch an all-star lineup with Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, and Steve Winwood. A Tribute to the late George Harrison.

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band performing "Born To Run" from Live at the Hammersmith Odeon, London '75. To promote Bruce Springsteen's 3rd album, "Born to Run,"  they sent Bruce to London. Critics point to this show as the show that took Bruce to worldwide success.

On January 30th, 1969 The Beatles went right to the top. Top of the building and put on a historic 45 min concert which would be their last ever. But what a concert.

"This is the biggest backyard party in Van Halen history!," - David Lee Roth

1.5 million dollars to headline the show. May 29th became, "Van Halen Memorial Day."

Van Halen burned through 24 songs on their set list, featuring new tunes from the Diver Down album and a healthy portion of Van Halen's favorites.