Van Halen Gave Rock And Roll Something Loud And Crunchy
Van Halen! (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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.
Eddie Van Halen’s legendary Frankenstein guitar photo Tom Weschler
The Original Version
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 14 Years Later Takes The Song Over
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.”
Check Out The Original Kinks version of, “You Really Got Me.”
6 Of the Most Epic Moments in Live Music
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
Born in Mt Clemens, Screamin’ Scott has been a part of the Detroit airwaves for 30-plus years. With 40 years of experience in radio. When he’s not out on the streets for WCSX, you can find him devoting time to local charities with his, “Screamin Angels”; and for 16 years with Rock 4 Tots charity. And last 10 years with his local band, "Chit!." Screamin Scott likes to write about nostalgic Detroit area memories, classic rock, and local metro Detroit topics.
