Van Halen: The Eruption and the Aftershock

I fell in love with Van Halen when I was 10 years old, in 1984. I thought I knew mostly everything about the "soap opera" of my favorite band, but I was clearly mistaken. This book is incredibly informative. Especially for myself, who lost track of the inner workings of the band when I was in my late 20's and early 30's (life happens!), this book confirmed some of the rumours that I had heard, while debunking others. The author obviously dug deep to bring us a glimpse of the inner workings of the band. From the Vanhalen's (that's right) voyage to the United States, to the heartbreaking passing of Edward.Touching on Eddie's innovation, DLR's outrageous style, Sammy and Gary, and everything between, the book paints a perfect picture of how a band tries to endure through personnel changes, musical differences, and working to stay relevant in an ever-changing musical landscape. I particularly enjoyed the "fans" perspective in the "Dave vs. Sammy" section. A debate that my friends and I have always had, and one that will most likely go on forever.Great Job Mr. Christopher. Bottoms Up!!!

I found this book entertaining, full of fun facts I never knew and very well written. Michael Christopher has a unique writing style that’s informative, in depth but easy to read and comprehend. I’ve read other pieces by other authors and found this book authoritative with reliable sources.I read the book cover to cover in a matter of days. I noted photos I had never seen before which was refreshing and new! The band was around a very long time so there’s definitely some interesting stories to be told. This book has it all!!Something else to like? The book cover itself feels so smooth, you’ll never want to put it down!Bravo Mr. Christopher! 📕✍🏻📕

Everything top notch!

One year ago today, a guitar god passed away from a long on and off bout with cancer. This book covers more than the exalted Edward Van Halen, one of the most brilliant musicians of our time–it chronicles the entire history of the band. You’ll learn about the Van Halen brothers, their cohorts in their band, and the ebbs and flows in their careers and lives.If you’ve read other publications, books, and interviews, followed the band closely throughout the years, and consider yourself a dedicated fan, this book may be a little too much like an overview. It’s an excellent way to learn about Van Halen if you didn’t live through these years when Van Halen dominated the charts, but a lot of the material you may be familiar with already.Even though I grew up listening to VH, a few items did come as news to me. I was actually surprised I didn’t know these facts, so I gained that from the book. On the other hand, the book jumps from 2012 to Eddie’s untimely death in 2020, so I felt that was somewhat shortchanging the fans.For the most part, though, I felt it was a rehash for me and nothing new. I cannot say that I didn’t enjoy it, though. I loved going through the journey once again and revisiting the Sammy years even though I am Team Diamond Dave forever. But I feel like this combined a bunch of materials already out into one book, and there are other books I prefer.I found the writing engaging and the research thorough, but this is a book to start your education on VH, not to continue it. One thing I really thought was excellent was the series of interviews with fans to settle the debate between Dave and Sammy. Most did lean toward Dave, and you even do learn who allegedly made more money for the band. So that was a strong point for the book.Thank you NetGalley and Rowman & Littlefield, Backbeat for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! It was a pleasure

I have many books, however this one was unreadable because of font size. I swear it is two or three font sizes smaller than most books. Had to return. Going to buy the book on iPad so I can enlarge font.

I love reading informational books about favorite artists, musicians, public figures, etc. There is usually so much passion behind them, why else would you write about them, right?Well, I found that this book was lacking a bit in the passion, which is disappointing. The foreword started off great, talking about the love for Van Halen... then it kind of tapered off. I wasn't really moved by this read until the author talked of the passing of Dimbag Darrel (another favorite of mine) and the eventual end of Eddie Van Halen.That being said, it was very informative and I'm glad I had the chance to read it. I did learn some new bits of information I hadn't known before.It's a good addition to anyone's shelf, granted you're into rock music.

My goodness, how disappointing is this book? It reads like the author took all the info from wiki and guitar magazines and general known history. It’s like it’s just simply regurgitation of facts. Avoid.

Its not one story. More bits and pieces