HEAVY MUSIC HISTORY: 1984 – Van Halen
Ask the average rock fan to name a VAN HALEN song, what would they answer with? Unless the person has even Van Halen III (1998) in their collection, people would often answer with a song from the band’s sixth studio album, 1984. The album is one of the band’s most popular albums, alongside their self-titled debut, reaching No.2 on the Billboard 200 charts, with its four singles also succeeding in the charts. As this was the last album with the original lineup until a brief reunion in 2000, it’s a time capsule of the first iteration of the band as well as a turning point in 80s rock with the prominence of synthesisers and keyboards weaved alongside their established pop-rock style. Now, 40 years later, the album is still highly respected and played across the world, and how the record began compared to its release is an interesting story within itself.
Don’t play keyboards, that was the note both frontman David Lee Roth and producer Ted Templeton gave to guitarist Eddie Van Halen during the creation of their previous albums that decade; Fair Warning (1981) and Diver Down (1982). Having grown up in a musical family alongside brother and drummer Alex Van Halen, Eddie Van Halen learned piano as a child and wanted to implement keyboards and synthesisers into the band’s albums. In Roth and Templeton’s minds, they were worried that the guitarist would stretch himself too thin. Nonetheless, Eddie Van Halen persisted and showed Templeton a synth line he created in 1981. Whilst rejected by the band at the time, the producer showed it again to the frontman in 1983, who started thinking about lyrics to add on top of it. Remembering a report about a suicide jumper, Roth bounced around the phrase, “go ahead and jump” into a song of positivity, love, and action in life. The result was the album’s first single, as well as the band’s most successful song, Jump. Taking a much more radio-friendly sound, the song exemplifies the sound of popular rock within the 1980s, having Eddie’s synth line dance underneath Roth’s optimistic and encouraging lyrics alongside Alex Van Halen’s steady drum beat and Micheal Anthony’s intricate bass lines. Alongside a classic guitar solo the band were known for, exemplifying the guitarist’s skill and musicianship especially, the song also includes a magical and fun synthesiser solo that plays around with the riff and wraps together one of the most iconic songs in rock history. The music video was notable as well, as it showcased the band’s personality on a relatively low budget, with Roth’s karate kicks highlighting the lyrics of the chorus and adding to the bouncing, energetic nature of the song, earning it three MTV VMA nominations and the No.1 spot on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No.7 spot on the UK Singles chart.
As MTV was still a relatively new format many bands and artists were experimenting with, as the first broadcast took place in 1981, so music videos were a prevalent part of the album’s promotion. In particular, the music video for the album’s fourth single, Hot For Teacher, was played on circulation during the album’s cycle, directed by Roth and depicting the lyrics of the song in a visual medium. A song about lusting after a teacher is a topic that wouldn’t exactly fly with today’s modern standards, but the use of the double kick drum from Alex as well as the exceptional guitar riffs and solos from Eddie make up for the subject matter. The fast-paced notation across the fretboard and strings showcase the talented guitarist and his craftsmanship but also were a perfect representation of the lyrics and the feelings the singer feels. The musicianship continues spectacularly as album tracks like Drop Dead Legs and Girl Gone Bad showcase the bands’ talent further with hard and driving basslines on top of steady but creative drum rhythms emphasised by the insanely exceptional guitar work. In every track, Roth’s personality in his voice, as he sings, is overflowing with charm, snark, and attitude that only he could deliver, livening up the mood and presenting different levels in the voice to deliver the theme and tone of the songs. Finishing the album with House Of Pain, another heavy rhythm-filled track with an insane guitar solo to round up the album, it closes out an incredible album that not only expands their musical style into synth-rock but also builds upon their established sound and style they’ve continued to flourish in.
Considering Jump is continuously played at sports games, and songs like Panama and Hot For Teacher continuously receive airplay on radio and MTV, 1984 has maintained a strong legacy in the last 40 years as is one of the most fondly remembered albums in VAN HALEN’s legacy, particularly within the Roth era of the band. After the release of this album, Roth departed from the band, only periodically returning throughout the remaining years until the untimely passing of Eddie Van Halen in 2020. After the sad news, this album specifically saw a brief reappearance in the charts, showing how this album has a strong place in many fans’ hearts even after all these years. Even though the guitarist is sadly no longer with us, his legacy and craftsmanship shines brightly through this record, as well as all the incredible work from all the other members of the band. Whilst these celebrations are bittersweet, it’s still a great album to remember and influential to how rock in the 1980s was shaped to include synthesisers and keyboards. So whether because of the singles or the deep cuts, 1984 is an album which exemplifies VAN HALEN at their best; rocking hard and pushing the boundaries in sound and talent, something that should always be celebrated.
1984 was orginally released on January 9 1984 via Warner Bros.
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