Table of Contents
Overture xi
California Dreaming 1
"We were like a kid freak show."
2 Riot on the Sunset Strip 15
"Stop! I hired you to play Top 40. What is this shit?!"
Musical Interlude 37
A conversation with Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony, Part I
3 On Fire 47
"I wasn't trying to show off … it was Just fun!"
Musical Interlude 68
A conversation with Eddie Van Halen and Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi
4 Warning Signs 79
"What do you got, Eddie?"
5 1984 103
"I wasn't going to allow them to control me anymore"
Musical Interlude 124
A conversation with Toto guitarist Steve Lukather
6 A Tale of Two Singers 133
"Dave used to say I wasn't happy unless I was unhappy. That was a crock."
Musical Interlude 157
A conversation with former David Lee Roth guitarist Steve Vai
7 In and Out 165
"I just started thinking, hey man. let's write something real."
Musical Interlude 178
A conversation with Van Halen manager Ray Danniels
8 Who the Fuck is Eddie Van Halen? 195
"Everything comes to me when I'm sitting on the pot."
Musical Interlude 205
A conversation with Van Halen III vocalist Gary Cherone
9 The Lost Years 219
"I came home and on the six o'clock news Dan Rather was saying, 'Up next, Eddie Van Halen has cancer.'"
Musical Interlude 240
A conversation with Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony, Part II
10 The Whole Truth 247
"[Dave's] lyrics are hilarious … I think he's brilliant"
Musical Interlude 272
A conversation with Edward and Wolfgang Van Halen
11 The Art of Guitar 281
"We never once said, 'Yeah, that will do.' It has to be right because my name is on it"
Musical Interlude 298
The SoCal Guitar Triangle: Edward, Les, and Leo
12 Can't Get this Stuff No More 303
"Those truly magical fingers opened a door to a new kind of playing"
Thank You 309
Notes 311
Index 313