Van Halen: A Visual History, 1978-1984

by Neil Zlozower, David Lee Roth (Foreword)

From their eponymous 1978 debut through their colossal 1984 album (they've sold over 75 million albums worldwide), Van Halen rewrote all the rules. Nobody rocked—or partied—harder. Photographer Neil Zlozower first met the band in 1978, worked with them again on Van Halen II , and soon became their friend, hanging out in L.A. and hitting the road on tour with them. Van Halen collects more than 250 backstage, candid, and full rock-out photos of the all-powerful, spandexed, high-kicking, guitar blazing, stadium-shaking, original Van Halen lineup. Accompanying Zlozower's amazing photos are an introduction about his wild ride with VH, a foreword by David Lee Roth, and testimony from the rock pantheon paying homage to the band, including members of Led Zeppelin, Guns N' Roses, Def Leppard, Judas Priest, KISS, Motley Crüe, and more. Turn it up!

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Biography

260 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2007

Reviews

[Vicente Ribes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book full of great pictures of Van Halen's golden age. The pictures are accompanied with comments from well known artists and the people who surrounded the band during the eighties when they were the next big thing.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a visual history so yes, the pictures are fantastic! Zlozower seems to have captured literally everything that happened to these guys. A nice bonus are the tons of snippets about Van Halen from people around the band and other rock stars. Would be a perfect coffee table book for any fan.

[Bob Nielsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I clearly remember standing in the streets of Brooklyn and my buddy Tom asking me if I heard the Van Halen album yet. At the time I was into Kiss (they were a serious rock band at first and then.....) Aerosmith, Nugent and Zeppelin, and hadn't heard of VH. That night he let me borrow the album and I was hooked. They brought a completely new sound to the music I loved. Roth was a legit rock star icon and Eddie played differently than any I had heard before.

This book is just a series of pictures from the start through '84 along with short passages from musicians and record type people of the time, but it gets across how VH changed the way music was regarded at the time. Van Halen was at the time and likely still is the greatest American rock band ever.

I picked this book up used from Amazon and it will hold a place on my bookshelf along with a few other rock books I've enjoyed through the years.

[S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, so I gave up actually reading this book but the pictures are worth 5 stars. Nothing could be more inspiring than the picture of david lee roth and eddie van halen making costumes backstage. Bedazzled shoes motherfucker!

[Rudy Gutierrez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great quick read with Great Pics, loved the walk down memory lane. Read it while I smoked a Cigar and downed some Jack - once I finished I had to pull out some VH lps and turn up the turntable.

[Xenos · Rating 5 out of 5]

RIP Eddie Van Halen, guitar hero and coolest imaginary high school boyfriend ever!

[Tifinie · Rating 5 out of 5]

same as the Led Zeppelin book this book has van halen as many pictures during the years as the band. they show when making the music videos and make the album. they all also show the great concerts they put on thou the years.

[Gord Newall · Rating 3 out of 5]

The pictures and quotes are the best part, I flipped through it one evening. I had just come off reading Van Halen Rising, which is a much better "Read" but less visuals. No idea of it's credibility but I always take these with a degree of skepticism anyway.

[Stevie · Rating 5 out of 5]

alsome

[Mark Irwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, so I'm on a VH kick... This book was fun; lots of great pics, lots of background on one of the greatest (if not the greatest) American bands.

[Tiffany Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

love the pictures in the book tells a whole alot in the book.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

not a big fan, but this has ton's of awesome pics

[Greg Renoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Closest we'll ever get to re-experiencing Van Halen at the peak of their powers.

[Ietrio · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute personal collection of photographs featuring Van Halen. This book does what is says on the cover.

[Kitt-e-kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

NOT A BIO. JUST GREAT PICTURES OF THE BAND.