Van Halen were the focus of an hour-long TV special broadcast in Japan on Tuesday.
BS-TBS' “Song To Soul” series sat down for a brand new, exclusive interview with David Lee Roth and Eddie and Alex Van Halen at Dave’s house, in a session that was filmed just two weeks ago.
The special also includes interviews with Van Halen producer Ted Templeman, Guitar World Editor in Chief Brad Tolinski and Margo Nahas, the creator of “1984” album cover.
“Song To Soul” explored the groundwork of the band’s early beginnings and the path they took through the first five albums before they released the massive 1984 smash, “Jump.”
“I actually wrote it on a Prophet 10 and everytime I got the sound I wanted, the thing would start smoking,” explained Eddie. “So I got rid of that one, bought an Oberheim OB-Xa. That sound actually did not exist. We made that sound popular. All synthesizers after ‘Jump’ came out, came with that sound in it.”
“Jump was actually recorded on the first or second take, [and it] was the record version,” says Alex. “And then you spend another hundred takes to justify why it was so easy to record in one time. And that goes to demonstrate how people really get in the way of the creative process; your own ego wants to be in there and justify why it’s so good.”
While Templeman’s initial impression to Roth’s lyrics for “Jump” was that it “sounds like someone’s going to commit suicide,” the producer came around to the concept after an explanation by the singer.
“It’s a commitment to a forward space,” says Roth. “There’s no wasted days. There’s no timing moves, like in chess. You’re always moving ahead, and maybe the only rationale that you can use is ‘hey, I might as well..’ That may be all you need to compel you into the next big move in your life, or your next big mistake. Either way, at least you have a life worth living, a live well-lived in.”
“Jump” remains the only #1 single in Van Halen’s storied career; to date, the “1984” album has sold more than 12 million copies in the U.S. alone.
Van Halen will play three concerts in Japan this November as part of their “A Different Kind Of Truth” tour, including two in Osaka and one in Tokyo; these shows represent the first the band have played in the country in 14 years.
Thanks to ESPSUCKS for sharing the program.
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