Van Halen Rising: How a Southern California Backyard Party Band Saved Heavy Metal

Greg Renoff

Oct 2015 · ECW Press

About this ebook

A vivid and energetic history of Van Halen's legendary early years 

After years of playing gigs everywhere from suburban backyards to dive bars, Van Halen — led by frontman extraordinaire David Lee Roth and guitar virtuoso Edward Van Halen — had the songs, the swagger, and the talent to turn the rock world on its ear. The quartet's classic 1978 debut, Van Halen, sold more than a million copies within months of release and rocketed the band to the stratosphere of rock success. On tour, Van Halen's high-energy show wowed audiences and prompted headlining acts like Black Sabbath to concede that they'd been blown off the stage. By the year's end, Van Halen had established themselves as superstars and reinvigorated heavy metal in the process. Based on more than 230 original interviews — including with former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony and power players like Pete Angelus, Marshall Berle, Donn Landee, Ted Templeman, and Neil Zlozower — Van Halen Rising reveals the untold story of how these rock legends made the unlikely journey from Pasadena, California, to the worldwide stage.

Ratings and reviews

***NOT A BAD BOOK, VERY DETAILED. IF YOUR A HUGE VAN HALEN FAN LIKE ME GET THIS. IT'S WORTH THE BUY, IT'S A LOT OF DETAIL.

A great read,I couldn't put it down.Just wish Greg had been able to go into more detail on all the other VH material.it just ended too abruptly for me,A really awesome book though!

Is it possible theres almost too much detail? Never, when it comes to the greatest rock band of all time!

About the author

Greg Renoff was born in the Bronx, New York, and grew up in New Jersey. Renoff earned his Ph.D. in American history from Brandeis University and is the author of The Big Tent: The Traveling Circus in Georgia, 1820-1930. He lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with his wife and two daughters.