“范海伦”是世界著名重金属乐队。1973年，埃迪·范·海伦（Eddie Van Halen ， 吉他手 、键盘手 ，1957年1月26日出生于荷兰奈梅亨）、埃迪的哥哥亚历克斯（Alex ，鼓手，1955年5月8日生于荷兰奈梅亨）和迈克尔·安东尼（Michael Anothone，贝司手，1955年6月20日生于芝加哥）及主唱戴维·李·罗思（David Lee Roth ，1955年10月生于美国印第安那）在加利福尼亚组建了“猛犸”（Mammoth）乐队。 1978年推出了首张同名专辑《范海伦》（Van Halen）， 埃迪·范海伦精彩绝伦的吉他演奏震惊了世界，几个月内专辑销量达200万，唱片受到了一致好评。埃迪·范海伦也被《吉他演奏家》（Guitar Player）杂志评为“1978年最佳吉他新秀”。1979年第2张专辑《范·海伦II》（Van Helen II）同样取得了成功 。 1980年专辑《妇幼优先》（Women and Children First）中，乐队实验性地运用了合成器。1981年推出了专辑《公正的警告》（Fair Waming） 。1982年专辑《下潜》（Diver Down）出版。1984年新年时发行了专辑《1984》，其中单曲《跳跃》（Jump）成为排行榜冠军。该专辑在美国排行榜上停留了1年之久。同年，埃迪·范·海伦应邀在迈克尔·杰克逊（MICHAEL JACKSON）的专辑《颤栗者》（Thriller）的歌曲《住手》中演奏。1985年主唱罗思离队进行个人发展。 萨米·黑格（Sammy Hagar，1947年10月13日生于美国加利福尼亚的蒙特雷）填补了主唱空缺。1984年6月，发行了专辑《5150》，专辑的名称取自精神病犯罪科警察的代码，同时这也是埃迪·范海伦录音室的号码。单曲《这为什么不能是爱》（Why Can’t This Be Love）在排行榜上名列第3，《5150》专辑使乐队第一次名列榜首，并成为他们销量最大的一张唱片。1988年的《OU812》同样名列榜首。1991年专辑《非法的性知识》（For Unlawful Carmal Knowledge）因其首位字母拼合为FUCK而引起争论。1995年的专辑《平衡》（Balance） 成为乐队第10张录音室唱片。乐队原主唱罗思在乐队的合辑《最好的范海伦，第1集》（Best of Van Halen Vol.1）演唱了两首新歌。 但就情感上而言，《1984》这张专辑对许多 Van Halen 歌迷而言，是最后一张专辑Van Halen的专辑。无论如何，Eddie Van Halen无疑是Jimi Hendrix之后，最重要的摇滚吉他天才（Sorry,Mr. Rhoads）。Eddie的solo永远带着他高超的技巧、极具创意的编排、匪夷所思的音阶运用与转换。但真正让这张专辑成为经典的，除了 Eddie的吉他演奏外，是他将他对吉他演奏那种独特的概念与创意应用在歌曲的创作上；例如Panama、Hot For Teacher、Top Jimmy，这些歌曲坚实的结构与精妙的编排就如同他的solo一样。而Eddie Van Halen与其它极力想模仿他的吉他手们最大的不同是，你永远都猜不到他的下一个音符是什么。by Stephen Thomas Erlewine & Greg PratoWith their 1978 eponymous debut, Van Halen simultaneously rewrote the rules of rock guitar and hard rock in general. Guitarist Eddie Van Halen redefined what electric guitar could do, developing a blindingly fast technique with a variety of self-taught two-handed tapping, hammer-ons, pull-offs, and effects that mimicked the sounds of machines and animals. It was wildly inventive and over the top, equaled only by vocalist David Lee Roth, who brought the role of a metal singer to near-performance art standards. Roth wasnt blessed with great technique, unlike Eddie, but he had a flair for showmanship that was derived as much from lounge performers as Robert Plant. Together, they made Van Halen into the most popular American rock & roll band of the late 70s and early 80s, and in the process set the template for hard rock and heavy metal for the 80s. Throughout the 80s, it was impossible not to hear Van Halens instrumental technique on records that ranged from the heaviest metal to soft pop. Furthermore, Roths irony-drenched antics were copied by singers who took everything literally. One of these was Sammy Hagar, an arena rock veteran from the 70s who replaced Roth after the vocalist had a falling out with Van Halen in 1985. Hagar stayed with the band longer than Roth, helping the group top the charts through the late 80s and early 90s. However, the groups sales began to slide in the mid-90s, just as tensions between Hagar and Eddie began to arise. In one of the most disastrous publicity stunts in rock history, Hagar was fired (or quit) and Roth was brought back on, seemingly as a permanent member, but only for two songs on a greatest-hits album. He was subsequently replaced by Gary Cherone, a former member of Extreme. Through all the upheaval over lead vocalists, Eddie Van Halen and his prodigious talent remained the core of Van Halen. The son of a Dutch bandleader, Eddie and his family moved from the Netherlands to Pasadena, CA, in 1967, when he was 12 years old and his older brother, Alex, was 14. As their father supported the family by playing in wedding bands, Eddie and Alex continued their classical piano training. Soon, both boys were enraptured by rock & roll. Eddie learned how to play drums and Alex took up the guitar, eventually switching instruments. The brothers began a hard rock band called Mammoth and began playing around Pasadena, eventually meeting David Lee Roth. At the time, Roth, who had been raised in a wealthy Californian family, was singing in Redball Jet. Impressed by the Van Halen brothers, he joined forces with the group. Shortly afterward, bassist Michael Anthony, who was singing with Snake, became a member of Mammoth. After discovering that another band had the rights to the name Mammoth, the group decided to call themselves Van Halen in 1974, rejecting the proposed Rat Salade. For the next three years, Van Halen played throughout Pasadena, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles, playing both clubs and hotel bars. The bands repertoire covered everything from pop and rock to disco, but they eventually worked in their own original material. Within a few years, they had become the most popular local band in Los Angeles, and Eddie became well known for his groundbreaking technique. In 1977, Kiss Gene Simmons financed a demo recording session for Van Halen after seeing them at the Starwood Club. On the strength of Simmons recommendation, Mo Ostin and Ted Templeman signed Van Halen to Warner Bros., releasing the bands debut the following year. Van Halen became a hit due to strong word of mouth, constant touring, and support from AOR radio. Within three months the album had gone gold, and five months later it went platinum. It would eventually sell over six million copies, thanks to the album rock staples You Really Got Me, Jamies Cryin, and Runnin With the Devil. Van Halen II, released in 1979, continued the bands success, as Dance the Night Away became their first Top 20 single. Women and Children First (1980) didnt have any charting singles, but was a success on the album charts, reaching number six. The band supported the album with their first headlining, international arena tour, and the group was quickly on their way to being superstars. Released in 1981, Fair Warning wasnt quite as popular as their previous records, yet it still peaked at number six. Diver Down, released in 1982, was a huge hit, spawning a number 12 cover of Roy Orbisons (Oh) Pretty Woman and reaching number three. While all of their previous albums were successful, Van Halen didnt become superstars until 1984, when their album 1984 became an across-the-board smash. Released on New Years Day, 1984 rocketed to number two on the strength of the number one single Jump. Like many songs on the album, Jump was driven by Eddies new synthesizer, and while Roth was initially reluctant to use electronics, the expansion of the groups sound was widely praised. Throughout 1984, Van Halen gained steam, as Ill Wait and Panama became Top 15 singles and Hot for Teacher became a radio and MTV staple. Despite the bands breakthrough success, things were not well within the band. During their 1984 tour, each member played separate solo sets and were physically separated on the stage. Roth was unhappy with Eddies appearance on Michael Jacksons 1983 hit Beat It, and Eddie grew tired of the comic antics of Roth. In 1985, Roth released a solo EP, Crazy from the Heat, which spawned hit covers of California Girls and Just a Gigolo/I Aint Got Nobody. When Roth delayed the recording of Van Halens follow-up to 1984, he was fired from the band. Most observers were taken by surprise when Sammy Hagar was named as Roths replacement. The former lead singer of Montrose, Hagars solo career had been sporadically successful, highlighted by such arena metal hits as Three-Lock Box and I Cant Drive 55. Though many critics suspected Hagar wouldnt be able to sustain Van Halens remarkable success, his first album with the band, 1986s 5150, was a huge hit, reaching number one and spawning the hit singles Why Cant This Be Love, Dreams, and Love Walks In. Released in 1988, OU812 was just as successful, earning stronger reviews than its predecessor and generating the hits When Its Love and Finish What You Started. For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge, released in 1991, was another number one hit, partially due to the hit MTV video for Right Now. Van Halen followed the album with their first live record, the double album Van Halen Live: Right Here, Right Now in 1993. By the spring 1995 release of Balance, tensions between Eddie Van Halen and Sammy Hagar had grown considerably. Eddie had recently undergone well-publicized treatment for alcoholism, and Hagar was notorious for his party-hearty ways, even writing a paean to Amsterdams hash bars with Amsterdam on Balance. Furthermore, the band had become subject to criticism that it simply repeated a formula. While Balance was successful, entering the charts at number one and selling two million copies shortly after its release, it stalled quickly afterward. The band wanted to release a greatest-hits collection, but Hagar balked at the idea, escalating tensions even further. Following a skirmish in 1996 over the recording of a song for the Twister soundtrack, Eddie decided to make a change by switching singers. Van Halen began recording new material with Roth without informing Hagar, who went ballistic upon learning of the groups reunion. According to Hagar, Eddie fired him shortly afterward; Eddie claimed Hagar quit. Roth proceeded to record two new songs for Van Halens Best Of, Vol. 1, and once the reunion became public, the rock media reacted positively to the news; MTV began airing a welcome back commercial days after the announcement. However, the reunion was not to be. Following an appearance at the MTV Music Awards, Eddie Van Halen fired Roth from the band, claiming that he was only on board to record two new songs. Roth said that he was duped into recording the songs, believing that the reunion was permanent. Former Extreme vocalist Gary Cherone was announced as the bands new lead singer. Though the resulting Best Of, Vol. 1 was a success, Eddies reputation as a nice guy was tarnished once the entire affair was over. Cherones long-awaited debut with Van Halen, entitled Van Halen III, was finally released in March of 1998. Although the album debuted high on the charts, crashing in at number three, it quickly slipped down the charts, since the reception to the album from fans, critics, and radio was mixed. After Van Halen III proved to be the worst-selling album of Van Halens long and illustrious career (the ensuing world tour was poorly attended as well), Cherone was dismissed from Van Halen in 1999. Immediately, rumors began to swirl once more of an impending David Lee Roth/Van Halen reunion. Things were kept completely hush-hush in the Van Halen camp until early 2001, when David Lee Roth went public on his website with an update, confirming that he had recorded several new songs with the band (tracks that Roth described as amazing, phenomenal, and astonishing), but hadnt heard back from them since the previous summer. Only a few days after Roths news, Eddie Van Halen admitted to the public that he was battling cancer, but was told by his doctors that chances were good for a complete recovery. In the summer of 2001, Eddie told MTV News that the bands remaining members had penned a total of three albums worth of new material and that they were still unsure of who their next singer would be. Months later, fans were shocked to hear that the band parted ways with Warner Bros., its label since 1979. The bandmembers blamed the label for promoting younger bands, while also admitting that they had not yet found Cherones replacement and were no longer considering Roth.