Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of 1984!
To all my fellow Van Halen fans…
My all-time favorite album was released on January 9, 1984.
This is the cover art for 1984 by the artist Van Halen.
So many memories… This album became part of my DNA!
My book of sheet music for the album “1984” by Van Halen
Photo Credit: Anthony Woodard
Thanks to older friends and their siblings, I became acquainted with the music of Van Halen, along with that of Ozzy, Def Leppard, and AC/DC, a couple of years prior. Isn’t that always how it is? I can still remember my friend’s older brother hunting us down after we broke a string on his homemade version of the “Frankenstrat". But, it was Van Halen’s “1984” album and the Band’s explosive visuality and performances, that together became my musical “North Star”, guiding me on my journey. For me, the late Eddie Van Halen personified (and was) the ultimate lead guitarist and Rockstar. And, in 1984, there wasn’t anyone cooler than “Diamond Dave”.
Rockstars of the highest order.
Courtesy of Anthony Woodard
However, things were not off to a great start for me musically at the beginning of 1984. It had been over a year since my last guitar lesson and I couldn’t play anything other than an Em7(add 4) chord. To add insult to injury, our new music teacher asked me not to participate in our school’s choir performance and field trip that year. She later explained to my bewildered parents that I just sang too low and off key. So, there I was, standing at a musical crossroads. I couldn’t play the guitar and apparently, also didn’t sing very well. The stage door was closing. Thus, when it came time for me and my friends to reenact the iconic MTV music videos later that Spring and Summer, my guitar was in the form of a garage-sale tennis racket. [There was no way that I was going to be seen with my student-size ACOUSTIC guitar...]
“Hot For Teacher” by Van Halen (promotional 45 RPM Vinyl Record)
Photo Credit: Anthony Woodard
Of course, I remember the videos; those “MTV World Premiere” videos featuring the Kramer “Frankenstrat”, a dusty Oberheim Keyboard, the “Jack Daniels” bass, Miss Chemistry, and her colleague, Miss Phys Ed. “Si’ down Waldo!” Fun fact(s): The actor (Yano Anaya) who portrayed a young Michael Anthony in the “Hot For Teacher” video also played the infamous Grover Dill in the movie “A Christmas Story”. The voice of Waldo was provided by the late actor and legendary “Saturday Night Live” cast member, Phil Hartman.
I still recall “Jump” being at “Number 1” and 1984 heading up the charts, which was surely helped along by me buying a new cassette after wearing my old one out, like millions of us did that year... [Jump hit No. 1 on the weekly Billboard Hot 100 for Feb. 25, 1984 and remained at the top for a total of five weeks.] I vividly remember hearing that famous song on the radio, along with my personal favorite, “Panama”, when both were fresh and new to our ears. I think many would also agree that songs, especially Rock songs, always sounded better on FM radio. It had a certain “je ne sais quoi”.
“Panama” by Van Halen (45 RPM Vinyl Record)
Photo Credit: Anthony Woodard
Yeah, we're running a little bit hot tonight…
In hindsight, playing the guitar with greasy fingers was not the best decision, but the famous RC’s Chicken was too much to resist!
Toxic A$$ets Live at RC's Back Door Bar and Grill in Martin City, Mar. 2, 2013.
And then there were the concert announcements… always delivered in a deep “radio voice”. “Van Halen... live. The 1984 World Tour is coming to... Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, Michael Anthony, and David Lee Roth... Tickets on sale...”
Photo page from my book of sheet music.
Courtesy of Anthony Woodard
It was Spring and as us kids congregated around the local Dairy Queen, word was getting around that a few of my friends (and friends of friends) would be tagging along with their older brothers and sisters to the big shows scheduled for later in June.
One of our favorite hangouts… (Raytown Dairy Queen)
Looking back, I’m pretty sure most of it was fruit of the proverbial grapevine. Nonetheless, I was convinced that what I was hearing was true and so I really, really wanted to go. In reality, I was 10 going on 11, and there was absolutely no way I was going to a Van Halen concert. Plus, I didn’t have an older brother or sister. So, put a pin in it already... But, like a dog with a bone, I wouldn’t let it go. “Come on Dad, EVERYBODY is going to the Van Halen show!” I was becoming a broken record. “No Tony, we’re not going. That’s final!”, snapped my dad, like an overworked phonograph needle.
Another photo page from my book of sheet music.
Courtesy of Anthony Woodard
“The King of Ten Fingers and Six Strings” - Eddie Van Halen Solo (Live), June 20, 1984 - Kemper Arena
Source: YouTube yessup_music_co.
Bringing down the house (and the lights)! Van Halen live (1984)
Source: YouTube VANHALENARCHIVE
A boy can dream… [Back cover of the Van Halen 1984 World Tour program]
Courtesy of Anthony Woodard
Featured in The Kansas City Star - Thursday, June 21, 1984
Source: concertarchives.org, Bob Stell
The shows of June 20th and 21st, 1984, came and went, and from what I heard and read, they were totally awesome. Not too long after that, I found myself heading with my dad to our local mall on yet another boring quest to pick up a few odds and ends. About an hour or so later, there I was in my parachute pants, drifting closer to the Musicland store. However, instead of a new cassette and a poster, my dad bought me a small book full of sheet music and some images from the “1984” album. And within another few minutes, after stopping at another store, we were heading home with a new Casio keyboard. Over the next few weeks, my dad, who wasn’t a musician, showed me how to play the main keyboard riff to “Jump”. Wow! One door had closed, and another had opened. I later shared my newfound keyboard prowess with my classmates and was a “rockstar” for a little while, about 15 minutes to be precise.
Sheet music for “Jump” by Van Halen
Photo Credit: Anthony Woodard
Paying homage to my “keyboard idol(s)”…
Courtesy of Anthony Woodard
1984 was when I became a lover of “all things music”, especially its performance, including the related visual aspects. What I didn’t know then, is that it is the performance, the show, those mostly visual aspects, perhaps even more than the aural aspects, that transform a musician into a “star”. Like Diamond Dave said, “It's not whether you win or lose, it's how good you looked doing it!” Ultimately, it is the star (no matter the variety) that leaves the indelible mark on our consciousness.
A rockstar for the night… Livin’ the dream years later!
Photo Credit: Josh Stolberg
In hindsight, I loved the stories, not only about the artists, the bands, or the music industry, but about how music itself created lasting memories for me, my friends and family, and even strangers. I was a young musicologist; I just didn’t know it.
That memorable Summer, Eddie (and my late father) also taught me that Rockstars play keyboards.
My first keyboard
Photo Credit: Anthony Woodard
VH Forever!
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