Liner Notes
Balance is the tenth studio album by Van Halen and the last one that Sammy would sing lead vocals on for the band. Balance was Billboard 200 number-one album from February 11 - February 17, 1995.
In 2016, Sammy celebrated the 21st anniversary with some personal memories that you can watch in this video.
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Van Halen's "Balance" 21st Anniversary!
Other Albums
6 Redhead Comments
In 1983 when Van Halen was in Brazil with David Lee Roth, I went to see them at Ibirapuera Gymnasium in Sao Paulo. I painted a red T-shirt where I designed the back cover of Sammy Hagar's Loud'n'Clear album by lifting a guitar, painted the Sammy Hagar logo on the left side of my chest, put on the shirt and went to the Van Halen concert.
I was in the front row of the audience and Eddie Van Halen was pointing his finger at my Sammy Hagar t-shirt, but I didn't understand what he meant by gesturing to me. I think he wanted my gift shirt for him. (I dont know). Coincidentally, two years later Sammy Hagar joined Van Halen.
Sammy Hagar is said to have been known in Brazil from Van Halen - THAT NEWS IS COMPLETELY MISTAKED. I'm sure more than 50,000 fans (at least) already knew about Sammy Hagar's songs playing at our rock dances from 1971 to 1998, long before he joined Van Halen. Take the test when you arrive in Brazil Sammy!
Play Love or Money, This Planet's on Fire, Reckless, Red and other songs like: I can't drive 55, Growing Pains and you'll see.
My team and I did a job that the Brazilian media never did. Today Sammy Hagar is a phenomenon in Brazil, long before he joined Van Halen. And Sammy Hagar made a difference with Eddie's band. Van Halen's music got heavier, more robust and modern with Sammy Hagar leading the vocals. This is no demerit to David Lee Roth who has always been the great musician too, but Sammy Hagar has left his trademark Red Rocker on Van Halen as well. 5150, OU812, FOR UNLAWFUL..., BALANCE, are pure Sammy Hagar songs!
For me, this is Van Halen's most mature album, and my favorite. This album is almost perfect. Crossing Over should have been on the U.S. release. This was Ed's best tone ever and some of Sammy's best lyrics.
I think this was Van Halen's hardest rocking album. Tracks like Seventh Seal, Don't Tell Me and Aftershock had some huge guitar playing and it seemed like the bass and drums were dramatically beefed up on this album. When I first heard "Don't Tell Me" on the radio, with that ridiculously chunky opening riff, I was blown away. Another great ballad on this one, "Not Enough". Judging from the darker, edgier sound on this album, it sounds like the guys were already feuding, but I don't think that all came until the end of the Balance tour. If they had stayed together, I'm betting their next album would have been mind blowing coming off Balance. I still am dying to hear "Between Us Two" which some say was going to be their "Stairway To Heaven". It was over that song, as well as "Humans Being" that really led to the split.
This tour was great as well!! We had the best seats for this show!
My favorite album, a different side to Van Halen. Sammy Hagar wrote some pretty amazing lyrics for this masterpiece that really made me think
One of my faves as well...I just discovered this album recently. It really amazes me how deep some of these songs are.