Rich's Faves/Musings

FavewithDave: "Unchained"/"Everybody Wants Some!!"

FavewithSam: "Best of Both Worlds"

Other Guy?: Pleeeaaase...

All-time Fave...drumroll..."Runnin' with the Devil" (Radio staple, movie favorite, primal intro.)

Fave LP: Has to be Numero Uno. You know the tale of the cover, my love affair even before I listened to it. Actually, I think, I know I had this on 8-track, maybe cassette. Hard to believe it was almost thirty yrs. ago. World, meet Eddie fucking Van Halen!

Best Concert Memory: In Cruces with woman who took my virginity. We were about ten people from stage right. Eddie, cigarette burning, hands smoking, sitting on large amps. I fell to my knees, like in prayer, and scrambled to score guitar pick. Only Hendrix could have fucked with me more, I think.

Best Personal Memory: Has to be seeing that LP at the Safeway on North Loop and Carolina. While mom shopped for groceries, this is early eighties, I wanderd toward small bin of records. Shuffling through top 40, I stopped at the glossy black cover. The smeared colors of each square are as vivid as anything holy I learned in church, really, no fucking around.

Best Behind the Scenes: I remember being happy for Eddie when he married Valerie. He seemed so happy. And having a son who could pick up the throne, well, I'm sure he is as proud of a papa as you are.

Worst: Which one? Eddie cutting hair. Eddie talking shit about Dave, Sammy, Michael. He doesn't do well with words. Stick to the shredding!