DISC 1
 

BLACK STAR
ALL THAT I NEED
SLEEPLESS NIGHTS

The first three songs are not by Van Halen, but were widely believed to be, so they are on the CD set by error.
 

The next nine songs were recorded at one of Van Halen´s early club gigs. They are from different sets of the evening of 21th September 1976 at the "Bogart" in San Bernardino.

BELIEVE ME

An early Van Halen original; a different version ("Take It Back") was recorded in 1974 and can be found on the "Demo Daze" boot CD.

LAST CHILD

A cover of the Aerosmith classic.

LIVE FOR THE MUSIC

A Bad Company cover.

THE ROVER

A cover of the Led Zeppelin classic.

SWEET EMOTION / WALK THIS WAY

Covers of the Aerosmith originals.

STILL ALIVE AND WELL

This song was originally written by Rick Derringer.

TWIST AND SHOUT

A unique rendition of the Russell/Medley classic made famous by the Beatles.

30 DAYS IN THE HOLE

Originally recorded by Humble Pie.
 
INSTRUMENTAL JAM

This is a little jam Van Halen often played to start their encores.

EYES OF THE NIGHT

A Van Halen original, this song was often played at Van Halen´s club concerts. This version was recorded at the Starwood in Hollywood in 1976.

I WANNA BE YOUR LOVER

Another Van Halen original and frequently played club days tune. Also recorded at the Starwood in 1976.  A studio version can be found on the WB demos.

WILD FIRE

Only one partial recording is known to exist of this very rare Van Halen original. Also recorded at the Starwood in 1976.

(HERE´S) JUST WHAT YOU WANTED

The only known recorded performance of this Van Halen original, this track was recorded at 1977´s New Year´s Eve gig at the Whisky-A-Go-Go in Hollywood.

SHOW NO MERCY

Also recorded at the Whisky on 31st December 1977, this Van Halen original starts with the beautiful guitar intro later used for "Take Me Back" on the Balance album.

YOUNG AND WILD

This Van Halen original is apparently a studio outtake or demo from around 1977. A studio version can be found on the WB demos.

HONOLULU BABY

Another Van Halen original, recorded live at the Starwood in 1976.

DON´T CALL US, WE´LL CALL YOU

A song originally recorded by Sugarloaf, this live version is taken from another Starwood concert in 1976.

JEAN GENIE

This cover of the David Bowie song was recorded live at the Hilton Hotel in Pasadena in 1975. (artwork states 1976)
 

DISC 2

The next seven songs were recorded by Van Halen on 10-26-77 and 10-27-77 for the WB demo tapes. Unlike the WB demo tracks on disc 6, these tracks were mixed.

VOODOO QUEEN

This Van Halen original was frequently played in the club days and also on Van Halen´s first Japanese Tour in 1978. Many of its parts were later used in "Mean Street" on the Fair Warning album.

LAST NIGHT

This is one of the earliest Van Halen originals. It finally found its way onto a record in 1982 as "Hang Em High" on the Diver Down album.

GET THE SHOW ON THE ROAD

Parts of this original were later used in "Romeo Delight" on the Women And Children First album.

BABE DON´T LEAVE ME ALONE

Another very early Van Halen original, also a frequent live selection before the first album.

BIG TROUBLE

Another original Van Halen tune.

SHE´S THE WOMAN

An original song, this tune was sometimes played at Van Halen´s Starwood gigs in 1976.

PUT OUT THE LIGHTS

This is the only known recording of this Van Halen original.

BULLET HEAD

A fast rocking Van Halen original, this song was also recorded at Van Halen´s New Year´s Eve gig at the Whisky in 1977.

DOWN IN FLAMES

One of the best known unreleased Van Halen songs, this original was frequently played at Van Halen´s last few club gigs and on the first world tour. Van Halen also originally planned on putting it on their second album. This version was recorded at Osaka, Japan on the 25th June 1978.

HOUSE OF PAIN

This grooving version of the song later to be found on the 1984 album was recorded by Gene Simmons as part of the Electric Ladyland demo tape in 1977.

WOMAN IN LOVE

A very rare early Van Halen original, this was recorded in 1976 at the Pasadena Hilton Hotel.

ROCK STEADY

This rendition of the Bad Company song was also recorded at the Hilton.

ROCK´N´ROLL HOOCHIE COO

Another song recorded at the Hilton, this is a cover of the Rick Derringer/Edgar Winter song.

LA GRANGE

A ZZ Top classic frequently played in Van Halen´s club days. This version was recorded live at the Starwood in 1976.

WALK AWAY

Another recording from the Starwood, this is a James Gang cover.

IN FOR THE KILL

A cover of the British rock band Budgie, this song was also recorded at the Starwood in 1976.

PEACE OF MIND

One of the earliest Van Halen originals, also known as "Bad Women". A studio version can be found on the WB demos.

ONE MORE TIME

This original VH song was recorded at the second set of the evening on the 25th February 1978 at the Whisky with David Lee Roth´s lyrics barely audible.
 

DISC 3

ACT LIKE IT HURTS

This instrumental was recorded by Van Halen as part of the first demos for Women And Children First in 1980.

BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY

This jam was a standard during the 1980 Invasion tour. This version was recorded at Van Halen´s show at the Rainbow Theatre in London’s Finsbury Park on the 23rd June 1980.

LUCILLE

As a special surprise for the crowd at Van Halen´s first U.S. 1981 concert at the Civic Center Arena in Providence, Rhode Island on the 5th May 1981, they played a rocking version of this Little Richard classic after Eddie´s guitar solo.

BEER DRINKERS AND HELL RAISERS

This ZZ Top classic, already a Van Halen standard during Van Halen´s club days, was revived in an unique rendition (thanks to Mike´s lead vocals) at Van Halen´s Tour Of The Americas concert at the Paliebro in Caracas, Venezuela on the 16th January 1983.

79TH AND SUNSET

This Dave solo performance of a Humble Pie song was recorded for the Jim Ladd radio program in the early eighties.

SUMMERTIME BLUES
HEARTBREAK HOTEL

These versions of the Eddie Cochrane and Elvis Presley songs were recorded during another concert of Van Halen´s 1983 Tour Of The Americas in Montevideo, Uruguay on the 5th February 1983.

INSTRUMENTAL

Eddie sometimes played this instrumental during the 1984 tour and later used it as one of the main themes of the soundtrack for "The Wild Life". This version was recorded at the Colisee in Quebec City on the 21st April 1984.

GROWTH

The first few chords of this little instrumental were the last piece of music on Women And Children First. Van Halen had originally planned to start their next record after that with it, but nothing became of that plan. This extended jam was recorded at the last of four nights at the Worcester Centrum on the 15th August 1986 and features a little lead guitar by Sammy.

WILD THING

One of Van Halen´s standard encores during the 5150 tour, this fantastic version of the Troggs´ classic was recorded for the "Live Without A Net" video and a Westwood One syndicated radio show at the New Haven Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Connecticut on the 28th August 1986.

MAKE IT LAST

This version of the Montrose classic was recorded at the Philadelphia Spectrum on the 5th August 1986 and features both Eddie and Sammy on lead guitars.

ROCK CANDY

Another Montrose classic, this track was recorded during the third of three nights at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit on the 10th May 1986.

SUPERSTITION

This Stevie Wonder classic, already frequently played in the club days, was a constant encore during the Monster Of Rock tour. This track was recorded at the Rich Stadium in Buffalo, New York on the 17th June 1988.

IT´S ONLY ROCK´N´ROLL / WOMAN FROM TOKYO

These Rolling Stones and Deep Purple covers were recorded during the encore of the first of two nights at the Tokyo Super Dome on the 1st February 1989.

RUNNIN´ WITH THE DEVIL

Recorded at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on the 8th October 1988.

MY GENERATION

This Who classic was the very last song of a magic concert in Sacramento, California on the 12th November 1988. Sammy later recalled this show as the best show of the OU812 tour. After the first chorus, Eddie went into the „See Me, Feel Me" chords just like on The Who’s „Live At Leeds", but Sammy didn’t quite catch up.

WAITING FOR THE BUS / ALL RIGHT NOW

Two covers of classic Free and ZZ top songs; this track was recorded during Van Halen´s "homecoming" gig at the Ahoy in Rotterdam on the 13th April 1993.

YOUNG MAN BLUES

This slow blues, borrowing lyrics from the Mose J. Allison song made famous by The Who, was played during Eddie´s guitar solo at the last show of the Right Here, Right Now tour at the Pacific Amphitheater in Costa Mesa, California on the 28th August 1993.

UNCHAINED

A rare gem during the Right Here, Right Now tour, this version of the Van Halen classic was also recorded in Costa Mesa on the 28th August 1993.

ROCKIN´ IN THE FREE WORLD

This Neil Young song was played as the last encore at every 1993 concert in America. This track was recorded at the Starwood Amphitheater in Antioch, Tennessee on the 24th July 1993.

MISSISSIPPI QUEEN

Originally a Mountain song, this track was recorded during the encore at the third of three nights at the Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, New York on the 25th August 1995 with special guest Leslie West on guitar.

FINISH WHAT YA STARTED

This extended remix of the OU812 classic is rumored to have been released to one California-based radio station back in 1988 to test the reception of "pop-oriented" Van Halen music by rock radio listeners.
 

DISC 4

THE OCEAN / COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN / DAZED AND CONFUSED

These three Led Zeppelin classics were recorded during Van Halen´s gig at the Cabo Wabo Cantina´s second anniversary celebrations on the 21st May 1992.

DON´T FIGHT IT (FEEL IT)

A Sammy Hagar original later to be released on the "Red Voodoo" 1999 album. Performed by Los Tres Gusanos (Sammy, Mike, and David Lauser) on the 19th August 1992, again at the Cabo Wabo Cantina. This recording was not made at the actual gig, but at the soundcheck.

CROSSROADS

This Cream song, played on 20th August 1992, was broadcast live as part of the "Cabo Wabo Rock Radio Festival". Again a Los Tres Gusanos performance with special guest Craig Chaiquico on lead guitar.

GOIN´ DOWN

Another Los Tres Gusanos performance, this classic was performed at the "Bammies" award ceremonies in San Francisco on the 5th March 1994.

FÜR ELISE

Eddie often did this little etude by Ludwig van Beethoven at the beginning of his guitar solo on the 5150 tour. This version is again from the Philadelphia Spectrum, 5th August 1986.

EAGLES FLY

During the U.S. leg of the Right Here, Right Now was the only time that the whole band played a full version of this song. This fantastic version was again recorded at the Starwood Amphitheater in Antioch, Tennessee on the 24th July 1993.

DRUM SOLO

Another premiere on the Right Here, Right Now tour was Al´s latin flavoured drum solo. A lot longer and more melodic than the version performed during the Balance and III tours of 1995 and 1998 respectively, this version was recorded during the first night at Costa Mesa, California on 27th August 1993.

BORN ON THE BAYOU

This Creedence Clearwater Revival song was first played by Van Halen at the Gulf Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Mississippi on the 6th December 1991 (that is where this recording was made)and was frequently played on the For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge tour after that.

OUTSIDE WOMAN BLUES

This Cream song, dedicated to tour manager Scotty Ross, was recorded at the Arena in Miami, Florida on the 12th December 1991.

TIME´S A WASTE

A jam recorded at the Civic Center Arena in Providence, Rhide Island on the 9th October 1991, featuring Sammy on acoustic guitar.

(SITTIN´ ON) THE DOCK OF THE BAY

This Otis Redding song, one of Sammy´s favorite tunes, was recorded again at soundcheck at the Cabo Wabo Cantina on the 19th August 1992 by Los Tres Gusanos.

THE LOVE

A Sammy Hagar original later to be released on the "Red Voodoo" 1999 album, this song was sometimes played acoustically by Sammy at 1993 gigs. It could also be heard at the H.S.A.S. 1983 concerts in San Jose, then still called "(Ever) Since You Came". Another soundcheck recording from the Cabo Wabo, this is the only recorded version featuring Los Tres Gusanos as backing band.

ONE NIGHT

Another typical Cabo Wabo jam, this Bartholomew/King-penned tune made famous by Elvis Presley was recorded on the 18th August 1992.

SOMEDAY

Another Sammy Hagar original, first performed at the Alpine Valley Music Theater on the 29th July 1995. This track was recorded three days later at the New Pine Knob Amphitheater in Clarkston, Michigan.

AMNESTY IS GRANTED

This song has already been professionally recorded twice. It appeared on Sammy’s "Marching To Mars" album in 1997 and before that a horrible version had been recorded by Meat Loaf in 1995 (featuring Sammy on background vocals and guitar).
Contrary to public belief, Sammy had not written that song for Meat Loaf, but in fact a long time before that and he had already performed it a few times acoustically. This track is one of those much more subtle acoustic renditions of this truly classic song, recorded live at the Pacific Amphitheater in Costa Mesa on the 28th August 1993.

BABY WHAT YOU WANT ME TO DO

This is one of the most popular songs by blues singer Jimmy Reed, one of Sammy´s favorite musicians.
This track consists of two takes. The first one was recorded for the "House Of Blues" radio program in 1994 and features both Eddie and Sammy, while the second one is a recording of one of Sammy´s solo performances at 1992´s Bridge Benefit at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, California on the 1st September 1992.

YOU DON´T HAVE TO GO

Another classic Jimmy Reed song, this jam was performed live by Mike and Sammy for the Rockline broadcast on the 27th February 1995.

LOVE WALKS IN / RIGHT NOW / SPANISH FLY / BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

These tracks were performed at 1993´s Bridge School Benefit at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View on the 6th November 1993 with Sammy singing and Eddie playing the guitar and piano.