IoMP 169: Van Halen - Are They Rock or Metal?
Van Halen Week has reached its finale, and after spending the week celebrating the band’s music and legacy, the Influencers of Metal Podcast is tackling the question that may be harder to answer than it first appears:
Is Van Halen actually a rock band… or a metal band?
On the surface, hard rock seems like the obvious answer. Van Halen had the massive choruses, party atmosphere, radio-friendly hooks and larger-than-life personality that helped define arena rock. Put “Runnin’ with the Devil” next to the heavier bands emerging around the same era and the difference seems pretty clear.
Then Eddie Van Halen starts playing…
It’s almost impossible to discuss the development of metal guitar without acknowledging his influence. His playing inspired generations of musicians, his tapping technique became one of the most recognizable sounds in guitar history, and “Eruption” turned a guitar solo into one of Van Halen’s signature recordings. For countless aspiring players, learning that song became practically a rite of passage.
Then there’s “Hot for Teacher,” with an explosive Alex Van Halen drum intro that Collin and Tom argue sounds more like a full-blown drum solo than an intro. Add Eddie’s guitar work on top, and suddenly the line separating hard rock from metal starts looking considerably fuzzier.
That influence stretches directly into the metal world, particularly the glam and hair metal explosion that followed Van Halen. Our favourite duo even argue that the band could be considered one of the godfathers of hair metal — while also influencing guitarists far beyond that particular scene.
But influence alone doesn’t determine genre.
That’s the debate at the heart of the Van Halen Week finale — although this being the Influencers of Metal Podcast, the conversation naturally takes a few spectacular detours into The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Lord of the Rings, Stifler’s mom, musicians trying to impress women and several increasingly questionable interpretations of “Jump.”
So, after everything they’ve discussed throughout Van Halen Week, Collin and Tom have to make the final call. Is Van Halen ROCK or METAL?
There’s only one way to hear the arguments, the chaos and the final verdict.
Click play and close out Van Halen Week with the Influencers of Metal Podcast!
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