Van Halen 3 (1998)
1. Neworld
2. Without You
3. One I Want
4. From Afar
5. Dirty Water Dog
6. Once
7. Fire in the Hole
8. Josephina
9. Year to the Day
10.Primary
11.Ballot or the Bullet
12.How Many Say I
One of the saddest — and quite possibly one of the most dreadful — moments in rock history. But first, the prelude: a couple of years before this release, rumors began swirling that David Lee Roth was back, replacing the increasingly disgruntled Sammy Hagar. The original four even took the stage together at the MTV Music Awards, sending fan expectations into overdrive. And then… nothing. Roth, still very much himself, apparently rubbed Eddie the wrong way again, and Eddie had second thoughts. Roth, baffled and confused, told the public — who were equally baffled and confused — that he was, in effect, baffled and confused.
Enter Gary Cherone, ex-Extreme. Why was he chosen? He sounded vaguely like Hagar, sure, but more importantly, he was a mild-mannered, ego-free, pro-life Christian. Eddie, perhaps exhausted from clashing personalities, must have thought, “Perfect — no drama.” And he was right. There wasn’t any drama. Unfortunately, there wasn’t any good music either. None. This is Exhibit A in how Eddie Van Halen’s ego sank the ship. He was so determined to avoid another Roth or Hagar circus that he forgot their chaotic, larger-than-life personalities were what made Van Halen, well… fun. And fun, in case anyone had forgotten, is what rock and roll is supposed to be.
Instead, this is a serious album — dead serious. Don’t be misled by titles like Fire in the Hole or Dirty Water Dog. Eddie’s aiming for something… respectable? The results are long, bland, and utterly joyless. Honestly, this should have been released as an Eddie Van Halen solo record. Maybe critics and fans would have been more forgiving. But in Eddie’s mind, he was Van Halen, so why bother with the distinction? It was a bad call, and Cherone was soon shown the door. Eventually, they’d reunite in various fits and starts with both Roth and Hagar — likely realizing that if they wanted decent music again, they were just going to have to tolerate each other.
Without You and Once are… bearable. Not good, but bearable. A prize to anyone who can make it through the entire album in one sitting. Yes, it’s really that bad.
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