... i remember this album too ...

Worst VH album, by a mile. Only songs worth listening to on it are Source of Infection, Naturally Wired & Sucker In A 3 Piece. Not to mention it sounds like it was produced underwater.

Perhaps one of the best Van Hagar tunes ever.

Ahh, the 1988 Monsters of Rock tour. I still have an OU812 shirt from that tour.

... but not even close to their best work. They rushed to finish it so they could do the Monsters tour, and Hagar admits in his book that he isn't happy with some of the lyrics. Stiil, AFU and Mine All Mine are great tracks.

I like it. Eddie is a great songwriter and the album has lots of different styles. Sammy was definitely more 'real' as a writer than the other AOR stuff coming out at the time (Journey, Foreigner).

Unless it is FULL of trite cliches. Almost as bad as Bon Jovi.

Yeah...and Me Wise Magic is lyrically genius.

mine all mine is the best tune VH ever wrote.

well, it's the best song on that album.

plur

Still dig this record, I know it was a departure for them but I still play it.

in a 3 piece is one of the best songs they ever did and eddie kills on it.

I know that it's either this one or Balance that people would say is the weakest Sammy-era VH album, but I still really dig this one. It's definitely the softest one they ever put out, but like someone posted above... Eddie wrote some really cool stuff for OU812, and it's always interesting to see different sides of a great songwriter.

Writes lyrics with about as much depth as a thimble. Totally pussified the once mighty Van Halen. Eat shit Sam, you tequila shilling clown....

Thimble depth like "Tattoo" or "Honeybabysweetiedoll" ?

#1, what's Roth have to do with Hagar's lack of talent writing lyrics? They are 2nd grade lyrics. THe worst Roth(which you pointed out) is still better, lyrically. You chose ROth at the end of his rope. Never a mind bending lyricist, Dave was a least clever, for the most part.

BUt creating a diversion doesn't make hagar any better. For a major artist, he and Paul Stanley are neck and neck for god awful lyrics. Either goofy Dr. Suess rip off rhyme schemes(Red, in my head, in my bed) or silly subjects, like I can't drive 55...or just down right cliches, "there's only one way to rock"...of course Sam has his whole tender Hallmark love side too. its the worst.

0U812's not a bad record though. I'll take it any day over 5150, its not as dated, a few good rockers. This and the follow up album are the best of sammy's whole career. Riding on the end of EVH's creative zenith.

Not to sound like I'm defending Hagar - I truly don't mean to - but VH did that to themselves before Sammy ever entered the picture.

plur

influences, and holdsworthisms all over the Hagar era stuff. I dont care what people say, there was a lot of awesome and adventurous stuff with the hagar era..the worst thing was the live setlists, would rather have heard at least 5 Roth songs live back then, like Maiden always has a core 5 songs always in rotation...

i like both Roth and Sammy, though Sammy is indeed way more of a trite lyricist and Roth is definitely a better showman

Great Album!

the production is so awful?

That album's production and final mix are pefect examples of What Not To Do.

plur

Fuck I'm old

But a great idea for an ebook series. Cool little one dollar extended articles about the making of classic (or not so classic) records. Very cool.

More people prefer Roth fronted Van Halen than Hagar, but the Hagar era still produced some great tunes.

That album would be pretty good if a decent vocalist had been available. Sorry, but Sammy has never made any music that's any good. Awesome dude outside of music, the type of person I'd love to hang out and drink with. Incredibly boring singer, though.

What makes you think that he'd want to hang out and drink with an asshole like you?

You his momma or something? Chill out, lady.

Great album from the Van Hagar years. Still listen to it from time to time.

why?

Mine all mine!!!

I love the dark feel of Mine All Mine.

"Feels So Good" has a nice, laid back feel to it.

I got it the Christmas after it came out, and I remember talking to another kid in 7th grade (one of the ones who actually got me into metal via ...And Justice for All), and he was going on about filthy "Sucker" was. Whenever I think of that song I think of him talking about it like that.

Also, anyone else have this experience with the cassette? There was a lot of blank space on Side 1 after Cabo, and if you listened closely enough or cranked the volume, you could hear Source of Infection (1st song on Side 2) bleeding through from the other side during the dead space. Always kinda wigged me out how cassettes would do that.

I also always liked the green text on black of the liners.

Damn, brings back good memories of that time of my life.

Ehh... no Roth, no Van Halen. Never got into Hagar. Therefore, I don't remember anything Van Hagar.

good stuff.

I'm way more Roth era....Hagar to me was a different band altogether...but there is a moment on OU812 that I still love....

the bridge & ending to "Cabo Wabo".... that instrumental groove that Ed, Al and Mike catch is great......and the bonus is that Sambo isn't singing, for the most part

A.F.U. has the coolest starts of any song I've heard. I didn't really get into this cd like I should've bc of a technicle issue. My pos cd player had a hard time playing my copy for some reason, so if I didn't feel like reloading it over & over, I just listened to something else. Now I love it!

The worst VH cd is III with Cherone imo.

probably their last really good until ADKOT. It's a little softer yeah, but it's still pretty solid. Also Sammy's solo stuff kicks total ass in case your were doubting. But I prefer DLR in VH.

I recall this album as well. "Mine All Mine" was its top track followed by "Finish...." and "A.F.U.". "Feels So Good" on the other hand was the low point of that whole album for my tastes. Too "feel good" for me to really get into.