When Van Halen landed in 1978 it changed rock forever. It was raw. It was flashy. It was fun. It sounded like a bar fight between punk energy and arena ambition… and somehow Eddie Van Halen’s guitar won every round. From “Runnin’ with the Devil” to “Jamie’s Cryin’” to that solo, here are five lesser-known facts that prove this debut is still blowing amps – and minds – to this day.
1. “Eruption” Was Never Supposed to Be on the Album — and It’s Got a Mistake
The solo that redefined guitar playing wasn’t even meant to be a track. Eddie was rehearsing “Eruption” for a club gig when producer Ted Templeman overheard it and demanded it be recorded. And Eddie? He still thinks he messed it up. “There’s a mistake at the top end,” he once said. Meanwhile, the rest of us are still picking our jaws off the floor, 45 years later.
2. They Built a Horn Box Using Their Own Cars for “Runnin’ with the Devil”
The weird, warped horn blast that opens the record? That’s the band wiring together horns from their actual cars and powering them with car batteries. It’s not just audio — it’s garage rock in the most literal sense. Producer Templeman slowed the horns down to make them sound more menacing, and boom: an intro that sounds like the gates of hell opening with a V8 engine.
3. “Jamie’s Cryin’” Was Inspired by a Guitar Lick That Sounded Like Someone Crying
David Lee Roth turned heartbreak into a teen rock anthem, but the spark came from Eddie noodling between takes. Producer Ted Templeman and Roth heard it and said, “That’s it.” The song’s melodic riff had a weepy quality, and Roth built a story around it — classic ‘50s pop heartbreak by way of California leather and denim. Also: Roth claimed he “sang out” the solo before Eddie played it.
4. The Album Was Basically Just Their Live Set — Tracked in a Week
“We didn’t have a ton of material,” bassist Michael Anthony said. “We just took our live show and went for it.” Most of Van Halen was recorded live in the studio, with only a few overdubs — and it was all done in a couple of weeks. It cost just $54,000. The result? A high-voltage, no-frills debut that punches harder than albums five times the budget.
5. Gene Simmons Paid for the First Demos — But Never Got the Last Word
Before Van Halen blew up the Sunset Strip and the Billboard charts, Gene Simmons of Kiss saw something special. He flew the band to New York, paid for their demo sessions, and even shopped them around to labels. When nothing immediately landed, he graciously stepped back — but never spoke bitterly. Years later, he still called their debut “one of the best rock records ever made.” Sometimes, being early is just as cool as being right.
Van Halen set a new bar for guitar heroes, party anthems, and just how loud a record could be. Four decades on, it still sounds like a band on the verge of exploding — and loving every second. Turn it up. And Then turn it up again.