5150 [Import]

Van Halen | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 26, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Wea
• ASIN: B00005HGCH
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (174 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #846,407 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential recording

As original Van Halen vocalist David Lee Roth quit the band to pursue a solo career, or was fired (depending on who you believe), Eddie and Alex Van Halen and Michael Anthony carried on by hiring Sammy Hagar. Hagar was a middling artist on his own, but he proved to be a powerhouse when placed in front of hard rock's most muscular and innovative instrumental unit. On 5150--the title is police code for "escaped lunatic"--you can hear the band's excitement at having struck a winning combination. Songs such as "Why Can't This Be Love," "Dreams," "Best of Both Worlds," and "Love Walks In" combine to make this the early high-watermark of the Van Hagar era. --Daniel Durchholz

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty good cd., March 25, 2004

By 

Kyle Anderson (Denver, CO, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Van Halen: 5150 (Audio CD)

This album and For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge are the best Van Hagar CD's. The tracks were good except for the last one.

Good Enough-Good start for Van Hagar. The band sounds like it has been reinvented here.

Why Can't this be Love?-Good song, even though it is a saccarine love song. THe Keyboard work was quite interesting.

Get Up-Easily the hardest song on the album. Sammy really hit the high notes here. Good song to listen to when you want to get pumped up.

Dreams-The best song on the album. The song is very keyboard driven but has a very lush feel. It also moves fast and deals with people aspiring to be more than they are.

Summer Nights-A fun party song. It was a carefree song about meeting women and having a good time with the guys.

Best of Both Worlds-A good track about enjoying your life while you can.

Love Walks In-I thought this song sounded very progressive and I quite enjoyed it despite it being a saccharine love ballad.

5150-Really good track, mainly dealing with the woes of winning a woman. It has a really great guitar riff opening as well as a good solo.

Inside-I hate this track. While the rest of the albu is pretty good, I can't stand this song. I always stop my CD after the 8th track so I don't have to listen to this horrible song.

Overall, a good album. THough, I thought that the sound was wierd. It had a very compressed feel.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sammy walks in with force, March 5, 2000

By 

Sal Nudo (Champaign, Illinois) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Van Halen: 5150 (Audio CD)

Back in 1986 a neighborhood friend of mine gave me the "5150" cassette -- he hated it. I immediately loved it, and so began the segregation of Van Halen fans in either the David Lee Roth or Sammy Hagar camp.

To be sure, I like Roth-era Van Halen as well, but what's not to love about an album like "5150?" Most of the songs on it rock, and every single one is catchy and very good. The guys all sound rejuventated and raring to go, perhaps more musically well-rounded than before. The production is pumped up and pristine, with searing, creative guitar work by Eddie, spot-on drumming by his brother and heartfelt vocals by Hagar. I always felt this album was an instant VH classic, and that feeling hasn't changed all these years later. Sure, there may be a touch of '80s cheese sprinkled here and there, and some of the songs are more pop-oriented than before, but again, so what? Overall, "5150" is a nine-song gem that should be included in everyone's rock 'n' roll collection.

Play this one loud!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Welcome the redrocker, May 20, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Van Halen: 5150 (Audio CD)

Back in 1986 I did not know what to think when I heard David Lee Roth was out and Sammy Hagar was in. This album showed a new grown style of hard rock music. The song writing was miles ahead of anything at the time. Eddie came of sounding refreshed and ready to jamm. A must have for any Van Halen fan!!