Alex Van Halen

You know, if you watch the bands and see how they progress, even Led Zeppelin was using explosions. OK, so when the guys are the highest form of the food chain, when they do it, it's OK. It's now become part of the language of rock and roll. And why fight it? OK, bring on the flashpots.

You know, if you watch the bands and see how they progress, even Led Zeppelin was using explosions. OK, so when the guys are the highest form of the food chain, when they do it, it's OK. It's now become part of the language of rock and roll. And why fight it? OK, bring on the flashpots.

It wasn't so much pushing us. It was more we needed something. We needed someone to get us off our ass because we knew we had to do it. But we're waiting for the last minute possible to have to do it. Because to dress up for a gig, that's not your back to playing with suits on or whatever. That was how I saw it. Rock and roll is supposed to be about freedom, about you just show up and play, right?

It wasn't so much pushing us. It was more we needed something. We needed someone to get us off our ass because we knew we had to do it. But we're waiting for the last minute possible to have to do it. Because to dress up for a gig, that's not your back to playing with suits on or whatever. That was how I saw it. Rock and roll is supposed to be about freedom, about you just show up and play, right?

It wasn't so much pushing us. It was more we needed something. We needed someone to get us off our ass because we knew we had to do it. But we're waiting for the last minute possible to have to do it. Because to dress up for a gig, that's not your back to playing with suits on or whatever. That was how I saw it. Rock and roll is supposed to be about freedom, about you just show up and play, right?

But when you're in the thick of it, when you're on Sunset Boulevard and you're walking down Hollywood Boulevard, you're walking down anywhere in Hollywood at that time, there is a whole... rainbow of colors and styles. There was a band called Zolar X, and they dressed as space guys. It was mind-bending. Their image was so overpowering, why would even one listen to the music? Who cares?

But when you're in the thick of it, when you're on Sunset Boulevard and you're walking down Hollywood Boulevard, you're walking down anywhere in Hollywood at that time, there is a whole... rainbow of colors and styles. There was a band called Zolar X, and they dressed as space guys. It was mind-bending. Their image was so overpowering, why would even one listen to the music? Who cares?

But when you're in the thick of it, when you're on Sunset Boulevard and you're walking down Hollywood Boulevard, you're walking down anywhere in Hollywood at that time, there is a whole... rainbow of colors and styles. There was a band called Zolar X, and they dressed as space guys. It was mind-bending. Their image was so overpowering, why would even one listen to the music? Who cares?

That was my read on it. Now, because we were all very opinionated, we fought it out until somebody came up with the right solution. And that's basically the process.

That was my read on it. Now, because we were all very opinionated, we fought it out until somebody came up with the right solution. And that's basically the process.

That was my read on it. Now, because we were all very opinionated, we fought it out until somebody came up with the right solution. And that's basically the process.

There were a number of people at that time who tried different versions of it. I've always been fascinated by fire because for me, fire represents the temporariness. Is that a word? Only the moment counts. I mean, the flame is there and poof, it's gone. So is life, right? So to me, that represented that.

There were a number of people at that time who tried different versions of it. I've always been fascinated by fire because for me, fire represents the temporariness. Is that a word? Only the moment counts. I mean, the flame is there and poof, it's gone. So is life, right? So to me, that represented that.

There were a number of people at that time who tried different versions of it. I've always been fascinated by fire because for me, fire represents the temporariness. Is that a word? Only the moment counts. I mean, the flame is there and poof, it's gone. So is life, right? So to me, that represented that.

And there was an element of danger because we did it on such an amateur level that any given night when we did it, if my drum tech, Greg, an old buddy of mine, if he put too much stuff on it, it would leak. And there were several times when— What do you mean by stuff?

And there was an element of danger because we did it on such an amateur level that any given night when we did it, if my drum tech, Greg, an old buddy of mine, if he put too much stuff on it, it would leak. And there were several times when— What do you mean by stuff?

And there was an element of danger because we did it on such an amateur level that any given night when we did it, if my drum tech, Greg, an old buddy of mine, if he put too much stuff on it, it would leak. And there were several times when— What do you mean by stuff?

Oh, yeah, lighter fluid. Lighter fluid? Yeah, lighter fluid. Um, my favorite memory of, of all of that was, uh, we kind of gotten it down to a science and as we're, uh, doing it during the performance, the lighter fluid starts to come down my arm. And then I look over and I noticed my arms on fire. So I'm thinking that, that can't be good. Right.

Oh, yeah, lighter fluid. Lighter fluid? Yeah, lighter fluid. Um, my favorite memory of, of all of that was, uh, we kind of gotten it down to a science and as we're, uh, doing it during the performance, the lighter fluid starts to come down my arm. And then I look over and I noticed my arms on fire. So I'm thinking that, that can't be good. Right.

Oh, yeah, lighter fluid. Lighter fluid? Yeah, lighter fluid. Um, my favorite memory of, of all of that was, uh, we kind of gotten it down to a science and as we're, uh, doing it during the performance, the lighter fluid starts to come down my arm. And then I look over and I noticed my arms on fire. So I'm thinking that, that can't be good. Right.