DAVID LEE ROTH: Eat'Em and Smile (HARD ROCK): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

In 1984, Van Halen released its album of the same name, the last opus of the David Lee Roth era. At a time when the band has never been so popular, at a time when the clips of the combo are running continuously on a nascent MTV, David Lee Roth at the end of the triumphal tour "1984" dreams of cinema and solo career. This last wish becomes reality with the mini-Ep of 4 covers "Crazy From The Heat" crowned with success and a platinum disc in the USA. It's too much for Eddie Van Halen... The two oversized egos of the band separate in 1985.

Tired of having been submitted to Eddie Van Halen's dictate - Mr. Keyboard of "1984" - Diamond Dave definitively launches a solo adventure which begins in 1986 with the album "Eat'Em and Smile" for which he adds Gregg Bissonnette on drums, Billy Sheehan on bass and especially the little genius of the six-string discovered by Frank Zappa, Steve Vai. A dream line-up considering the evolution of the respective careers of each member.

It is in this form, and under the control of the historical producer of Van Halen, Ted Templeman, that the charismatic David Lee Roth introduces himself to his fans with an "Eat'Em and Smile" as crazy as the cover suggests. Album which begins with a discussion between Diamond Dave and Steve Vai by means of a guitar played by Peter Frampton, which continues with a wild "Yankee Rose". Devilish, the term is perfectly found for this opus of 10 tracks in the continuity of the productions of Van Halen with Diamond Dave's touch which consists in sprinkling its hard-rock influences of various references very sixties as to better remember those who have praised the mini-EP released one year before!

The listener will be delighted with the now famous "Shy Boy" splashed with all the class of Steve Vai and his partner Billy Sheehan followed by "I'm Easy" in which Diamond Dave becomes a crooner. In the same state of mind, we will quote "Elephant Gun" in which the dazzling couple Vai/Sheehan shines by its furious technicality and the bluesy final "That's Life" keeping quiet for the occasion the detractors of a Steve Vai considered as being only a cold shredder unable to share his emotions.

And there lies all the power of this terribly addictive "Eat'Em and Smile", a real patchwork alternating catchy hard rock tracks with solos still praised by the masters of the genre ("Big Trouble"), sometimes soft and bewitching ("Ladie's Nite In Buffalo ? "), old-school rock'n'roll ("Tobacco Road") and tracks sounding very 60's ("I'm Easy", "That's Life") in which David Lee Roth proves that he can officiate in any of these diametrically opposed styles.

In the end, "Eat'Em and Smile" is a crazy eclectic album that proves to be a must-have in any hard-rock discography, just like the little brother that will follow it two years later, but that's another story... In the meantime, take these 10 "eat 'em and smile" hits... - Official website

DAVID LEE ROTH

EAT'EM AND SMILE

WARNER

HARD ROCK