Van Halen

Diver Down Van Halen MoFi edition

Van Halen's grueling tour schedule – coupled with the production of four LPs in four years – prompted the American rock band to take a break. However, the hiatus did not last long. Singer David Lee Roth believed that the record label's desire for new music could be satisfied by covering Martha & The Vandellas' “Dancing In The Street” and releasing it as a single. Guitarist Eddie Van Halen, who didn't want to simply copy another artist's song but wanted to transform it, suggested Roy Orbison's “(Oh) Pretty Woman” when he couldn't come up with a suitable riff for the Motown song. Case closed? No, not at all: when Van Halen's interpretation of the Orbison classic stormed the Billboard charts and climbed into the Top 15, Warner Bros. informed the band that an entire album was needed to satisfy the huge demand. So the quartet went to Los Angeles with Ted Templeman to record their fifth studio album at Sunset Studios and Warner Bros. Recording Studios between January and March 1982 – in just 12 days. So much for the story behind “Diver Down,” which was released that same year, immediately shot to number three on the US charts and sold over four million records worldwide!

Van Halen's success story with cover songs can be traced back to their diamond platinum debut in 1978. The ambitious approach that showcases the band's versatility, creativity, flair and enthusiasm is more evident than ever on “Diver Down.” The album features five rousing cover versions, three of which became big radio hits: the energetic interpretation of the Kinks song “Where Have All The Good Times Gone!”, the barbershop quartet parody of “Happy Trails” – originally by Dale Evans – and, of course, “(Oh), Pretty Woman”. Between these tracks is a smorgasbord of extremely playful pieces. Take, for example, the menacing “Intruder,” written by Roth on synthesizer and carried by Eddie Van Halen, who twists the tremolo bar of his guitar and rubs a can of “Schlitz” against its strings amid substantial feedback. Or the visionary “Little Guitars (Intro),” in which Eddie Van Halen plays a nylon-string guitar and imitates a classic flamenco technique by quickly tremolo-picking the high strings with his right hand and orchestrating hammer-ons and pull-offs on the guitar neck with his left hand. Always one step ahead, the pioneering instrumentalist composed “Cathedral” long before the recordings for “Diver Down.” He adapted it for the record by fingering the notes with his left hand on the fretboard while simultaneously turning the volume knob up and down with his right hand. The latter eventually caused the knob to get stuck at the end of the second take, but the intended effect – a piece that resembled the sound of a church organ – was successfully captured.

The lovingly remastered reissue of “Diver Down” from MoFi's California studio presents this rock classic with tremendous realism, unbridled dynamics and benchmark clarity and attention to detail. The strictly numbered Hybrid SACD, packaged in a high-quality mini LP-style gatefold sleeve, showcases Ted Templeman's work to its best advantage. With MoFi's Hybrid SACD, “Diver Down” offers more feel-good vibes than ever before – turn up the volume!