van halen-best of both worlds

KevinJ · 07-19-2004, 06:10 PM

i bought this set today[promo copy out officially tomorrow]and i'd definitely recommend that any true van halen fan pick this up[and even if you aren't get it anyhow...you might just like it]the only negative with this set's the live tracks which still sound bad[the old saying garbage in garbage out applies here]otherwise this is a must buy imho

DaveDickey · 07-19-2004, 07:05 PM

I have it on pre-order. I listened to some samples of the live stuff - yuck! You'd think a band like Van Halen would spend the money to get clean live cuts onto a disc like this, but apparently not. They probably assume everyone will listen to it on MP3 players anyway, so why bother with sound quality. It's too bad, the studio stuff sounds great. The best sound I've heard from VH is still the Van Halen 1 remaster from a few years back - it sounds better than some SACD's I've heard. Dave

KevinJ · 07-20-2004, 01:05 PM

to me the remasters on this set top the remasters from 2000

MarkHastings · 07-20-2004, 02:30 PM

I heard rumor that there's an error with the CD. They say "Finished What You Started" cuts off at the end of the song instead of fading out?

Is this true??

James Lee · 07-20-2004, 03:21 PM

It's true. It cuts off 'Finish What Ya Started' on my copy as well as my friend's copy. Bummer.

It's kind of interested that the track list alternates Hagar songs with Roth songs.

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Aaron Thorne · 07-20-2004, 04:46 PM

I hadn't had a chance to pick this album up yet but, those who want quality live Halen should buy the live album from 93. One of my favorite live albums period short of any live Zeppelin and Floyd of course

.....Also, I caught VH on the first show of their current tour just a few months ago in Greensboro. They sounded great so I can't imagine the live tracks on this album being bad quality.

KevinJ · 07-20-2004, 05:42 PM

the 93 live album[right here right now]are where the last 3 tracks on disc 2 are from...and they still sound too digital imho

Jake Gove · 07-21-2004, 12:28 AM

What a disappointing collection. Since it is called Best of Both Worlds, should have had one disc of Roth, one of Hagar. The packaging is flimsy cardboard, disc 1 has the Finish What You Started Problem, and the inclusion of the three live tracks of which there are already studio versions is stupid. They should have left those three off and included "Mean Street", "Don't Tell Me", and "Little Guitars" instead. They should have also had "Intruder", which is the excellent instrumental intro to Pretty Woman on Diver Down.

I would have even taken Fire in the Hole w/ Gary Cherone on vocals over "Not Enough".

Another alternative would have been to produce Best of Volume II since they already did Best of Volume I in 1997. Now Best of Vol 1 and Best of Both Worlds have a lot of overlap.

Any VH fans have ideas for other tracks that should have been included?

Todd H · 07-21-2004, 07:58 AM

They should have included some rare stuff, like "Crossing Over."

The set is extremely disappointing. And the three new tracks are average at best. This smells like a money grab to me.

ElevSkyMovie · 07-21-2004, 08:42 AM

This is a hits driven package, full of singles that the label released.

Lots of goods songs could have been added, off the top of my head:

Show Your Love
Beautiful Girls
Somebody Get Me a Doctor
Take Your Whiskey Home
Romeo Delight
Mean Street
So This Is Love
Drop Dead Legs
Little Guitars
Summer Nights
5150

Just a few off the top of my head that I know are fan favorites and are songs people want to hear in concert.

Dome Vongvises · 07-21-2004, 10:19 AM

The song cuts off on my CD.