Support your position with audio/video evidence.

Best - DLR era. Not only was it the peak VH, but DLR contributed significantly to songs. EVH came up with the riffs - one of the greatest guitar players, but DLR wrote most the lyrics

Personally, I find DLR one of the least likable front men. Just does not do it for me. It was their best music, and their debut LP is my favorite.

Trivia: Attended the very first "Texxas Jam" in the Cotton Bowl in 78. Headliners were Aerosmith and Ted Nugent, Heart stole the show.

Van Halen played about 12 Noon and were a nobody band then, about 10K at most saw them. May have been their first performance Dallas.

DLR was definitely peak Van Halen as Keyser said, though Hagar had some bangers too, like Poundcake, and Dreams. Just that Van Hagar lost a lot of the edge DLR brought and added a lot sugary pop that made many of the lyrics and songs super cheesy. The DLR era will always be Van Halen's absolute best IMO.

Hagar came at the perfect time. Van Halen needed to change up and they weren't going anywhere. Perfect timing. Both frontmen were great and have different strengths. I preferred Hagar, but that's probably who Monday VH live with.

I like both eras, Roth and Hagar. Both rocked *** unlike todays music. I think Roth's version was a little more edgy. Think of Aint Talking about love vs Why Can't this be love. I saw the Roth version in 1981 in Philadelphia at the Spectrum. Roth came out with a big liquor bottle and said Philly we are partying tonight!! Good times. Oh and many think it didn't matter Roth or Hagar that EVH was the star.

Side Note: "Every Body Want Some" is the movie title that is the "spiritual sequel" to the great Dazed & Confused. Both are by Richard Linklater.

Everybody Wants Some is very loosely based on Linklaters time at SWTS in the early 80s - good flick, not as good as D&C but spot on for the time

Keyser Soze said:

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Side Note: "Every Body Want Some" is the movie title that is the "spiritual sequel" to the great Dazed & Confused. Both are by Richard Linklater.

Everybody Wants Some is very loosely based on Linklaters time at SWTS in the early 80s - good flick, not as good as D&C but spot on for the time

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You must be confused. SWTS was a bastion of learning during the 80's.

I've heard Van Hagar described as "Yacht Rock", Ie less edgy than Van Roth.

Anyone heard Eruption??

I just like DLR's vocals a LOT more than Sammy Hagar. Listen to Drop Dead Legs from 1984.

Stories I've heard and read imply that one of the reasons Roth was kicked out of the band is that he was a borderline pedophile based on the age of the groupies he brought backstage.

BellCountyBear said:

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Stories I've heard and read imply that one of the reasons Roth was kicked out of the band is that he was a borderline pedophile based on the age of the groupies he brought backstage.

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Might have happened but there he did have an imposter...

Chilliwack's David Lee Roth wannabe denied bail on underage sex crime charges - Peace Arch News

With Sammy Hagar, the band enjoyed 9 Top 40 hits, compared to 7 with David Lee Roth. But those 7 ranked higher on the Billboard Top 100, including Van Halen's only #1 song, "Jump". Hagar only made it to #3. IMHO "Love Walks In" was better than "Why Can't This Be Love" and had more of a classic Van Halen sound.

I attended the second Texas Jam in June of 79 at the Cotton Bowl. It was about 300 degrees on the field that day. Sammy Hagar was 2nd act and Van Halen was the 4th. Nazareth was sandwiched in between. They were both great. Dance the Night Away was their big hit at the time. Heart, Boston and Blue Oyster Cult were the evening acts

No mention of Van Gary