“You say you don’t know, you won’t know until you begin.” So many memories, so little time.
The first is my stepdad purchasing this album and bringing it home. My mother, who was a practicing Jehovah’s Witness at the time, did not take too kindly to the baby with angel wings smoking on the cover.
Second, having a bestie in high school who was OBSESSED with Van Halen, specifically Eddie Van Halen.
Third the video itself, you would be hard pressed to find anyone from Larry and I’s generation that does not remember this video.
And last (at least for tonight’s write-up) but certainly not least is going to see Ready Player One with the whole family, including my daughter-in-law Kristen before she became my daughter-in-law. 😊The movie is so amazing and one of those movies you can’t watch just once. I’m glad we got to see it all together. As life marches forward moments when everyone is together get fewer and fewer but are appreciated more and more.
Housekeeping Note: We are now entering the "Release The Sarcasm!" portion of our musical journey. It was timed to coincide with April Fool's Day, but due to a life event we wanted to remember, tonight's song doesn't really fit the bill. But as we proceed, hopefully you enjoy sarcasm as much as Shannon and I do!
Man. Some many things to unpack tonight.
Let's start with the life event(s). Exactly 6 years ago tonight, I dragged Gabriel, Connor and Connor's girlfriend Kristen to see Ready Player One at AMC Easton in Dolby Atmos. I didn't have to drag Shannon because we had already seen it in a pre-release party.
I say dragged because my sons aren't exactly the movie going type.
The pre-release party was actually put on by the studio - no cell phones allowed. I was super-stoked because Rush was a key part of the book and I wanted to see how it was or wasn't portrayed in the movie. Spoiler Alert: It wasn't; but there are some Rush Easter Eggs in the movie, so I'll give Spielberg a pass. What they did keep was the fact it took place in Columbus, Ohio - and we were seeing it in Columbus, Ohio!
When we went to the pre-release, it was my first experience in a Dolby Atmos theatre. I should mention that if music is my first love, movies are a very, very close second. And I was blown away in the theatre. I knew in that moment that my dream home theatre would be built for Atmos. And it was, but that's a story for another day.
Ready Player One was the perfect movie to experience Atmos for the first time. And it is a great family memory. It's not often the five of us were together. And pop culture references. All the pop culture references. I can't imagine the legal nightmare Spielberg went through to get everything approved for the movie.
Shannon and I are a product of the 80's. And since we had kids when we were young, we could relate to their pop culture experiences as well as pass along our own. So needless to say each one of us loved that night.
So why Jump? Well to begin, it's the very first song played as the movie starts. Which IMO is perfect. Just jumping right in and it doesn't let up.
But unless you grew up in the 80's, you have no idea what impact this song had on the music landscape. Sure it's a great song off a great album.
But those synthesizers.
It was not at all what you expected from Van Halen. And it was a perfect blend of instruments. The synths stepped into the spotlight when it was their turn, and then faded to the background when appropriate. So, not overpowering and turning Van Halen into an electronic band.
So if in the future anyone wonders about my opinion of David Lee Roth vs. Sammy Hagar, I'm in Hagar's corner. Roth was a showman, Hagar was an artist. I enjoyed the Hagar VH so much more than Roth VH.
But 1984, and Jump, would not be what it was without David Lee Roth...
Ghost of a Chance 