I used to worship Eddie and the rest of VH backin'thaday, and still get a wee bit nostalgic when I hear 1984 (going on 6th grade field trips and the principal having a radio station on the bus with "Jump" seemingly playing all day long!!). I still believe that Eddie Van Halen is, without a doubt, one of the top three greatest guitarists of our generation.
However, as I rapidly approach old age :Spin: :Spin: , I realize with a more objective mind that VH definitely shortchanged themselves musically (certainly not financially!). I had this conversation recently with a co-worker who is a 49 year old part-time blues guitar player, and he and I agreed completely. VH were radio rock staples for years, but should have gone past that eventually and, IMO, maybe should have done a little more musician-based music.
The closest that they ever got to that category was on the album with the siamese twins on it. God, it's been so long I can't even think of the goddamn name of it. Anyways, it was the last album with Hagar on vocals, and the first song on that album was called "The Seventh Seal" (I think). This was territory that I rarely saw them delve into, and I thought that song was phenomenal. Unfortunately, they've never come close to that again.
So, for me, No to the greatest hits album, no to the massively overpriced concert ticket, and a maybe to a full length album (I'll try to hear it first!)
Word to my momma.