25 years ago today, on May 24, 1988, Van Halen’s 8th album, OU812 (“Oh You Ate One Too”), was released. The album was the second to feature Sammy Hagar as lead singer. The number 1 album would go on to sell four and a half million copies.

Love this album…I like the guitar driven songs like A.F.U , Source of Infection ,Black and Blue, Cabo Wabo…Always thought Sucker In a Three Piece was great with a AC/DC like riff..Mine all Mine also excellent.

Did this song ever become another song on later albums?

Numb to the Touch “Numb to the Touch” was written and supposed to be on the album, but wasn’t finished in time, so it wasn’t released. According to Hagar, it was supposed to be a traditional heavy metal song, similar to Whitesnake.

Here’s a few photo’s from that time..The MOR 1988 Tour would have been great to see..

With Metallica on the MOR Tour 1988..

A friends shot of the MOR stage.

Numb to the Touch “Numb to the Touch” was written and supposed to be on the album, but wasn’t finished in time, so it wasn’t released. According to Hagar, it was supposed to be a traditional heavy metal song, similar to Whitesnake.

Anyone else see what was wrong there?

I did notice that. Of course now Sammy compares his band(s) with Led Zeppelin

This is by far the worst of the van hagar compositions. Front to back cringe-worthy lyrics to really lame songs. I think source of infection is the song i hate the most out of the hagar catalog – and that’s saying a lot.. it really crystallizes the depth and intelligence of the hagar lyric.

Bought this when it came out, saw them at 3 rivers stadium in Pittsburgh, and RFK in Wash DC. I remember Kingdom come was a bit weak, Dokken i was a little dissappointed in, loved Dokken, but didnt sound good in the stadiums, too much echo, not very loud. The Scorpions were great as always, metallica rocked the place. Ill always remember a.f.u. live with ed and Sam going into the solo where sam screamed to the guitar parts. I loved these times, and loved this disc, although didnt care for a few tunes on a VH lp for the 1st time ever!

Wasn’t this album called the “rock and roll” album?
I loved it, but maybe because this was my first live tour with VH

I loved it & seen them @ Alpine Valley in Wisconsin
I thought this album was more commercial then 5150 still loved it though

I remember watching the world premier of “when it’s love” Video on MTV and being so psyched up. Saw the MOR tour at RFK stadium in DC. Great memories of those days. Wish I could go back and re-live some of those moments.

I really liked OU812… better than 5150. I thought the songs were better, and the production was more traditional for Van Halen. Ed’s guitar tone was more traditional, and Al went back to acoustic drums, and stopped using the electronic drums. As far as lyrics go, I never really payed attention to them. I was more focused on the music, and vocal melody. So, I never really noticed how cheesy Sam’s lyrics were. For me, it was always how the band sounded, not what was being said.

dokkendude:
I loved it & seen them @ Alpine Valley in Wisconsin

I remember that the CD came out only a couple of days before the show. I had joined the Alpine Valley fan club (or whatever it was called), in hopes of getting decent tickets. I didn’t get good seats though. I got tickets for the 3rd show out of that I think (not what I wanted) and they were all the in the back of the seats. I ended up with mono that year and wasn’t able to enjoy the show as much as I wanted. Still cool though, as I wanted to see Dokken and Scorps as well as VH.

People talk about the lyrics..I have never really cared for what is said in the song…Its the music Ed Al and now Wolf…I dont follow a band becuase of their singer…

Back to the album…Love Sucker in a Three Piece.. The way Ed and Al work together at the start reminds me of Everybody Wants Some,Panama and As Is..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7PhKfSkXWI

VAiN:
This is by far the worst of the van hagar compositions. Front to back cringe-worthy lyrics to really lame songs. I think source of infection is the song i hate the most out of the hagar catalog – and that’s saying a lot.. it really crystallizes the depth and intelligence of the hagar lyric.

Ah yes! While I do enjoy this record…it’s Sammy’s constant cringe-worthy lyrics on all albums that kills it for me. I do put a big emphasis on lyrics for some reason. Guess I just hate listening to lame cheesy lyrics that sound like a 1st Grader wrote in 5mins. He had really bad shit that seemed to take little thought. But yeah whatever. Still some decent tunes here and there