My absolute favorite Van Halen track opens "Women and Children First".

But I didn’t realize how much I loved "And The Cradle Will Rock…" until I heard the remastered version on the first greatest hits album, back in ’96.  I had to bring the disc back and forth to the car, just to hear that screaming intro and that thundering bass. Remember when we used to play CDs in the car?  Don’t tell me you still do…

I’m addicted to the satellite in the car.  And now that both the services are essentially identical, I’ve switched to Sirius, because it sounds better.  Except for when I’m on PCH and other environs where I get the dreaded dropouts.

And don’t bug me about the bankruptcy.  That’s just a way to keep EchoStar from gaining control.  But, that’ll void Howard Stern’s contract, and he’s better than ever. Showing distribution is king.  Most people don’t have satellite and therefore they don’t realize how good Howard is, he’s been marginalized.  Maybe he can go back to terrestrial now that Democrats control the FCC.  Maybe the traditional stations can pay him a fortune to save THEIR format.

ANYWAY…  I’m driving down Ocean Park Boulevard and I hear those squeezed notes. You know, the ones Eddie Van Halen pulls off while he grimaces or grins with delight, feeling the music.  The track has broken down and it’s like a night out with your buddies in the middle of the summer, the windows down in the Camaro, Pabst Blue Ribbon in a cooler in the back, looking for women, looking for trouble.

Van Halen is the soundtrack to our adolescence, whether it be arrested or the first time through.  It evidences all the anxiety, intensity and pleasure of being seventeen.  Eddie says he’s written new tunes, he’s waiting to play them for Dave.  I can’t believe radio will truly spin them, that they can get serious traction, but we’ll be listening.

But what got me writing this was that listening to "Romeo Delight" gave me hope.  It wasn’t one of my favorite tracks.  I didn’t own up to loving Van Halen until "1984" (my favorite track on that album is "I’ll Wait".)  I was so enamored that I didn’t care that they changed lead singers, I just needed to hear more.  I love "Best Of Both Worlds" from "5150" as much as any of the Dave stuff.  Thereafter?  Well…

You see the light changed today.

Just like that day back in November when I went out early and realized it was truly winter, that the sun was never going to get high in the sky, that I had to beware of darkness, today I realized spring is coming.  Which depresses me, because that means ski season will come to an end, then again, we can ski at Mammoth until at least June 1st, if not July 4th.  But they don’t run all the lifts, and the snow is wet rather than firm.

But in a world where all the news is depressing, where corporations are in bed with athletes and artists and are then flabbergasted when they don’t toe the line, it’s music that gives us hope.  Unsullied.  You can sell out to the corporation, everybody says you should, but it undercuts the essence of your message.  Which is rebellion, freedom, raw EXUBERANCE!  Making a deal with an advertiser is like kissing the ass of your teacher. When what you want to do is give him the middle finger.

Great hard rock is a middle finger to the world.

And nobody does it better than Eddie Van Halen.

I’m hunkering down in the bunker and waiting this shitstorm out.  And what’s going to get me through are the tunes.  Are you with me?

(To play along at home, cue up "Romeo Delight" at 2:20.)