Angel
Live Without A Net

The name Van Halen surely evokes strong sensations in you, just like in me. It was one of my first encounters with American hard rock, a bit glam, glossy, spectacular, excessive. Motley Crue and Guns n' Roses continued down this path, albeit with some hiccups. But it was Angel who paved the way. And we should be grateful to them.

The band, formed in the '70s, released this live album in 1980 when they were at the peak of their form and fame, especially in America, while in Europe they have always been a great unfinished symphony. They always dressed like angels, contrasting this harmless look with energetic and hard music. This live album spectacularly closes their career as they disband immediately afterward without releasing anything else. So let's enjoy it. It’s an energetic live performance, not the best in terms of sound quality, but powerful without being tacky or trashy. There's still a sense of the last ingenuities of the '60s, not so much in the music but in the attitudes; the guys don’t seek chaos, even though their music isn't about intricacies, but they get things going and aren't displeasing.

I confess I don’t possess the studio versions of the songs, so comparisons are impossible for me, but after listening to it once, I found myself quite fond of it because it's really a good product. It starts with "Tower", good energetic hard rock that's pleasing, and continues with a repertoire worthy of early Van Halen, though slightly less hard. Still, it's apparent that they want to play: keyboard solos (sometimes reminiscent of Pink Floyd), guitar, and drums respectively in "On The Rocks", "Rock and Rollers", and "White Lightning". There's also room for an old cover of Mott The Hoople, "All The Young Dudes" (written by David Bowie and later covered by Bruce Dickinson), which is one of the best-executed tracks on the album. Notably, the closing song, "20th Century Foxes", is their best song and in a very beautiful version.

What else is there to say? That these older brothers of Van Halen and the entire hard rock scene closed up shop too soon. Thank you anyway for this live album.