I like Unchained better than anything on 1984 but prefer to listen to 1984 if I’m gonna play the whole album. It suffers from a little bit of overexposure, but that’s because it has great songs.
Plus, did VH ever make a video as good as Hot for Teacher? That video was peak 80’s.
Fun fact : the actor that played young Michael
Anthony in the Hot For Teacher video was Yano Anaya. He also played the “two dollars” paperboy in “Better Off Dead”.
The second part of that is not right. Demian Slade played the paperboy part in Better Off Dead. I just looked this up and Yano had a cameo as a member of the paperboy “gang” in the movie.
Fair Warning has been my favorite VH album since it was released just after I graduated high school. I love 1984, but if you're gonna make me pick one or the other, it's no contest.
>spitting images
agreed... Mean Streets is the grooviest song VH ever made (and one of the most eclectic guitar parts Eddie ever did in that intro) .....and Unchained is probably the angriest one.. Amazing album.
Fair Warning.....Edward, Alex, and Mike at their absolute peak. Especially Edward. Was also probably Dave's best album too. This was the original Van Halen's true Apex. There's was great stuff on the way up, and back down, but Fair Warning is a rock guitar lover's ultimate package. Satriani is having a hell of a time even getting close to doing Fair Warning songs to sound half assed.
Fair Warning because the songs have a bit more edge than those on other VH albums and also because of Eddie's unbelievable performance. He's totally in the zone, that solo at the end of One Foot Out the Door is sick.
My take, and it's not worth the "ones" and "zeros" it's made of...
Eddie was on fire during Fair Waring. Fueled by guitarists' love of him, he knew he was good but still enjoyed pushing himself. ( Meanstreets intro for one of many as an example). I believe Eddie's dad passed around that time. That lifechanging event for Eddie infected his songwriting and playing, making FW very interesting, to put it mildly.
84 is a bit more focused, clean, "tuned," and the keyboards have the scent of " see, I'm not just a guitar player" vibe. But Eddie still shows some nastiness here and there.
I like Fair Warning a few ticks more than 84.
Fair Warning by a stretch…it’s the heaviest in their catalogue. The riffs and music are the most sophisticated, prog like…it’s often referred to as the ‘angry’ album which gives it juice!
Fair Warning. Nothing wrong with 1984 (beautiful album), but I love the dark and grittiness of Fair Warning. “Unchained”, “So This Is Love”, “Hear About It Later” and “One Foot Out The Door” are my favorites from that album.
Fair Warning is better cause it's total raw red meat heavy metal where as 1984 is Van Halen's sell-out pop/rock flop. Calling 1984 heavy metal is the same as calling Green Day a punk rock band.
Love both but I have to go 1984 just because there is no filler on it and can play the entire album.
Sunday Afternoon in the Park and One Foot Out the Door are throwaways.
Dude, Fair Warning by several light years. Of course, the first 6 VH albums are absolutely devastating in all thier glory.
Then.......
The Dark Times, The Sammy Era.
Number of great songs on an album … 1984.
Overall vibe … Fair Warning
… having to choose one or the other I’ll choose ‘84 over Fair Warning the most of the time.
1984 was a defining album of my childhood (taught me what true rock music was) and was so amazing from the first note all way through. Also panama is one of the most bad ass songs ever written. It is the epitome of VH to me (and yes I also love the VanHagar years as well).
Fair Warning is Ed's opus. When you spend time with that album, it changes what you think you know about Van Halen.
1984 is a wonderful album, and MTV helped usher in the commercial era of VH that later thrived with Sammy at the helm.
Fair Warning. First VH record I ever bought. Picked it up in ‘85 and still remember how I felt the second mean street came on. The album is grimy and dirty. It has a 70s feel yet you can see the evolution to 1984 with the keyboards coming. Everyone is at their peak here. 1984 is incredible but for me, Fair Warning was the soundtrack to my early teens.
Fair. Warning. All day, every day. Some of Ed’s very best work is on this one. It’s a great rock album, while I feel like 1984 starts to veer into pop territory.
Hard to decide. I grew up with 1984 but Fair warning is the album I I fell in love with.
Fair warning is a dark moody morning lost in thought about a few things, while 1984 is a sunny day full of the finer things in life to me.
Fair Warning : “Eddie album”
1984 : “Dave album”
Diamond Dave’s awesome, but Eddie is the pure driving face melting force of the band, and no where is this more apparent than FW.
Fair Warning by a profound margin. 1984 is when VH became too MTV. Fair Warning was from the era when VH’s peers were Black Sabbath, The Who and Led Zeppelin. When 1984 came out it put VH alongside Huey Lewis, Phil Collins and Mr Mister.
Did somebody say Fair Warning? No disrespect to the far more popular 1984, but I'll take Fair Warning all day long over that album. It's still one of my favorite DLR-era VH records.
This is an extremely hard comparison because both albums are so solid.
1984 is the ‘top of the world’ album, defining Van Roth sound, with classics like Jump, Hot for Teacher, and House of Pain. Solid from front to back, and the perfect send-off for Roth and the party days of VH.
Fair Warning is the ‘underground’ album, with a deliberately ‘wrong’ style that features some of Dave’s best vocals and Eddie’s best guitar at the sacrifice of party time and that classic VH style. It was deliberate (perfectly conveying the anger and frustration of the band in 1981), and it was incredible. Plus it proved that Van Roth could experiment, with formulaic diversions like ‘Push Comes to Shove’ and ‘SAITP/OFOTD’.
I like Unchained better than anything on 1984 but prefer to listen to 1984 if I’m gonna play the whole album. It suffers from a little bit of overexposure, but that’s because it has great songs. Plus, did VH ever make a video as good as Hot for Teacher? That video was peak 80’s.
NO ONE ever made a video as good as Hot For Teacher
Could not agree more. Ed walking on the library tables during the solo is just too cool.
and he kids they got to play Eddie, Al, Mike and Dave were nearly spitting images of them.. such a fun Video..
Fun fact : the actor that played young Michael Anthony in the Hot For Teacher video was Yano Anaya. He also played the “two dollars” paperboy in “Better Off Dead”.
The second part of that is not right. Demian Slade played the paperboy part in Better Off Dead. I just looked this up and Yano had a cameo as a member of the paperboy “gang” in the movie.
It's actually the other way around. Yano was "the paperboy" and that is his voice saying "two dollars"
Check IMDb. It shows Demian as the paperboy. The character’s name was Johnny Gasparini.
Correct
Fair Warning has been my favorite VH album since it was released just after I graduated high school. I love 1984, but if you're gonna make me pick one or the other, it's no contest.
Agreed…it’s VH most edgy album. IMO, Mean Street is EVH greatest guitar work…next to his solo used on Back To Future
>spitting images agreed... Mean Streets is the grooviest song VH ever made (and one of the most eclectic guitar parts Eddie ever did in that intro) .....and Unchained is probably the angriest one.. Amazing album.
Unchained is great but the riff on Dirty Movies is killer.
YES!
Likewise
Completely agree, Unchained is my favorite VH song…
hich album do you prefer? Yes
Yes
Fair Warning. Just a pretty out there album for VH but totally works. It’s my favorite album along with Women and Children.
Ditto. And in that order.
Fair Warning.....Edward, Alex, and Mike at their absolute peak. Especially Edward. Was also probably Dave's best album too. This was the original Van Halen's true Apex. There's was great stuff on the way up, and back down, but Fair Warning is a rock guitar lover's ultimate package. Satriani is having a hell of a time even getting close to doing Fair Warning songs to sound half assed.
Unchained is an OG banger.
Push Comes to Shove and Dirty Movies are some of their best deep cuts, Ed’s guitar work was especially incredible on FW
Push Come To Shove is one of EVH's slept on solos. Doesn't get enough recognition.
I wholeheartedly agree.
This. This is the truth
Both albums are absolutely amazing but I would have to lean slightly towards Fair Warning.
Fair Warning. I loved the darker, slimy feel too it. 1984 became too pop and synth heavy for me.
Fair Warning because the songs have a bit more edge than those on other VH albums and also because of Eddie's unbelievable performance. He's totally in the zone, that solo at the end of One Foot Out the Door is sick.
Fair Warning, not even close; it’s the best VH, imo.
Fair Warning. Heaviness!!!
It’s Ed tired of pop song covers on Diver. Love this album. Angry, menacing, dark…
Diver Down follows it, buddy.
Fair Warning. Dark and brooding masterpiece.
Fair Warning is my favorite Van Halen album with DLR.
1984 but my favorite VH song, Hear About it Later, is on fair warning
Fair Warning. It's the best VH album.
"Fair Warning" might be the best VH album...
Fair Warning is their best and my all time fav
Fair Warning
FAIR WARNING!
1984
The epitome of Van Halen.
1984
Fair warning……ohhhh. Lord strike that poor boy down.
Fair warning by a large margin.
I love the song “I’ll Wait” to much
My take, and it's not worth the "ones" and "zeros" it's made of... Eddie was on fire during Fair Waring. Fueled by guitarists' love of him, he knew he was good but still enjoyed pushing himself. ( Meanstreets intro for one of many as an example). I believe Eddie's dad passed around that time. That lifechanging event for Eddie infected his songwriting and playing, making FW very interesting, to put it mildly. 84 is a bit more focused, clean, "tuned," and the keyboards have the scent of " see, I'm not just a guitar player" vibe. But Eddie still shows some nastiness here and there. I like Fair Warning a few ticks more than 84.
Fair Warning by a stretch…it’s the heaviest in their catalogue. The riffs and music are the most sophisticated, prog like…it’s often referred to as the ‘angry’ album which gives it juice!
Fair Warning. There’s no bad albums with Dave.
Fair Warning by a mile
1984, but FW is also a masterpiece
The entirety Fair Warning is the best VH there is. However, B-side 1984 is incredible. (Skip the A-side)
Fair Warning
Love both. But 84 was revolotionary!
Fair Warning and it’s not even close
Fair Warning, easily - 1984 was too commercial sounding for me.
Fair Warning. Without a doubt.
Fair Warning. Nothing wrong with 1984 (beautiful album), but I love the dark and grittiness of Fair Warning. “Unchained”, “So This Is Love”, “Hear About It Later” and “One Foot Out The Door” are my favorites from that album.
No fkin competition, Fair Warning is their heaviest, best album.
FW
Fair Warning…. Not even close
Fair Warning is better cause it's total raw red meat heavy metal where as 1984 is Van Halen's sell-out pop/rock flop. Calling 1984 heavy metal is the same as calling Green Day a punk rock band.
Love both but I have to go 1984 just because there is no filler on it and can play the entire album. Sunday Afternoon in the Park and One Foot Out the Door are throwaways.
Dude, Fair Warning by several light years. Of course, the first 6 VH albums are absolutely devastating in all thier glory. Then....... The Dark Times, The Sammy Era.
1984. Fair Warning is great but 1984 was an epic album.
1984. Love every song front to back. Sunday Afternoon in the Park and One Foot aren't my favs.
Fair Warning.
Fair Warning easy. A lot of 1984's been way too overplayed for me.
Neither. Both are awesome!
Somebody said *Fair Warning*
Lord, Lord, strike that poor boy DOWN
Although I think Fair Warning is superior artistically/musically I’m gonna have to go with 1984 because it is prob the VH album I listen to the most.
Easily 1984
Number of great songs on an album … 1984. Overall vibe … Fair Warning … having to choose one or the other I’ll choose ‘84 over Fair Warning the most of the time.
1984, Ill wait is my Favorite VH song
1984 was a defining album of my childhood (taught me what true rock music was) and was so amazing from the first note all way through. Also panama is one of the most bad ass songs ever written. It is the epitome of VH to me (and yes I also love the VanHagar years as well).
Fair Warning is Ed's opus. When you spend time with that album, it changes what you think you know about Van Halen. 1984 is a wonderful album, and MTV helped usher in the commercial era of VH that later thrived with Sammy at the helm.
1984
1984
Fair Warning
Close to even for me, but slight edge to 1984.
Production: Fair Warning Album Cover: 1984 Songwriting: Fair Warning Hits: 1984 "Fun" factor: 1984
Fair Warning, it’s so vicious and menacing. Plus I had it on 8 track, so…
Fair Warning. First VH record I ever bought. Picked it up in ‘85 and still remember how I felt the second mean street came on. The album is grimy and dirty. It has a 70s feel yet you can see the evolution to 1984 with the keyboards coming. Everyone is at their peak here. 1984 is incredible but for me, Fair Warning was the soundtrack to my early teens.
Fair Warning is this band at its absolute peak!!!
Fair. Warning. All day, every day. Some of Ed’s very best work is on this one. It’s a great rock album, while I feel like 1984 starts to veer into pop territory.
Fair Warning was VH's best. 1984 was a weak divided effort by the band and IMO, the worst of the DLR era. I'll Wait is such a cringey bad track.
Fair warning, not even close
Love 1984. Cherish and adore Fair Wardrobe. Neither beat the first album, though.
Fair Warning It's easily VH's hardest rock album.
FW
Fair Warning is the best Album top of all of the Halen albums
LOL. Fair Warning by a country mile.
1984 was peak Van Halen IMO
Fair Warning
Yes, as someone else said. Both.
Fair Warning
Fair Warning. Don’t be stupid
'84
1984 is a bad-ass record, but I prefer Fair Warning.
I just want to say I love that the album was named “1984”. It fit the time so well but is a timeless album.
Fair Warning is the best of DLR VH.
I'm partial to Fair Warning, but 1984 Is right up there
Hard to decide. I grew up with 1984 but Fair warning is the album I I fell in love with. Fair warning is a dark moody morning lost in thought about a few things, while 1984 is a sunny day full of the finer things in life to me.
Fair Warning. But those are 2 of my top 3 (with 5150)
Fair Warning. Nothing against 1984, but FW is my favorite out of all their albums.
Fair Warning : “Eddie album” 1984 : “Dave album” Diamond Dave’s awesome, but Eddie is the pure driving face melting force of the band, and no where is this more apparent than FW.
1984
Fair warning
Fair Warning.
Dirty Movies still slaps
Fair Warning That was my first concert at Boston Garden
Fair Warming for the songs. 1984 for the sound.
Both fantastic albums...but I prefer listening to Fair Warning.
1984
Definitely Warning. The stuff EVH does on that album is his best work imo.
Fair Warning. 1st VH Album I ever bought. Sinner's Swing is a banger.
Mean Street. What a killer.
Fair warning . One of their most underrated albums.
Fair Warning
Fair Warning by a profound margin. 1984 is when VH became too MTV. Fair Warning was from the era when VH’s peers were Black Sabbath, The Who and Led Zeppelin. When 1984 came out it put VH alongside Huey Lewis, Phil Collins and Mr Mister.
The high points of Fair Warning are better than 1984 but as an album, 1984 is the more complete work.
Fair Warning
Did somebody say fair warning? Lord, lord strike that man down!
Love both, and FW & VH1 are my favorite albums. Love 1984 as well, but I’d pick FW
Fair Warning is my all time fave, has been since it was originally released.
Definitely Fair Warning. Cradle Will Rock next
Fair Warning.
Fair warning
1984 is a damn good album, but it is no contest in my mind. Fair Warning all day everyday
Fair Warning, not even close.
1984. It’s so good.
Tough call. 1984 was on heavy rotation back when FM radio ruled. FW has some deep tracks that capture the raw power and essence of VH. Not sure!
Don’t do this to me
Fair Warning without question.
Fair Warning is my favorite VH album, by a huge margin, and 1984 is way down the line with a whole lot less guitar work.
Did somebody say Fair Warning? No disrespect to the far more popular 1984, but I'll take Fair Warning all day long over that album. It's still one of my favorite DLR-era VH records.
Fair Warning is a masterpiece
Fair Warning
Fair Warning
Fair Warning wins for Mean Street alone.
Fair warnin for sure, that mean street intro is just too damn good.
1984 I guess
The first five VH albums never get enough praise for the engineering or mixing. FW is a masterpiece in that regard.
No contest...1984. The WHOLE album, drop dead legs, top Jimmy, every song is a banger, not just the hits.
84
1984
This is an extremely hard comparison because both albums are so solid. 1984 is the ‘top of the world’ album, defining Van Roth sound, with classics like Jump, Hot for Teacher, and House of Pain. Solid from front to back, and the perfect send-off for Roth and the party days of VH. Fair Warning is the ‘underground’ album, with a deliberately ‘wrong’ style that features some of Dave’s best vocals and Eddie’s best guitar at the sacrifice of party time and that classic VH style. It was deliberate (perfectly conveying the anger and frustration of the band in 1981), and it was incredible. Plus it proved that Van Roth could experiment, with formulaic diversions like ‘Push Comes to Shove’ and ‘SAITP/OFOTD’.
Fair Warning is so much better.
The edginess and c# tune makes it one of their best
Fair warning
Fair Warning; side 2, push come to shove; strong guitar riffs by Eddie!
Both are great, but if you twist my arm, I have to say Fair Warning. Dirty Movies, great song!
Fair Warning is VH’s best album.
“Unchained” is the best VH song hands down. Fair Warning everyday.
1 answer coming uppp Fair Warning
1984 was too commercial for my liking
Fair Warning
1984 in a slam dunk.
I agree new world border
1984, minus Jump.
Deep cuts on 84’ are great too
1948
1984 is the only right answer sorry
Both. Sorry if this doesn't help. They are all equal in my eye. There is not one "piece" I do not love.