The Van Halen Story - The Early Years DVD

This DVD documentary chronicles the rise of four young musicians from their formative years to their transformation into a worldwide phenomenon. Witness the group's gripping tale told by the people who were there when it began - the childhood friends, fellow musicians, roadies, bodyguards, producers, and the band themselves. Never-before-seen photos help document their remarkable story.

The following people were interviewed for this documentary:

Mark Stone - Original VH bass player whom Michael Anthony replaced

Andy Johns - Produced the F.U.C.K. album

Eddie Anderson - Roth's former body guard & manager

Gregg Emerson - VH drum technician

Neil Zlozower - Original VH photographer & partner in crime

Tom Broderick - VH's soundman in 1978

Kim Fowley - Sunset Strip concert promoter - booked the band into the Whisky a Go-Go

Jeff Hausman - The Van Halen News Desk, The Inside magazine, VanHalenStore.com

Susan Masino - Survived VH's stay at the Sheraton Hotel, 1978

Jim Dandy - One of Roth's prototypes. Roth was compared to him in the club days

Dave Weiderman - long-time manager of The Guitar Center in L.A.

Mike Levine - (Triumph) talking about playing the US Festival with VH

Ron Wikso - drummer with DLR around 1994

Dennis Neugebauer- good friend of DLR's in the high school days

Mario Maglieri - owner of the Whisky a Go-Go

Roger Rennick - saw VH play at various backyard parties

Mike Kelly - VH historian who attended most of their Starwood and Whisky shows

Tony Codgen - guitarist from Michael's original band, Snake

Note that this is an unofficial documentary, so the band was not involved, and there's no Van Halen music. (Although it does include interview footage with David Lee Roth & Eddie Van Halen, and audio bytes from Alex Van Halen and Michael Anthony). That said, even without the band's involvement, the interviews are very interesting and the photos are great!

NEVER SEEN PHOTOS from Mark Stone, Tom Broderick, Gregg Emerson, Eddie Anderson, Norman Seeff (you'll see more of his iconic shots from the Woman and Children First album cover sessions!), and more.

Total running time 60 minutes. Produced by Passport Productions.

It's a must for any die hard fan's collection. 

Release Date: 4/23/2021. (Original DVD release 2003).