The Bands that I Like

Queen
Queen is a British rock band from London, England. They
formed in 1970 with members Freddie Mercury, the lead
singer, pianist, and occasional guitarist, Brian May, the
lead guitarist and back-up vocalist, Roger Taylor, the
drummer, percussionist, and back-up vocalist, and John
Deacon, the bassist, back-up vocalist, and occasional
pianist and guitarist.
Queen guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor
were in a band called Smile. Freddie Mercury was a big fan
of Smile and joined in 1970 and suggested the name
Queen. After about a year they finally found the right
bassist, John Deacon.

Band Members
Farrokh Bulsara was born on September 5th, 1946 in Stone
Town in the British Protectorate of Sultanate of Zanzibar,
East Africa. His dad Bomi was a cashier and made the
family move to Zanzibar to continue his job. Farrokh
started piano lessons at the age of 7. At the age of 12 he
started a rock cover band called The Hectics with other
kids from the school he went to, St. Peters School, it was
there that people started calling him Freddie.
He and his family moved to Middlesex, England for safety
reasons and he met Brian May and Roger Taylor there and
joined Smile, soon to become Queen. Around that same
time, he changed his last name to Mercury. Freddie
Mercury is known as one of the greatest singers in rock
music history because of his phrasing, virtuoso,
smoothness, and his vocal range spanning from a low F2 to
a high F6. Freddie Mercury was also a great songwriter he
wrote some of Queens greatest songs like Bohemian
Rhapsody, Don’t Stop Me Now, Killer Queen, Crazy Little
Thing Called Love, Somebody to Love, etc. Freddie is an
amazing live performer with all his costumes and theatrical
effects. I wish I could have seen him live but he died
before I got a chance. Besides amazing vocals, he was also
a great piano player and was classically taught starting
when he was 7. On songs like Ogre Battle and Crazy Little
thing Called Love he played the guitar. Besides his work
with Queen he had a successful solo career. With two
albums and multiple singles. The 2 albums were Mr. Bad
Guy and Barcelona. Barcelona was recorded with Spanish
Opera singer Montserrat Caballé.
Freddie Mercury had a long-time relationship with Mary
Austin and they lived together in the early 70s. In the mid-
70s started an affair with a record executive from Elektra
Records. In 1976 he and Mary relationship ended after he
revealed his sexuality. All though they remained close
friends until his death. His next long-term relationship was
with Jim Hutton, a hairdresser. He lived with and nursed
Mercury until his death.
In October of 1986 Freddie Mercury’s blood tested
positive for HIV/AIDS and in April 1987 he was officially
diagnosed with AIDS. Finally, on November 22nd, 1991.
Mercury officially announced to the public his diagnosis of
AIDS. 2 days later on November 24th Freddie Mercury
passed away at the age of 45 at his home in Kensington.
After the autopsy his official cause of death was Bronchial
Pneumonia from AIDS. His funeral was held on the 27th at
West London Crematorium.

Freddie Mercury left a huge legacy and influence the world

in many ways. He will always be remembered forever. He
was an influence on not just musicians but to LGBTQ+
people and people with AIDS.

Brian Harold May was born on July 19th, 1947 in Hampton,

Middlesex, England. His dad Harold was a draughtsman at
the Ministry of Aviation. May attended Hampton Grammar
School and started his first band named 1984 after George
Orwell’s book of the same name. Brian and his dad built
his first guitar when Brian was 16 years old. They call it the
Red Special. Today he still uses a restored version of the
same guitar. Brian May is not only an awesome guitarist
he is also an astrophysicist. He has a PhD in astrophysics
from Imperial College London and a bachelor’s degree of
Science from the same place.
In 1968 May and Roger Taylor formed Smile with Tim
Staffell, which lasted for 2 years, then he met Mercury and
they made Queen. May was the lead guitarist for Queen
and a vocalist singing parts of Who Wants to Live Forever, I
Want It All, Flash’s Theme and lead vocals on ’39, Good
Company, Sail Away Sweet Sister among others. He was
big part of the songwriting for Queen, writing big hits like
We Will Rock You, Hammer to Fall, I Want It All, Fat
Bottomed Girls, The Prophet’s Song, etc.
Besides Queen Brian May has done some other work with
musicians like Eddie Van Halen and him went to the studio
in 1983 for a few days, they made one album called Star
Fleet Project the album was released as an album by Brian
May and Friends. The Friends being Eddie Van Halen, Alan
Gratzer, Phil Chen, Fred Mandel, and Roger Taylor. May
also worked with former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett
on his album Feedback 86. His first wife Anita Dobson was
also musician and he helped on her first album. Brian also
contributed guitar solos to Black Sabbath’s Headless Cross
and Gatecrashing albums. His first solo album Back to the
Light was released right after Freddie Mercury’s death. It
was his way of dealing with the grief. In 1992 Brian May
formed The Brian May Band for May’s performance at
Guitar Legends 1991 and they toured 3 times, but it was a
short-lived group.
In 1993 Brian and the rest of Queens surviving members
came together and made Queens final studio album Made
in Heaven from old Queen/Freddie Mercury demo and
recordings. After that he started to make a second studio
album called Another World at first it started out as an
album of covers of his favorite artists but then changed to
a complete album. Helping on that album were Spike
Edney, Cozy Powell, Neil Murray who were also in The
Brian May Band. In 1998 during the production of the
album and The Brian May Band, Cozy Powell was killed in a
car accident which caused a huge disruption in his
upcoming tour with The Brian May Band (The BMB). They
needed a drummer in short notice, so he called Steve
Ferrone to help finish the recording of Another World and
got Eric Singer to tour with them.
Since then may has been working with different musicians
like Guns N’ Roses, Lady Gaga, Genesis, Adam Lambert and
he has continued performing with Roger Taylor on
different shows and musicals. After the death of Mercury,
the rest of the members have tried to keep the band going
with Paul Rodgers as Queen + Paul Rodgers they started
touring with him in 2005. The Brian May website said that
Paul Rodgers would not replace Freddie Mercury, he also
stated that John Deacon would not join in with Queen +
Paul Rodgers. They released their first and only studio
album, The Cosmos Rocks released in 2008. In 2009 Queen
+ Paul Rodgers officially split up. After Paul Rodgers,
Queen joined with Adam Lambert as Queen + Adam
Lambert. Once again John Deacon did not participate.
They have not released any albums, but they have gone on
many tours and continue to.
Brian May married Christine Mullen in 1974 they had three
kids, James born in 1978, Louisa born in 1981, and Emily
Ruth in 1987. They divorced in 1988. He suffered from
severe depression almost to the point on suicide due to his
failed marriage and friend and bandmate Freddie
Mercury’s illness. He married Anita Dobson in 2000.
Rolling Stone listed Brian May as the 26th best guitarists of
all time because of his variety of tones and his many styles
like Sweep Picking, Tremolo, Tapping, Slide Guitar, Hendrix
Sounding Licks, Tape-Delay, and Melodic Sequences. Brian
May almost invented tones and is an amazing guitar
player.

Roger Meddows Taylor was born on July 26th, 1949 in

Norfolk. When he was 13, he went to Truro Cathedral
School and joined the band The Reaction a “semi-pro” rock
band formed of boys from the Truro school. He first
started out with guitar but soon transitioned to drums
soon after.
He and Brian May started Smile with Tim Staffell and
Freddie Mercury joined and changed the name to Queen.
Taylor is also a song writer in the band Queen. He wrote
and co-wrote song like Stone Cold Crazy, I’m In Love with
My Car, Sheer Heart Attack, Under Pressure, Radio Ga Ga.
Roger Taylor was also a singer in the band. He is the one
with the high voice. He sung in Keep Yourself Alive, March
of the Black Queen, I’m in Love with My Car, Bohemian
Rhapsody, Sheer Heart Attack.
Outside of Queen, Taylor has a good solo career releasing
5 albums. The first one being Fun in Space, released in
1981. Roger played all the instruments except for some of
the keyboard and sang on the whole album. After that he
released Strange Frontier, 3 years later. The other
members of Queen all made guest appearances on that
album. In 1986 Taylor helped produce Magnums 6th
studio album Vigilante. In 1986, Roger Taylor started a side
band The Cross. They released 3 albums before their break
up in 1993. Roger Taylor was the Lead Vocalist and
Rhythm Guitarist. Electric Fire was released in 1998 and a
small tour followed. After 12 years he released his final
studio album Fun on Earth. Recently Brian May and him
have played together with Queen + Paul Rodgers and
Queen + Adam Lambert. He has also made guest
appearances with the Foo Fighters, Red Hot Chili Peppers,
and others.
Roger Taylor had a relationship with Dominique Beyrand
and they had two kids, Felix and Rory. Felix and Roger
released a few songs together under the name of Felix &
Arty. In 1988, their relationship was falling apart but they
decided to get married to protect their kids. But only a
month after he moved in with Debbie Leng. They had
three kids, Rufus Tiger born in 1991, he played in The
Darkness and tours occasionally with Queen + Adam
Lambert. Tiger Lily born in 1994 and Lola Daisy May born
in 2000. He and Debbie separated in 2002 and Taylor
married Sarina Potgieter in 2010 after a six-year
relationship.
Roger Taylor is a great and very underrated drummer in
one of the best bands ever.

John Richard Deacon was born on August 19th, 1951 in

Leicester, England. His dad Arthur worked for an insurance
company and moved the family to Oadby. Deacon first
joined The Opposition when he was 14. It was cover band.
John played rhythm guitar but after a year the bassist left,
and he switched to bass. They played their final concert in
August 1969. About a year after Queen was formed
Deacon joined the band when he was introduced to May
and Taylor at a disco. Deacon was also a songwriter in
Queen he wrote and/or cowrote Stone Cold Crazy, You’re
My Best Friend, Another One Bites the Dust, I Want to
Break Free, etc. He also played guitar on Staying Power
and Back Chat from Hot Space.
Away from Queen he played with Man Friday & Jive Junior,
a supergroup consisting of Scott Gorham, Simon Kirke,
Mick Ralphs, and Martin Chambers. He also played with
The Immortals, Elton John, Errol Brown and others.
Because of Freddie Mercury’s death, Deacon was very sad,
and he retired soon after. Since retirement he has been
away from the public eye and has not been included in any
Queen activity since.
John Deacon married Veronica Tetzlaff in 1975 and they
now have six kids.
He was always the quiet one in the band, but they always
said he was the right guy to be in the band.

Discography
Queen: Their debut album, released in 1973 by EMI
Records and Elektra Records. Top 3 songs: Keep Yourself
Alive, Liar, Seven Seas of Rhye
Queen II: Their second album, released in March 1974 by
EMI Records and Elektra Records. Top 3 songs:
Nevermore, The March of the Black Queen, Seven Seas of
Rhye
Sheer Heart Attack: Their third album, released in
November 1974 by EMI Records and Elektra Records. Top
3 songs: Killer Queen, Now I’m Here, Stone Cold Crazy
A Night at the Opera: Their fourth album, released in 1975
by EMI Records and Elektra Records. Top 3 songs: Death
on Two Legs (Dedicated to…), The Prophet’s Song,
Bohemian Rhapsody
A Day at the Races: Their fifth album, released in 1976 by
EMI Records and Elektra Records. Top 3 songs: Tie Your
Mother Down, Somebody to Love, Good Old-Fashioned
Lover Boy
News of the World: Their sixth album, released in 1977 by
EMI Records and Elektra Records. Top 3 songs: We Will
Rock You, We Are the Champions, Sheer Heart Attack
Jazz: Their seventh album, released in 1978 by EMI
Records and Elektra Records. Top 3 songs: Fat Bottomed
Girls, Bicycle Race, Don’t Stop Me Now
The Game: Their eighth album, released in June 1980 by
EMI Records and Elektra Records. Top 3 songs: Play the
Game, Another One Bites the Dust, Crazy Little Thing
Called Love
Flash Gordon: Their ninth album, their first movie
soundtrack album, released in December 1980 by EMI
Records and Elektra Records. Top song: Flash’s Theme
Hot Space: Their tenth album, released in 1982 by EMI
Records and Elektra Records. Top 3 songs: Body Language,
Cool Cat, Under Pressure (with David Bowie)
The Works: Their eleventh album, released in 1984 by EMI
Records and Capitol Records. Top 3 songs: Radio Ga Ga, I
Want to Beak Free, Hammer to Fall.
A Kind of Magic: Their twelfth album, released in 1986 by
EMI Records and Capitol Records. Top 3 songs: One Vision,
A Kind of Magic, Who Want to Live Forever
The Miracle: Their thirteenth album, released in 1989 by
Parlophone Records and Capitol Records. Top 3 songs: The
Miracle, I Want it All, Breakthru
Innuendo: Their fourteenth album, released in 1991 by
Parlophone Records and Hollywood Records. Top 3 songs:
Innuendo, These Are the Days of Our Lives, The Show Must
Go On
Made in Heaven: Their fifteenth album, their first and only
album released after Mercury’s death, released in 1995 by
Parlophone Records and Capitol Records. Top 3 songs:
Made in Heaven, I Was Born to Love You, Too Much Love
Will Kill You
 My Top Ten Favorite Queen Songs:
1. Bohemian Rhapsody, how do you not include this
masterpiece, it is amazing
2. Under Pressure, this song is one of the bests by two of
the best musicians ever Queen & David Bowie
3. Somebody to Love, this song is practically gospel
4. Don’t Stop Me Now, The calm piano entry into the
rocking verse and chorus
5. I Want to Break Free, the synth solo and the string intro
are super cool
6. Fat Bottomed Girls, the rocking bass in that song
7. Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy, it is super under rated,
but it is an amazing song
8. Bicycle Race, an awesome song with an awesome piano
part and guitar solos
9. Killer Queen, an awesome song with some strange
vocals
10. The Prophet’s Song, a super rocking chorus and a
super cool vocal round section
In the end Queen is an amazing band with 4 amazing members
and many amazing songs and albums. Freddie Mercury was and
still is the best singer ever. So sad he died so soon.
 Van Halen
Van Halen is an American rock/hard rock band from Pasadena,
California. They formed in 1972 with members Eddie Van
Halen, Lead Guitarist and Backup vocalist, David Lee Roth, Lead
Singer, Alex Van Halen, Drummer, and Michael Anthony,
Bassist. In 1985 They replaced David Lee Roth with Sammy
Hagar from Montrose. Then in 1996 Sammy left and former
Extreme singer Gary Cherone joined for one album. In 2006,
Michael Anthony quit and Eddie Van Halen‘s son Wolfgang
joined the band as the new bassist.
Before Van Halen, Eddie and Alex were in a band called the
Broken Combs or The Trojan Rubber Co. After that they formed
another band called Genesis or Mammoth, they found Michael
Anthony and David Lee Roth during this band. And then in 1974
they officially changed their name to Van Halen.
Van Halen released 6 albums with David Lee Roth. But they
started having trouble working with him in the early ‘80s. They
finally kicked David Lee Roth out of the band and got Sammy
Hagar singer of band Montrose, they released 5 albums with
him. After Sammy quit, they briefly worked with Gary Cherone
lead sing for Extreme for one album. In 2004 Sammy got back
with the band of a greatest hits album and a reunion tour and
in 2007 David Lee Roth he would rejoin of their summer tour
and Wolfgang Van Halen joined the band also around that time.
Band Members
Edward Lodewijk van Halen was born on January 26th, 1955 in
Nijmegen, Netherlands. In 1962 the family moved to Pasadena,
California. Eddie’s Middle name was named after Ludwig van
Beethoven. Lodewijk is Dutch for Ludwig. He and his brother,
Alex both started taking piano lessons at the age of 6. Then
Eddie started playing drums while his brother played guitar.
After a few months they decided to switch instruments. The
brothers formed The Broken Combs and played during lunch at
the nearby elementary school, where Eddie was in 4th grade.
Eddie Van Halen started Genesis in 1972 but changed the name
to Mammoth after he heard about the “real” genesis band. In
the band Mammoth was Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen,
David Lee Roth and Mark Stone. Michael Anthony later
replaced Mark Stone on bass. They considered changing their
band name to Rat Salade but finally decided on Van Halen.
Eddie is one of the best guitarist’s ever and he has some very
distinct sounds like tapping, harmonics, vibrato, and tremolo
picking. Guitar World ranked his 1 minute long solo Eruption
the second-best guitar solo ever. After Eddie Van Halen dad’s
death he struggled with drug and alcohol abuse for 20 years. In
1994 he attempted sobriety for the first time.
Outside of Van Halen he was worked with other artists like Ted
Templeman, Don Landee, Nicolette Larson, Michael Jackson’s
Beat It, Brian May with Star Fleet Project, Sammy Hagar’s solo
album, I Never Said Goodbye, Steve Lukather, cowrote Evil Eye
off the Black Sabbath album Cross Purposes, Rich Wyman, and
Roger Waters. He has done soundtracks for Over the Top,
Twister, and Lethal Weapon.
In 1981 Eddie married actress Valerie Bertinelli after they met
at a concert in Louisiana. They had one kid Wolfgang. Who
would later tour with Van Halen. In 2005 they divorced. In 2007
he married actress Janie Liszewski.
David Lee Roth was born on October 10th, 1954 in
Bloomington, Indiana, U.S.A. When David Lee Roth was a teen
he and his family moved to Pasadena, California. His first band
was called The Red Ball Jets. Then he found Mammoth, which
later changed to Van Halen. Besides singing David Lee Roth was
also a guitarist and a harmonica player. He played guitar in Van
Halen songs Ice Cream Man, The Full Bug, Could This Be Magic,
and others.
In 1985 while he was still in Van Halen, he released his first EP
Crazy from the Heat including song Just a Gigolo/I Ain’t Got
Nobody. After months of arguing of arguing David Lee Roth got
kicked out of the band on April 1st, 1985. After that he went to
release a solo LP, Eat ‘Em and Smile. In 1988 Roth released
Skyscraper. In 1991 he released A Little Ain’t Enough. In 1994
he released Your Filthy Mouth. David Lee Roth Band, his fifth
album was released in 1998. In 2003 he released his final solo
album called Diamond Dave. In 2007, David Lee Roth rejoined
Van Halen for a 40-date tour. But Eddie canceled the tour. In
2011 they released A Different Kind of Truth toured, with Roth.
Personally, I don’t like David as much as Sammy Hagar, but
many people love Roth and he is a good singer as he has a five-
octave vocal range.
Alexander Arthur Van Halen was born on May 8th, 1953 in
Amsterdam, Netherlands. He and his family moved to
Pasadena, California in 1962. He started with guitar and Eddie
started with drums, but they switched after they found out
they liked the other instrument more. Alex was also in The
Broken Combs with Eddie. He and formed Mammoth and they
changed the name to Van Halen. Alex never struggled with
alcohol and drugs like his brother, but he did do them, and he
went sober in 1987 after his dad died. The only recording he did
out of Van Halen was Respect the Wind for the Twister
soundtrack.
In 1983 Alex Van Halen married Valeri Kendall and they
divorced 2 months later. The same year he married Kelly Carter
they had one son Aric born in 1989. They divorced in 1996. He
married Stine Schyberg in 2000. They have one kid, Malcolm.
Michael Anthony Sobolewski was born on June 20th, 1954 in
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. Michael’s first bass was a guitar given to
him by his friend and he just transformed it into a bass by
removing the two highest strings. He has played in a few bands
called Poverty’s Children, Balls, and Snake. Anthony is left-
handed but plays bass righty. Snake is a three-piece cover band
and his last band before Van Halen. Snake once opened for
Mammoth at Pasadena High School.
He joined after Mark Stone left Mammoth and they became
Van Halen. He also worked with his brother Robert Lee’s band
Asylum Suite during this time. In 1996 rumors of Michael
Anthony getting kicked out started popping up but he didn’t
leave until 2004. On Van Halen III Michael only played on three
of the songs. After leaving Van Halen he started playing with
Sammy Hagar on his solo tours and in 2002 Anthony, Hagar,
Neal Schon, Deen Castronovo, and Joe Satriani formed
supergroup Planet Us. They only recorded 2 songs. When Van
Halen reunited with Sammy, he said he wouldn’t play unless
Anthony played with him, so he joined. He now says that they
have no talked since that tour. He and Sammy where in The
Other Half a band that covered Van Halen songs. EDDIE VAN
HALEN announced in 2006 that his son, Wolfgang, would
replace Michael Anthony. He was also in Chickenfoot and The
Circle with Sammy Hagar.
He married Sue in 1981 and they have two daughters, Elisha
born in 1985 and Taylor born in 1992.
Samuel Roy Hagar was on October 13rd 1947, in Salinas
California, but his family moved to Fontana shortly after he was
born. He graduated from Fontana High School. His first band,
The Fabulous Castilles, formed when he was 14 and he was the
lead singer. After that he was part of the duo, Samson & Hagar
with Pete Samson. During the same year Hagar joined The
Johnny Fortune band and singer and rhythm guitar. Other
bands he was in are Big Bang, Skinny, Dustcloud, Cotton, Jimmy,
Manhole, and The Justice Brothers with David Lauser who
played on some of Sammy’s solo albums and other bands.
Sammy Hagar’s first big band was Montrose, a Rock band from
California, the original members were, the founder, Ronnie
Montrose on guitar, Bill Church on Bass, and Denny Carmassi
on drums. Many other members came and went after. After a
series of arguments with Ronnie Montrose, Sammy quit in the
winter of 1975. Next, he started his solo career, releasing Nine
on a Ten Scale, Street Machine, and Danger Zone under Capitol
Records. He left Capital Records for Geffen Records and
released his best-selling album to date called Standing
Hampton. Three Lock Box, released in 1983, got him his first
top 40 hit single, Your Love is Driving Me Crazy. Next releasing
VOA in 1984 with song I Can’t Drive 55, which is probably his
most popular solo song. In 1987 he released I Never Said
Goodbye. In 1983, Hagar and Journey’s Neal Schon formed
HASA, a supergroup, which stands for Hagar, Schon, Aaronson,
Schrieve. The other members were Foghat’s, Kenny Aaronson,
and Santana’s, Michael Schrieve. They released one album
called Through the Fire and released a cover of Procol Harum’s
A Whiter Shade of Pale.
In 1985, after Roth left Van Halen, they contacted Sammy and
he quickly joined releasing 4 billboard #1 hit albums, 5150,
OU812, For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge, and Balance. They
were called Van Hagar during that period of time. Sammy
Hagar left VH, after a few arguments, in summer of 1996.
After that, Sammy Hagar, David Lauser, and VH bassist Michael
Anthony formed Los Tres Gusanos, they play Van Halen and
Hagar’s solo album covers. They have played together many
times since 1993. Then he released another few solo albums.
And in 1999 he formed The Waboritas, with David Lauser on
drums, Jesse Harms on keyboard, The Bus Boys guitarist Vic
Johnson and Tommy Tutone’s bassist Mona Gnader. He and
DAVID LEE ROTH did one big tour together in 2002 and it drew
huge crowds. Also, in 2002, Sammy Hagar, with Neal Schon, Joe
Satriani, Michael Anthony, and Deen Castronovo formed Planet
Us. They kind of dissolved and after only releasing 2 songs.
He and VH did do another tour in 2003 and released The Best of
Both Worlds. But this tour wasn’t perfect either EDDIE VAN
HALEN was having alcohol and drug problems and the tour
went on but there was a lot of tension between members. The
Waboritas got back together in 2005 and some of them joined
The Other Half, Sammy and Michael Anthony being the other
half of VH. After that, Hagar and Michael Anthony formed
another supergroup called Chickenfoot, with RHCP drummer
Chad Smith and Joe Satriani. They released two albums
Chickenfoot in 2009 and Chickenfoot III in 2011. An even newer
supergroup called The Circle was formed in 2014 with MA, Vic
Johnson, and Jason Bonham, who is John Bonham’s son. They
toured during the same year and released a live album called At
Your Service in 2015. He also has owned and started multiple
restaurants/ bars like the Cabo Wabo Cantina chain, Sammy’s
Beach Bar and Grill, among others.
He married Betsy Berardi in 1968. They had two sons, Aaron
born in 1970 and Andrew in 1984. They divorced in 1994. He
and Kari got married in 1995 and they have two kids also, Kama
born in 1996 and Samantha born in 2001.
Gary Francis Caine Cherone was born on July 26th, 1961 in
Malden, Massachusetts. He went to Malden High School. He
was in multiple bands during his teenage years including
Adrenalin with future bandmate Paul Geary and Matt McKay. In
1981 they changed their name to The Dream and recorded a
EP.
In 1985 he and Paul Geary met Nuno Bettencourt and Pat
Badger and they started Extreme and started writing songs.
They released their first album, Extreme, in 1989. People liked
it, so they made another album, Extreme II: Pornografitti
released in 1990. In 1991 they started touring with David
supporting them. In 1992 they released their third album, a
concept album, III Sides to Every Story. After a few years, some
of the members wanted to go solo and Extreme fell apart.
After Sammy Hagar left Van Halen, their manager Ray Danniels,
also the manager of Extreme, recommended Gary Cherone to
them. He auditioned in November 1996 and later became their
third lead singer. In March 1998 they released Van Halen III,
very different from every other VH album with more of a prog
feel. He left after Warner Bros. sent back a new album. That
album was never released. He went back to Boston and formed
Tribe of Judah with Pat Badger and Mike Mangini, members of
Extreme, along with some other people. Since he has occasionly
played with Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony in their The
Other Half band. In 2005 he released Need I Say More and four
song CD. He and Extreme have done off and on shows every
once in a while, and released their 5th album in 2008 called
Saudades de Rock. He also formed a The Who tribute show
called Slipkid with Paul Mongone and Markus Cherone. Another
band he was in called Hurtsmile, with his brother Markus,
released two albums one in 2011 their self-titled debut album
and in 2014, Retro Grenade.
Wolfgang William Van Halen was born on March 16th, 1991 in
Santa Monica to parents Eddie Van Halen and Valerie Bertinelli.
He is named after Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. WVH states that
he did not realize his dad was famous until he saw him on CDs
and things. He started out as a drummer, watching his uncle
Alex play and he gave him lessons starting at the age of 9. He
first appeared with VH in 2004 playing just a few songs with
them. He first officially joined VH in 2007 replacing Michael
Anthony. In 2013 WVH became a member of Tremonti after
touring with the previous and played on 2015 album Cauterize
and the 2016 album Dust. He appeared on VH’s album A
Different Kind of Truth.
Discography
David Lee Roth:
Van Halen: Their debut album, released in 1978 by Warner
Bros. Records. Top 3 Songs: Eruption (an insane minute long
guitar solo), You Really Got Me (The Kinks cover), Jamie’s Cryin’
Van Halen II: Their second album, released in 1978 by Warner
Bros. Records. Top 3 Songs: Dance the Night Away, Spanish Fly
(an acoustic guitar solo), Beautiful Girls.
Women and Children First: Their third album, released in 1980
by Warner Bros. Records. Top 3 songs: And the Cradle Will
Rock…, Everybody Wants Some, Fools.
Fair Warning: Their fourth album, released in 1981 by Warner
Bros. Records. Top 3 songs: Mean Street, Unchained, So This is
Love?
Diver Down: Their fifth album, released in 1982 by Warner
Bros. Records. Top 3 songs: Cathedral (an organ sounding guitar
solo), (Oh) Pretty Woman (Roy Orbison cover), Dancing in the
Street (Martha and the Vandellas cover).
1984: Their sixth album, released in 1984 by Warner Bros.
Records. Top 3 songs: 1984 (an awesome keyboard solo), Jump,
Hot for Teacher.
Sammy Hagar:
5150: Their seventh album, first album with SH, released in
1986 by Warner Bros. Records. Top 3 songs: Dreams, Summer
Nights, Love Walks In.
OU812: Their seventh album, released in 1988 by Warner Bros.
Records. Top 3 song: Mine All Mine, When Its Love, Feels So
Good.
For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge: Their eighth album, released in
1991 by Warner Bros. Records. Top 3 songs: Poundcake, Right
Now, Top of the World.
Balance: Their ninth album, released in 1995 by Warner Bros.
Records. Top 3 songs: The Seventh Seal, Can’t Stop Lovin’ You,
Not Enough.
Gary Cherone:
Van Halen III: Their tenth album, first and only album released
with Gary Cherone, released by 1998 by Warner Bros. Records.
To be honest I hate this album and don’t like any of the songs.
David Lee Roth and Wolfgang Van Halen:
A Different Kind of Truth: Their eleventh album, an album of
previously recorded material, released in 2012 by Interscope
Records. I don’t know any songs from this album.
My Top 10 favorite Van Halen songs:
1. Dreams, great keyboard song but especially the intro
2. Love Walks In, another great keyboard song
3. When Its Love, once again a great keyboard song
4. Feels So Good, underrated but another great keyboard
song
5. Jump, keyboard solo and riff
6. Right Now, Keyboard and very motivational lyrics.
7. Eruption, a guitar solo, every guitarist ever should learn it
8. Hot for Teacher, the drums are so good and the lyrics “I
brought my pencil, gimme something to write on”
9. Panama, the guitar riff and chorus
10. Can’t Stop Lovin’ You, A very underrated song off a
very underrated album

Van Halen is an amazing rock band with an amazing guitarist

that set the bar for most guitarists since. And the most
underrated Alex Van Halen a really good drummer.
 Billy Joel
William Martin Joel was born on May 9th, 1949 in Bronx, New
York. When he was one his family moved to Long Island, New
York. His father Helmuth (Howard) Joel was a classical pianist.
Billy has 2 siblings, Judith and Alexander, a half-brother, who is
a classical conductor in Europe and the musical director of
Staatstheater Braunschweig from 2001 to 2014. Joel started
taking piano lessons when we was young, but he didn’t want to,
his mom forced him. He was taught by Morton Estrin and
Timothy Ford. BJ also started boxing lessons when we was
young. He went to Hicksville High School. He first started
wanting to pursue music when he saw The Beatles ln The Ed
Sullivan Show.
His first band was The Echoes, they started recording British
Invasion covers in 1965, when Billy was 16. The Echoes
eventually changed their name to The Emeralds, then to The
Lost Souls. But Billy left and joined The Hassles, a Long Island
rock band. Members include Ram Jam founder Howie Arthur
Blauvelt and Jon Small, who would later work with Joel in the
duo Attila. They released two albums, one self-titled one in
1967 and the next in 1969 called Hour of the Wolf. Joel and Jon
Small left and went to form the duo Attila in 1969. They
released a self-titled album in 1970. They broke up after Joel
ran away with Small’s wife. They eventually got married.
Then Billy Joel started his solo career after he signed with
Family Productions a record company, backed by Gulf +
Western. He released his first album, Cold Spring Harbor,
named after Cold Spring Harbor, New York, a town on Long
Island, in 1971. The mastering was messed up, so the album
was more or less a flop. Columbia released a remastered
version in 1983. The album brought on a tour. It started in 1971
with Rhys Clark on drums, Al Hertzberg on guitar, and Larry
Russell on bass, who has played with The Mamas & Papas and
some other notable musicians. The tour went through The US
and Puerto Rico opening for The J. Geils Band, The Beach Boys,
Bad Finger, and Taj Mahal. A Columbia Records executive heard
one of his songs and got Billy Joel to sign to Columbia Records.
He moved to LA and worked at The Executive Room, a piano
bar under the name Bill Martin. It was during that time where
he got the idea for and wrote hit song Piano Man. He released
his second album Piano Man with Columbia Records in 1973.
He went on tour after this album too. This tour had some
different members with Don Evans replacing Al Hertzberg on
guitar, Patrick McDonald replacing Larry Russell. Rhys Clark
returned on drums, Tom Whitehorse was added on banjo and
pedal steel. As well as Johnny Almond who joined on Keyboards
and Saxophone. In 1974 Joe l released his third album Streetlife
Serenade. Doug Stegmeyer, also known for his work with
Debbie Gibson and Hall & Oates, would replace Patrick
McDonald on bass during this time. The next year Billy played
piano and organ on some of Bo Diddley’s The 20th Anniversary
of Rock ‘n’ Roll album. Billy Joel returned to New York to record
his fourth album Turnstiles in 1975. This was the first album
recorded and toured on by the Billy Joel Band containing
members, Liberty DeVitto, also worked with Stevie Nicks, Rick
Wakeman, and Meat Loaf, among others, on Drums. Doug
Stegmeyer on Bass. Russell Javors on Guitar and Harmonica.
Richie Cannata on Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet, and Keyboards.
This line-up stayed the same until Nylon Curtain.
Next Billy Joel got introduced to Phil Ramone, and he would
end up producing most of Joel’s Albums. Then Joel released The
Stranger. His most popular album to date. In 1978, expectations
were high for his next album 52nd street. Named after
Manhattans famous 52nd Street. The next year he went to Cuba
to play in the Havana Jam. His next album Glass Houses was
more rocking then the previous. This was the first album
guitarist David Brown played on. After that he released Songs in
the Attic, a live album of lesser known songs. The next year Billy
started working on his next album The Nylon Curtain. But
production had to be stopped after Joel was in a motorcycle
accident in Long Island. This was the first album that long-time
saxophonist Richie Cannata wasn’t on, he was replaced by Mark
Rivera, famous for working with Hall & Oates, Peter Gabriel,
Simon & Garfunkel, John Lennon, Joe Walsh, and Ringo Starr.
He and the rest of the band stayed the same till Stormfront in
1989. Billy Joel’s next album An Innocent Man paid tribute to
Doo-Wop, R&B, Soul, and Motown artists. In 1985 Billy Joel
sang in USA for Africa’s We Are The World with other musicians
like Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Bruce
Springsteen, Willie Nelson, Steve Perry, and many others.
After that Billy Joel decided it was time for Greatest Hits album,
so he released Greatest Hits Vol 1 and 2. Next he released The
Bridge in 1986. In 1987 Billy Joel and his backing band made a
trip to the Soviet Union for a televised concert. The lights were
so bright that Billy Joel flipped a piano and broke a mic stand
because he was so mad a live album came from that concert it
was called KOHҴEPT, Russian for Concert. Along with a new
manager and producer Billy Joel’s band changed for Stormfront
his next album. David Brown, Mark Rivera, and Liberty DeVitto
all stayed, Multi-Instrumentalist Crystal Taliefero joined.
Schuyler Deale and Joey Hunting replaced Doug Stegmeyer and
Tommy Byrnes replaced those two on the tour. On his next
album River of Dreams Richie Cannata came back, Tom T-Bone
Walker joined on bass and accordion. And David Rosenthal of
Rainbow joined on Keyboard, Devitto, Taliefero, and Rivera all
remained. The album was calmer and softer the past albums. In
1994 Billy Joel and Elton John went on a series of Face to Face
tours that went off and on until 2009. In 1995 former bassist
Doug Stegmeyer committed suicide by gunshot in his Long
Island home. In 2006, Danny Devitto and Billy got in to a legal
fight and Chuck Burgi replaced him. Richie Cannata and Mark
Rivera switched off a few times. Carl Fischer joined as the
trumpet and trombone player. In 1999 he was inducted into
the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2001 he released Fantasies &
Delusions, an album of classical piano pieces composed by him.
Since he has been touring all around the world.
Billy Joel has been married 4 times. First to Elizabeth Weber
Smalls, Jon Smalls ex-wife. Later she became his manager. Next,
he married supermodel Christie Brinkley, they had one kid
named Alexa Ray Joel. After that he married Katie Lee. Finally,
he married Alexis Roderick and they had a daughter in 2015
named Della Rose Joel. And they had another daughter in 2017
name Remy Anne Joel.

Discography
Cold Spring Harbor: His debut album, released in 1971 by
Family Productions. Top song: She’s Got A Way
Piano Man: His second album, released in 1973 by Columbia
Records. Top 3 songs: Piano Man, Ballad of Billy the Kid, Captain
Jack
Streetlife Serenade: His third album, released in 1974 by
Columbia Records. Top song: The Entertainer
Turnstiles: His fourth album, released in 1976 by Columbia
Records. Top 3 songs: Summer, Highland Falls, New York State
of Mind, Prelude/Angry Young Man.
The Stranger: His fifth album, released in 1977 by Columbia
Records. Top 3 songs: Just the Way You Are, Scenes from an
Italian Restaurant, Only the Good Die Young
52nd Street: His sixth album, released in 1978 by Columbia
Records. Top 3 songs: Big Shot, Honesty, My Life.
Glass Houses: His seventh album, released in 1980 by Columbia
Records. Top 3 songs: You May be Right, Don’t Ask Me Why, It’s
Still Rock and Roll to Me
The Nylon Curtain: His Eighth album, released in 1982 by
Columbia Records. Top song: Allentown
An Innocent Man: His ninth album, released in 1983 by
Columbia Records. Top 3 songs: An Innocent Man, The Longest
Time, Uptown Girl.
The Bridge: His tenth album, released in 1986 by Columbia
Records. Top 3 songs: This is the Time, A Matter of Trust, Baby
Grand.
Stormfront: His eleventh album, released in 1989 by Columbia
Records. Top 3 songs: We Didn’t Start the Fire, I Go to
Extremes, And So It Goes.
River of Dreams: His twelfth album, released in 1993 by
Columbia Records. Top 3 songs: All About Soul, Lullabye
(Goodnight, My Angel), The River of Dreams.
Fantasies & Delusions: His thirteenth album, one and only of
classical compositions. Released in 2001 by Sony Classical
Records and Columbia Records. I don’t know any songs from
this album.

Albums Piano Man to The Bridge were all also released by

Family Productions for legal reasons.
My Top 10 favorite Billy Joel Songs.
1. Piano Man, his most popular song
2. We Didn’t Start the Fire, very underrated but a great song
3. Scenes from an Italian Restaurant, a masterpiece of a song
4. Only the Good Die Young
5. New York State of Mind, great piano work
6. Just the Way You Are, great piano and synth work
7. This is the Time, very underrated
8. And So it Goes, a great slow piece
9. It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me, a great guitar riff
10. Summer, Highland Falls, great piano work.

Billy Joel is one of the best piano players ever and does not get
enough credit. He even writes his own music.
 Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers are an American rock band
from Gainesville, Florida. With members Tom Petty on lead
vocals and guitar, Mike Campbell on lead guitar, Benmont
Tench on Keyboard, Ron Blair on bass, and Stan Lynch on drums