Eddie Van Halen is often considered the greatest guitar player of all time. He’s certainly one of the most innovative of the 1970s and 1980s. Alex Van Halen is often underappreciated in comparison, especially with how dominant a force he was behind the kit. Both brothers seemed to have inherited their talents from their father, Jan Van Halen. Jan was a professional jazz musician who played clarinet, saxophone, and piano. He worked for the Dutch Air Force, performed in local bands, and at one point, worked as a janitor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
By 1982, Van Halen<\/a> was arguably the biggest rock band in the US. Their 1981 release, Fair Warning, saw the band explore dark themes and expand their hard rock capabilities. Their 1982 album, Diver Down, explored the band’s capabilities of turning cover songs into their own. They had a history of doing so, with songs such as The Kinks’ “You Really Got Me” and Linda Ronstadt’s “You’re No Good.” Diver Down featured yet another Kinks cover with “Where Have All The Good Times Gone.” Other covers included on the album were Roy Orbison’s “(Oh) Pretty Woman,”<\/a> the iconic 1960s song “Dancing In The Street,” and a cover of the jazz song “Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now).”<\/p>\n\n\n\nJan Van Halen Is Featured on “Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now)” <\/h3>\n\n\n\n