Paul Fitzgerald in Rollingstone.com: What a Rock Album Can Teach About Being an Entrepreneur
VAN HALEN’S SELF-TITLED 1978 debut holds a special place among the pantheon of all-time great debut albums.
Having paid their dues on the touring circuit, the band took their live shows and captured the frenetic hard rock energy to tape in a couple of short weeks of recording.
The lessons of the album, both from its production and content, can teach entrepreneurs a great deal about quitting their job and going solo.
So, here is a track-by-track breakdown of Van Halen’s debut album and how it can help you live your life “like there’s no tomorrow.”
Runnin’ with the Devil
The album kicks off with an ode to independence and freedom that comes with the touring life of a band but can be applied to those brave enough to take the leap of quitting their job and going solo as well. While you might find yourself burning the midnight oil from time to time, your destiny will be in your own hands, which is a prospect that to many is more tantalizing than terrifying.
Eruption
“Eruption” not only announced Eddie Van Halen as one of the greatest guitar players in rock, but the solo has also had staying power and influence through generations and routinely pops up on lists of the greatest guitar solos of all time. Part of the influence of “Eruption” was in popularizing the two-handed tapping technique. While you could trade Van Halen’s influences, the solo sounded like nothing that had come before it and would forever alter what was to come. This teaches us that sometimes, the best career move involves introducing something new and groundbreaking to the table. However, that’s not the only road to success.
You Really Got Me
This Kinks cover was not Eddie Van Halen’s first choice as the band’s debut single; he later expressed wishes that producer Ted Templeman had wanted to push an original track. But the band had played it live for years and it spent weeks on the charts announcing Van Halen to the world. Van Halen put their spin on a tried and tested track, and you can too with your brand.
Ain’t Talkin ‘Bout Love
“Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love” spent a year on the shelf before Eddie Van Halen revisited its potential. It ultimately became one of the band’s timeless classics. This teaches us not to dismiss our initial ideas too hastily. Whether it’s a day, a week or even a year later, a fresh perspective can unlock hidden potential. You may find you’ve been sitting on something you want or need all along.
I’m the One
While “Eruption” served as a showcase for Eddie Van Halen’s solo skills, “I’m the One” featured many of the same abilities in a traditional verse/chorus/verse/chorus format. The album’s versatility, while preserving its core sound, reflects the balance between branding and adaptability that you’ll need when leaving your job and pursuing a solo career.
Jamie’s Cryin’
“Jamie’s Cryin,’” Eddie Van Halen’s preferred debut single over “You Really Got Me,” was hard rock and poppy all at once. Its lyrics, centered around a boy and girl with different expectations and desires, are a reminder that not everyone in your life is going to see eye to eye with you. Going solo in business often means compromising or parting ways with certain relationships. It’s crucial to navigate these differences with confidence and acceptance.
Atomic Punk
“Atomic Punk” finds Van Halen distinguishing their tracks once again from each other on this album first with an esoteric scratchy space-age intro Eddie Van Halen produced by rubbing his palm over his guitar strings and then by an unusual (for the band) absence of backing vocals. In an album that served to put the music world on notice, when David Lee Roth sings “Nobody rules these streets at night like me,” you believe him. It radiates self-confidence, much like the journey of quitting your job and going solo, which demands unwavering self-belief and the ability to substantiate it.
Feel Your Love Tonight
“Feel Your Love Tonight” follows a protagonist caught up in the excitement and anticipation of desire. Workin’ since a ten of nine in pursuit of a night of passion. It’s the single-minded drive that entrepreneurs need to pursue in order to achieve success. But maybe approach clients with a little bit less desperation than the song’s protagonist who begs for love on bended knees.
Little Dreamer
“Little Dreamer” tells the story of the pursuit of your dreams in defiance of doubters. In all walks of life, you’ll have ups and downs and encounter those who doubt your abilities. Those with the confidence to set out on their own and ignore the naysayers may find they were armed with all they’d need to succeed.
Ice Cream Man
The album’s second cover, “Ice Cream Man” by Chicago Blues musician John Brim, is a blues tribute that retains Van Halen’s unique flair. How much of the lyrics are actually ice cream-based or innuendo is open to interpretation, but one way or another, the song reminds you to treat yourself—whether your taste leans soft-serve cones or something less printable. This is a valuable lesson for anyone, but an especially good reminder for those taking on the challenge of going solo.
On Fire
“On Fire” opens with what proves to be a prophetic declaration about where one would find Van Halen, appearing when they turn on the radio. It closes with a cavalcade of whoops and hollers over the repeated “on fire” refrain capturing the elemental ferocity of the track’s title. It’s another heavy and energetic song full of passion on an album full of them, emblematic of the traits you need to quit your job and go solo.
Van Halen’s debut album represents innovation, adaptability and unwavering self-belief.
Listen to each track closely and loudly (volume on 10, if your neighbors are cool with that). It will help set you up for success as the next big entrepreneur.
