“What makes this album so interesting is the fact that there are guitars that are not totally in tune – but good luck trying to get a take as good as that!”: The creative genius and ‘insane’ methodology in Van Halen’s biggest selling album

Van Halen in 1984.

Van Halen’s sixth album, 1984, is a hard rock masterpiece and a multi-million selling smash hit. It is also the last album the band recorded during their golden era with singer David Lee Roth. And it was the climax of a battle for creative control between guitarist Eddie Van Halen and the band’s producer Ted Templeman.

After 1981’s Fair Warning, Van Halen’s heaviest album, produced no hit singles, Templeman pushed for covers on 1982 follow-up Diver Down.