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Wednesday
Nov102010

Best of Volume 1

This album (Warner Bros. 46332 [72:23]) was released on 10/22/96 in the U.S., 10/17/96 in Japan, 10/18/96 in the Netherlands, 10/28/96 in the U.K., and 11/4/96 in Australia. It debuted at #1 on the U.S. charts, dropping to #3 on 11/07/96 and then to #6 on 11/15/96. The album features the return of David Lee Roth for two new songs. Sammy stated that this album is what drove him to leave the band. It was certified gold and platinum on 5/01/97 and double platinum in May of 1998. 2.4 million copies have been sold in the U.S.

Originally, this was meant to be a double album, one featuring Sammy-era songs and one featuring Dave-era songs. For unknown reasons, it never materialized in that form.

Alex Van Halen was mostly responsible for picking the songs that would end up on this album. The band presented approximately 20 songs to Dave to write lyrics to, of which two were chosen. Recording began on 07/22/96.

In a contest to promote this album, 10,000 CDs included a Van Halen guitar pick, 500 of the CDs were autographed, and one lucky contest winner received a black Peavey Wolfgang guitar. The winner, John Cottrell, was given the autographed guitar, an autograph on his winning ticket, a Warner Brothers hat, and a lesson from Ed all at the 5150 Studio on 12/13/96.

The one promotion that went awry was the 500 autographed CDs. Roth mistakenly signed the outside of some of the CD jackets, rendering the giveaway useless. Tour manager Scotty Ross then suggested the rest of the band sign the outside of those same discs and give them to various charities to use as fund-raising items.

The shadowy figure who appears in the photo of Alex's drum room in the album's artwork is the album's art director, Stine Schyberg.

The mysterious Sat-Kaur Khalsa thanked in the liner notes is Eddie's therapist.

Also, in the liner notes describing each of the albums' contents, Take Your Whiskey Home is incorrectly listed as "Take the Whiskey Home." Due to another printing error Mike isn't given credit for writing Jump and Panama.

Runnin' with the Devil featured a different arrangement, due to a mixing error and the selection of the wrong master tape during the final mastering of the album. It was corrected in a later release of the album.

The Japanese release (WPCR 900) includes Hot for Teacher.

The album was dedicated to the memory of the band's former manager Ed Leffler.

Tracks:

A Japanese Warner Brothers import cropped up in late 1997 named Mini Best of. The cover was identical to the Best of Volume 1 cover, but with the colors reversed. It included five tracks:

Best Of Volume 1 Singles/Promos:

Serial #: PRO-CD-8474
Label: WB
Tracks: Me Wise Magic (edit) (promo), Me Wise Magic (album version)
Country: USA
Release Date: 1996
Format: CD

Serial #: 9362-43795-2
Label: WEA
Tracks: Me Wise Magic (edit), Me Wise Magic (album version), Why Can't This Be Love?
Country: GER, AUS
Release Date: 1996
Format: CD

Serial #: PRO-CD-8571-R
Label: WB
Tracks: Can't Get This Stuff No More (edit), Can't Get This Stuff No More (promo)
Country: USA
Release Date: 1996
Format: CD

Serial #: PRCD 483
Label: WEA
Tracks: Jump (promo)
Country: GER
Release Date: 1996
Format: CD

Serial #: PRO-CD-8200
Label: WB
Tracks: Humans Being (edit), Humans Being (album version)
Country: USA
Release Date: 1996
Format: CD

Serial #: ?
Label: WEA
Tracks: Humans Being, Respect the Wind (score)
Country: ?
Release Date: 07/26/96
Format: CD

Serial #: WPCR- 788
Label: WEA
Tracks: Humans Being (album version), Humans Being (score), Respect the Wind
Country: JAP
Release Date: 07/10/96
Format: CD

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