Ever wondered what Van Halen would have sounded like with no Sam or Dave?
Well, wonder no more. Writer and filmmaker Andrew Bennett is selling rare recordings from the band’s rehearsals at Eddie Van Halen’s 5150 studio. Titled The 5150 Sessions, it contains tracks cut between November 2006 and January 2007 featuring Ed and his brother, Alex, joined by Ed’s son, Wolfgang.
The tracks date from the period after longtime bass guitarist Michael Anthony had been dismissed, but before David Lee Roth rejoined the band for their 2007 reunion tour.
“From the collection of writer and filmmaker Andrew Bennett during his time documenting Van Halen as Wolf joined the band in 2006 and into 2007 leading up to the reunion tour,” the description reads. “These recordings are from rehearsals at 5150 from November 2006 to January 2007, recorded straight to the 5150 soundboard.
“Eddie, Alex, and Wolfgang Van Halen were rehearsing full set lists twice a week, and since this was prior to the return of Dave these recordings are performed with no singer.
“Finally, no Sam versus Dave debates.”
The 10-track LP includes the songs “Unchained,” “Atomic Punk,” “Ain’t Talkin’ Bout Love,” “I’m the One,” “Runnin’ With the Devil,” “Panama,” “Romeo Delight,” “Hot for Teacher,” “On Fire,” and “Somebody Get Me a Doctor.” Samples of each song can be heard at the site.
After Bennett posted about the release on his Facebook account, fans responded, with several saying they’ve received their copies.
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Bennett is the author of the photo book Eruption in the Canyon: 212 Days & Nights With the Genius of Eddie Van Halen. The book is a self-published chronicle of the two weeks he spent filming Van Halen in 2004 and living with him from 2006 to 2007.
The author and filmmaker previously posted about about the 5150 Sessions album on Facebook in July. In addition, a now three-month-old Reddit thread reveals that the record has been in some buyer's hands for several months.
There is no word from the Van Halen camp at this time about the album or claims of copyright.
However, Bennett previously ran afoul of Van Halen in 2018 after he shared footage of his time with the electric guitar virtuoso online. At that time Van Halen successfully filed an injunction to halt its release.
