Those four guys from Pasadena made a ton of great music and some very questionable choices. And we’ve learned a lot from them. You could call it our Tao of Van Halen.
Have a good time.
Van Halen teaches us that you can be the best at what you do and still have fun doing it. And that’s our aim, too. We’re serious about doing great work. And we’re serious about having an incredibly good time while doing it. Life is short.
Put your stamp on it.
Some of Van Halen’s best-known songs are covers. But they make them their own, and they feel fresh and different. And damn, they’re fun to listen to. Sometimes the best new ideas are just twists on old ones. We like to find the idea that works for you (new or old) and then we put your stamp on it.
The right fit.
Whoever thought you could plug Gary in for Sammy and Sammy in for Dave maybe wasn’t thinking straight. The difference between good and great work is often how well we fit together. For us to do great work together, we need to all be on the same page. We don’t need to be besties, but we want you to enjoy your time with us; and vice versa.
Together is better.
One of the more surprising things about Van Halen is their harmonies. It’s as much the Van Halen sound as anything else. And no one else could really replicate it. And we too believe in the power of harmonizing--everyone working together, doing their part to create something unique.
Do what you’re good at.
David Lee Roth directed the video for “(Oh) Pretty Woman” and it was so bad that MTV refused to air it. Sometimes you gotta know your limitations and we know ours. We know what we’re good at and we’re happy doing those things. We’ll tell you when something is out of our depth and we’ll recommend a good partner.
Details matter.
The rumor about Van Halen having a rider in their contracts that no brown M&Ms could be backstage is true. But it wasn’t frivolous. It was meant to ensure that details were being attended to. While we have no such clauses in our contracts, we know the details make all the difference. And we like to attend to them.
Independent spirit.
This one has nothing to do with Van Halen, but it’s still important to us. We don’t answer to a holding company. And our rates are not based on covering bloated salaries and processes. You’re paying for work to get done, not for us to sit around and talk about the work.