Van Halen Live: Right Here, Right Now

by Stephen Thomas ErlewineVan Halen assembled their first live album, the two-CD Live: Right Here Right Now, from a collection of tapes dating from 1985 (when Sammy Hagar replaced David Lee Roth), to the present. Only a few songs recall Roth's days, and too many songs from For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge are featured (ten out of 11). With the exception of the consistently impressive Eddie Van Halen, the album slows to a halt during the solo passages. Most of the time, the performances aren't all that different from the original studio recordings. Despite the moments of tedium, Live: Right Here Right Now deserves to be in any real Van Halen fan's collection; those who aren't devoted to the band would be advised to stick with the original albums.