David Lee Roth Diamond Dave CD

Let's face it; David Lee Roth was the most exciting and entertaining singer to ever front Van Halen. And although his solo albums have not all been winners, at least he's been known to take chances and try new approaches with rock music (such as the entirely sung-in-Spanish Sonrisa Salvaje, the synth pop-ish Skyscraper, the Nile Rodgers-produced Your Filthy Little Mouth, etc.). For his 2003 release Diamond Dave, Roth uses the same approach he and his then-comrades in Van Halen followed on 1982's Diver Down -- an album consisting primarily of cover songs, with a few originals sprinkled in. As expected, the covers that work the best are the ones that aren't that well known, including the lead-off single "Shoo Bop" (a cover of Steve Miller's "Shu Ba Da Du Ma Ma Ma Ma") and a big band reading of a tune Van Halen covered way back when, "Ice Cream Man," while a few of the better-known songs (especially Jimi Hendrix's "If 6 Was 9") don't fare as well. Of course, Diamond Dave is no Fair Warning. But it's a hell of a whole lot more listenable than anything Van Halen has issued in ages (especially when compared to the 1998 atrocity Van Halen III). ~ Greg Prato

Recorded at Henson Studios, Hollywood, California.

Personnel: David Lee Roth (vocals, harmonica, background vocals); Crowell Sisters (vocals); Jeremy Zuckerman (guitar, Fender Rhodes piano, organ, programming); Brian Young , Nile Rodgers (guitar); Alex Gibson (accordion, Mellotron, percussion, background vocals); Scott Page (saxophone, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone); Edgar Winter (saxophone); Lee Thornburg (trumpet, trombone); Greg Phillinganes (piano); Zac Rae, Brett Tuggle (keyboards); Ray Luzier (drums, background vocals); Gregg Bissonette, Omar Hakim (drums); Jaime Sickora (cowbells).

Audio Mixers: David Lee Roth; Alex Gibson.

Recording information: Henson Recording Studios, Hollywood, CA.

Photographer: Neil Zlozower.

Personnel: David Lee Roth (vocals, harmonica); Jeremy Zuckerman (guitar, accordion, Fender Rhodes piano, Hammond B-3 organ, percussion, programming); Ron Richotte, Toshi Hiketa, Brian Young (guitar); Scott Page (alto saxophone, baritone saxophone); Edgar Winter (saxophone); Lee Thornburg (trumpet, trombone); Greg Phillinganes (piano); Alex Gibson (Mellotron, percussion, background vocals); Brett Tuggle, Zac Rae (keyboards); James Lo Menzo, Tracy Wormsworth, James Hunting (bass); Ray Luzier (drums, bacground vocals; Omar Hakim, Gregg Bissonette (drums); Jaime Sickora (cowbell); Nathan Jenkins (programming); The Crowell Sisters (background vocals).

Producers: David Lee Roth, Alex Gibson, Nathan Jenkins, Jeremy Zuckerman.