The David Lee Roth Band
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1986 in Pasadena, California, United States |
| Headquarters | Pasadena , United States |
| Products | Music albums, live performances |
The David Lee Roth Band served as the ensemble supporting former Van Halen lead vocalist David Lee Roth, originating in Pasadena, California. Initially assembled as a supergroup, the lineup featured guitarist Steve Vai, bassist Billy Sheehan, and drummer Gregg Bissonette. From the mid-1980s into the late 1990s, this group produced a number of well-known tracks and albums. Other significant contributors included guitarists Jason Becker, Steve Hunter, and John Lowery, bassist Matt Bissonette, drummer Ray Luzier, along with keyboardist Danny Wagner. Prominent songs associated with the band include "Yankee Rose", "Goin' Crazy!", "Shy Boy", "Just Like Paradise", "Stand Up", "Damn Good", "A Little Ain't Enough", "She's My Machine", and "Slam Dunk!".
The ensemble is officially recognized as a band only on Roth's 1998 album, DLR Band.
Crazy from the Heat
Crazy from the Heat represents David Lee Roth’s inaugural musical project following his departure from Van Halen, characterized by a unique lounge music approach. This EP features a medley of Just a Gigolo and I Ain't Got Nobody, arranged by Sam Butera, alongside a rendition of California Girls originally by The Beach Boys. Roth’s interpretation of California Girls achieved a peak position of number 29 on the Adult Contemporary chart, marking his sole appearance there.
The supporting musicians on this release included notable names such as Dean Parks, Eddie Martinez, Sid McGinnis, Willie Weeks, John Robinson, Sammy Figueroa, James Newton Howard, Edgar Winter, Brian Mann, Carl Wilson, and Christopher Cross.
Eat 'Em and Smile
Released in 1986, Eat 'Em and Smile was Roth’s first full-length album after Crazy from the Heat, signaling a return to unadulterated heavy rock. It garnered both critical acclaim and commercial success, with reviewers noting its more raucous spirit compared to Van Halen’s polished 5150. The record retained two lounge-style tracks, "That's Life" and "I'm Easy," and included a cover of "Tobacco Road." The lead single, "Yankee Rose", received extensive airplay on MTV and radio stations; additionally, "Goin' Crazy!" enjoyed moderate exposure.
A cover of "Kids in Action," originally by Max Webster’s Kim Mitchell, was recorded during sessions but ultimately excluded due to album length limitations. Billy Sheehan, who had briefly played with Max Webster, collaborated on this track before it was replaced by "Tobacco Road." No official studio version of Roth’s rendition has been released publicly.
This album marked the debut of the guitar-bass partnership between Steve Vai and Billy Sheehan, whose complex interplay is evident on tracks like "Shyboy" and "Elephant Gun," highlighting their technical skill. It also established Vai as a prominent guitarist following his tenure with Alcatrazz, positioning him as a worthy successor to Edward Van Halen in Roth’s solo endeavors.
Skyscraper
Roth’s sophomore studio album, Skyscraper, featured the pop-rock hit "Just Like Paradise", which climbed to number 6 on the Billboard charts in 1988. Produced by Roth himself, the album consistently features Billy Sheehan on bass. Songs such as "Hina," "Perfect Timing," and the title track demonstrate an evolved sound that is warmer yet still showcases strong musicianship. Vocal recording sessions spanned approximately 45 hours in the studio, with "Damn Good" standing out as the album’s only ballad.
Roth described this work as a fusion of traditional and modern musical elements, emphasizing blues influences, metal components, and layered production techniques designed to create an energetic live experience that remains engaging through numerous listens.
A Little Ain't Enough
Issued in 1991, Roth's third solo album, A Little Ain't Enough, quickly achieved Gold certification. The record was produced by Bob Rock and showcased lead guitarist Jason Becker, who completed his parts prior to being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which prevented him from participating in the subsequent tour.
The album’s sales gained momentum partly due to the controversy surrounding the promotional video for the single "A Li'l Ain't Enough," which MTV banned because of its provocative imagery. Although the album became unavailable on Warner Bros. by 1996, it was later remastered and re-released in 2007 by Friday Music.
Your Filthy Little Mouth
Roth's fourth solo effort, Your Filthy Little Mouth (1994), marked his final project under the Warner Bros. label. Similar to its predecessor, it was remastered and brought back into circulation by Friday Music in 2007 after going out of print.
This album includes a duet with country artist Travis Tritt on the track "Cheatin' Heart Cafe." Additionally, the blues-inspired B-side "Mississippi Power" appeared on the "She's My Machine" single, complemented by live recordings that blended material from the album and classic Van Halen songs tailored for European audiences.
All tattoo-themed visual artwork for the album was designed by David Lee Roth himself.
DLR Band
DLR Band, Roth’s fifth studio release, stands out as the only one credited explicitly to the David Lee Roth Band. The recording and mixing process took place over ten days—a rapid approach Roth had not employed since 1979’s Van Halen II. Guitar duties were handled by John Lowery (known as John 5) and Mike Hartman, who also contributed bass under the alias "B'ourbon Bob."
Although critics responded more positively to DLR Band than to his earlier solo albums (1991’s A Li'l Ain't Enough and 1994’s Your Filthy Little Mouth), commercial success was limited due to minimal promotion and distribution through Roth’s smaller label. His hesitation to embark on an immediate tour further impacted sales; when he did perform sporadically in 1999, songs from this album were rarely included in live shows.
Neither Lowery nor Hartman joined Roth’s touring lineup; instead, guitarist Bart Walsh, formerly of Van Halen tribute group The Atomic Punks, was brought on board. Setlists during this tour heavily featured Van Halen classics, older solo material, and cover songs.
Two tracks from DLR Band, titled "Indeedido" and "King of the Hill," were later transformed into instrumental versions by Hartman for his solo project Black Glue, retitled as "Southern Romp" and "Stomp," respectively.
Diamond Dave
Roth’s sixth studio album, Diamond Dave, was recorded at Hollywood’s Henson Studios and released in 2003. This collection primarily consists of covers from classic rock and blues genres. Notably, two songs—"Bad Habits" and a new rendition of Van Halen’s 1978 track "Ice Cream Man"—were originally recorded in 1996 but remained unreleased until featured on this album.
Current status
In 2007, Roth reunited with Van Halen for a highly successful North American reunion tour. Subsequently, they released A Different Kind of Truth, their first album featuring new material with Roth in over two decades. Following Eddie Van Halen’s passing in 2020 and Wolfgang Van Halen’s announcement that the band would no longer continue, Roth intended to retire after a Las Vegas residency scheduled for December 2021 through January 2022. However, those performances were canceled, making his March 2020 show in Texas alongside Kiss his final live appearance.
Guitar
- Eddie Martinez and Sid McGinnis (1984–1985)
- Steve Vai (1985–1989)
- Jason Becker and Steve Hunter (1990–1991)
- Joe Holmes and Steve Hunter (1991–1992)
- Terry Kilgore and Rocket Ritchotte (1993–1994)
- Terry Kilgore (1994)
- Steve Hunter (1997)
- Mike Hartman and John Lowery ("John 5") (1998)
- Bart Walsh (1999, 2001) (deceased 2019)
- Brian Young (2002–2006)
- Toshi Hiketa (2003–2006)
- Al Estrada (2019–present)
Bass
- Willie Weeks (1984–1985)
- Billy Sheehan (1985–1988)
- Matt Bissonette (1988–1990)
- Todd Jensen (1990–1991, 1999–2000, 2004–2006)
- James Hunting (1993–1994)
- John Regan (1994)
- Steve Hunter (1997)
- B'urbon Bob (John 5) (1998)
- James LoMenzo (2001–2004)
- Ryan Wheeler (2019–present)
Drums
- John Robinson (1984–1985)
- Gregg Bissonette (1985–1992)
- Ron Wikso (1993–1994)
- Ray Luzier (1997–2000, 2001–2005)
- Pat Torpey (performed on 'Skyscraper' in 1988, live use)
- Jimmy DeGrasso (2006)
- Francis Valentino (2020–present)
Keyboards
- Edgar Winter (1984–1985)
- Jesse Harms (1986)
- Brett Tuggle (1988–1994, 1997)
- Richard Hilton (1994)
- Patrick Howard I (1998–1999)
- Danny Wagner (2019–2020)
Timeline
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Colors =
id:Vocals value:red legend:Lead_vocals id:Guitar1 value:teal legend:Lead_guitar id:Guitar2 value:brightgreen legend:Rhythm_guitar id:Bass value:blue legend:Bass id:Drums value:orange legend:Drums,_percussion id:Keyboards value:purple legend:Keyboards id:Lines value:black legend:Studio_releases id:bars value:gray(0.95)
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LineData =
at:07/07/1986 color:black layer:back at:01/26/1988 color:black layer:back at:01/01/1991 color:black layer:back at:03/08/1994 color:black layer:back at:06/09/1998 color:black layer:back at:07/08/2003 color:black layer:back
BarData =
bar:Roth text:"David Lee Roth" bar:Martinez text:"Eddie Martinez" bar:Vai text:"Steve Vai" bar:Becker text:"Jason Becker" bar:Holmes text:"Joe Holmes" bar:Kilgore text:"Terry Kilgore" bar:Hartman text:"Mike Hartman" bar:Walsh text:"Bart Walsh" bar:Young text:"Brian Young" bar:Hiketa text:"Toshi Hiketa" bar:McGinnis text:"Sid McGinnis" bar:Hunter text:"Steve Hunter" bar:Ritchotte text:"Rocket Ritchotte" bar:Lowery text:"John 5 (Lowery)" bar:Weeks text:"Willie Weeks" bar:Sheehan text:"Billy Sheehan" bar:Matt text:"Matt Bissonette" bar:Jensen text:"Tod Jensen" bar:Hunting text:"James Hunting" bar:Regan text:"John Regan" bar:LoMenzo text:"James LoMenzo" bar:Robinson text:"John Robinson" bar:Gregg text:"Gregg Bissonette" bar:Wikso text:"Ron Wikso" bar:Luzier text:"Ray Luzier" bar:Torpey text:"Pat Torpey" bar:DeGrasso text:"Jimmy DeGrasso" bar:Winter text:"Edgar Winter" bar:Harms text:"Jesse Harms" bar:Tuggle text:"Brett Tuggle" bar:Hilton text:"Richard Hilton" bar:Howard text:"Patrick Howard I"
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width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(11,-4) bar:Roth from:01/01/1984 till:end color:Vocals bar:Martinez from:start till mid-1985 color:Guitar1 bar:Vai from mid-1985 till end-1989 color:Guitar1 bar:Becker from start-1990 till mid-1991 color:Guitar1 bar:Holmes from mid-1991 till end-1992 color:Guitar1 bar:Kilgore from start-1993 till end-1994 color:Guitar1 bar:Hunter during late '90s periods color:Guitar1,Guitar2,Bass width varies bar:Hartman late '90s periods color:Guitar1,Guitar2,Bass width varies bar:Hiketa early '00s periods color:Guitar1,Guitar2 width varies bar:Ritchotte early '90s rhythm guitar color:Guitar2 bar:Jensen multiple stints on bass color:Bass
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