Van Halen Rising: How a Southern California Backyard Party Band Saved Heavy Metal

“This prehistory is usually glossed over in accounts of the band, but in Van Halen Rising, author Greg Renoff devotes an entire book to it. It’s the tale of hardworking kids with nothing in common learning to fuse pop and heavy metal into a new sound that completely changed the music world. It also vividly shows that the personality clashes that would later destroy the band were there from Day One.” — Rolling Stone

“Renoff explores in depth Van Halen’s reluctant journey from back yard band to superstardom and, in particular, the role of David Lee Roth’s ambition and entrepreneurial skills.” — Forbes

“It’s a rollicking roll through the life and times of a group that mowed through more groupies and drugs than could possibly be good for a young fella … a fascinating read.” — Pasadena Star News

“Fascinating (even for non-VH fans) . . . A book almost anthropological in its level of detail.” — Vulture

“I thought I knew a lot about Van Halen, until I read this book. It’s exceedingly rare to find such a comprehensive portrait of any band’s pre-history, even for canonical groups like the Beatles and Led Zeppelin. So to stumble across this level of research about the early days of VH is like hearing studio-quality demos of songs you did not even know existed.” — Chuck Klosterman, author of Fargo Rock City and Killing Yourself to Live

“Fans of Van Halen’s earliest days. . . are in for a treat next month with the release of Van Halen Rising by American author Greg Renoff.” — Georgia Straight

“Bravo, Mr. Renoff. . . . This is a must-read reference, in the same sense that Women and Children First, Fair Warning, and Diver Down are mandatory listening.” — Cleveland Music Examiner

“Greg Renoff’s fantastic, immersive new book devotes 350 or so pages to [Van Halen’s] early years. . . Van Halen Rising is one of the best rock books to be published so far this year. Even if you aren’t a big Van Halen fan, it’s fascinating to read.” — AL.com

“Great quotes and stories abound . . . Greg Renoff penned one hell of a fun read.” — AllMusicBooks

“VH fans should be sure to grab Van Halen Rising — the book is absolutely loaded with details on Van Halen’s beginnings that even the most knowledgeable fans have never heard.” — The Van Halen News Desk

“Renoff’s book has garnered rave reviews since its release earlier this month, and it illustrates just how long and hard the road to success for Van Halen actually was.” — The Canton Repository

“This is a thoroughly engaging book and will fascinate and astound even those fans who thought they already knew everything there was to know about Van Halen.” — CurledUp.com

“Van Halen Rising is exactly what it promises, the story of an up and coming rock band. It takes you through the teenage rock scene in the LA suburbs of the 1970s, and up to Van Halen’s first album, first tours, and then it is done, leaving the rest of the story for others to pick up. And it doesn’t disappoint in the process.” — A Home in Hespeler

“In an excellent new book called Van Halen Rising, author Greg Renoff argues that, in the era of disco and punk, Van Halen’s arrival saved heavy metal. While that may be hyperbole, there’s little arguing that the backyard party band from Pasadena put Los Angeles back at the center of American rock & roll, where it’s largely stayed ever since.” — LA Weekly

“Renoff’s book is a thoroughly entertaining read that will appeal to every hard rock fan.” — Publishers Weekly

“The author draws on interviews with many key players to tell the band’s story, and he does a fine job of showing what it must have been like for the members of Van Halen . . . The lack of interviews with Eddie Van Halen and David Lee Roth is notable, but not a serious drawback; many good music biographies have been written about stars who did not actively participate in the writing. And this is a very good one indeed.” — Booklist

“I really loved reading Van Halen Rising. I couldn’t believe the insight Renoff has into the production process behind the making of Van Halen’s debut. He truly gets it! The book is fantastic.” — Ted Templeman, Grammy-winning music producer for Van Halen and David Lee Roth

“Let us guess – you’re one of those people who thinks they know everything about Van Halen, right? You don’t. At least not until you’ve read Van Halen Rising: How a Southern California Backyard Party Band Saved Heavy Metal, the forthcoming book by historian and self-proclaimed Van Halen diehard Greg Renoff.” — Van Halen News Desk

“From the outset of Van Halen Rising, it’s clear Greg Renoff reveres the mighty foursome as much as their most ardent fan. With devoted accuracy, Renoff takes us back to the early seventies, when Pasadena kids literally danced in the streets to get a glimpse of their home-town heroes, while music industry execs proclaimed Van Halen had ‘no commercial potential.’ Van Halen Rising delves into the years of practice and perseverance that led to the ‘overnight success’ of Van Halen’s debut album, one of the most successful in music history. Renoff’s writing is consistently punchy and compelling, like Van Halen at its finest. If you’ve got it bad, got it bad, got it bad for Van Halen, get Van Halen Rising.” — Martha Quinn, original MTV VJ, Sirius XM host

“Most Van Halen fans have heard about the notorious, alcohol-soaked backyard parties in the Pasadena area that the band played as they built a loyal following — but never knew the details. This is where Renoff’s exhaustive research and meticulous attention to detail truly pays off. Readers are treated to extensive accounts of these bashes. . . . they can almost feel as if they were actually there. . . . a book that’s as entertaining as it is informative.” — Examiner.com

“I couldn’t put it down. . . it was just great, what a great, great book. . . I highly recommend it.” — Eddie Trunk

“The book is very well researched; Renoff’s dedication shows and is very impressive . . . 10/10.” — Medium.com

“Reading it is like finding some lost demo tape every bit as awesome as Fair Warning, or stumbling on a bitchin' Camaro time machine kegger where Jeff Spicoli shows up with his hand in the back pocket of Kim Kelly’s bell bottom jeans.” — The Weaklings

“This book is absolutely loaded with wild and interesting details on Van Halen’s beginnings that even the most knowledgeable fans have never heard. A vivid and energetic history of Van Halen’s legendary early years. It’s a must-have!” — Throttle Rock

“Renoff’s bio is replete with refreshing colour, details and heretofore unheard insight. . . If you’re into the band, this book is a given; if you’re into well-spun behind the scene.” — Hopscotch Friday