John Douglas talks Alex Van Halen, Tuning the AVH Signature Snare and Drums | Interview

[@wflkurt]

Great interview. I have long believed that the secret to the AVH sound was indeed AVH. I became a mega fan at 11 years old in 1982 when I started playing drums and Alex has been my guy ever since. I have seen him play many different snare drums and they all sound like AVH. I also liked hearing John talk about the toms as I have always loved how Alex pitched his toms up higher than most. I certainly miss hearing EVH but what I wouldn't give to hear Alex do a round house fill around the set with a killer groove to follow one more time. No drummer has affected me this much from just playing a simple beat.

[@JeremyWhiteShow]

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[@danielabilez3619]

I am a fan of their music and always will be. The VanHalen brothers destroyed themselves. It is what it is. That which gives you life gives you death.

[@technicalitems731]

AVH is legend. My favorite. My favorite tone. They guy is legend for tone. He dabbled in electronics and that was cool too. His drum sound always has a raw live sound. A real sound. Not overly processed.

[@brentjamesjohnsonjohnson1267]

He is the man

[@brentjamesjohnsonjohnson1267]

Snare I a throw out go back and modify

[@terencesingerline135]

Jeremy thank you for hosting John on your show! I always find it fascinating to hear drum tuning from a tech like John Douglas..

[@AVHtribute]

Man love the show! You had some really great questions? They were experimenters too, so they were like kids in a candy store, receiving gear and drinking 🍻 🍻 in a 24/7 operational studio, making music, could you imagine?? If you ever do a follow up would be interesting to know how he did maintenance, broken heads, sticks, cymbals, etc. And his role in working with AL at 5150. Alex Van Halen should write a book, he changed rock drumming, big space age kits, electric drums, etc. very creative like his brother.

[@BryanPeavey-vp6jd]

Most insightful “Van Halen” related interview from a behind the scenes perspective since your chat with Tom Weber and Greg Rule… Jeremy, well done! You are the man to do anything Van Halen related interview and media wise, let’s get you Alex Van Halen next! I know it can happen.

[@drumsforlife9474]

Great interview. Alex was a Bonham head. He used a 42 snare strand wire because Bonham did.

[@JeremyWhiteShow]

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[@toothnail605]

Born and raised in LA County I got to see VH 5 times with Roth (starting with their 1st album in 78) and 3 with Sam. AVH snare was usually 80% - 95% there as far as that signature sound the times I saw em live. Al had a really big influence on me, and I actually started playing the drums at 15yrs in 78. What was interesting at least IMO was the more the crazier the set was with many extras the less musical he would play at time, he'd just all over the place, and over the top fills on they're earlier songs; that happened more on the first 4 times I saw them; especially the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th time at the LA Forum. Even the solo's were not quiet as musical, but after that he got a lot more cleaner. He seamed to play more musical and with more precision live as he got older, especially with Sam. All good -- Al was a force of nature. Then lol ya have EVH: Man! That brown sound live was beyond FREAKING belief! One thing people leave out on AVH was the sticks he was using, they were 17" long and an interesting bead. Lot of vibration going on with those sticks because of the length and thickness, stick schmicks, it was still how he hit the drums, and he was like Bonham, he hit with his soul and with passion big time, and that's why he had the feel... Thanks for posting, great vid cool interesting stuff!

[@yankeesdrums2]

Thank you for keeping anything to do with AVH alive. Is there somewhere that I can get samples AVH drum sounds for my electronic kit?

[@blairwos1382]

81' Alex had black and white stripes . And at US Fest he has cool lips on shells. Always thought that was AWESOME!!

[@musicalchairs777]

To me, Al's drums and Ed's guitar are one big instrument. The Paiste 2002s are a huge part of it. It's like a laquer that makes everything else shine brighter. I love Zildjians for most of the stuff I do, but I have a set of Paistes (GBs, 2002s, Trad.Sigs and an old 18"602 Flat) that are my go to if I'm recording something that needs more sparkle.

[@Zildjian36tube]

I FOUND YOU lol. I knew it was you by the comment

[@musicalchairs777]

@@Zildjian36tube Hey! Yeah, what are the odds, haha:)

[@Kinger1625]

Is it weird that I went to see Aerosmith in T.O just to see Van Halen’s drum tech? 🧐 Sadly concert cancelled. 😢 Love the show! Love the snare, and all things Van Halen.

[@JeremyWhiteShow]

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[@Kinger1625]

@@JeremyWhiteShowMy friend, I love Van Halen. I love the channel, and your style. I subbed long ago! Cheers! Keep ‘em coming!

[@TonyT007]

That snare drum was a Tama Rosewood Master Craft

[@24theMoney]

Its so wild that John is playing with Aerosmith now...he must have the drum chops. He's a talented and humble dude.

[@johnpaikopoulos7691]

Love your podcasts Jeremy! 👏🏽 I get the excitement, but you have to find a way to avoid interrupting during them 🤘🏽🍻

[@gagealbright]

awesome interview. lots of great info here. very interesting that he used lots of different snare drums at different times and didnt even use the gaffer tape trick all the time. its almost hard to believe that drum sound is that much in the hands, but i believe it! just like people say who played evh's rig say it was all in eddie's hands, not in the guitar/amp. i feel like there is never enough info/attention paid to avh. i hope someday that they come out with a concert video that actually has a good amount of footage where you can really see what he is doing when he plays. seems like the other guys in the band usually get almost all of the screen time. personally i think avh is the greatest drummer of all time.

[@JeremyWhiteShow]

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[@hollylewis5302]

Super great interview guys! Who knew so much of this stuff about Rev Al, the Thundermaker! 🌩 "Give Peace A Chance!" ✌

[@JeremyWhiteShow]

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[@glengamble526]

Great stuff!

[@Kinger1625]

I think TDL was like that, due to Ed wanting a “true” live feel. 27:03 you just said it best…I think Ed wanted it to be not messed with. We all know what happened with Live RHRN…and it had some weird volume jumps in his guitar solo, them redoing songs in the studio wasn’t what Ed wanted. Just my take from reading interviews. When I hear Women in Love…I’m in Heaven. What a great sound imho. The harmonies, Al’s roll on the 1 best of the chorus creating forward motion. Incredible! Great interview.

[@Meh123G]

For sure, AVH had that Led Zeppelin II vibe going on with his drums. The fundamental note of around 190 (between an F# and G -- closer to G to my ears). Tuning is around 87/82.5 on the drum dial. Tune bot numbers are around 294/400, which is a D at the edge/G-ish at the middle. That should anyway, get you you in the ballpark.

[@JeremyWhiteShow]

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[@richiecunningham7968]

The secret has been revealed!! Wow Jeremy. I’ll be giving this a try on my snare and Tom’s this week. Cheers - R

[@ciadella1971]

Great interview! I own the AVH snare and a Tama Mastercraft Rosewood. When you put the right heads and tune it correctly, the Tama Rosewood will give you that AVH "I'll Wait sound" immediately. As far as the AVH snare.....I actually have not played it yet and I've owned it since it came out.

[@JeremyWhiteShow]

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[@ciadella1971]

I did! Thank you​@@JeremyWhiteShow

[@TheBrettWilson]

No surprises on Moby Dick. Bonham's snare sound is probably thee most influential in rock music. Ahead of its time for the seventies. But I also hear it in "Barracuda" by Heart. And it's still the benchmark sound for modern rock producers like Brendan O'Brien. Cool interview.

[@BRADSLINKMAN]

Would love to know what ride cymbal AVH used for the F.U.C.K album. Loved that bell on that ride.

[@animalc7]

Good interview, Big Al is Boss 🤘

[@JeremyWhiteShow]

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[@mckennabrian9]

Hay. How are you. This is Brian we meet last may in palm springs.

[@shanemartin8904]

his toms were super open sounding and were allowed to ring

[@tanneryordan]

Glad he mentioned tribute acts that fall short of sounding like AVH. They spend so much time recreating the drum kits and not enough actually playing the damn things! The biggest thing I notice with them is hi-hat dynamics. Alex did not play like Phil Rudd of ACDC. Consistent hi hat dynamics for every hit, not accenting on kick and snare with a barely audible hit in between...

[@JeremyWhiteShow]

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[@NightWarriorAlive]

27:10 - WTF, there IS pro shot recordings of the Van Halen shows from the modern era!

[@paullebel7268]

Best rock drummer ever!!!

[@JeremyWhiteShow]

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[@timoiiskola7676]

Another nice one, Jeremy! Thanx!

[@JeremyWhiteShow]

Thanks!! Hope ya subscribe 🤟🏻

[@timoiiskola7676]

That automatic "Hope ya subscribe!" isn't very nice to viewers/listeners who've followed you and Mitch, too, for years now.@@JeremyWhiteShow

[@JeremyWhiteShow]

@@timoiiskola7676 wow, took that so personal 🤣 my apologies

[@timoiiskola7676]

@@JeremyWhiteShow Not really, but it just seemed a bit silly, no? :)

[@timoiiskola7676]

And also, while sending out your apologies a crying/smiling-emoji isn't the best way to convey your thoughts to a supporter/fan. Absolutely love your your stuff, but there's never anything lost with taking care and treating people with respect.

[@shaunbowen948]

Ain’t even a drummer but this a great conversation cheers RIp EVH

[@JeremyWhiteShow]

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[@toddmorrissey8372]

Are you sure this guy isn't David Ellefson's stand-in? I'm suspicious.

[@rctubs3593]

Tune your snare to your own sound.

[@hotlanta35]

People are such copycats they don’t want to blaze their own trail

[@roberttaylor6374]

Hahhhahaa the interviewer asks...how do I tune it.....jonny paused....because uh he values his job during this GAG order....The brothers NEVER EVER WANTED HOW THEIR "TONE"....to be stolen....

[@hotlanta35]

Got to keep some things secret… don’t let people know your recipe

[@skinner5334]

Too much weed for this kat- not much here. 😂

[@MoneyGrip70]

Johns brain seems fried lol. If he has had health issues, but man he's hard to listen to

[@MikeJones-kv5vi]

Not Fried nor any Health issues. I've know JD since middle school and have known his talent from drums to artwork from day one. I think the pauses you alluded to is the fact he has done So Much, worked for / with so many people he does want misspeak on something. He's one of the most down to earth people that you will ever meet. Zero drugs, Zero smoke and Zero Alcohol. Just not and has never been his thing. Peace.

[@mikeferris408]

T ended abruptly