Good things come to those who wait, or so they say. That certainly appears to be the case when it comes to Van Halen's mid-'90s classic "Amsterdam" — especially if this rare studio footage is anything to go by.
Filmed at the control desk of 5150 Studios, the short clip offers a fascinatingly down-to-earth glimpse into Eddie's creative process — relaxed and riffing on a Strat-head logo Charvel with a drink and a smoke next to him.
From the video's opening seconds, EVH's unmistakable guitar lines can be heard echoing through the studio doors. Clearly impressed with what he's come up with, he remarks, "It's great, I dig this," to the unseen camera operator after spotting he's on film. It's interesting to note that although it appears to be a relatively fresh idea, as we see him sketch it all out in real-time, the majority of the guitar parts that would eventually make the final track are essentially all there, as he takes another pass at what we assume are demo recordings.
Of course, Eddie Van Halen was no stranger to Charvel-made six-strings, with both the original Frankenstein and Bumblebee guitars famously being pieced together by Eddie from parts supplied by Wayne Charvel in the 1970s. However, it is noteworthy to see him play something other than his signature Kramer model during this period.
Regarding the timeframe here, it's tough to pinpoint the exact filming date of the clip (which is listed as having been shot in 1985). Still, some eagle-eyed sleuths online have pointed out Ed's hairstyle closely matches his cut from his 1987 appearance on Saturday Night Live in February of that year, when he performed "Stompin' 8H" with G.E. Smith and the Saturday Night Live band.
Assuming that's correct, this demo sits roughly in line with the pre-production sessions for OU812. However, it would be another two albums and eight more years before Amsterdam would make it to a record as part of 1995's Balance — the band's final full-length studio release with Sammy Hagar as frontman.
As a side note, the track's accompanying music video was thought to be too risqué for audiences, with MTV, at the time. The network refused to play it, arguing that they felt it showcased the band having way too much fun in the streets, bars and cafes of the song's namesake.
In a later appearance on The Jon Stewart Show Hagar explained, "The song is really about when we toured there. Playing Ed and Al's hometown... It really was quite a big deal." Surprised by the culture, he added, "You can do anything. The You walk into bars, buy dope and smoke it."
From the title alone, you'd expect this track to hold a particularly important meaning for Eddie, as he and his brother were born in the Dutch capital. However, the song's subject matter always appeared to rub him the wrong way, telling Guitar World a year after its release that he always hated the words to "Wham, Bam Amsterdam," as the subject matter was "all about smoking pot" and a little too on the nose with its delivery.
Lyrics aside, quite why Eddie Van Halen sat on this killer riff for as long as he did before finding a place for it may never be known. However, it makes you think about what else never made it past the demo stage and is still tucked away within the hallowed 5150 vaults.
In other Van Halen-related news, Alex Van Halen's long-awaited memoir, and tribute to the late Edward Van Halen, Brothers, released earlier this week, revealed, among other intriguing revelations, that the reason David Lee Roth left the band in 1985 was because "he couldn't handle the fact that Eddie was getting more attention than he was."
The audiobook version of the release contains an unreleased six-minute instrumental piece by the two siblings titled "Unfinished," which, as previously hinted at by former VH bassist Michael Anthony, is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the vast Van Halen archive of unreleased recordings.
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