VAN HALEN

Diver Down

(Warner Bros.)

by Jeffrey Morgan

Not only is this album an insult to the average consumer (who will have to pay upwards to ten dollars for it), it is an exceptionally vicious kick in the teeth to Van Halen fans everywhere; fans who, by buying their albums, attending their concerts, and wearing their merchandise, have made David Lee Roth, Alex Van Halen, Eddie Van Halen and Michael Anthony millionaires.

And because I paid hard-earned money for my copy of Diver Down, I have a personal stake in the matter: I have been burned by Van Halen, and 1 don�t like it.

From start to finish, this album lasts less than half an hour—and if you don�t believe me, you can count up the label times and arrive at the shameful figure of 29:07 yourself.

This is a disgrace. In an era where the technology exists to make it feasible for someone like Todd Rundgren to release a single album of original material which lasts over an hour (Initiation: 68:11), there is absolutely no excuse for this kind of showing especial/y from a heavy metal band. None.