Diver Down
Studio album by Van HalenWikipedia
92
MENTIONS
22
EPISODES
18
PODCASTS
Search complete. 92 mentions across 22 episodes found for "Diver Down".
Oct 12, 2026
Aaron MartelHOST
[laughs]
Ian RiceHOST
And that was 1982, so look, it comes all full circle right here in Diver Down, you know?
Aaron MartelHOST
Yeah.
Aaron MartelHOST
Yeah.
LouPANELIST
I'm The Professor.
Ian RiceHOST
And welcome to Ridiculous Rock Record Reviews, a podcast where we discuss and review a rock record of our choice.
Ian RiceHOST
Today, we will be discussing Diver Down, the somewhat controversial 1982 album from Van Halen.
Ian RiceHOST
Before we get started, let's get everybody's background and where they come in with Van Halen, starting with you, the creator, Mr. Martel.
KennedyHOST
... is gonna be doing the, the guitar work.
KennedyHOST
Again, the, we, we, we talked about back-to-back-back albums where we had Diver Down, 1984, and then 5150.
KennedyHOST
So you got two of Roth albums, and then they had the breakup or the, the little argument.
KennedyHOST
Hagar comes in, pulls off 5150-
Tommy LondonHOST
Mm-hmm
TorHOST
... to Diver Down.
Tommy LondonHOST
Diver Down.
Tommy LondonHOST
Sonically different, we all know that.
TorHOST
A head-scratcher.
TorHOST
Go ahead.
TorHOST
No, you go ahead.
Tommy LondonHOST
That, that's the thing, like, um, w- when I see that album cover I'm like, "Uh, I don't know if this is cool." And then it's called Diver Down, so I guess it is cool.
Frank BelloGUEST
And it, let's face it, David Lee Roth having people talking to the audience, like having them in, in the palm of your hand.
Frank BelloGUEST
Uh, I just remember doing that on Div- remember Diver Down? I saw that tour too.
Frank BelloGUEST
My God, I remember him standing on top, uh, David Lee Roth sitting on top of, uh, the, the PA talking to people.
Frank BelloGUEST
And Eddie, Eddie would just be on the side just like doing these little like riffs, and it was just magic.
Chad JonesHOST
In the 1980s fifth calendar flip through, Van Halen had once again sailed to the top of rock and roll mountain.
Chad JonesHOST
After hitting a slight speed bump in their commercial and critical acclaim department early in the decade, most notably in 1982, with Rolling Stone accusing the Southern California foursome of quote, running out of ideas after the release of Diver Down, Van Halen had plastered the mighty back in their moniker with their sixth studio album.
Chad JonesHOST
Musical maestro and the most spectacular guitar shredder of his time, Edward Van Halen, had truly outdone himself with the futuristic, synth-coated, but still unabashed rockin' musical undertaking of 1984.
Chad JonesHOST
The man was blessed with ten pristine fingers and used them to craft some of the most memorable instrumental play in the history of recorded music.
Rob AnthonyHOST
Great song
Alan CoxHOST
... off of, I think it's off Diver Down.
Rob AnthonyHOST
It is.
Alan CoxHOST
A lot of people just sleep on Diver Down in general, but it's got two of my favorite Van Halen songs.
Alan CoxHOST
It's got DOA and it's got Hang 'Em High, and they're both kind of gritty, guy out in the middle of nowhere vibes rather than like, "Hey, sit on my face."
Rob AnthonyHOST
Ugh.
7 MINS LATER
Alan CoxHOST
Even I don't know.
Rob AnthonyHOST
Yeah.
PaulHOST
let me check
JoshHOST
Yeah, B+, for 1984, B- for Diver Down, B- for Fair Warning, and then he gave Van Halen 1 and 2 C and C+, respectively.
JoshHOST
But I just feel like he seems really taken by Roth, and it's interesting to hear him praise Roth in 86 for not going to pop on this album, which...
JoshHOST
I guess, but, um, I don't know.
Rusty CochranHOST
I heard it after.
Rusty CochranHOST
So, I mean, the first Van Halen album I was introduced to was Diver Down.
Rusty CochranHOST
So it's about
Dan MulhernHOST
1982 now.
Rusty CochranHOST
Yes.
Rusty CochranHOST
And then just got to go backwards.
Rusty CochranHOST
So, I mean, it was Diver Down.
Rusty CochranHOST
You know, that time was like, wow, this is a great band.
DinkHOST
Multiple.
JimmyHOST
I mean, in Diver Down's case-
DinkHOST
[laughs]
JimmyHOST
... several cover songs.
Steve DowersHOST
Yeah.
Steve DowersHOST
Now, this and Van Halen's hard rock cover of Pretty Woman on the 1982 album, which was called Diver Down, further exposed him again to a younger generation who now started to take a bit more notice again.
Steve DowersHOST
And family-wise, he and Barbara and the two oldest boys moved from Nashville to Malibu in 1986, which proved to be an important move for him.
Steve DowersHOST
The song In Dreams was used in the film Blue Velvet in 1986.
12 more episodes mention Diver Down.
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