Sunset Sound Recording Studios: A Van Halen Legacy

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So how did this all come about? It all started with a brief message via messenger from Daniel Lang, amp builder extraordinaire, asking, "Hey, would you be interested in recording at Sunset Sound where Van Halen recorded for the studio’s Van Halen month?" What? Van Halen month, are you kidding me? Record what? When? What will I play? I had all these questions racing through my mind, and not really knowing what to expect, I cautiously replied... "OMG YES!"  

They wanted me in the very next day, and all I really knew was that I would be using Daniel’s amp to perform “Eruption,” and oh yeah, they wanted me to “dress the part!”  

With less than 24 hours to prepare, I realized I hadn’t played through a tube amp in over two years because, due to all the touring, I had switched to digital for convenience and consistency. Playing a tube amp versus a digital amp has a whole different feel and response, so I knew I needed to rehearse with a tube amp. I set up my equipment at home, breaking out my vintage gear like my Echoplex, ‘70s era MXR pedals, BOSS GE-10 EQ, and a variac. But I soon ditched all that for their modern counterparts, as the vintage gear was way too noisy.  

I ran through Eruption no less than 25 times, knowing I’d be recording this iconic piece in the very spot Eddie Van Halen recorded Eruption. This would surely be scrutinized, so I had to give it my all. After all, the internet is flooded with EVH “experts” who readily share their opinions from behind their computer screens, backed by their self-proclaimed EVH guitar wizardry. I always say, there’s only one EVH. NO ONE can play like him, so my aim is to pay tribute to this extraordinary musician by performing my heart out to the best of my ability. If faced with the choice to decline Sunset Sound's offer due to the “haters” or to embrace the opportunity of a lifetime and record where Van Halen history was made, what would you do? Well, by now you’ve seen the video, so you know what I chose.  

The next afternoon, I arrived at Sunset Sound in Hollywood on a picture-perfect sunny day. I was greeted by Drew Dempsey, a Sunset Sound representative, who promptly asked, “Where’s Derek from Fan Halen?” He’d only seen my videos featuring my EVH “hairpiece” (I try to avoid using the “w” word due to its negative connotations). I explained, “I’m Derek, without the EVH garb.” Truth be told, I was hoping the request to dress like EVH was not set in stone, knowing it would heighten scrutiny, but soon I realized that I needed to meet this expectation.  

After a brief tour of the iconic studio and meeting the recording engineer, George, a super cool and chill guy, we set up the Lang Amp in the vocal sound booth where David Lee Roth had done his vocals, and I was to perform in the main room. Also in the main room was the video crew, setting up their equipment and projecting EVH’s infamous red, white, and black stripe pattern on the studio wall. Once everything was in place, I quickly realized that the Lang Amp wasn't giving me the gain and power I needed for EVH’s 1 minute and 43-second masterpiece. I tried using an EP-PRE pedal to enhance the sound, but it still wasn’t quite there. I’d have to go with it and hope for the best — after all, how many Van Halen fanatics would actually see this anyway? (gulp) I was definitely feeling the pressure.  

When it came time to get dressed, I asked if there was a place to change. I was directed to Prince’s bathroom located in Studio 3 (the studio where he recorded the Purple Rain album...are you kidding me!). The bathroom was as small as a phone booth, which I suppose was fitting. Inside, panic and fear began to creep into my mind. How would I pull this off with an amp that wasn’t cutting it? After splashing some water on my face and peering into the mirror that Prince once looked into, I reminded myself to suck it up and give it my best. With renewed confidence, I marched back to Studio 1 in my superhero outfit.  

When I put the guitar back on, I asked to try one more thing: cranking the amp to “eleven” and letting it do the work. This worked magic, unleashing glorious sustain and harmonics effortlessly. Saved! Or so I thought. Once I donned my headphones to hear the amp from inside the vocal booth, I realized the sound was clipping the mics, creating terrible distortion (the bad kind). The recording engineer indicated that the amp was too loud for the three mics in front of the amp’s speakers. We had to dial the volume down to get a clean recording. Just as my panic returned, Daniel turned to me and said, “Hey, I have a Lang clean-boost pedal in my car; should I grab it?” This pedal was designed to work with the amp, and when we tried it, it sounded amazing. Let’s record!  

Just before I was set to begin recording, Drew mentioned, “Let’s have you perform 20 to 30 seconds of each song on Van Halen’s first album.” Wait, what? I thought I was only recording Eruption, which was what I had prepared! While I knew all the songs on the album, I hadn't prepared specific parts or transitions. So, I did what any aspiring EVH fan would do: I just went for it! I started playing and decided on the fly which riffs to include, all while figuring out where to stop and move to the next song. I had the chorus and most solos in mind, but the exact ones would only be determined as I played.  

One final obstacle presented itself: since we were videotaping my performance with the EVH stripes projected behind me, the studio lights were turned off. This created a very dark environment, making it challenging to see the neck of my guitar. I had to rely on my muscle memory to know where to position my fingers. After a few missed notes, someone found a small flashlight in the studio and shone it on the guitar neck, providing some relief.  

After three takes, it was over. You can hear me say, “I just want to make him proud,” which captured my true thoughts and feelings.  

I absolutely gave it my best and felt I couldn't have done better considering the circumstances. Ideally, I would have loved to use my own equipment, perform sitting down with the lights on (and my glasses), and have all songs prepared. But sometimes, you just have to roll with it.  

I can’t thank the amazing people at Sunset Sound and Dan Lang enough for giving me this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It’s an experience I'll never forget and will cherish forever. Thank you!  

— Derek Fuller