With 1986's Eat 'Em and Smile, Roth returned to more familiar territory with this full-length release.

But these songs were a marked departure from Van Halen's hard rock sound. His homage to Louis Prima, 'I'm Just a Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody,' also did well. Roth scored a number three hit with 'California Girls,' written by the Beach Boys. On the EP, he did his own take on several famous tunes, ranging from California surf rock to old pop standard. Roth released a four-song recording, Crazy From the Heat, in 1985. The choice of Hagar was especially odious to Roth as the two had been musical rivals for years. Around this time, however, Roth began to branch out on his own, and Van Halen quickly replaced him with Sammy Hagar. Roth made several more hit albums with Van Halen, including 1984, which proved to be Roth's most successful recording with the group, scoring their first number-one single 'Jump.' He also co-directed several of the band's videos, including the one for 'Hot for Teacher.' The suggestive yet comical video became popular on MTV. One rock journalist called the group's lifestyle as 'a nonstop booze-and-babes party train.' Roth himself has said that Van Halen made Led Zeppelin look like Boy Scouts. Off stage, Roth and his bandmates developed quite the reputation as one of rock's most hedonistic acts. His routine has commonly been described as vaudeville meets the Sunset Strip. With his long blond hair and crazy spandex outfits, he won over audiences with his fast-talking patter, jumps and stunts. In 1979, Van Halen had their first hit single with 'Dance the Night Away.' The band toured to support the record, and Roth proved to be quite the showman. The album contained numerous now classic hard rock songs, such as 'Runnin' with the Devil' and 'Jamie's Cryin'.' Roth wrote much of the lyrics for the group, which has been credited for changing the face of hard rock with their pop- and punk-influenced sound. Van Halen quickly became a hit, featuring Roth's expressive, sometimes primal vocals and Eddie Van Halen's revolutionary guitar work. in 1977 and released their first self-titled album the following year. Van Halen landed a contract with Warner Bros. According to several reports, KISS's frontman Gene Simmons attended one of the band's concerts and paid for them to make a demo recording. Van Halen became a popular fixture on the club scene.

Roth later joined Mammoth, which soon changed its name to Van Halen after learning another group already had rights to 'Mammoth.' Michael Anthony came onboard as the group's bassist. The Van Halens sometimes rented Roth's PA system for their gigs. Roth played with several bands himself, including Red Ball Jets. There, he befriended Eddie and Alex Van Halen, two brothers from the Netherlands who played together in a band called Mammoth. As a student at Pasadena City College, Roth studied music theory for a time. He began performing in high school by joining a band. Roth moved to California with his family as a teenager. His uncle ran the club Cafe Wha? in the Greenwich Village neighborhood, a popular hot spot for such famous talents as Bob Dylan. During the summers, Roth would often visit his uncle Manny in New York City.

Some of his early musical favorites were jazz artist Al Jolson and R&B legend Ray Charles. Now famous for his distinctive vocals, as well as his rowdy and, sometimes, raunchy stage persona, Roth started life as the son of an ophthalmologist. Musician David Lee Roth was born on October 10, 1954, in Bloomington, Indiana. Since 2007, Roth has toured with the group and released a new album in 2012. He has reunited with Van Halen twice over the years - briefly in 1996 and again in 2007. In the mid-1980s, Roth launched a successful solo career. The band released their first self-titled album in 1978, and quickly became a top hard rock act. David Lee Roth played with a few different bands before joining Van Halen.

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