[strat78]

George Lynch or Van Halen by Strat78

Its still Van Halen tribute month so I thought I would post something special. "Black Star" was thought to be a very early Van Halen song done with a guy named Greg Stafford on vocal. I first heard this song back in the early eighties and always believed it was VH. Well as it turns out its not VH at all. Its from a band called The Boyz featuring a very young George Lynch (1975?).

Never the less, I adore this song and actually would love to find out what ever happened to Greg Sanford (not Stafford), the lead singer. His vocals are spooky and very unique. In the end it was not a VH song, but it has been a part of their legacy for over twenty years in the bootleg world. I'm surprised Georg Lynch never stepped up and claimed it through all these years.

So here is the original version plus mine without vocals (It would be cool if someone, with interest in that type of singing,would take a crack at the vocal). If anybody has any more information on "The Boyz" I would love to hear it!:thumb: The solo in this is loosely based on Lynch's solo.

 

[Sling Shot]

Sounds real good, very good mix!

 

[POD GOD]

Great job!:thumb: Yeah I remember all 3 songs from this demo appeared on a VH bootleg. Didn't know the whole story about it so I did a search on Google and found this...


These songs have been circulating among VH fans for
several years. The assumption was that these songs (Black Star, Sleepless
Nites, and All That I Need) were Van Halen or Mammoth (pre-Roth VH band)
with a different lead singer. Greg Stafford was the name that most always
got associated with them.

Jeff Hausman from The Inside (VH fan magazine) recently sent Eddie a copy
of a bootleg with these songs on it. Both Michael Anthony and Eddie Van
Halen listened to them and confirmed that these songs were NOT Van Halen.
Shortly afterwards, someone e-mailed a VH web site and said they were
pre-Dokken demos. Then someone else said, "yeah, that's The Boyz with
Lynch!"

It is funny how "sure" everyone was about the Greg Stafford story. The VH
mailing list is having a four CD unreleased set made and these Mammoth
demos are on it as VH songs! And a recent VH bootleg CD called "Dave is
Back: Rarest Covers and Demos" has the following in the liner notes:

"Track 9. Black Star - Mammoth Demos (?). Recorded '74 or '75 in L.A.
(?). These next three tracks are the most mysterious associated with VH.
Presented here for the first time on CD are what are known to old time VH
collectors as the Mammoth demos, the name of Van Halen before David Lee
Roth joined the band. The singer was supposedly a guy named Greg Stafford.
Another story is that these three tracks are actually a young Dave on
vocals or even that Edward VH is singing, but it doesn't sound that way
either. The guitar sounds like Edward in places, especially on the next
track, "All That I Need". These three demos are presented here on CD for
the first time, from a very low generational source tape, for you to
decide: are these truly pre-VH demos?

Track 10. All That I Need - Mammoth Demo (?). Recorded '74 or '75. This
is the second track in this set of mysterious demos. This track sounds
like Edward on guitar, but in a pop power ballad arrangement. This is also
from a low generation tape source and is presented here on CD for the first
time.

Track 11. Sleepless Nites - Mammoth Demo (?). Recorded '74 or '75. This
is the third and last track from this legendary demo track that has never
been circulated in this quality before. You be the judge. Is it Eddie on
vocals or just playing the guitar with Mike and Alex backing an anonymous
vocalist named Greg? Only the VH brothers know for sure. Well how 'bout
it, Eddie - step up to the mike! Never on CD!"

 

[strat78]

Thanks guys! Yea, that "All that I need" song is pretty sick! Can't believe that is not Ed on that track.

 

[ksdb]

A great track and a little music history to boot (leg, that is!).

I'm not familiar with the track but now I'm curious. Good song and performance!! Thanks for posting it.

 

[Scott Parnell]

I like this! this rocks! can't say i never heard this tune from the bootleg stuff,, but I have to say that this rocks! wtg man! :rock: :rock: :icon_thum

 

[rain]

This kicked ass Strat!!!...Killa Tone!!!:rock: :rock: :rock: :rock:

 

[TopJimmy78]

Whoooooooooo this kicked fkin ass, killa job Strat!!! :icon_thum :icon_thum

 

[axeshredder]

cool tune....amazing solo.....and sick tone...:thumb:

 

[Beka4MikE]

yes yes yes!!!!

 

[strat78]

Thanks everybody! It took me about two days to program the drums and I nearly broke my fingers playing that damn bass line over and over again. -wierd timing on that track!

 

[Twofistedalesman]

You are quite a talent! Very nice. :grin:

 

[Rid]

:toothlessAh man that is a classic tune!!
Great take on it!!
Gotta download this one...hehe:jam:
What guitar did you use this time??

 

[grant]

Great Choice and Tone my Friend. Well Done

 

[strat78]

Thanks! Rid, I used my new mahogany strat. What I noticed with that guitar is that it sounds almost like an acoustic guitar when its not plugged in. Also I left the action really high on the neck (.4 cm) which seems to improve the tone.:woot: Getting nostalgic for a brighter tone again though.

 

[sgstd]

Oh yeah!!!!:woot: Awesome guitar work, bro!!! :jam: And that's some serious tone ya got goin' on there!!!:bowdown:

 

[J-Mart]

Tits and ass awesome!

 

[strat78]

Thanks guys! I thought the guitarist on this site would find this post interesting. It was fun pulling out the old Holdsworth type stretches for the solo.

 

[jimihendrix]

Great job!:thumb: Yeah I remember all 3 songs from this demo appeared on a VH bootleg. Didn't know the whole story about it so I did a search on Google and found this...


These songs have been circulating among VH fans for
several years. The assumption was that these songs (Black Star, Sleepless
Nites, and All That I Need) were Van Halen or Mammoth (pre-Roth VH band)
with a different lead singer. Greg Stafford was the name that most always
got associated with them.

Jeff Hausman from The Inside (VH fan magazine) recently sent Eddie a copy
of a bootleg with these songs on it. Both Michael Anthony and Eddie Van
Halen listened to them and confirmed that these songs were NOT Van Halen.
Shortly afterwards, someone e-mailed a VH web site and said they were
pre-Dokken demos. Then someone else said, "yeah, that's The Boyz with
Lynch!"

It is funny how "sure" everyone was about the Greg Stafford story. The VH
mailing list is having a four CD unreleased set made and these Mammoth
demos are on it as VH songs! And a recent VH bootleg CD called "Dave is
Back: Rarest Covers and Demos" has the following in the liner notes:

"Track 9. Black Star - Mammoth Demos (?). Recorded '74 or '75 in L.A.
(?). These next three tracks are the most mysterious associated with VH.
Presented here for the first time on CD are what are known to old time VH
collectors as the Mammoth demos, the name of Van Halen before David Lee
Roth joined the band. The singer was supposedly a guy named Greg Stafford.
Another story is that these three tracks are actually a young Dave on
vocals or even that Edward VH is singing, but it doesn't sound that way
either. The guitar sounds like Edward in places, especially on the next
track, "All That I Need". These three demos are presented here on CD for
the first time, from a very low generational source tape, for you to
decide: are these truly pre-VH demos?

Track 10. All That I Need - Mammoth Demo (?). Recorded '74 or '75. This
is the second track in this set of mysterious demos. This track sounds
like Edward on guitar, but in a pop power ballad arrangement. This is also
from a low generation tape source and is presented here on CD for the first
time.

Track 11. Sleepless Nites - Mammoth Demo (?). Recorded '74 or '75. This
is the third and last track from this legendary demo track that has never
been circulated in this quality before. You be the judge. Is it Eddie on
vocals or just playing the guitar with Mike and Alex backing an anonymous
vocalist named Greg? Only the VH brothers know for sure. Well how 'bout
it, Eddie - step up to the mike! Never on CD!"

great track...by the way...
this is the first time i've ever heard this tune...to me...every drummer has his signature sound...i'm pretty good at identifying weather it's alice cooper's drummer...or ac/dc's drummer...or led zep...etc...simply by hearing the snare...this does NOT sound like alex to my ears...any opinions ?... :icon_peac

 

[strat78]

great track...by the way...
this is the first time i've ever heard this tune...to me...every drummer has his signature sound...i'm pretty good at identifying weather it's alice cooper's drummer...or ac/dc's drummer...or led zep...etc...simply by hearing the snare...this does NOT sound like alex to my ears...any opinions ?... :icon_peac

You have a refined ear! I was suspicious but could never tell for sure if it was Alex or not. However I learned that the drummers name is Mick Brown of later Dokken fame! I never got into Dokken, but I love this tune and the two others they did. George Lynch should pull these guys back out of obscurity, that is if all the members are still alive, and re-record these cool tunes. Loved your Crazy Train JH!