VAN HALEN – The Collection II Boxed Set Introduces Four Newly Remastered Van Halen Studio Albums With Sammy Hagar Plus Rarities Recorded Between 1989 And 2004
9th August 2023Van Halen will release a new boxed set this fall spotlighting the iconic bandâs second incarnation, with singer Sammy Hagar, guitarist Eddie Van Halen, drummer Alex Van Halen, and bassist Michael Anthony. The upcoming set includes newly remastered versions of four multi-platinum studio albums, along with a selection of rarities recorded between 1989 and 2004.Â
THE COLLECTION II will be available on October 6 on 5 LPs and 5 CDs. Pre-order both versions HERE. All the music in the set was mastered directly from the original master tapes, a process overseen by the bandâs longtime engineer, Donn Landee.
The new set is the long-awaited sequel to The Collection, a compilation released in 2015 that focused on the six studio albums recorded by the bandâs original line-up, which featured singer David Lee Roth. THE COLLECTION II picks up where its predecessor left off and covers the four consecutive #1 albums released during the Hagar era: 5150 (1986), OU812 (1988), For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (1991), and Balance (1995).
The journey begins with 5150, Van Halenâs seventh studio album and the bandâs first to claim the top spot on the Billboard 200. Certified platinum six times in the U.S., the record treated fans to hits like âDreams,â âLove Walks In,â and âWhy Canât This Be Love,â which peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. The group returned two years later with OU812, a quadruple-platinum smash that delivered four Billboard Hot 100 hits, including âFinish What Ya Startedâ and âWhen Itâs Love.â
The accolades continued with For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge, which earned Van Halen its first GrammyÂź Award for Favorite Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Album. Debuting at #1 and staying there for three weeks, the album achieved triple-platinum certification. The record produced an incredible seven singles, including hits like âPoundcake,â âTop Of The World,â and âRight Now.â
In 1993, the band released its first live album, Live: Right Here, Right Now, before returning in 1995 with Balance, its final studio album with Hagar. The album was another commercial triumph, debuting at #1, selling more than three million copies, and earning a GrammyÂź nomination for âThe Seventh Seal.â
THE COLLECTION II concludes with Studio Rarities 1989-2004, an exclusive compilation that assembles eight gems from the Hagar era for the first time. Among these rarities is âCrossing Over,â the B-Side to Balanceâs âCanât Stop Lovinâ Youâ, and the bandâs only non-album B-side.Â
The compilation boasts other exceptional highlights, including the bandâs cover of Little Featâs âA Apolitical Bluesâ and the instrumental âBaluchitherium,â which were originally left off the vinyl versions of OU812 and Balance, respectively. Additionally, the set features two songs the band contributed to the Twister Soundtrack â âHumans Beingâ and the GrammyÂź- nominated âRespect The Wind.âÂ
Rounding out the set are âItâs About Time,â âUp For Breakfast,â and âLearning To See,â which were recorded during the bandâs temporary reunion with Hagar in 2004. All three debuted that year on Van Halenâs second greatest hits collection, The Best of Both Worlds.
THE COLLECTION II
5-LP Track Listing
LP One: 5150
Side One
âGood Enoughâ
âWhy Canât This Be Loveâ
âGet Upâ
âDreamsâ
âSummer Nights”
Side Two
âBest Of Both Worldsâ
âLove Walks Inâ
â5150â
âInsideâ
LP Two: OU812
Side One
âMine All Mineâ
âWhen Itâs Loveâ
âA.F.U. (Naturally Wired)â
âCabo Waboâ
Side Two
âSource Of Infectionâ
âFeels So Goodâ
âFinish What Ya Startedâ
âBlack And Blueâ
âSucker In A 3 Pieceâ
LP Three: For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge
Side One
âPoundcakeâ
âJudgement Dayâ
âSpankedâ
âRunaroundâ
âPleasure Domeâ
Side Two
âIn âNâ Outâ
âMan On A Missionâ
âThe Dream Is Overâ
âRight Nowâ
â316â
âTop Of The Worldâ
LP Four: Balance
Side One
âThe Seventh Sealâ
âCanât Stop Lovinâ Youâ
âDonât Tell Me (What Love Can Do)â
âAmsterdamâ
âBig Fat Moneyâ
âDoinâ Timeâ
Side Two
âAftershockâ
âStrung Outâ
âNot Enoughâ
âTake Me Back (DĂ©jĂ Vu)â
âFeelinââ
LP Five: Studio Rarities 1989-2004
Side One
âA Apolitical Bluesâ
âCrossing Overâ
âBaluchitheriumâ
Side Two
âHumans Beingâ
âRespect The Windâ
âItâs About Timeâ
âUp For Breakfastâ
âLearning To Seeâ