Come the late spring of 1991, it had been just over three years since a new album by Van Halen was released. It was long overdue then when the single “Poundcake” dropped ahead of the upcoming For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge LP that June. Starting with the sound of a drill raking over the strings of Eddie Van Halen’s guitar, it was a new beginning for the band, but also a return to what drew audiences to them in the first place: unabashed heavy rock and roll.
On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the release of “Poundcake,” I did a deep dive over at Ultimate Classic Rock on the song, examining why it sounded so different, what were Eddie’s techniques and the struggles singer Sammy Hagar had not just on the track, but the album as a whole. The piece can be read by clicking here, and check out the video for the song below.
The Chronicles of Michael Christopher 
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