The passing of Tom Petty last week reminds us to not take our classic rock icons for granted. Van Halen’s lead singer David Lee Roth turned 63 Tuesday, and the Van Halen News Desk dug up and posted what’s thought to be Van Halen’s first TV interview to commemorate Diamond Dave’s B Day.

To hear their early story of playing five hours a night at SoCal bar gigs reminded me of The Beatles’ Hamburg, Germany, bar gigs when the Fab Four played four and five sets a night. “Paying your dues” is a cliche, but like most cliches, it’s true.  Had VH and The Beatles not maniacally played and practiced their craft, would their talents have surfaced? Would we have heard their music? I think not.

So enjoy this early VH interview, recorded outdoors in London in 1978 during the band’s first European trip (not headliners yet) by an Australian TV show called, Countdown. The boys are well spoken and, dare I say, charming.

Doc Watson