Finish What Ya Started

Zoo Freaks, get ready to crank up the volume as we spin “Finish What Ya Started” by Van Halen from their 1988 album OU812! This track has a wild origin story. Picture this: it’s 2 a.m., and Eddie Van Halen, struck by a burst of inspiration, comes up with a killer riff. He can’t wait, so he heads to his neighbor Sammy Hagar’s house in Malibu. The two end up jamming on Hagar’s balcony, guitars in hand, crafting the song’s backbone under the stars. Hagar later stayed up to pen the lyrics, which he described as capturing the frustration of “blue balls”—a cheeky take on unfulfilled desire. What makes this track stand out? Eddie plugged a Fender Stratocaster directly into the studio mixing console for a clean, raw sound, and Hagar, in a rare move, laid down rhythm guitar on a Gibson acoustic, one of only two times he did so for Van Halen.

Here’s another tidbit for you Zoo Freaks: the song’s vibe was a bit of a curveball. Some fans on Reddit have called it Van Halen dipping into “wheat-field-rock country,” with its stripped-down, almost acoustic groove. It peaked at #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #2 on the rock chart, proving its crossover appeal. The music video, directed by Andy Morahan, kept it simple with the band rocking against a white background, interspersed with quick cuts of dancing women. Fun fact: this track was even used as the theme for the 1990 sitcom Sydney, starring Eddie’s then-wife, Valerie Bertinelli. In a 2019 SiriusXM performance, Sammy Hagar and former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony rocked it live with Sammy Hagar and The Circle, showing its enduring energy.

Now, let’s rewind to how Van Halen got their start. Formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972, the band was built around brothers Eddie and Alex Van Halen, Dutch immigrants who grew up with a love for music thanks to their musician father, Jan. Eddie started on drums and Alex on guitar, but they soon swapped roles, with Eddie’s guitar wizardry becoming the band’s heartbeat. They teamed up with bassist Michael Anthony and the larger-than-life David Lee Roth on vocals, initially playing backyard parties and local clubs under names like Genesis and Mammoth. By the mid-’70s, they were a staple on the Sunset Strip, catching the ear of Warner Bros. after a killer demo produced by Gene Simmons of KISS. Their 1978 debut album, Van Halen, with hits like “Runnin’ with the Devil” and “Eruption,” redefined hard rock, blending Eddie’s virtuosic guitar with Roth’s showmanship.

Van Halen went through changes, with Sammy Hagar joining in 1985 after Roth’s departure, ushering in the “Van Hagar” era that gave us OU812. Later, Gary Cherone took the mic briefly, and Roth returned for a reunion. Eddie’s son, Wolfgang, joined on bass in 2006, keeping it in the family. Sadly, Eddie passed in 2020, but the band’s legacy lives on. Connect with Van Halen on their official website, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Zoo Freaks can also dive into fan communities like the Van Halen News Desk, a top fan site, or join the Van Halen Fans Facebook group to keep the party going!