He may be known to you as the energetic frontman of "Van Halen" but he is much more than that. Singer David Lee Roth is celebrating his birthday today and we are here to tell you some interesting facts about him:
(Photo: Larry Hulst)
1. He was born in Bloomington, Indiana, the USA on October 10, 1954, to a traditional Jewish family.
2. David Lee Roth is a wild and energetic stage animal. He started performing as a teenager. One of the first bands was the "Red Ball Jets".
3. In 1973 he joined "Mammoth" formed a year earlier by the brothers - guitarist Eddie Van Halen and drummer Alex Van Halen.
(Photo: Wallpapersden.com)
4. In 1974 the band changed its name to "Van Halen". It was David who suggested the name to the brothers. He thought this name would create a long-term identity as a brand name with artistic and marketing advantages.
5. The band has begun to establish its name in the Los Angeles club and pub scene, thanks to Dave's performance and guitarist Eddie Van Halen's unique playing.
6. In 1976, Gene Simmons of "Kiss" discovered them and decided to produce a demo tape for them. Simmons passed the tape with a recommendation to the "Kiss" record company, but they foolishly replied that the band had no chance of succeeding.
7. In 1977, "Warner Bros." decided to Sign them on a recording contract.
8. The debut album "Van Halen" was released in 1978 and created a big sensation in the music world.
9. The attention the band received gave them the role of warm-up band in the tour of "Journey" and later of "Black Sabbath". They even managed to "steal the show" from both bands.
10. On the tour with "Journey" Dave managed to make singer Steve Perry cry, after a food fight that took place behind the scenes.
11. In the 1980s he belonged to a group that called itself "Jungle Studs" and went on extreme adventures around the world, including in the Amazon and Nepal.
12. In the late 1990s David was trained as a paramedic (EMT) and engaged in it also in the 2000s. In 2004 he even mentioned it in an interview with "People" magazine saying that being an EMT is a perfect job.
13. He is an eternal bachelor who has never married. He lived the life of a "Rock Star" to the end and not for nothing created the persona of "Diamond Dave".
14. He had a "bonus program" for his tour staff. He allowed each of them to hand out five backstage tickets. The person who handed out the ticket to someone Dave slept with won $ 100.
15. As a reckless bachelor he held an insurance policy for his semen. The policy is intended to indemnify him in the event of an unwanted pregnancy for a sum of one million dollars. Lloyds' London insurance is designed to cover child support in case Dave accidentally gets someone pregnant.
16. To maintain the body of a wild “rock star,” Dave did a lot of sports and among other things ran and finished the New York Marathon.
17. He also specializes in several martial arts, including "jujitsu", "kenjutsu" (sword fighting), and more.
18. Despite this, in 2003 he stopped an intruder who broke into his home with a shotgun. He detained him until the police arrived.
19. He wrote the lyrics to the hit "Jump" after watching the news about someone who threatened to commit suicide by jumping from a tall building.
20. David was the lead singer of "Van Halen" from 1974 to 1985, again in 1996, and from 2006 until its dissolution in 2020. During his membership in the band, he released 7 studio albums and a compilation album that included 2 new songs that were not included in any album.
21. In 2007 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with the band "Van Halen".
22. In addition, he has released 6 studio albums and an EP during his solo career. Throughout his career, he has surrounded himself with talented musicians including guitarists Jason Becker and Steve Vai and bassist Billy Sheehan.
(Photo: Fanart.tv)
23. Roth is also a businessman. He has a line of skincare products that protect tattooed skin.
24. Dave is also a visual artist who paints and executes and makes drawings in his spare time. In November 2020 he even released a 17-chapter online comic book called "The Roth Project", written and illustrated by him, and also painted the cover of the single "Giddy-Up" released from it.
25. In October 2021 David announced his retirement from the world of music, probably due to medical issues.