VAN HALEN - Diver Down 12" LP Vinyl Album

- The eclectic 1982 release with iconic covers family surprises and hard rock energy

Red and White Coloured album cover of "Diver Down"

Van Halen's fifth studio album, DIVER DOWN, may have divided critics upon its release, but it still managed to captivate fans with its eclectic mix of covers and original tracks. From the heavy metal-influenced "Hang 'Em High" to the band's own take on the traditional blues song "Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now)," DIVER DOWN showcases the band's musical versatility and willingness to experiment with different styles. Join us as we delve deeper into this album and explore its background, musical style, and critical reception.

"Diver Down" Album Description:

DIVER DOWN is the fifth studio album by American rock band Van Halen, released in April 1982. It features a mix of covers and original tracks, and marked a departure from the band's previous hard rock sound towards a more diverse and eclectic style. In this web-page, we will explore the background, musical style, and critical reception of the album.

Background

Following the success of their previous album, FAIR WARNING, Van Halen began working on new material in 1981. However, they were unable to come up with enough original songs to fill an entire album, and decided to include several cover songs on the album instead. The band recorded the album at Sunset Sound Recorders in Hollywood, California, and it was produced by the band members themselves.

Musical Style

DIVER DOWN represents a departure from Van Halen's previous hard rock sound, and instead features a mix of covers and original tracks in a diverse range of styles. The album includes covers of classic rock songs such as "Dancing in the Street" and "Where Have All the Good Times Gone," as well as the band's own take on the traditional blues song "Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now)." The album's original tracks range from the heavy metal-influenced "Hang 'Em High" to the acoustic ballad "Little Guitars."

Critical Reception

DIVER DOWN received mixed reviews upon its release, with many critics criticizing the album's reliance on cover songs and lack of original material. Rolling Stone's Kurt Loder wrote that "most of DIVER DOWN sounds like filler," while AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine noted that "it's hard not to feel a little cheated by an album that consists largely of covers." However, the album's commercial success was undeniable, with the lead single "Oh, Pretty Woman" reaching number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

This album "VAN HALEN - Diver Down" includes the original custom inner sleeve with album details, complete lyrics of all songs by and artwork/photos

Production & Recording Information:

Trivia Note

The album title Diver Down comes from the red flag with a diagonal white stripe used by scuba divers to signal “diver below, boats keep clear.”

For Van Halen, it doubled as a playful metaphor: Eddie Van Halen said it hinted at hidden depths beneath the music, while David Lee Roth joked it was also about the band “getting down.”

This diver’s flag design became the striking red-and-white album cover that instantly set the record apart on shelves.

Music Genre:

American Heavy Metal / Hard Rock

Label & Catalognr:

Warner Bros WB Records WB 57 003 LC 0392

Media Format:

12" LP Vinyl Stereo Gramophone Record
Total Album (Cover+Record) weight: 230 gram

Year & Country:

1982 – Made in Germany

Producers:
  • Ted Templeman – Producer
Sound & Recording Engineers:
  • Donn Landee – Engineer
  • Ken Deane – Engineer
Photography:
  • Neil Zlozower – Photography
  • Michael Marks – Photography
  • Richard E. Aaron – Photography
Neil Zlozower is a legendary rock photographer whose raw, high-energy images defined the hard rock and heavy metal scenes of the 1970s and 1980s. From Van Halen to Mötley Crüe, his work captures the wild spirit of rock’s golden age. With a career spanning decades, Zloz remains one of the most respected names in music photography. Learn more about his legacy on Neil Zlozower - Photographer.

Band Members / Musicians:

Band Line-up:
  • David Lee Roth – Lead Vocals
  • Edward Van Halen – Guitars, Keyboards
  • Michael Anthony – Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals
  • Alex Van Halen – Drums
  • Jan Van Halen – Clarinet (guest)
Guest Appearance Highlight
Jan van Halen – Clarinet

Jan van Halen (1920–1986) was the father of Eddie and Alex Van Halen. A Dutch-born professional musician, he played clarinet, saxophone, and piano before emigrating with his family to the United States in 1962.

On the 1982 album Diver Down, Jan joined his sons in the studio, performing clarinet on the jazzy cover track "Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now)". This playful cameo added a personal, family touch to the record and remains a unique moment in Van Halen’s discography.

Complete Track-listing:

Side One:
  1. Where Have All the Good Times Gone
  2. Hang 'Em High
  3. Cathedral
  4. Secrets
  5. (Oh) Pretty Woman
Video: Van Halen - (Oh) Pretty Woman (Official Music Video)
Side Two:
  1. Intruder
  2. Dancing in the Street
  3. Little Guitars
  4. Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now)
  5. Happy Trails
Video: Van Halen - Dancing In The Street
Collector Notes / Liner Notes
  • Diver Down stands out in Van Halen’s discography for its unusually high number of cover songs.
  • Five of the twelve tracks are covers: Where Have All the Good Times Gone! (The Kinks), Pretty Woman (Roy Orbison), Dancing in the Street (Martha & the Vandellas), Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now) (1920s jazz standard), and Happy Trails (Roy Rogers/Dale Evans).
  • The playful clarinet on Big Bad Bill was performed by Eddie and Alex’s father, Jan van Halen.
  • While Van Halen’s fiery originals like Little Guitars and Hang ’Em High became fan favorites, it is the covers that define this record’s character.
  • This is the only Van Halen album featuring a performance by Jan van Halen.
Video: Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now) (2015 Remaster)
Album Front Cover Photo
The album cover of Van Halen's Diver Down features a bold red background crossed diagonally from the top left to the bottom right by a wide white stripe, resembling the international scuba diving flag meaning diver below. The band name Van Halen appears in solid black capital letters at the top right corner, and the album title Diver Down in matching black capital letters at the bottom left corner. The stark geometric design and high contrast colors create a striking, minimalist image that became one of the band's most recognizable covers.

The cover of Diver Down is one of the most minimalist yet instantly recognizable designs in rock history. The background is a vivid, solid red field, broken only by a bold diagonal white stripe cutting across the square from upper left to lower right. This visual echoes the internationally recognized diver’s flag, a signal used to warn boats that someone is submerged below the surface.

In the top right corner, the band name VAN HALEN is printed in stark black uppercase letters, perfectly aligned with the clean edge of the red. Balancing this, in the lower left corner, the album title DIVER DOWN appears in the same black typography, creating a sense of symmetry. There are no images of the band, no ornamental details, only the interplay of bright red, striking white, and simple black text.

The design is both bold and functional, with its strong geometric layout drawing immediate attention. Its simplicity leaves no distractions: the cover projects a confident, almost defiant identity, mirroring the band’s playful yet forceful approach on the record itself.

Album Back Cover Photo
The back cover of Van Halen's Diver Down LP combines bold graphic design with live performance photography. The background is divided diagonally by the same red-and-white diver flag motif as the front cover. At the top left, the track listing is printed in bold black capital letters. Alongside and below, four rectangular concert photos show band members in action: Alex Van Halen at his drum kit, David Lee Roth mid-kick, Roth again in a crouched pose, and Eddie Van Halen on stage with his guitar. The lower half features a large black-and-white panoramic shot of a massive outdoor crowd and the band seen from behind on stage, conveying the scale of their performances. Production credit to Ted Templeman is printed at the bottom right.

The back cover of Diver Down blends stark design with the energy of live performance. The familiar red-and-white diagonal flag pattern dominates the background, tying it visually to the front cover’s diver motif.

In the top left corner, the complete track listing is presented in bold black uppercase letters, offering a clear view of the album’s contents. Around the center, four inset color photographs capture the band in full flight: Alex Van Halen surrounded by his immense drum kit, David Lee Roth caught in a high-flying stage kick, Roth again in a dramatic crouched pose, and Eddie Van Halen commanding the stage under concert lights.

The bottom half expands into a striking black-and-white panoramic image of a massive outdoor audience, stretching across the frame. At the front of this scene, the band is pictured from behind on stage, amplifying the sense of scale and connection with their fans. In the lower right corner, the credit Produced by Ted Templeman grounds the cover in its production identity.

First Photo of Custom Inner Sleeve
Black and white custom inner sleeve photo for Van Halen's Diver Down album. The image shows the four band members posed together against a neutral studio backdrop. From left to right: Michael Anthony with curly hair and a beard, wearing a vertically striped shirt and suspenders; Alex Van Halen in dark sunglasses and a bold horizontally striped shirt; David Lee Roth in an open white shirt with a scarf and studded belt, arms folded across his chest with his long blond hair flowing; and Edward Van Halen in a checkerboard-patterned shirt, arms relaxed at his sides. The text above the photo lists the band lineup including a guest credit for Jan Van Halen on clarinet, and production credits are printed along the bottom right corner naming Ted Templeman, Donn Landee, Ken Deane, Joan Valley, Noel Monk, Pete Angelus, Richard Seireeni, Neil Zlozower, Michael Marks, and Richard E. Aaron.

This custom inner sleeve features a striking black-and-white studio portrait of Van Halen at the peak of their early 1980s power. The four members are lined up in a confident, unified stance, each exuding their own distinct personality.

On the far left, Michael Anthony appears with curly hair and a trimmed beard, dressed in a vertically striped shirt held up by suspenders, his hands resting near his belt. Next to him, Alex Van Halen stands out in bold horizontal stripes and dark sunglasses, projecting a cool, enigmatic vibe. At the center, David Lee Roth dominates the image with long blond hair, an open white shirt, a patterned scarf, and a wide studded belt; his arms are folded across his chest, reinforcing his role as the flamboyant frontman. On the far right, Edward Van Halen wears a checkerboard-patterned shirt, his expression more reserved yet intense.

Text framing the image provides the album’s personnel: the main lineup, with a special note for Jan Van Halen’s clarinet contribution, as well as the production credits. Names like producer Ted Templeman, engineer Donn Landee, and photographers Neil Zlozower, Michael Marks, and Richard E. Aaron underline the professional team behind Diver Down.

Second Photo of Custom Inner Sleeve
Black and white custom inner sleeve collage from Van Halen's Diver Down album, featuring dozens of candid and performance photos of the band. The images capture David Lee Roth, Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, and Michael Anthony in various moments: live concert shots under dramatic stage lights, playful backstage scenes, and close-up portraits. Many of the members wear striped shirts, t-shirts, and performance outfits, emphasizing their eclectic style. At the bottom right, the Van Halen winged logo is prominently displayed, tying the collage together as a celebration of the band's stage energy and personality.

This custom inner sleeve presents an energetic collage of black-and-white photographs that capture Van Halen’s world both on and off stage. The images are arranged in a patchwork grid, filling the entire surface with visual fragments of the band’s identity.

Scattered across the collage are portraits of David Lee Roth in flamboyant poses and mid-performance leaps, Eddie Van Halen with his guitar in action and candid expressions, Alex Van Halen behind his drums and in relaxed moments, and Michael Anthony smiling and playing bass. Many shots feature the band wearing their signature striped shirts, t-shirts, and flamboyant stagewear.

Alongside the live concert images with dramatic lighting and roaring crowds are behind-the-scenes glimpses, showing the group in more casual, playful contexts. At the bottom right corner, the band’s iconic winged Van Halen logo anchors the design, reinforcing the unity of this vibrant mosaic of their rock persona.

Close up of Side One record’s label
Close-up of the Side One record label for Van Halen's Diver Down. The label is white with the Warner Bros. shield logo printed in full color at the top. Centered text includes the album title Diver Down, the band name Van Halen, and the track listing for Side One: Where Have All the Good Times Gone!, Hang 'Em High, Cathedral, Secrets, Intruder, and (Oh) Pretty Woman. Additional credits note songwriters, producers, and engineers including Ted Templeman and Donn Landee. The label carries the catalog number WB 57 003, LC 0392, and shows the GEMA rights society designation. Around the edge, fine print appears in both German and French. The spindle hole cuts through the center of the text, with stereo indicators on each side.

This close-up of the Side One record label for Diver Down features a crisp white background dominated at the top by the colorful Warner Bros. shield logo. Beneath it, the band’s name Van Halen and the album title are clearly printed in bold black type.

The left and right edges note STEREO and SIDE 1, while the center is taken up by the track listing: “Where Have All the Good Times Gone!,” “Hang ’Em High,” “Cathedral,” “Secrets,” “Intruder,” and “(Oh) Pretty Woman.” Detailed production credits acknowledge producer Ted Templeman and engineer Donn Landee.

Around the rim, fine print in both German and French highlights international legal rights. The label also displays the GEMA rights society box, the catalog number WB 57 003, and the label code LC 0392. The overall design is precise and uncluttered, emphasizing authenticity and collectability.

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