It's hard to believe. . .but 25 years ago this week, an amazing album was released. I still remember the day I went up to the local Dimple Records to buy that historic tape. And I remember the feeling I got when I heard the opening lines to " Good Enough. " To this day, I remember being up all night listening to this amazing and majestic music from a band that almost broke up the previous year.

It was this period, in 1986, where my life was miserable. I was a freshman in high school, getting beaten up by bullies. My mom was facing a rare form of throat cancer and there was the chance she wasn't going to be around for long. On top of that I caught chicken pox from a high school friend--and if you ever had this while you are a teen, it was NOT fun. Finally, my parents had divorced with my parents using my brother and I as collateral damage. Not a pleasant time, folks. Suicide did crop up in my mind a few times. When you are a teen facing this stuff. . .it's really, REALLY hard.

It was the first single--" Why Can't This Be Love "--that started to wake me up out of my personal funk. It was the very first time where music really lifted me up and showed me a POSSIBLE future in music. The light was distint but it was BURNING.

I heard Van Halen and was fanatical about " 1984. " I loved Roth and everything Van Halen pre-5150. I will admit that I too had my doubts about Sammy joining Van Halen. But then one day, someone played me the first Montrose tape. It was after that when I thought that having Sammy aboard Van Halen was probably going to work out fine. Still life felt weird. There wasn't any kind of motivational music out there, let alone motivation. Nothing to light a fire under my ass.

I will never forget buying 5150 and racing home to hear it all. I was totally blown away. As Sammy states in his current book. . .the music was " majestic. " In addition, it was the first time I ever got the chills listening to music. 5150 became my bible. And it was the start of me learning the guitar. To this day, I still warm up with 5150 licks from " Good Enough " and " Best Of Both Worlds. "

I do have my own personal favorite top CDs list. 5150 is the number influential disc for my life. I still listen to it every day, even after all the copies I have used up over the last 25 years. I will never get tired of hearing that disc.

But more important, 5150 was the start for me to see how important this band became in my life. They didn't just release an album with a new singer. 5150 was a statement for my life: Get up and get going with what you want out of life. Chances are if it wasn't for that little ole album. . .things would have turned out different. So Sammy and Van Halen will ALWAYS have my deepest love and respect.

Thanks you guys. . . for releasing that album.

It saved my life.

David McCain