VAN HALEN van halen 2 HS3312

The Party Continues: Van Halen’s ‘Van Halen II’ Cream Label Pressing (HS 3312)

Today’s entry turns up the volume with the 1979 sophomore smash from the Pasadena legends. We are examining a US pressing of Van Halen II by Van Halen, released on Warner Bros. Records with the catalog number HS 3312.

The “Brown Sound” Strikes Back

Released in 1979, just a year after their earth-shattering debut, this album proved that Van Halen was no one-hit wonder. Produced once again by the legendary Ted Templeman with engineering by Donn Landee, the album captures the band in their raw, live-in-the-studio prime. It features their first Top 20 hit, the infectious “Dance The Night Away,” alongside hard rock staples like “Somebody Get Me A Doctor” and “Beautiful Girls.”

A highlight for guitar enthusiasts is “Spanish Fly,” a one-minute acoustic solo where Edward Van Halen proves his tapping technique works just as well on nylon strings as it does on his electric guitar. The rhythm section of Alex Van Halen and Michael Anthony provides the thunderous groove that defines the band’s swing.

Pressing Details

This specific copy is a classic US issue featuring the Warner Bros. Cream Labels (with the faint background watermarks and WB shield).

- Barcode: The back cover features a barcode. While the album was originally released in 1979, the presence of a barcode combined with the cream labels typically indicates a pressing from the early 1980s.
- Design: The cover art, designed by Dave Bhang with photography by Elliot Gilbert and Neil Zlozower, captures the high-flying acrobatics of David Lee Roth and the band’s energetic stage presence.

It is an essential slice of feel-good California hard rock history.