Born 72 Years Ago Today In Indiana, This 'Diamond' Star Became The Frontman Who Defined '80s Hard Rock

David Lee Roth, the frontman of seemingly boundless energy who soared to the heights of rock stardom with Van Halen, came screaming into this world on October 10, 1984, in Bloomington, Indiana. The charisma that would give him his radiant and unflappably enthusiastic onstage persona manifested at an early age as hyperactivity, with doctors initially pushing for the child to go on Ritalin. Opting for a more holistic approach, Roth's parents allowed him to play out the manic spells following blood sugar spikes as "monkey hour," a time during which the burgeoning showman would sing and do comedy routines to burn off excess energy, according to what he told Entertainment Tonight in 1981 (via Classic Rock).

Roth eventually relocated to Pasadena, California, with his family. Following his musical muses, Roth was soon honing his chops as a rock vocalist. While history ended up writing a far different story, David Lee Roth almost didn't end up in Van Halen. Eddie and Alex, the titular Van Halen brothers, were performing in Mammoth, a local rival of Roth's band Red Ball Jets. While the two groups were initially reticent of one another, Mammoth found themselves needing a PA system and reached out to borrow Roth's. The singer was happy to oblige, so long as he could come with it.

That early deal launched one of hard rock's most extraordinary success stories. The group was signed to Warner Bros. in 1977 and released their groundbreaking self-titled debut in 1978. It was the start of a career that would reshape the sound of heavy metal and hard rock throughout the 1980s and launch Roth's successful solo career. As the singer declared to ET in 1981, "I have turned 'Monkey Hour' into a career."

While the truth about David Lee Roth and Eddie Van Halen's relationship is tumultuous to say the least, the singer had an undeniable and central role in shaping the group's sound into the commercial juggernaut it would eventually become. That influence would begin with a critical change in moniker: when another group was found to be operating as Mammoth, it was Roth who suggested shifting to Eddie and Alex's more enigmatic surname.

Roth's influence carried beyond the name change, as it was his love of Black soul and R&B that gave his vocal stylings — and the Van Halen sound — its unique edge. "Every Van Halen song has a Motown chorus," he explained on a 2021 episode of the Joe Rogan Experience (via YouTube), going on to explain that he'd been responsible for introducing Eddie Van Halen to funk music by way of an Earth, Wind, & Fire concert. That, he argued in the same episode, accounted for the band's cross-cultural appeal. "Everything that is usable in Van Halen appeals to every haircut you can imagine," he declared. 

Many were left wondering what happened to David Lee Roth after he parted ways with the band in 1985, but they didn't wonder for long, because Roth would go on to parlay the Van Halen sound into his solo albums. 1986's "Eat 'em and Smile" and 1988's "Skyscraper" showcased the six-string skills of Frank Zappa sideman (and budding guitar legend) Steve Vai. Both albums were solid hits, but Roth would falter on 1991's "A Little Ain't Enough," and subsequent solo outings were less successful. Nevertheless, Roth's 2012 reunion with Van Halen for their final album, "A Different Kind of Truth," saw the singer reunite to close out the band's story on a stunning high note.