The Johnny Beane Podcast

Celebrate the anniversary of Van Halen II, released March 23, 1979! 🎸🔥 In this episode of Exclusively Van Halen on Johnny Beane TV, we break down the full album track-by-track, share behind-the-scenes stories, and explore why this classic record still hits just as hard today. Featuring legendary performances from Eddie Van Halen, David Lee Roth, Alex Van Halen, and Michael Anthony, this album to...

Today we celebrate the anniversary of 5150 — the groundbreaking 1986 release that launched a new era for Van Halen with Sammy Hagar on vocals! 🤘 Featuring massive hits like Why Can't This Be Love, Dreams, and Love Walks In, this album became the band’s first #1 record and a defining moment in rock history. In this episode of Exclusively Van Halen, we break down the full album track-by-track, shar...

On this episode of Exclusively Van Halen on Johnny Beane TV, we pay tribute to the legendary Chuck Norris, who passed away yesterday at the age of 86. 🙏 We take a look back at incredible moments in rock history, featuring rare photos of Chuck with Eddie Van Halen, Valerie Bertinelli, and David Lee Roth at the Los Angeles Sports Arena on September 19, 1980. Plus, I share a personal connection—talk...

On this episode of Talking Guitars on Johnny Beane TV, we take a moment to honor the legendary Randy Rhoads on the anniversary of his passing. 🎸 We reflect on his influence, his groundbreaking playing, and the legacy he left behind. We also check out a brand new clip from Bob Daisley—“Sample 5” from The Blizzard of Oz / The Holy Grail project—and share our thoughts on what we’re hearing. https://...

We dive into a Guitar Player article featuring Andy Summers and break down the story behind the iconic riff in “Message in a Bottle” by The Police—exploring Andy’s unique approach, chord voicings, and the creative mindset that helped shape one of the most recognizable guitar parts in rock history. On this episode of Talking Guitars right here on Johnny Beane TV, we not only talk through the articl...

On this day in 1998, Van Halen dropped Van Halen III — their 11th studio album and the only release featuring Gary Cherone on vocals. Produced by Mike Post and Eddie Van Halen, the album marked a bold shift in direction, with longer songs, deeper experimentation, and a very different vibe from anything the band had done before. While it received mixed reviews and didn’t hit the same commercial hig...

On this episode of Talking Guitars on Johnny Beane TV, we dive into a killer story from Guitar World as Fender celebrates 75 years of the legendary Telecaster with FIVE brand-new models that blend vintage vibe with cutting-edge innovation. From a stunning 1951 Road Worn Telecaster dripping in old-school mojo, to a high-performance American Ultra II loaded with modern features—and even Fender’s fir...

"Exclusively Van Halen" is your ultimate destination for all things Van Halen. From deep dives into the band’s legendary history to giveaways and gear showcases, we celebrate one of the greatest rock bands of all time — every week. 🎸 Join one of the biggest Van Halen fan groups on Facebook: http://facebook.com/groups/EVHFANPAGE 🔔 Subscribe, hit that like button, and join the conversation! 🔔 Fol...

This Saturday night on Johnny Beane TV, we kick things off with a tribute as we read a story about the passing of Phil Campbell, legendary guitarist of Motörhead. Our thoughts and condolences go out to his family, friends, and fans around the world. Then we take a quick behind-the-scenes mini studio tour, where you’ll see some of the guitars hanging behind me and the gear that powers the show. I a...

On this episode of Talking Guitars on Johnny Beane TV, we’re diving into one of the most historic nights in guitar history! 🎸🔥 On any normal night, $6,907,000 for Kurt Cobain’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” Mustang and $11,560,000 for Jerry Garcia’s legendary “Tiger” guitar would have shattered world records. But this wasn’t just any night… This was the Jim Irsay Collection: Hall of Fame Auction at...

On this episode of Exclusively Van Halen on Johnny Beane TV, we’re talking about Sammy Hagar and the Best of All Worlds Band kicking off their 2026 Las Vegas residency in a huge way! 🔥🎸 The band hit the stage at Dolby Live at Park MGM with a 19-song set packed with **Van Halen classics, solo hits, and even three songs the band had never performed together before. This residency continues the Bes...

On this episode of Exclusively Van Halen on Johnny Beane TV, we talk about a cool story from Billy Idol guitarist Steve Stevens. He recalls his first jam at Eddie Van Halen’s house in 1987 and how it turned into a friendship built around guitars and gear. Stevens says Eddie was incredibly generous—letting him try his rig and even helping him connect with Ernie Ball Music Man guitars and Peavey 515...

On this episode of Talking Guitars on Johnny Beane TV, we check out one of the most unique spots in the Bay Area — Guitar Wars! 🎸✨ This place is part guitar shop and part Star Wars museum, packed with awesome guitars and incredible collectibles from a galaxy far, far away. If you're into rock, metal, guitars, and Star Wars, this spot is seriously something special. Bay Area Rich and I headed dow...

We welcome back Michael Frost of Frost Swirls / Frost Guitars! Michael is known for his incredible hand-painted swirl guitar finishes inspired by legends like Steve Vai and Van Halen. He last joined the show a couple years ago, and tonight he’s back to talk guitars, custom paint, parts builds, guitar kits, and even guitar picks! If you love custom guitars, wild finishes, and rock guitar culture, y...

On this episode of Straturday Night, I check out the SYNIDO LiveDock A30 — talking about what it does and giving you a quick video demo. I’ll also be doing a full standalone demo soon, so keep an eye out for that — hopefully dropping on the channel tomorrow! We also hang out and chat about the past, present, and future of Johnny Beane TV, plus some of the projects I’ve been working on behind the s...

On this episode of Talking Guitars, I showed you a couple of my guitars that are currently in pieces on the workbench as I swap out parts and experiment with new upgrades. I’ll be diving deeper into those mods on my other show Guitar Bench After Hours, where we really get into the hands-on guitar work. And tomorrow night on Straturday Night, I’ll be heading back to the workbench for more live tink...

On this episode of Exclusively Van Halen on Johnny Beane TV, we dive into the brand newly released “Why Can’t This Be Love” music video now live on the Van Halen YouTube channel! We break down the history behind the classic track, the era of Sammy Hagar stepping into the band, and what this song meant for the groundbreaking 5150 album. With the 5150 Expanded Edition dropping at the end of March, w...

On this episode of Talking Guitars & Music News, we dive into the brand-new collaboration between Joe Satriani and Steve Vai! Their explosive new song and video, “Dancing”, is here—and we break it all down. We also talk about something truly legendary: both Satriani and Vai stepping into the world of Edward Van Halen. From Vai shredding alongside David Lee Roth in the ’80s to Satriani now honoring...

EVH Striped Series Frankenstein Relic http://sweetwater.sjv.io/eKk5jZ This is a Sweetwater affiliate link 🎸 If you use it, you’re directly supporting the channel and helping keep these shows rockin’! On this episode of Exclusively Van Halen on Johnny Beane TV, we dive into a powerful story from Guitar World featuring Myles Kennedy. The Alter Bridge frontman reflects on recording at 5150 Studios a...

Twisted Sister has a new singer… and it’s none other than Sebastian Bach, the legendary frontman of Skid Row! We break down what this means for the band, what fans can expect from their upcoming 50th anniversary tour, and how Sebastian’s iconic voice could bring new energy to Twisted Sister’s classic hits. Whether you’re a fan of hair metal, Skid Row, or just great rock ‘n’ roll, you won’t want to...

On this episode of Exclusively Van Halen, we’re diving into the latest developments surrounding a potential new Van Halen album — and why Sammy Hagar is feeling left out. Alex Van Halen is reportedly working on a project built from unreleased jam session recordings he and his brother Eddie Van Halen created at 5150 Studios. The music itself isn’t newly recorded — but it would be brand-new to fans....

On this episode of Exclusively Van Halen on Johnny Beane TV, we’re diving into a brand new, just-released, uncirculated soundboard recording capturing US Festival rehearsals — and this is HUGE. This is the rehearsal performance before Van Halen took the stage on May 29, 1983… recorded on May 21 in front of a small private audience at A&M Studios on the A&M Soundstage. 🔥 Originally labeled simply...

On this episode of Straturday Night on Johnny Beane TV, we head straight to the workbench! 🎸🔧 I upgrade the endpins on the LEKATO S-style guitar and string it up with a heavier gauge set to fatten up the tone and feel. We did have to wrap things up a little early after I got a phone call I had to return — but not before packing in some serious guitar fun. Earlier in the day, I went live with an...

On this episode of Exclusively Van Halen on johnnybeaneTV, we dive into one of the biggest “what-ifs” in hard rock history. “The rest is history. That’s how close it got.” That’s how Alex Van Halen described the moment he and Eddie Van Halen nearly formed a band with Ozzy Osbourne. At a time when Van Halen was reeling from lineup turmoil — after the Gary Cherone era ended and relationships with Da...

Get the LEKATO ST-01 electric guitar https://amzn.to/4riBNVv On this episode, we’re plugging in the LEKATO Electric Guitar — and wow… this thing rips. 🎸🔥 It comes fully loaded with the JA-02 II mini amp, strap, extra strings, capo, and tuner — literally everything you need to plug in and start rocking straight out of the box. No waiting. No excuses. Just crank it up and go. Yeah, it’s marketed a...