The Johnny Beane Podcast

On this episode of Exclusively Van Halen, we dive into a major development surrounding a possible new Van Halen album — and now Michael Anthony has weighed in. After Alex Van Halen surprised fans by announcing he was working with Steve Lukather on unreleased Van Halen material, speculation has been swirling. Although Lukather initially insisted he’d never “play a guitar note on a VH song,” it was...

🚨 RARE Eddie Van Halen 1984 Kramer “5150 Studio” Guitar Heads to Auction – $2 MILLION Estimate! 🎸🔥 An Eddie Van Halen-owned 1984 Kramer guitar—customized by Ed himself on his personal workbench and played inside the legendary 5150 Studio—is heading to auction at GottaHaveRockAndRoll.com with an expected sale price of $1.5–$2 million and a minimum bid of $800,000. This isn’t just another Kramer....

Get the LEKATO ST-01 electric guitar https://amzn.to/4riBNVv On this episode, we’re unboxing the LEKATO Electric Guitar Kit — and this thing is PACKED. 🎸🔥 It includes the JA-02 II mini amp, plus a strap, extra strings, capo, and tuner — everything you need to plug in and start rocking right out of the box. This may be a killer beginner bundle, but trust me… it feels like way more than just a sta...

We kick things off diving into home studio recording—talking apps, simple setups, and the tools I actually use to capture ideas fast. I show off a couple of my go-to recording apps and how they fit into my workflow. Then… the mystery continues. 🤔 Ron says he sent an OBSBot webcam… but did I ever unbox it?! I have ZERO memory of this. Peggy is officially on the case, digging through year-old video...

On this episode, we’re diving deep into the world of strap locks and serious guitar wiring madness! 🎸🔥 First up — strap locks! We’re talking about the classics and the ones we actually use, from Schaller to Fender Strap Blocks and Ernie Ball options. Which ones hold up onstage? Which ones have survived years of gigs? And which ones are we rocking right now? (Yes, I’ve personally been using the F...

On this episode of Exclusively Van Halen, we dive into HUGE news: Alex Van Halen has officially confirmed that work is underway on a brand-new album built from unheard Eddie Van Halen material—for the first time ever. Alex revealed in a recent interview that he’s been teaming up with Steve Lukather to help bring these recordings to life. These aren’t scraps or demos either—this is music that was i...

On this episode of Talking Guitars, we dive into a wild rock-history moment: “Randy was trying to get backstage to meet him, but Eddie was bouncing off the walls in his underwear!” That unforgettable story comes from Kelly Garni, who sets the record straight on the supposed rivalry between Randy Rhoads and Eddie Van Halen—and the truth might surprise you. For years, fans and guitar magazines frame...

On this episode of Exclusively Van Halen, we dive into an article spotlighting three Van Halen songs that helped define—and dominate—the 1980s. From Eddie Van Halen’s mind-blowing guitar wizardry to the band’s explosive mix of hard rock and pop hooks, there’s no question Van Halen had the entire decade in a headlock. Whether you lived through the ’80s or discovered them later and became obsessed,...

On this episode of Straturday Night Live on Johnny Beane TV, we dive into a long-buried, newly resurfaced interview with Ozzy Osbourne—and he is unfiltered. The Prince of Darkness calls out his former Black Sabbath bandmates with some brutally honest words from the years after his firing. Then things get weird: we check out pizza photos with the strangest toppings you’ve ever seen… and the night t...

On this episode of Talking Guitars on Johnny Beane TV, we kick things off with the wild-looking D’Addario Microfiber Polishing Mitt—yeah, it looks like an oven glove, but it’s built to keep your favorite axes spotless without chemicals or streaks. Super cool gear and an affiliate link is down below if you want one. Then we jump into an awesome story about Ozzy Osbourne and Zakk Wylde, sharing one...

On this episode of Exclusively Van Halen on Johnny Beane TV, we dive into one of the most intense turning points in rock history—when Van Halen lost David Lee Roth and nearly tore themselves apart in the studio. “He locked himself in the studio and threatened to burn the tapes…”—a dramatic stand-off that symbolized the chaos inside the band. But with the arrival of Sammy Hagar and help from Mick J...

Kick off this episode of Talking Guitars & Music News on Johnny Beane TV with a big birthday shoutout to the legend himself—Seymour Duncan! 🎉 The mastermind behind some of the greatest guitar pickups ever made. Then we dive into my latest build: a mystery Strat body I grabbed the other day and brought to life on my brand-new series Guitar Bench ASMR Live. If you missed the build episodes from the...

In 1978, Van Halen exploded onto the rock scene with their game-changing debut album—released on this day and forever altering the landscape of rock music. Eddie Van Halen’s groundbreaking guitar work, David Lee Roth’s electrifying vocals, Michael Anthony’s punchy bass lines, and Alex Van Halen’s powerful drumming made this album an instant classic. It inspired generations of musicians and fans, a...

On this episode of Exclusively Van Halen, we celebrate the anniversary of A Different Kind of Truth! 🎸🔥 Released in 2012, this album marked Van Halen’s triumphant return with David Lee Roth, delivering classic energy, killer riffs, and unforgettable tracks. Join us as we revisit the songs, the impact, and the legacy of this incredible album. Don’t miss this special Exclusively Van Halen live sho...

Tonight was night two of our exclusive bonus studio feed—streaming live to Twitch and then uploaded here as extra behind-the-scenes content just for you. Hit the link and jump into the secondary camera for a whole different angle on the show! We kick things off with a quick tribute and news update on Brad Arnold, the lead singer of 3 Doors Down, before heading straight to the guitar workbench. Fro...

On this episode of Talking Guitars on Johnny Beane TV, we hit the workbench and dial in one of my Squier Fender Stratocasters with some fresh fixes and tweaks. Ron rolled in with a super-cool mirrored Charvel that looks absolutely killer, and we also tried something brand new—an exclusive bonus camera angle live on Twitch for extra behind-the-scenes action. If you’re into guitar mods, gear talk, a...

Van Halen officially announced Tokyo Dome Live in Concert on February 5, 2015, following months of fan speculation and a leak just days earlier. Released March 31, 2015, the album became the band’s first live record with original frontman David Lee Roth and bassist Wolfgang Van Halen, capturing the group on their A Different Kind of Truth tour in front of a massive Tokyo Dome crowd. The setlist sp...

On this episode of Talking Guitars on Johnny Beane TV, we check out the innovative Cooper Guitar Picks after visiting their booth at the NAMM Show! They hooked us up with some samples, and I put them to the test on my Taylor acoustic San Francisco Giants guitar to see how they feel and sound in a real session. These picks feature the signature “Cooper Fin”—a raised grip that wraps around your thum...

On this episode of Exclusively Van Halen on Johnny Beane TV 🎸🔥 we’re diving into a HUGE Record Store Day release—Van Halen: Live in New Haven, CT 1986 from Rhino Records! For the first time ever on vinyl, this electrifying 2LP clear-vinyl set captures the classic 5150-era lineup—Sammy Hagar, Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, and Michael Anthony—tearing through a raw, peak-form performance from th...

On this episode of Talking Guitars on Johnny Beane TV, we hit the workbench and gave a Squier Strat a fresh new vibe! The black pickguard is out and a slick white one is in—and honestly, this guitar is looking way better already. We slapped on a set of brand-new strings, got it cleaned up, and talked about the next upgrade: new tuners. The stock ones are a little sketchy (looking at you, D string...

On this episode of Exclusively Van Halen on Johnny Beane TV 🎸🔥 we’re celebrating the 40th anniversary of 5150—the album that launched a new era for Van Halen. Released in March 1986, 5150 was the first of four albums recorded with Sammy Hagar on lead vocals. To mark this milestone, an expanded anniversary edition is on the way, and it’s packed with must-have content for VH fans. The set includes...

On this episode of Talking Guitars on Johnny Beane TV 🎸🔥 we kick things off with a quick recap of the 5150 40th Anniversary expanded edition announcement. I also did a full deep dive earlier today on Exclusively Van Halen, so make sure you check that out right here on the channel. Then we jump into NAMM Show talk—I was there about a week and a half ago, and I’ve been seeing a lot of negativity o...

On this episode of Straturday Night on Johnny Beane TV 🎸🔥 we kick things off with some chill beach vibes from Rio del Mar, California—I was out there today and grabbed some footage to share with you guys. Then it’s back to guitar world as we dive deeper into my NAMM Show experience from last week. I bring the LEKATO electric guitar with built-in effects—which they hooked me up with at the NAMM b...

On this episode of Talking Guitars, we hang out with Hector from the Guitar Tech Adventures YouTube channel 🎸🔥 We dive into the world of guitars—repairs, mods, and real-life guitar tech adventures—and recap some of the cool gear and moments we both saw at NAMM Show 2026. Hector talks about going to Musicians Institute to learn how to work on guitars, his time working at ESP, and later at Fender,...

On this episode of Talking Guitars, it’s the ultimate NAMM Show 2026 wrap-up 🎸🔥 Gear highlights, behind-the-scenes stories, and all the fun from an unforgettable week. We kick things off with Phil X ripping it up at the MAHAFFAY Amplifiers booth, right next to our friend Steve Rosen—so of course we had to catch up. Then we tracked down LEKATO, checked out their booth, and they hooked me up with...