Van Halen | Women and Children First | 1986 German Repress

Van Halen – Women and Children First (1986 German Repress LP)

**1986 German pressing of Van Halen's classic third studio album, *Women and Children First*, released on Warner Bros. Records, catalogue number WB 56 793 / HS 3415. Includes the original David Lee Roth promotional poster in Near Mint condition.**

Originally released in 1980, *Women and Children First* marked an important step in Van Halen's development, showcasing a heavier, more aggressive sound while retaining the band's unmistakable energy, musicianship and larger-than-life personality.

Featuring the legendary original line-up of David Lee Roth on vocals, Eddie Van Halen on guitar, Michael Anthony on bass and Alex Van Halen on drums, the album captures one of America's most influential hard-rock bands during their formative years.

Produced by Ted Templeman, the album features the explosive opening track *And the Cradle Will Rock...*, the hard-hitting *Everybody Wants Some!!*, the swaggering *Fools* and the atmospheric *In a Simple Rhyme*.

Eddie Van Halen's innovative guitar playing remains at the heart of the recording, combining powerful riffs, remarkable technical ability and the distinctive tone that helped redefine hard-rock guitar during the late 1970s and early 1980s.

### Pressing Details

- **Artist:** Van Halen
- **Album:** Women and Children First
- **Original release year:** 1980
- **This edition:** 1986 German repress
- **Country of manufacture:** Germany (West Germany at the time)
- **Label:** Warner Bros. Records
- **Catalogue number:** WB 56 793 / HS 3415
- **Format:** 12-inch vinyl LP, 33⅓ RPM, stereo
- **Manufacturing identification:** Record Service Alsdorf
- **Mastering inscription:** STRAWBERRY (G)

**Matrix / Runout Information**

**Side One:**

HS-1-3415 56793 A2X UK D

The final letter D is crossed out in the runout area.

**Side Two:**

R/S Alsdorf 56793 B3 STRAWBERRY (G)

The Record Service Alsdorf inscription identifies German manufacturing, while the STRAWBERRY (G) stamp is associated with Strawberry Mastering.

These runout details correspond closely with a documented 1986 German repress of the album, distinguishing this edition from the original American and British releases.

### Track Listing

**Side One**

1. And the Cradle Will Rock...
2. Everybody Wants Some!!
3. Fools
4. Romeo Delight

**Side Two**

1. Tora! Tora!
2. Loss of Control
3. Take Your Whiskey Home
4. Could This Be Magic?
5. In a Simple Rhyme

### Condition

**Vinyl: Near Mint (NM)**

The vinyl is in excellent visual condition and has been conservatively graded Near Mint using the Goldmine grading system. The playing surfaces present beautifully, making this a particularly attractive example of the album.

**Outer Sleeve: Very Good Plus (VG+)**

The original outer sleeve is in Very Good Plus condition, showing some signs of age, storage and previous handling while remaining a well-presented example.

**Original David Lee Roth Poster: Near Mint (NM)**

The original David Lee Roth poster is included and is in excellent Near Mint condition.

The poster appears to have seen little or no use and remains exceptionally well preserved. Its inclusion is an important feature of this edition, particularly as original posters are frequently missing from second-hand copies.

Please examine the photographs carefully to assess the condition of the vinyl, sleeve and accompanying poster.

### About This Album

*Women and Children First* followed Van Halen's hugely successful self-titled debut and *Van Halen II*, establishing the band as one of the leading forces in American hard rock.

While retaining the infectious energy of their earlier recordings, the album introduced a darker and more muscular sound, with Eddie Van Halen's guitar work taking centre stage.

The album also demonstrates the band's versatility, moving effortlessly between high-energy hard rock, blues-influenced passages and acoustic moments.

For collectors of classic American hard rock, original-line-up Van Halen and Eddie Van Halen's extraordinary guitar work, *Women and Children First* remains an essential album.

This German pressing, complete with its original David Lee Roth poster, offers an appealing addition to any serious rock vinyl collection.

### Important Information

All records sold by Comfortably Spun are **visually graded using the Goldmine grading system and have not been play-tested**. Grades reflect the visible condition of the record and packaging rather than a guarantee of playback performance.

All photographs show the actual record, sleeve and accompanying items offered for sale, not stock images.

Each record is carefully cleaned before dispatch and securely packaged to protect it during transit.

Orders are dispatched within two working days, with UK deliveries sent using Royal Mail Tracked 48.

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