John Scanlan

John Scanlan

John Scanlan is the author of several books, including Easy Riders, Rolling Stones (2015), a study of the idea of the road in 20th century popular music, Van Halen: Exuberant California, Zen Rock’n’roll (2012), Sex Pistols: Poison in the Machine (2016) and Rock ’n ‘ Roll Plays Itself: A Screen History. He is the series editor of Reaktion Books’ ‘Reverb’ series, which publishes studies of the relationship between music and places.

Latest articles by John Scanlan

Van Halen posing backstage and the cover of 1984

Van Halen: how the wheels came off and the bad feeling that fuelled 1984

By John Scanlan published

Fighting with the Clash, recording with Jacko, swapping guitars for synths – how Van Halen made their bestselling album

Interviews
Van Halen

Van Halen's Jump: how the band's biggest song was inspired by suicide, sick jokes and EVH vs DLR in-fighting

By Tom Poak published

This week in 1984, Van Halen's Jump was no.1 in the US, a massive hit that symbolised the peak – and the end – of VH MK1

Tracks & Singles