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Brian May’s Star Fleet Featuring Eddie Van Halen Getting Reissued

Brian May famously gathered some friends — among them Eddie Van Halen — in a Los Angeles recording studio in 1983 while Queen was on a rare break. Two days…

Brian May playing guitar; Eddie Van Halen playing guitar.
Alberto Pezzali - WPA Pool, David Becker/Getty Images

Brian May famously gathered some friends -- among them Eddie Van Halen -- in a Los Angeles recording studio in 1983 while Queen was on a rare break. Two days were spent in that studio, and it eventually yielded the mini-album Star Fleet Project. Now, the entirety of those recording sessions is getting the box set treatment.

Brian May + Friends' Star Fleet Sessions comes out July 14 and is available for pre-order here. The 2023 mix of the titular track can be heard below and is available for streaming/download here. The box set features two CDs, one LP and a 7" single pressing of "Star Fleet" and the b-side "Song of Star Fleet."

In a statement on the reissue, May said, "It’s all here. ALL of it. Every note we played on those two days is right here, on show for the first time. I will take you behind the scenes into that studio with us for two unforgettably exhilarating days."

In addition to EVH, the recording sessions also included drummer Alan Gratzer, bassist Phil Chen and keyboardist Fred Mandel. May further notes, "It’s been very exciting to open up the vault to find these tapes where, in the blink of an eye, I’m trading licks with my friends, including the fantastic Ed Van Halen. It’s highly emotional, especially since Ed is sadly no longer around. We have since also lost Phil - so the rest of us cherish these fleeting moments together."

Eddie Van Halen was the most influential guitarist of our generation.

Of course, flashy, fleet-fingered guitarists were a dime a dozen in the late ‘70s and ‘80s. Eddie was better than all of them, but he was more than that. A songwriter, a keyboardist, a studio wizard, ¼ of Van Halen’s four-part harmony team and a band leader that was able to guide VH through losing the most distinctive frontman of the ‘80s and led them to four chart-topping albums with Sammy Hagar.

Here, we take on the tough task of ranking their top 30 songs. (It was really, really tough to cut any of the songs on the first six albums from this list.)

30. “Dirty Movies” - ‘Fair Warning’ (1981)

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29. “Happy Trails” - ‘Diver Down’ (1982)

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28. “Ice Cream Man” - ‘Van Halen’ (1978)

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27. “Right Now” - ‘For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge’ (1991)

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26. “Intruder/(Oh) Pretty Woman” - ‘Diver Down’ (1982)

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25. “Finish What Ya Started” - OU812 (1988)

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24. “Little Dreamer” - ‘Van Halen’ (1978)

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23. “Best Of Both Worlds” - ‘5150’ (1986)

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22. “Feel Your Love Tonight” - ‘Van Halen’ (1978)

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21. “Summer Nights” - ‘5150’ (1986)

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20. “Atomic Punk” - ‘Van Halen’ (1978)

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19. “Dreams” - ‘5150’ (1986)

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18. “So This Is Love?” - ‘Fair Warning’ (1981)

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17. “Jamie’s Cryin’” - ‘Van Halen’ (1978)

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16. “Dance The Night Away” - ‘Van Halen II’ (1979)

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15. “Panama” - ‘1984’ (1984)

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14. “I’m The One” - ‘Van Halen’ (1978)

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13. “Somebody Get Me A Doctor” - ‘Van Halen II’ (1979)

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12. “Hot For Teacher” - ‘1984’ (1984)

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11. “Everybody Wants Some!!” - ‘Women And Children First’ (1980)

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10. “Little Guitars (Intro)/Little Guitars” - ‘Diver Down’ (1982)

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9. “1984/Jump” - ‘1984’ (1984)

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8. “On Fire” - ‘Van Halen’ (1978)

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7. “Unchained” - ‘Fair Warning’ (1981)

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6. “You Really Got Me” - ‘Van Halen’ (1978)

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5. “Mean Street” - ‘Fair Warning’ (1981)

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4. “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love” - ‘Van Halen’ (1978)

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3. “And The Cradle Will Rock…” - ‘Women And Children First’ (1980)

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2. “Eruption” - ‘Van Halen’ (1978)

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1. “Runnin’ With The Devil” - ‘Van Halen’ (1978)

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Erica Banas is a news blogger who's been covering the rock/classic rock world since 2014. The coolest event she's ever covered in person was the 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. (Sir Paul McCartney inducting Foo Fighters? C'mon now!) She's also well-versed in etiquette and extraordinarily nice. #TransRightsAreHumanRights