Van Halen Launch ESPN Takeover

At long last, the day Van Halen fans have been waiting years for is finally here: the official release of the band's new album, 'A Different Kind of Truth.' VH has been promoting 'Truth' all over TV and the web lately, and that will continue today with their takeover of the ESPN website, which includes streaming new tracks, contests, and more.

The VH/ESPN partnership includes streaming access to six tracks from the new album: 'Blood and Fire,' 'As Is,' 'The Trouble with Never,' 'Stay Frosty,' 'Beats Workin',' and leadoff single 'Tattoo.'

And speaking of tattoos, the band is also teaming up with ESPN for an 'Are You Tattooed?' contest that will reward one lucky winner with "a slam dunk, all-expenses-paid vacation to a Van Halen concert and a world-class, all-pro meet and greet with Diamond Dave." All you need to do to enter is have a sports-related tattoo somewhere on your body. (At last, your 'Bo Knows Sports' tat will be good for something!)

Speaking of Van Halen and tattoos, here's a photo feature detailing which Van Halen alumni have had work done on their own skin.

Finally, the band is asking fans to use the ESPN site to rank its albums...the ones they recorded with David Lee Roth before 'A Different Kind of Truth,' that is. Since this is a subject that most VH fans have probably given a fair amount of thought, voting should be easy. What's your favorite early Van Halen record? Hit the polls and let us know. And good luck in the tattoo contest!

We had a similar idea a while back -- click over here to take part in our Best Van Halen Songs, Album by Album Readers' Poll.