A Little Ain't Enough Explained

A Little Ain't Enough
Type:Album
Artist:David Lee Roth
Cover:ALAE_cover.jpg
Released:January 15, 1991
Recorded:1990
Studio:Little Mountain (Vancouver)
Genre:
Label:Warner Bros.
Producer:Bob Rock
Prev Title:Skyscraper
Prev Year:1988
Next Title:Your Filthy Little Mouth
Next Year:1994

A Little Ain't Enough is the third full-length studio album by David Lee Roth, released on January 15, 1991, through Warner Music Group. It was certified gold on April 11, 1991. Produced by Bob Rock, the album featured the lead guitar work of Jason Becker, a then up-and-coming guitarist who was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, Lou Gehrig's disease) a week after joining the band. He managed to finish recording the album, but was unable to tour in support of the album, as his condition left him with little strength in his hands.

The album marked the beginning of Roth's commercial decline, given the drop-off in sales from his prior two albums. During the year of the album's release, the Seattle grunge movement was beginning a sea change in rock, and Roth's brand of glam metal was considered, by mainstream audiences, obsolete. Although the album went out of print on the Warner Bros. label in 1996, it was reissued (in remastered form) in 2007 through the Friday Music label.

Release

A music video for the title track, "A Lil' Ain't Enough", received significant play on MTV.[2] [3]

The song "Hammerhead Shark" is a cover and partial rewrite of the song by the same title from the 1990 album Walking on a Wire[4] by Lowen & Navarro.

Tour

The tour supporting the record was successful in Europe, but the American leg, supported by Extreme and Cinderella, turned into a financial failure, with low attendance and a third of the shows cancelled due to poor ticket sales. Setlists were shortened and songs from the current album dropped as the US tour went on.

The touring band featured Ozzy Osbourne and Lizzy Borden guitarist Joe Holmes, bassist Todd Jensen from Hardline, longtime collaborators Gregg Bissonette and Brett Tuggle, and for the first few shows[5] Desi Rexx from D'Molls as second guitarist.[6]

Personnel

Charts

Chart (1991)Peak
position
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[7] 1
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[8] 17

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2015-10-16. Friday 5: What 5 (More) Hair Metal Albums Are Essential?. 2021-03-14. MetalSucks. en.
  2. Web site: February 17, 2021 . When David Lee Roth Predicted 2021 In 1991's 'A Lil' Ain't Enough' Video . Van Halen News Desk.
  3. Web site: Voice . The Metal . October 3, 2021 . David Lee Roth Retirement Planned Since 1991 'A Lil Ain't Enough' Video? Prophecy? Coincidence? . themetalvoice.
  4. Web site: Walking on a Wire - Lowen & Navarro | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic . AllMusic.
  5. Web site: Dmolls.
  6. Web site: R'Solved.
  7. Book: Pennanen, Timo. Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972. 1st. Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. Helsinki. 2006. fi. 978-951-1-21053-5.
  8. Book: Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005. Oricon Entertainment. Roppongi, Tokyo. 2006. 4-87131-077-9. ja.