Alex Van Halen Fooled Everyone With This Drum Intro
It’s 1984.
Alex Van Halen records “Hot For Teacher” with Van Halen—and what happens in that session becomes one of the most debated drum intros in rock history.
For over 40 years, drummers have argued about what they’re actually hearing.
Is it a Lamborghini engine? A hot rod? Electronic drums? Four bass drums? Layered parts? Or something even stranger?
But what if it was just Alex playing the part?
In this episode, we break down how Alex combined Simmons electronic drums, double bass technique, and jazz phrasing to create a drum intro that still feels impossible today.
We’ll uncover what was really happening inside Eddie Van Halen’s 5150 studio, separate fact from myth, and show exactly how this legendary drum part was played.
If you’ve ever wondered why drummers are still obsessed with “Hot For Teacher” decades later, this video reveals the secret behind one of rock’s greatest drum performances—and how Alex Van Halen pushed drumming into the future.
This is the story of “Hot For Teacher”.
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Chapters:
00:00 – Intro
01:31 – Animal Farm, 5150 & New Technology
04:12 – Debunking The Beginning
06:00 – The Kick Drums
06:35 – What Took So Long?
07:59 – Right Or Left Foot Lead?
08:22 – Rototoms?!
09:16 – Jazz Influences
10:09 – Who Created The Double Bass Shuffle?
12:08 – Recreating The Full Drum Intro (Performance)
12:50 – Thoughts From Wolfgang Van Halen
13:20 – Legacy, Drum Kits & The Brown Sound
14:48 – Why “Hot For Teacher” Matters To Drummers
24:28 – Final Thoughts
25:01 – How Alex Felt About 1984
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@DrumeoOfficial
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
One of the most iconic drum intros of all time. 🥁🔥Click the link to try Drumeo free for 7 days and build your control and speed behind the kit: 👉 http://www.drumeo.com/trial-yt
@JW-ed5vc
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
I visited Mike's Drum Shop in Santa Barbara back in the 90s and he had some of the Tama Techstar pads set up and micced. As soon as I played a double stroke on one the sound and path of HFT was revealed.
@gqnelly
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
I agree that Alex is often so overlooked but shouldn’t be … his drumming is absolutely the foundation of Van Halen. Sure…Eds playing changed the universe but The Reverend was absurdly brilliant and his GROOVES were slinky. His playing was unique, too…he didnt just cop Bonzo . He blazed his own trail….he deserves more bouquets to be lobbed in his direction.
@behindthen0thing
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
Never knew it was possible
@KajHeGeHaggman
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
You could’ve just asked Alex 😜
@brandonseger5812
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
Why would the stick click come through on a Simmons pad recording? So mysterious.
@stonephilips9361
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
You old guys out there remember drummer Richard Christy from the Howard Stern Show, he played it for Howard who originally thought it was a drum machine.
@AudioJanitor
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
I SAW THEM LIVE in 84
Simmons was a part of the kit and he crushed it.
@larrymenconi5287
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
I think what I relate with with Alex, is what I hear is drums being created for the music being made, Matt Cammeron reminds me of that , of course their great drummers , but you don’t know um for solos or crazy polyrhythmic fusion stuff, what I hear is comming up with his memorable parts while working on making the song those drums are made for be great songs, I listen to riffs and licks to songs and think what would I do if that was played to me and I had to come up with something , I think when your focus in there , at least in band made type music , your voice becomes clear , and the beat players that do that are always held in high regard, the right drums for the song , and obviously using their unique ear and vision to make things iconic, do we get those drums if hot for teacher never written, I don’t know , maybe
@945hilo
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
Van Halen is Van Halen.. known for the drums, the bass, the guitar, the vocals, when you hear a Van Halen song your know it’s Van Halen!!
@945hilo
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
I have always loved the Hot for Teacher intro and never questioned it as anything but Alex on the drums
@JohnPaulCollins-t3i2v
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
You can't say it's just for show with the monster kit😂
Hot for teacher took sing, sing, sing and took it to another level.
Sing, sing, sing, sing, sing,sing.
Alex is a GOAT.
It's not just rock, it also has swing.
Finesse and chops with power and endurance.
Your drumeo take is most impressive
but you got to admit it is not flowing,
you're too tense trying to keep all that hectic chart going the brain is struggling to process and the groove is lost then.
@UndercoverNormie
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
Ah yes, to be 13 again and think I was going to sit down and knock this out with 2000 internet
Edit: 18:54 If anyone knows the name of this finish on his Sonor kit let me know
Edit 2: Nevermind, I'm dumb. That's one of their $15000 Heritage kits 😭 Birch 😭
@ejdrapes5098
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
Such a bummer that you can’t use the music. Same issue with the Phil Collins tribute. Why are companies like UMG so bad about this?
@Clem_Kadidlehopper
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
0:50 nope heard it was a mix of electric and a standard kit using every trick in the book to make drums sound original.
@kandgsitz4092
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
See?! No overdubs! And groove to boot! Long live Al!
@gratefulpipeandcigar3239
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
1984 is on my Mount Rushmore of albums. And that’s coming from a 53 year-old guy who listens to a lot of different kinds of music. It’s seriously like top 10 album of all time in my opinion.
@brianrasmussen8550
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
1 of the best intro EVER 🥁
@marioandresheviacavieres1923
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
Thanks for the videos, I like this channel
@MikeDS49
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
It seems like "what do you think of the hot for Teacher drum intro?" Was a standard question posed to every drummer who stepped into the Drumeo studios.
@CIGARGODGAMING
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
Ha, Sounds like sneakers in a dryer. John Bonham could have showed him how to do it right. 🤨
@johnmeore2153
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
The first part sounds like a Harley motorcycle engine!
@JeromeAndRizaVibes
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
Bring Matthew "Sp{"u}d" McDonough from MudVayne,,. drumeo pls.. 🙏🏽
@theexmusician
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
Let me guess… i did'nt watch this video… I suspect a slap-back delay with one and only pass on the kick drum : 1/8th third… Am I wrong ?
@ThePatcore
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
12:05 You say thats the intro EXACTLY as Alex played it, however, you missed the stick click on the 2nd measure so I guess its not EXACT. 😛 (Just funnin with ya…Yes im a drummer, no I cant play even that shuffle beat).
@DennisCraver
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
Alex made Van Halen swing. That's all I have!
@apelsinhalva
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
Only say,El estepario siberiano 💪
@benjaminsmith1089
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
Wolfgang is amazing. Hot for Teacher on drums live, then play guitar at the level he does.
@MikeDS49
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
I know it's all about everyone hearing it decades before the web and going WTF?, but Alex himself had to have been asked.
@opasvintagegarage
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
The song was banned on school buses in NE Iowa during the 1980s because a few bus driver thought they blew a rear tire. True story.
@DarksladeDiaries
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
Just for reference. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1qg9myFCqw
@jimmywhetton1141
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
We’ve known this for decades,Modern Drummer mag dumped it…… I saw VH 10 times and they never did it live
@OriginalMomo
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
I only have one question.. Brandon, did you put the infamous stick click in when you played it? 😜🤣🤣🤷🏼♂️
@amcam124
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
Awesome job Brandon!!!! Thank you for tackling that and slaying it.
@nelsono4315
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
with a different drummer VH is a completely different band. Alex was a monster on the kit and brought something that another drummer might have not.
@thesawwhisperer3384
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
Al is one of the greatest ever, no doubt! That intro (as well as the entire song/video) probably inspired more people to pick up a pair of sticks than any piece of music in history. I was definitely one of them!
@garyhanson7939
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
I definitely can't play it definitely iconic will be forever. He's the reason why I started playing drums. Favorite drummer of all time.
@Themanfromnoothh
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
It mimics Harley Davidson starting Alex said once
@kyleweck2695
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
Congrats on figuring this out!!🎉🎉
@madmaxmahoney
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
Great video.
@ChristopherSpiller-l2s
June 7, 2026 at 5:44 pm
Well it's only taken over 40 years now but us regular drummers have finally caught up with what Alex Van Halen was doing in 1983
Comments are closed.