GH: Van Halen due before Xmas in US

Activision has apparently dated Guitar Hero: Van Halen for 22nd December in the US, putting the release super-close to Christmas - a period usually shunned by publishers.

We're checking for European details but won't expect to see the game that Friday, because that happens to be Christmas Day.

Activision confirmed US plans to GameSpot, plus provided a full menu of GH: Van Halen tracks.

Of those, 25 are by the group Van Halen, while a further three are solos by Eddie Van Halen. On top of that are 19 songs by various other bands, including Queen, Tenacious D and Lenny Kravitz. Weezer are in there too. Why? No one knows.

Guitar Hero: Van Halen will be available on the usual platform quartet: PS2, PS3, Wii and Xbox 360.

Tracks by Van Halen:

• "Ain't Talkin Bout Love"
• "And the Cradle Will Rock"
• "Atomic Punk"
• "Beautiful Girls"
• "Dance the Night Away"
• "Everybody Wants Some"
• "Feel Your Love Tonight"
• "Hang 'Em High"
• "Hear About it Later"
• "Hot for Teacher"
• "Ice Cream Man"
• "I'm the One"
• "Jamie's Cryin"
• "Jump"
• "Little Guitars"
• "Loss of Control"
• "Mean Street"
• "Panama"
• "Pretty Woman"
• "Romeo Delight"
• "Running with the Devil"
• "So This is Love"
• "Somebody Get Me a Doctor"
• "Unchained"
• "You Really Got Me"

Solos by Eddie Van Halen

• "Cathedral" (solo)
• "Eruption" (solo)
• "Spanish Fly" (solo)

Tracks by other bands:

• Alter Bridge - "Come to Life"
• Billy Idol - "White Wedding"
• blink-182 - "First Date"
• Deep Purple - "Space Truckin"
• Foo Fighters - "Best Of You"
• Foreigner - "Double Vision"
• Fountains of Wayne - "Stacy's Mom"
• Jimmy Eat World - "Pain"
• Judas Priest - "Painkiller"
• Killswitch Engage - "The End of Heartache"
• Lenny Kravitz - "Rock and Roll is Dead"
• Queen - "I Want it All"
• Queens of the Stone Age - "Sick, Sick, Sick"
• Tenacious D - "Master Exploder"
• The Clash - "Safe European Home"
• The Offspring - "Pretty Fly For a White Guy"
• Third Eye Blind - "Semi-Charmed Life"
• Weezer - "Dope Nose"
• Yellowcard - "The Takedown" other bands: