Great musicians who should have been famous except....

Are you suggesting Alex Van Halen isn't famous?  He's certainly extremely wealthy...particularly compared to say Ginger Baker. 

All I'm saying is if you ask anyone about Van Halen what % would remember Alex was the brother? Millions of other examples hence the post. I had to look at the album sleeve to confirm. I never appreciated the technical ability in my day. My son is trying to play the opening at 50% tempo and is still getting killed. 

Agreed, way too many great examples of influential drummers (really all musicians) who most people have never heard of.  Tony Williams for example.  Talent and success far too often share zero connection.

Awesome. Stuart Copeland and Neil Peart were always the big rock drummers in "the day" for me? So much I missed clearly.

Van Halen 1984?
"And is there a better lead in to ANY rock vinyl than that?"

WHAT?!!  As a 16 year old in1978, I saw VH do one of their first  SoCal arena gigs to promote their debut album. I thought they were possibly one of the bands to carry the R&R  torch that the usual suspects held thru the 60-70s. 

EVH was from another planet, and David Lee was charismatic. When they released the second album.... I was disappointed. Back to my Stones, Zep and Who.

Sorry, reading your post just struck a R&R memory nerve. The 80's were the empty freeway lane to R&R death.