SAMMY HAGAR SAYS HE “FORESEE[S]” A VAN HALEN REUNION TOUR HAPPENING, ADDING “EDDIE AND I ARE NOT DONE”
Andy Greene of Rolling Stone reports:
David Lee Roth caused mild panic in the Van Halen fan community late last year when he told the press that the band was “finished” as he announced plans for his Las Vegas residency and solo tour with KISS. Former frontman Sammy Hagar hasn’t spoken directly to Eddie Van Halen since the conclusion of their 2004 reunion tour, but talking to Rolling Stone, he has a different take than Roth’s assessment.
“Until Ed or Alex Van Halen die, they’re not finished,” he tells Rolling Stone. “Those are two great musicians that can friggin’ do as good as most people at half-mast. As a drummer and as a guitarist and creative person, Eddie, I can’t see them ever being finished. I wish they were more active, but I think Van Halen will never be finished.”
“If they want to get it together, they just have to call Dave or have to call Sammy,” he adds. “They can go out with [Van Halen’s son] Wolfie as a trio, but that’s not the legacy of Van Halen. I think they know that. I’m not predicting what’s going to happen, but I would tell you if there’s concerts next year, Van Halen will probably be on tour next year…”
…The exact state of Eddie Van Halen’s health has been the source of much speculation in the past year, but the guitarist has yet to comment on the situation publicly. “Eddie had a lot of health issues, but I heard he got it together,” says Hagar. “I pray for the guy and I love the guy.”
The classic Van Halen lineup of 1974 to 1984 hasn’t performed together since the conclusion of the 1984 tour. Original frontman David Lee Roth did return to the band in 2007, but Anthony was replaced on bass by Eddie’s son Wolfgang. “My dream tour is the Sam and Dave tour with Ed, Al and Mike.” says Hagar. ‘Let Wolfie put his band together and open. I have a son, Andrew Hagar, who makes great music. Let Andrew open, let Wolfie play with his band in the middle and then have the Sam and Dave tour where we do an hour each. An hour with Dave songs and an hour with me.”
The logistics of a Sam and Dave tour might be hard to work out. They went out together as solo acts in 2002, but there was so much tension backstage, an actual wall had to be erected at certain venues to keep them apart. At no point did they appear onstage at the same time.
“If Dave wants to come out together, we can do that,” says Hagar. “But of course he wouldn’t want to do that, so I couldn’t care less if I even saw the guy. The truth of the matter is, for the fans, and just for me to be a part of that, I want to to walk out there every night and do the best of Van Hagar and have him do the best of that era. That’s a good a tour as anyone would ever do on the planet and it’s for the Van Halen fans. I love making people happy. And it would make me happy…”
“I foresee it happening,” he says. “I’m not trying to plant a seed like I know something is happening. I know nothing. I just know what I know in my heart and my head, which is that it has to happen. Whether it’s Sam and Dave or not, I don’t know that either. But I know that Eddie and I are not done. If enough water goes under the bridge before we die, it’ll happen. It has to. God is going to slap us both around if he has to.”
Read more at Rolling Stone.
Sammy, shut-up! Man, you beat this drum and dead-horse every 4 to 6 months. Can you let it go until it really happens, please?! You sound worse than the GnR hype. We all or most of us want you to rejoin with the VH brothers and Mikey for one last epic show(s). Tell us when it’s really gonna happen and not this willy-nilly crap 2 & 3 times a year. You’re just watering it down for all of us. I don’t use the phrase much, but Fake News comes to mind. Enough already! I’m Walking here!!!
This is simply my opinion, but maybe Hagar thinks if puts the positive message out to the universe (via the press) often enough, it will come to fruition?
My personal belief is, that the decision begins, and ends, with Eddie. If Eddie wants to do it, health issues aside, it will happen If not, it won’t, it is as simple as that. I am not sure if Hagar’s olive branches by proxy, are making any difference within the Van Halen camp. He has extended quite a few, over the years, one would think, if the interest was there, it would have happened by now.
Furthermore, it may also be a matter of pride and money, and how important those things are to each member. I tend to agree with Hagar, I don’t see Roth wanting to share the bill, but again, if the monetary offer is high enough, maybe it would be too difficult to pass up?
Again, I believe, this is all up to EVH.
D 🙂
I hear what you’re saying Dana. I think Sammy is a pretty positive guy that wants to move forward and have and create positive lasting memories. For both himself and the fans. I, too, believe he genuinely misses the VH brothers and wants to rekindle the greatness they once had. On the other hand, like you pointed out, Sir Edward is the key to all of this. From what I can tell, Alex is the one that mended these fences in the past, or so I think. Perhaps they know their time is over. Kinda like how Robert Plant doesn’t want to do anymore Zeppelin songs w/ Jimmy Page on Jimmy’s terms. I agree with the points you’ve made.
Sammy’s more realistic about Joe & Chad than he is about Eddie & Alex.
Cheers
Sammy must be really high or drunk if he believes that!
Give Sammy a break! I mean what the hell, he constantly, constantly gets asked this question over and over in interviews, what else can he say? He always leaves the door open, what the hell is wrong with that? You guys ever stop to think that maybe if Ed and Al would do an interview once in a blue moon, that maybe Sammy wouldn’t always have to be the one to answer the same question all the time? They (the press) come to him, it’s not like he goes looking for them.
If Sammy was invited to return to Van Halen with Wolfgang on bass, rather than Michael Anthony, I wonder if Sammy would accept the invitation under those terms….
I doubt it, bro, I’ve heard Sammy say many times he wouldn’t return without Michael.
Good ? Rattlehead, I wonder the same . He sounds so freaking desperate he just might . Didn`t Sammy write a book that had some very unflattering stories from the Van Halen days ? He talked alot of s–t about the brothers, true or not, he was pretty brutal. Maybe things would be different if he didnt write that book . Personally I think they would. He burned a bridge that he can`t rebuild and it`s bugging the s–t out of him. It`s never going to happen Sammy, let it go bud.
I would hope Sammy wouldn’t do it without Mikey. I would loose a lot of respect for him if he did.
Hey, Ghost Of Lemmy, is that really you “Ghost Of Craig?” If it walks like a duck…
this is becoming a a new (tequila) twist on an old tale…”cry wolf(ie)