Planet Rock reports:
Sammy Hagar replaced David Lee Roth in Van Halen in 1985 and released four studio albums with the band – 5150’ OU812, For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge and Balance – before they acrimoniously parted ways following internal conflicts in 1996…
…Asked about his so-called “rivalry” with Roth…Hagar said, “It wasn’t even a blip on my radar.
I don’t respect Dave’s artistry, but I do think he’s clever and a great showman and what he did with Van Halen in the early days was fantastic. Van Halen couldn’t have made it without him.
God bless Dave, but he refuses to acknowledge that Van Halen with me was even more successful than Van Halen with him, and that’s very stupid of him.
That’d be like me not acknowledging what he did for the band before I joined: that would be stupid wouldn’t it?”
Elsewhere in his wide-ranging interview, Hagar revealed what caused the end of his first stint with the band.
“We had eight years of (huge success), and then suddenly people in the band started changing… and it wasn’t me and it wasn’t Mike (Anthony),” Hagar said.
“The Balancen record was like pulling teeth, things got very dysfunctional by then. Drugs and alcohol and insecurity and bad management killed that band.”
Read the full in-depth Confessional interview with Sammy Hagar in Issue 15 of Planet Rock magazine, which is on sale now.
18 Responses
I’m tired of these old farts bickering. Roth wrote the classic VH lyrics. Hagar was more successful with the band. Big deal. All of them are a bunch of douches They’re millionaires and they still want to bitch and whine. Shut up already.
So I guess for Sam to “respect Dave’s artistry,” Dave would have to acknowledge formally that Van Hagar was even more successful than Van Halen was with him fronting the band.
1- Why does Dave have to “acknowledge” anything to be bestowed with Sam’s approval?
2- It should be pointed out to Sam that while Van Hagar had more radio hits, 5150 has sold 6 million copies….1984 has sold about 12 million copies.
If Sam’s “rivalry” with Dave isn’t even a “blip on his radar,” then why is he talking about Dave and Van Halen constantly?
Easy Sammy…..as much as I like the “Van Hagar” period of the band, it doesn’t come close to the Roth era! I would put VH’s first 4 albums up against anyone, including Metallica. I completely understand Sammy defending his era, and Roth defending his era, but to me it was two completely different eras of the band, and I would pick the Roth era every time!!
Will Sammy admit the his years were more bubble gum? Who cares if Dave doesn’t admit it. What does that do?
Typical pathetic drivel from this bum!