Andy Greene of Rolling Stone spoke with singer Sammy Hagar. Highlights of the interview appear below.
RS: You played some Van Halen songs on Live From Daryl’s House earlier this year. What happened next?
SH: [Laughs] There you go, Andy. You got the f–kin’ pick and shovel out now. Well, there is no question about it, I’d like this to be known, the Van Halen brothers will not allow me to do any of my own songs on TV. They can’t stop me from doing them live, because they’ve tried and they can’t. They want to pretend like Van Hagar never existed. The only Number One albums they’ve had in their life, and they want to pretend like they never happened. I don’t know why they hate me so bad, but I guess I’m too happy for them.
Yes, it’s true. They wouldn’t let me do them. I can hire an attorney and fight them and I’m going too, but I didn’t have time to do that then. On the new Circle DVD we’re making from the live album, Led Zeppelin agreed to let us use their music. And Van Halen said, “No.” And then I said, “F–k you.” I don’t need to do this to survive, and thank God, because otherwise, they would starve me out like I think they’re trying to do.
It’s the lowest, cheesiest thing ever. I wrote every lyric and every melody and I sang them in that band. Alex Van Halen played the f–king drums and Michael Anthony played bass, and I wrote music and lyrics. When you’re singing Right Now or Why Can’t This Be Love, that’s my music. I wrote all the lyrics.
RS: To be clear, they told you that you couldn’t put their music on a DVD too?
SH: Yeah, it’s going to happen, though. It just becomes a legal mess. Also, in my book I wanted to run some lyrics from the [Van Halen song] Cabo Wabo. They wouldn’t let me use one verse, in my f–king book, of my own lyrics. They fought it, and I didn’t have time to fight back since they did it at the 11th hour ’cause they’re assholes. It’s unbelievable that Led Zeppelin lets us cover their songs on TV and anywhere else, and the brothers won’t let me sing my f–king songs. And why? ‘Cause they can’t do them anymore. Without me, they can’t play those songs, and they’re f–king jealous. And that’s the thing that gives me comic relief out of the whole thing.
RS: How exactly did they try and stop you from even doing them live? That’s insane.
SH: When you play live, you turn your set list into ASCAP or whatever organization pays for it. When they saw that, somebody wrote a letter to my publishers or had a guy make a call asking if we’d stop playing those songs live. The answer was, “No.”
RS: You’re fighting back though. You put that video on YouTube when Eddie trashed Michael Anthony’s bass playing.
SH: It’s obvious the fans want Mikey back in Van Halen, before anyone. If it’s gonna be Dave or me, it doesn’t matter in this sense. The main thing they want is Mikey back in the band. God bless Wolfie. It’s got to be frustrating. But Eddie’s just trying to stick up for his kid and to justify that he has him playing bass. He shouldn’t have to justify that. He wants Wolfie in the band, that’s fine. But you don’t have to bash Mikey to make it okay. Mikey is the wrong guy to bash. He wouldn’t stand up for himself in a million years. That’s not because he’s chickenshit. It’s because he’s just such nice person.
RS: Do you ever think you’ll ever speak to Eddie again?
SH: I would hope so. Because that would be really sad if any one of us — I’ll put myself in the same category — took this to our graves. That is not where you take things. I would rather go to my grave with no enemies left. I just don’t think that would feel right. But who knows. Whatever. It’s not my decision because I was the one they pushed out and tried to f–k over. To me, it’s up to them to come back and say they’re sorry.
I’m not sorry for anything. I didn’t do anything. Matter of fact, I did everything for that band. It was 100 percent my heart and soul and the best I had to give. All I did was make Number One albums and a lot of money. That’s all I ever did for the band. Anything that’s been done has all been in anger towards myself and now Mikey, too. To me, they need to come and say, “We’re sorry.” And then our job would be to say, “Great, you’re forgiven.” Boom. Not for a reunion or anything like that. That’s over, to me. That’s completely f–king over. I wouldn’t want to be in a band like that right now.
I’d feel like a hypocrite for joining that band. How about that? There’s a good quote for you. If I joined Van Halen right now, I’d feel like the biggest hypocrite in the world. And I’m not a hypocrite.
Read more at Rolling Stone.
In other Hagar news, the singer recently confirmed that Chickenfoot is working on new music. He also stated that he would love take both Chickenfoot and The Circle out on the road together. Read the news story, here.
source: rollingstone.com
23 Responses
For I guy I idolized growing up and emulated in my playing style, EVH sure turned out to be a psychotic asshat. He seems to have completely spun a bearing and turned into that old guy on your block yelling to get the hell off of his lawn. Still think he’s one of the top 5 guitarists to ever walk the planet,but his people skills sure leave a lot to be desired anymore….
Yep, that’s been a bitter pill to swallow.
VH with either Sam or Dave was still better than anything else around at the time. I do favor the earlier Dave material, but still really like a lot of the Sammy era stuff. It was great to hear VH either way.
The reality is that sometimes, when your favorite artists or idols actually communicate, you find out they are complete asshats.
Very well-said, Gary. Couldn’t agree more. Van Hagar was such an energetic time for that band. I saw Van Halen, live, for the first time 3 or 4 years ago at MSG and was embarrassed by Dave, his lame antics and his voice. I think back to when I saw Van Hagar at Giants Stadium, back on the Monsters of Rock tour, and it was like an earthquake hit. That band was TIGHT every single night.
Say what you want about Sammy, but he elevated that band musically in so many ways. With Dave? Eh.
#1 albums but they all sucked compared to the first 4 with Dave.
I’d take the alien abductee over the lounge singer any day of the week.
You must post at VHND. It’s the blabbermouth of VH fans.
1. Headline starts: “If I joined Van Halen right now…” Hey, Sam. No one’s asking you to join VH, so why in every single interview do you keep mentioning what you’d do if you were asked?
2- Maybe one reason the Van Halen brothers are being such “d*cks” to you is because you wrote a book and devoted entire chapters detailing Ed’s alcoholism. Profiting from the misfortunes of your friends seems WAY more of a “d*ck” move than Ed/Al preventing you from performing Van Hagar songs at Darryl’s House.
3- Another reason to prevent you from performing and selling those songs is because they don’t want competing versions of Van Halen/Hagar in the public when Van Halen is still a functioning entity. Yes, it’s hard-nosed business, but it’s business – not a bunch of old beach bums doing tequila shots and blathering about how great a tour with both lead singers would be (and no, the “Van Halen Revue” wouldn’t be cool).
4- It seems that Michael Anthony has moved on happily from Van Halen, so why can’t his Consigliere Sam move on as well?
5- Sure. Van Hagar had more #1 albums, but whose music is still more of a staple on radio and pop culture? In other words, whose music has withstood time and become classics, as opposed to being relegated to ’80s stations? (answer: Van Halen)
6- Finally, Sam. What IS the one way to rock? (You never say.)
“Functioning entity.” Lol. I suppose someone on life support is still a functioning entity. Lol.
I’m still a fan of Eddie the guitar player, (not the person.) and I was a huge Dave guy in the 70s to mid 80s, but Jebus Chrysler, that guy can’t sing to save his life now.
Sammy has almost a decade on Dave’ and……….well, I’m not gonna beat a dead horse”
He was asked…read the article…plus, those are his songs too…did Black Sabbath try to ban Dio from playing the stuff with him live, after they brought Ozzy back years ago?? No. Did they tell Ozzy he couldn’t put out a live album with Sabbath stuff on it when they fired hm?! No…so you’ve obviously got it in for Hagar. What the hell does your opinion of whether or not the albums with Hagar compared to the Roth albums have to do with whether he can play the songs live?! And as far as competing Van Halens…that may be the most absurd thing you listed…He should be able to to play any song he wants, that he had a hand in writing…They probably don’t want him to upstage their current lineup, because he would crush Roth vocally, even on Roths songs…
again,someone that got rich at a very young age,and lost his mind,they believe all the yes men around them,they all lose touch with reality,money def is the root of all evil,wonder if any of these guys would be acting this way with there fellow workers or friends if they worked ina factory,doubtful.
this just in: van halen sues Sammy for saying “if I joined van halen RIGHT NOW”.