Iconic vocalist Sammy Hagar was recently asked by VH1 Radio Network‘s Dave Basner if he still keeps in touch with his former bandmates?
Hagar responded (as transcribed by blabbermouth.net), “I figure [former Van Halen bassist] Michael Anthony and I are the other half. Ed [Van Halen, guitar] and Al [Van Halen, drums] are always going to be Ed and Al. [I] love the guys, [but] we don’t get… I can’t say ‘we,’ [because] I get along with Al, but I can’t get along with Ed.”
He continued: “That last reunion tour was just a horrible experience for me. I wrote about it in my book, and I’m not sorry I said all those things. I was kind, in my opinion, to what really happened on that thing. It was really a bad deal.”
Sammy added: “Those guys, I hate to just say it, but I gotta say it, those guys fucked me around about four times and that’s it. I mean, how many times are you going to let somebody just fuck you? Look at what they did to Mikey. I mean, come on, they didn’t even tell him that he was out of the band; he reads it in fricking Rolling Stone [magazine] or something that Wolfie [Van Halen] was the [new] bass player in VAN HALEN. The guys that do that, it’s just not cool, and I don’t care to be around people like that or play with them, so we don’t have a relationship.”
Despite Hagar’s harsh words, he still remains proud of the albums he recorded with the band.
“To say anything bad about the body of work, not a chance,” Hagar said. “To say anything bad about the musicianship, not a chance. [They are] great, great guys on their instruments and we wrote some great songs and we had about nine years of some of the most fun I’ve ever had in my life in any band or in any situation. We partied, we loved it, we had a blast and had so much success, but they turned on me, man. I don’t know what happened.”
Hagar’s current band, The Circle, also includes Anthony, drummer Jason Bonham and Vic Johnson.
Sammy has issues with Eddie, that’s well known old news. The VH guys screwed Michael Anthony over, that’s well known to. It’s like the Kiss thing: They can’t get over the past. Honestly I wish interviewers would stop asking about this or Sammy would stop talking in the press about it. Sammy’s doing great in his life. When Michael was on TMS with Sammy as co-host he seemed okay and had come to terms and has gone on with his life. It does suck these guys can’t get along. Eddie’s who he is and he’s obviously not the easiest guy to deal with. Maybe one day they’ll chill out and realize they ALL need to be proud and celebrate the history they have together and the great music they created together and at least be on speaking terms with each other. I think It’ll happen one day or I at least hope it will.
I don’t think Mike was screwed over. The brothers gave him a very clear ultimatum, “you’re either with us, or against us”. As much as I wish Mike was in the band, his choice was the latter. End of story.
Man they’ve been trying to oust Mike for decades…as far back as the 81 when they had Sheehan secretly auditioning at the time and Roth nixed that idea.
Dude, that’s just hearsay
That’d be a better point of Los Bros Van Halen were actually doing anything at the time. Reality was they were sitting on their asses for about a decade. It’s hard to blame Mike for wanting to go play, you know, music.
Yawn……….
I was a roadie for Talas when they opned for Van halen, i passed DLR and said hey man, he didnt even bother to say anything back. Hes a d-bag and a burnout. Sammy is by far got more range and balls.
Saw the Dave and Sammy tour back in ’03,’04? Roth blew Hagar off the stage. If you perform “Where Eagles Fly” live, in comparison to any of the Roth -era VH stuff Roth did. Well, you suck. Be glad what ya got Sammy
Well said!
Sammy crushed Dave in the show I saw, and Dave’s set was really good. Wasn’t close by comparison, especially with Mikey on stage for most of Sammy’s set.
You must not have been at Alpine Valley.
Sammy still has his voice. Roth Not