Former Van Halen singer Sammy Hagar recently talked to Ultimate Classic Rock where he opened up about a possible collaboration with David Lee Roth and late guitarist Eddie Van Halen’s brother, Alex Van Halen.
Regarding this, Hagar replied:
“I guess if Dave and Alex teamed up then that would be kind of cool, but other than that, there is very much you can do here. You know what I mean with that… It was one of the greatest bands of all time and one of the greatest times in my life musically. So, I think we should start sharing with the people and having fun as well.
“Alex just seems to he just doesn’t want to communicate with anybody. You know, Mike has reached out, and I reached out many times. I don’t know, I’m sure he’s still in pain from the whole thing, but I’m not dogging him.
”I’m just saying he just really doesn’t want to be friends or doesn’t want to communicate. I don’t know why but, we still got the rest of our lives to work this out. I’m going to live to be a hundred, so I got away. We have got a lot of time to work this out.“
54 comments
I think Alex could be overwhelmed by guilt that he didn’t help his brother more in cleaning himself up earlier.
By the time Eddie got clean the prognosis wasn’t good, Eddie. Probably didn’t or understand what he was doing to himself was destroying himself day by day and that is what addiction does .
I AGREED LOT OD ARTIST OUT OF CONTROL IT’S TRAGIC AND A SHAME
You know nothing about addiction
You’re absolutely right Steve O, it’s complicated and it’s different from one person to another.
Sam…let Alex take AS MUCH TIME AS HE NEEDS TO GRIEVE!!! I’m a big fan of yours but stop pushing it!!! Some deal with death monthly or a year or two; others might take way more….Ed’s sleeping, Alex and the family need some rest too- on their own terms…
He just Clearly said he’s NOT pushing Alex!!!
well said! I also think Alex probably resented the slamming of Ed’s drug problems and how he acted from his addictions in the tell all book Sam did. I saw EVH every year multiple times since the 1984 tour every tour VH did and it was awesome seeing Ed play clean in 2012 and 2015 one last time – and doing so many of the Dave catalogue that made them legends originally
I think people should stop speculating and If they dont know him or Sammy personaly I think its best you leave it at that and keep your nasty comments to yourselfs
Amen brother !!!!
Sometimes you have the past be the past and realize how lucky we were to be alive in the same time of Van Halen
Exactly!
Hey Sammy, ever once thought about the book you wrote and threw Ed under the bus when he was going through a rough time? You aired out dirty laundry to sell books and make a buck…..your the dbags and I applaud Alex for ignoring you….
I also remember when they split up, Eddie throwing Sammy under the bus. Both Eddie and Alex said some things about Sammy. That’s what happens when people split up in bands or divorces and then later they regret it. Sammy and Eddie did talk and work out their difference. Alex won’t even talk to Michael Anthony.
If Eddie threw Sammy under the bus, the of course Alex did as well. Alex hasn’t had an original thought since Eddie was born. Alex is probably constipated since Eddie isn’t around to tell him to take a dump.
You and the d******** award
It is extremely wrong for you to say something like that
Your hate starts early in the morning, eh?
You’re the D’bag. You weren’t there so stay in your lane. Fairly sure Eddie would tell you the same.
Right on!!
Dave said no torch will be passed….
There’s only sammy saying that amends were made with Eddie just before his passing.
Pwrhaps Alex knows he’s lying and just doesn’t want to tarnish the real truth??..
Alex is at best a mediocre drummer . There is nothing sacred in the music industry . I applaud Sammy for clearing the air in his book . The only one being a dbag is Alex !!!!
SOUNDS LIKE HE NEEDED A WAKE-UP CALL.
I thought the book was great and only a few things were said..like Eddie hiding his booze Alex use to drink a case of beer a day..Truth might hurt but it could of helped to get them healthy
He has your address. You need to back off
Hey Jim. The truth hurts and maybe that’s what got Ed to start cleaning up. He was a mess and had something not intervened he may have died earlier. Ever think that Sammy’s book may have given us more years with Edward?
You’re a complete idiot Jim??Sam isn’t hurting for money. That was just a dumb statement . Alex won’t even talk to Michael.
😂
What about the song Sammy wrote “Little White Lies?” That was about Edward. The video showed a monkey playing guitar with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth.
Van Halen is done just glad I got to partake and see all phases of them
Dude you nailed it.
Sammy seems to have forgotten he wrote a book that said some pretty nasty things about Ed. That should have been kept private. Not cool and I don’t blame Alex one bit for giving him the cold shoulder.
Everyone handles grief differently, I can tell you from losing a child. It never leaves. It’s hard to find any joy in life afterwards. I welcome distractions, a temporary escape from the loneliness and pain.
You nailed it Kevin.
Yeah, and Mike is one of the nicest guy in rock music,yet they made him give up his rights of what he had built up of van halens name. Plus,they said they always had to always teach him bass parts to a lot of songs because he wasn’t a good bass player. Thank goodness Sammy came to his defense and said that never happened.
Alex and Eddie trash talked Sammy horribly in the beginning !!
Or have we forgot?
Sammy was very justified in little white lies!!!!
Then Alex and Ed treated Mikey like a bum for still being friends with Sam!
Mikey was the GLUE that made Van Halen’s awesome vocals everyone will tell you that!
When Mikey’s not there Van Halen was just a ordinary band !!!
Didn’t you hear them without him!!!
Not very good!
Sure Eddie playing guitar can perform by hisself but the rest of the music and vocals stunk !!!
Utube it !
It’s sad!
Dave hasn’t been able to carry a note since 89 sad but true!
I loved Van Halen and van Hagar !
But Sammy is by far superior to Dave from montrose to today!
Even as a human Sammy is superior!
Amen to all that ! I’ve been a big Sammy Fan since 1973 , the Original Montrose days , he was far superior to David Lee Roth for sure !
You nailed it bro.
Straight up Alex said in the past he only plays drums with his brother After playing with Eddie how do you play with someone else? No one knows what happened with the bands relationship I’ve been in many bands and seen best friends and brothers never talk to each other again after being best friends
Van Halen is my favorite band.
Sometimes you just let things go and let other people make contact with you.
I’m sure one day he will contact you Sammy.
Money grab for the win. Just do your side gigs Sammy and leave the VH tribute stuff to those that have the VH name. You are overstepping and its disgusting.
Pure nonsense. SH wrote a lot of the melodies and most of the lyrics during his VH time. He also owns a percentage of those songs.
He can do with those songs whatever he pleases and doesn’t need to get permission from any member of the VH family
This is all just sad, I miss you guys. I miss the 80’s
Sam. You all are old. Retire. I don’t blame Alex. Have you heard yourself sing lately?
Read the book it wasn’t that nasty just about Eddie and Alex days boozing it up..
If Eddie threw Sammy under the bus, the of course Alex did as well. Alex hasn’t had an original thought since Eddie was born. Alex is probably constipated since Eddie isn’t around to tell him to take a dump.
Great stuff. I love it!
Al’s not talking. Guess all you want to but only Al knows why. Leave the man alone. He’s earned it.
Tribute tour would be cool, but maybe not right now. Things are not where they should be with all those involved with Van Halen, all versions. Seems we read a new interview regularly about Sammy talking about the tribute, or Dave or Alex, and it does get old and boring to read, so maybe let it rest for awhile. I loved all Van Halen years, and am saddened to know there will be no more original guitar masterpieces from Eddie, but all this bickering somewhat tarnishes the legacy of one of the greatest bands we have known. I hope it all works out in the future so for now I just enjoy the albums, videos and other treasures found online. Keep rockin’!’
I THINK WOLFY AND ALEX SHOULD HAVE THE SAY ON PEOPLE DOING TRIBUTE TOURS. SAMMY IS JUST TRYING MAKE MONEY OF A TRIBUE TOUR. MATTER OF FACT WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT ALEX COULD SUE SAMMY IF HE WANTED TO. THE WAY SAMMY IS PUSHY TO ALEW IS JUST FUELING THE FIRE THAT IS ALREADY BURNING. VAN HALEN ENDED WHEN EDDIE DIED IT SHOULD STAY THAT WAY. ONLY ALEX AND EDDIE’S SON SHOULD HAVE A SAY IN WHAT COMES AFTER.
I don’t know why Sammy doing this… Is he broke or something? The man is dead (Eddie) and how can he be replaced to ever play their music again. This would be like Paul and Ringo thinking they are going to get the Beatles back together at this point. Plus when Sammy is saying he is going to live to be 100 that is really hurtful because Eddie is dead. Why didn’t Sammy try to help Eddie while he was alive? There is no point in Alex and Sammy being “friends” at this point. Think of it like this, once you walk away from your job as a teacher, factory worker, or whatever most people don’t want to be “friends” with the people they worked with for years or decades. They want to start a new life and move on. For Sammy to think the old gang is going to get back together without Eddie I am starting to worry about his mental health. He is getting as inconsiderate as DLR was for decades. Sometimes when it is over it is OVER! Just except the work you did and understand you can’t relive your life! If Sammy wanted this thing to go on longer he should have crawled back to Eddie and Alex years ago. Now it is too late. I wish Sammy would leave Alex alone and go write a song about a C8 corvette or Ferrari called “I Can’t Drive One Hundred and Five!” and stop the harassment.
I love how Sammy keeps on bringing up Alex Van Halen. Why not? It what people want to hear about. Sammy is a good salesman, knowing what will get him attention.
Sammy, it’s difficult to be an adult, isn’t it? When you engage in talk that is destructive to others close to you, it is common sense that the hurt you cause will have lasting repercussions. Perhaps you should man up, apologize for all that YOU have done to cause pain to Alex and others, and quit this public denial of your culpability in attacking Alex’s brother when he was still alive.
I know Eddie would probably tell Alex Play Man, Play but I respect the pain Alex, Wolf and the other members of the band are going through. I do wish that any past feuding or bickering would be put to the wayside even if there would be no type of reunion. Alex, I pray for you and your family and would like to thank you for the many years you have dedicated yourself to giving us nothing but the best. But if you do return, even if it’s for a brief moment, we will all welcome you and hope we can ALL heal together.
I am a big fan of Van Halen and most people when you say Van Halen think of Eddie, Dave, Alex and Anthony! They Were Van Halen!
Sammy was good but he walked into a succesful Band! The majority of Sammy’s fans act like he was responsible for the success of the group which he is not.
Maybe Alex is still in mourning over his brother. Maybe he resents what Sammy said about him in his book. Either way without Eddie VH will never be the same. David Lee Roth brought so much energy to the stage. He is regarded as one of the best frontmen of Rock and Roll! I am grateful to have experienced the band in its day! We all enjoyed their videos on MTV and VH1!!!
When Alex is done grieving, I think it’s pretty safe to guess HE STILL won’t want to interact with you. Your greedy non-stop attempts to make some finance from THE ACTUAL Van Halen team that booted you away. Go back to ChickenFoot and try to enjoy it!