Vocalist David Lee Roth said in the latest episode of his YouTube podcast, the Roth Show that Van Halen‘s excessive training sessions prevented him from retiring.

Dave said:

“I didn’t get to retire; just when I get out, they pulled me back in. I really did mean to retire. I should be in the middle of my third retirement now, according to the Rocky bibliography. How many times did rock retire, six-seven times? Then he was a coach twice, right? And James Bond? So … nevertheless, my lower back in the Dr. Whack, and the team says, ‘Be careful where you play.’

”Van Halen… we followed a more Spartan code, literally same as Roman legions same as Vikings in that we simply over-trained and then over-trained the overtraining and then over train the overtraining. So, just like all of us listening right now, I can operate this motor vehicle 65 to 75 miles an hour.

”I can change the channel from reggaeton to Cal OS. I can juggle the extra large latte, Tom; you just bought me. I can readjust the mirror so that I see how good I look while I’m getting somewhere and yell at the dog at the back to stop barking.

”The reason [for this] is because we’ve practiced it so many, many, many, many times, and those of you who have kids can also yell at them as you’re adjusting the mirror. It’s ultra familiar, and when you’re a rock band has written the songs and practiced and trained and played and played, that’s where your swagger comes from. You brag about the beating you took on the way up the golden years five sets a night eighty-five songs.”