Sammy Hagar Responds to Being Left Out of Alex Van Halen’s Book: “I’m Okay With That”
Sammy Hagar has finally addressed Alex Van Halen’s decision to omit him from his recent memoir — and he’s taking the high road.
In a video shared to Instagram, Hagar spoke candidly about his emotional new track, “Encore, Thank You, Goodnight,” which serves as a heartfelt tribute to Eddie Van Halen. He also reflected on missed opportunities for an official tribute, and his feelings toward Alex’s silence on the “Van Hagar” era.
“First of all, it’s so good live. I mean, this band is amazing. But it’s been a long time coming. I wanted to do something about Eddie from the second I heard he passed. I was waiting for the family and everybody to get together and do the tribute. I was like, ‘Hey, I’m alive and I can sing the songs. We got a band who can all play.’ It never happened,” Hagar said.
Hagar went on to praise Wolfgang Van Halen for his deeply personal musical tribute to his father.
“I just love what Wolfie did. How he held his record and came with the ‘Distance,’ which is the most soulful thing. I mean it breaks my heart still today when I hear it. It’s wonderful, so beautiful.”
While the omission from Alex’s memoir raised eyebrows among fans, Hagar took a mature and thoughtful stance.
“Even Alex, I mean even though he left me out of the book, I’m okay with that. Go read my book if you want to know what happened during my era,” he said. “But it was a tribute to his brother. It’s like a love letter, the way I read it. It’s a love letter to Eddie. It’s been a long time coming for me. I’ve been thinking that I have to do something someday. So, this song came from a dream from a couple of years ago. I just love that fans are understanding it. It’s a love letter and a tribute. It’s straight from the heart. And it meant to kind of close that chapter a little bit.”
“Encore, Thank You, Goodnight” stands as Hagar’s personal tribute to Eddie Van Halen — a gesture that comes in the absence of an official Van Halen reunion or tribute event. The song symbolizes closure, healing, and a deep respect for a brotherhood that shaped rock history.
