Sammy Hagar Speaks Candidly About David Lee Roth and Eddie Van Halen
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- Опубліковано 19 чер 2024
- Sammy Hagar talks about his experience with David Lee Roth and Eddie Van Halen.
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Saw Van Halen with Sammy in Reno. I was in front and saw some idiot spit a Luger on Sammy Hagar and it landed on his arm dangling. Sammy, a true professional, kept singing, never missed a beat, pointed out the nimrod in the crowd so he could be removed by security, wiped off the spit, and never showed any anger or animosity, and still came back to Reno and Tahoe many times. I think only those of us up front even saw what happened. I have the utmost respect for him as an artist and a professional and I’m glad he realized that not all people in Reno are idiots.
Couldnt imagine paying money to go see a band and then spitting on them. What goes through people’s minds, i have no idea.
Saw the Nuge lugie on his own roadie. Class act huh?
@@jcruisioso5975Ted Nugent?
A P08 Luger? That’s impressive.
Back in the late 80's early 90's Van Halen was @ Houston Intercontiental Airport just did a concert there and they were heading to Dallas. My sister got my attention and said "Isn't that your favorite band?" I looked and low and behold it was Van Halen. I went across the airport lobby and the band, managers and women and touched Eddie on the shoulder and said "Hello Eddie" and then said "Mr Van Halen" I was so nervous. Eddie turned around and immediatly blew me off. So started walking with my family because they were headed back to OKC and Van Halen and my Sisters family would be in the same terminal. Walking down the causeway to the terminal my family being in front and my sister making fun of me stating...Well you know. Anyway I felt someone touching my shoulder and by God it was Sammy Hagar, he apolized and I was so shocked I mumbeled quite a bit.
Sammy Hagar is a good hearted person and deserves all the best wishes in the world, Thank you Sammy for that experiece. My sister apologized!
Eddie was a D---k. Valerie Bertinelli said that in her 1st book
He obviously has class
Your story although somewhat well contrived is made up. You know it is. They would not have been on a commercial flight and you would nor have been able to just walk up on Van Halen and Sammy would not have apologized on Eddies behalf. Cool story though.
Why would Van Halen be at an airport terminal?
With the crazies out there, stars probably have to blow alot people off plus they just get too much attention
Sammy : Why Can't This Be Love?
Dave: Aint Talkin Bout Love
Original.
🔥👏
Gary: Wait, where'd everyone go?
Sammy WHO??
Sammy's song was about a woman.
Dave's song was about a dude 🤔
This was 2016 by the way
Sounds about right.
pretty sneaky to post it as if it were a new video. shame on your AXS TV.
Sammy is 76 in 2024, so he looks great for the late-60's he is here. Must be the tequila.
And it was added to youtube yesterday... what a joke. This is whats lame about UA-cam.
AXS should be putting dates on their videos. This is just poor reporting
I met Sammy backstage during the 5150 tour in Jacksonville, Florida... Super awesome guy with a great personality!!! And I had in my possesion, a magazine (for autographs) with David Lee Roth on the cover, and everone in VH laughed and joked at the cover. Needless to say, Sammy and Co. welcomed me with open arms and the rest is history!!!
His personality comes through in this interview. I'd never seen him interviewed before, and i was impressed. Seems like a great guy
A note of appreciation for Dan Rather. He has interviewed thousands of people over the years, on all kinds of subjects. He is always prepared, never judgemental and always appears interested, even if he may not be personally engaged necessarily. I really enjoyed this interview. Regardless of what we (Van Halen audiences) or Dan feel about Dave or Sammy, we have to appreciate the musicianship, the songs, the performances and even the longevity of the band, such as it was. Just great to see this interview on UA-cam.
One screen different movies, I guess. Dan Rather is an incompetent, deep state hack. His narratives follow exactly what the MIC wants you to believe. Facts do NOT matter to him. He doesn't even know what Sammy is talking about in this interview. There's no interaction. He's just reading a script. He's as clueless to reality as Joe Biden.
Sammy calls the jump lyrics silly. Sammy: I cant drive 55 😂😂😂
One foot on the break and one on the gas lol who the fuck drives like that
Just say you don't like Sammy.
@@sgarza0866 was what I said not obvious enough 🥴
Thank you! Finally, someone said it. I can't stand that song.
@@psylad8088 Formula 1 drivers do... What would they know about driving though?
For the record, I think that Hagar from 1986-1991 was an absolute monster of a vocalist. "Dreams" is a masterclass in rock vocals.
With that said, Dave is a severely underrated vocalist. He has way more range than he's commonly given credit for (remember, "range" constitutes notes on both the high and low ends of the spectrum), his phrasing and inflections are unique, and his whistle-range scream takes considerable effort to develop and master.
Yeah, Dave could be spotty live through the years, but so could Sammy. Sammy now tunes down a full step, and has for some years, whereas when Dave did the KISS tour and sang very well, he was singing his songs in their original keys.
I wish Van Halen had kept Dave beyond 1984, but I also wish we'd have heard more VH with Sammy beyond Balance. They both made great music with VH, and it's such a shame we never got more than we did from either lineup of the band.
It's okay to be a fan of both singers. Liking one doesn't mean you have to dislike the other.
Dave's range wasn't consistent. He could hit some high squeals, but not the notes approaching those squeals. Cool sounds, but more a special effect than a musically usable "singing" that could carry a tune or a lyric. Skillwise, he was never impressive, but he made up for it with attitude and flamboyance. I think his more impressive "range" is his musical range; Running with the Devil to Lady's Night in Buffalo to That's Life to Hot for Teacher. Can't think of another hard rock vocalist at the time that sung such diverse songs.
Dave quit Van Halen.
@@Shadowman-1960 Yeah, I think everyone knows that.
@@jeffreystayman375 My comment was in response to the original post and the comment "I wish Van Halen had kept Dave beyond 1984,"
Ya thanks.... been said a million times since the 90's.
Van Halen had 2 great lead vocalist 👏, and us fans enjoyed both eras 😊.
3
@@SlammRecords 4
I can't/won't disagree with you...however, Roth is top 3 head men of all time.
@@america1st721 head men? lol, sure, pal. kremlinbots everywhere.
@@america1st721 but yet not an great singer ,I put Stephen Tyler way ahead of Roth whom was an Showman as well
I liked both singers in their time in Van Halen. Dave was good in his early years not later
Agreed.
Spammy sings like any gay metal singer from the 80s, not that he is seen as special, well there are many with much more powerful voices, and this guy can't get enough of talking about Eddie and Roth?
@@juanpabloperez9063Roth is gay, & he acted like it on stage
@@gizzy2403 The gay is Spammy aka the pink balladeer, with his stupid ballads cheesier than a Nelson song🤮🤮🤮🤮
@@juanpabloperez9063 Spoken like a true idiot.
The Album "Montrose" would have never been anything without Sammy. From what I understand, the reason they brokup was because Ronnie would not let Sammy play Guitar. if you have never heard it I highly suggest you check it out; 1973 at its best.
Montrose, 1st album and they were hitting on all cylinders with original lineup. Ronnie Montrose was indeed one of the great guitarists.
I just went and listened to that album after Sammy mentioned it. That was a strong album!
"Montrose" is better than any album Van Halen produced. Every track is kick arse, with no filler. I still listen to it regularly.
Have you head Sammy play guitar? not good
@@mauharley I would not go that far comparing VH 1 and 2 are a tie with Montrose.
There is no question Montrose was a big influence for Eddie.
2:00 Sammy’s ability to see the 10,000ft view while also being so close to it, respect.
Sammy Hagar will turn 77 this year. The guy looks like he is in his 50s.
Right! Must be some great tequila 😅
This is from at least 10 years ago
I thought this was 2016??@@mtb_3930
Another commenter mentioned this interview was filmed in 2016 ... so, yeah
To each is own but I will always prefer Diamond Dave. To me that's Van Halen.
RIP Eddie
Met the guys after a show in a bar on accident during the reunion tour. Sammy kept Eddie from beating me up for not recognizing him. When I realized who he was I looked to my right and it turned out the guy next to me was Alex...my childhood hero as another drummer. Neither of the Van Halen's were recognizable from the videos I'd grown up with. They were a wreck.
Dang
Ed wanted to beat you up because you didn't recognize him?
Sounds like E spot on, too pompous and self-indulgent for his own good. Aging does that to quite a few media people when they realize they're not as relevant as they once used to be.
Yeah, Eddie was not a decent human being. So many people idolize him but off stage, he was a fucked up man that just happened to be an incredible guitar player. What he did for lead guitar can't be denied and will forever be remembered. But that was his only contribution. He was a fucked up individual.
@@samcoon6699 He had his demons....and his demons dominated his life. There was most certainly a good man in Eddie despite all the horrible things said about him. Eddie maintained most relationships with his closest friends and family members in the end. Horrible people burn the bridge with everyone but man, addiction and alcoholism brings out the worst in just about everyone.
This interview came out today 6-20-24 but must have been recorded 20 years ago because both those guys look WAY older now. I wish they posted interview dates in these.
I'm thinking 8yrs or so...
2016
It 's from the Dan Rather tapes. Rather interviewed dozens of rock musicians.
Hagar pays for these to come up...its the only way he can keep his name in the lights
@@TheOceanMan-xc7qp Shut the fuck up. Van Halen/Mammoth were covering Sammy when they played in clubs and backyards. He has been touring and making music since 1972. He never needed them nor does he need them now.
Sam is mechanically a better singer. Dave was better at everything else. Better lyricist, had swagger, attitude and panache. His physicality onstage was amazing. Nobody turns a phrase like Dave. He was THE total package of what a frontman could be. Nobody has come close, though many imitated. Nobody has ever imitated Sam.
Agree
Diamond David might have done well to take care of his voice as obsessively as he took care of the rest of his physical fitness, but even THAT would not overcome his inability to concentrate on singing the words to the songs in live shows. By the time of the Van Halen reunion tours in this century, Dave's voice was weak and wobbly, with virtually no range or power screams. Sure, what he had wasn't going to last forever, but it didn't have to all go to trash without a fight.
Sammy Hagar's screams, however, always sound like the noise a cat makes when it gets a rude awakening for having fallen asleep with its tail under a rocking chair rocker.
Thanks for sharing this interview with Sammy. It is nice to know that Sammy supports VanHalen and continues to honor the talent and memory of Eddie
What a great interview. As others have said, this interview is likely way over a decade old. Something I always liked about Sammy Hagar, was that he was that same guy, everywhere he went. If you didn't like him, he really didn't give a damn about it. He and those great guys of Van Halen, all ,have massive, very special talent. And I thank everyone of them, for making my life better. Especially through some really damn dark times. I can hear Eddie playing Eruption in my ear as I write this. We miss you, brother. Play on in Heaven.
Sammy undervalues Dave as a vocalist in his prime.
I don't think so. He wasn't very skilled as a singer, and he was supported by an amazing band, and the backing vocals of Mike Anthony, which were amazing. They were able to piece together some decent vocal tracks on the albums, where they could take 1,000 takes and punch in line by line the best take, but he never sounded near as good live. Great vocalists like Halford or Tate sound as good or even better live compared to the studio recordings. I don't dislike Dave though, but he charm as a vocalist comes more from attitude and personality than skill.
@@jeffreystayman375 Personality and attitude what Hagar lacked and he looked awful on stage. I'm someone who would sooner listen to Roth in his prime or Joey Ramone anytime than Hagar or Steve Perry. I'm talking about oomph and soul. Dance the Night Away isn't my favorite VH but I get why it was a hit, Roth's vocals make that song.
@@walkerstark4564 Don't know why you brought Steve Perry into this, but I guess I'm old fashioned. I mostly care about how a musician sounds, with style and dance moves a distant 2nd. At least there's a VH for everyone though.
I'm Sorry but David Lee Roths Vocals were a Much better fit for VH his voice is what made the band for me. Obviously the songs and rest of the band. Micheal Anthony was replaceable not the other 3.
@@walkerstark4564 -- Sammy brought up Mick Jagger... Mick is probably the only front man I'd put ahead of David Lee Roth. He did have the swag and attitude that worked, and David Lee Roth did know music well. I've heard him give detailed explanations of different genres and songs.
6/22/24, 12:00 p.m.
Dave’s years with Van Halen still hold up. He’s brilliant artist, poet, renaissance man.
Sammy has a great voice!
In the studio, where his vocals could be mixed just right he’s a legend. Live, he was just above average vocally. 10th row center…Indianapolis.
I fall for it every time. I put on a Sammy Hagar interview and expect that it won’t be the same old bullshit.
I don't think it's BS at all. Unlike DLR, Sammy gives you a down to earth, honest answer and opinion. DLR is most always full of crap! You can see it in his lyin' eyes. He's not sincere at all...
@@kellykarcher7179the problem is, Hagar is being sincere. He actually believes his own BS.😂
Same, though this time I stopped listening at :09 - lesson learned.
😂 same
@@balisaaniI got to 1:05
My recollection of events when DLR left Van Halen it was Eddie who kicked David out because DLR wanted to do a solo album of stuff that didn't fit with what Van Halen was doing and Eddie thought it was some sort of betrayal.
That's how I remember it going down. Honestly, the Van Halen brothers have always been full of shit about everyone they played with.
@@MaggieKeizai Also I don't think Eddie appreciated that much(not all) of the band's success came from DLR and his showmanship. Not saying DLR didn't have his faults but he never intended on leaving Van Halen. He just wanted to do some different stuff on his own.
I kind of heard DLR wasn’t down with adding keyboards also.
@@skipdog9912 I could see that. Remember synthesizers were all the rage with New Wave bands in the early 80's. Maybe he felt like Van Halen should keep it's rock roots. I can't dispute your claim as I truly don't know.
I loved the early VH but Sammy can sing his behind off, the man had a voice and can play guitar etc. Both bands had their run, Dave had magic for some years so he gets a lot of credit, but Sammy had the vocals and drive later on. Till this day both versions rock, just have to take them for what they were.
Wish more people would admit this. I agree 100%
@@MichaelJohnson-184 Thanks! VH is an amazing band, each version offered something unique and cool. Dave rocked back in the day, he was a total frontman and the songs were amazing. Sammy is a true singer/player and can also perform like no tomorrow. I love all the music, everything was so good and the band as a whole was dialed in. Sadly a lot of things got out of hand over ego and all, but in the end I feel the media blew a lot out more than it was. Sad Ed is gone but we have the music still and both frontmen are still around to sing some songs as they desire.
Growing up I was all about Roth era Van Halen and always trashed Van Hagar bc it was the cool thing to do. But man do I love Van Hagar now. So many great songs, Sammy was a perfect fit to take them into the next generation of the band. Both singers and eras were phenomenal
Same here. I couldn't wrap my teenage brain around the fact that this was actually an entirely different band, and their albums didn't sound the same anymore because they didn't want them to sound like that anymore. Thinking about Hagar's run as a completely different band makes it easier to judge them on their own merits.
David Lee Roth kicked ass with the original Van Halen, best vocalist.
As a vocalist, Dave has never been the best singer in the room in any room he's ever been in. Reminds of when The Beatles were asked if Ringo was the best drummer in the world, and one of the guys joked that Ringo wasn't even the best drummer in The Beatles. He was a good performer though, and he had a unique voice that worked well with their music. And more than his fair share of personality.
@@jeffreystayman375you have no clue what you are talking about and the Beatles were either being sarcastic or that never happened. David and ringo are both great musicians.
@@ExcitedAnacondaSnake-hg8ec I saw the clip myself. They were definitely joking. They were famous for cracking jokes like that during interviews and making the interviewer laugh.
@@jeffreystayman375 I’m a studied musician. Paul McCartney is definitely not a better drummer than ringo. Your mistake is you perceive music like it’s baseball or athletics. And even that isn’t coherent because there is nothing superior about a soaring tenor to a low baritone, yet you would rate a tenor as “better” because it’s a higher note, likewise with drums, someone plays faster so it’s “better”. Music is an art not a race.
@@ExcitedAnacondaSnake-hg8ec I never said he was. I said that Paul (or maybe Jon) said that, during an interview. The clip is on UA-cam. And it was a joke. Everyone laughed. "Studied musician" doesn't mean anything at all in this context. Reading comprehension is all that's required.
Roth was a crooner and at heart a bebop singer. He was somewhere between raspy bluesman like John Brim and Mel Torme' and his vocal range was perfect for that style. Every other rock band, including Hagar had vocalist trying to be Steve Perry, Freddie Mercury or Robert Plant. Listen to every late 70s and 80s rock singer. It's one or a composite of those templates... Roth did his own thing and it did his own thing over Eddie's unique playing style, that's how you get something more than music as product, you get music as art.
Ratt?
Dave cloned his entire act from Jim Dandy of Black Oak Arkansas, right down to the hair, white with red striped pants and no shirt. If you had seen VH when they still doing clubs to live the Oakland clips in '81, it was obvious as could be. Was Dave a great showman and frontman, absolutely. But a good or great singer? Nada.
He had no true style, Roth used what limits he had to try and fool his fans. He is not a singer. He was no way a 'crooner'.
@@laidbacktraveler2580 He sure did clone Jim Dandy's physical style... He had a much better voice than Dandy... I challenge people to go listen to his vocal on "Just a Gigolo" then go listen on UA-cam to songs by great crooner bebop singers, to pull out a track, go listen to Mel Torme's "Comin' Home Baby". People criticizing Roth would probably trash Torme's vocal as well.. That shows tunnel vision ignorance on voice, narrow mindedness on style, which is fine to each their own, I guess... There's also audio from several live performances of Roth in his 80s Van Halen days and his voice was very close to the recordings before he trashed it sometime in the 90s.
Ian Gillan
Dave is underrated as a lyricist. Should get more credit.
I seen a lot of people looking for a moonbeam 😆
To say Dave was just a great showman, but nothing else is a huge understatement. The guy wrote the lyrics, developed harmonies, designed covers and packaging, helped design tour staging, had a huge say in musical direction, created awesome music videos with Pete Angelus and was one of the great rock stars of the late 70s and early 80s. Michael Anthony and Sam Hagar are full of nonsense. Sure, Sam has a better voice, but that doesn’t equal better rock music. The original 6 albums are untouchable. That said I like Van Hagar.
Was never impressed by Sam's voice. Liked some of his music, some are classics but nothing like DKR Van Halen.
💯 correct!
5150 is a monster album. You can deny it, but it absolutely is.
Van Halen 2 is my favorite. The first 4 albums are some of the best r&r ever made!
Been a Sammy fan since Montrose, so, not taking anything away from him. Van Halen was a better band with Dave for many reasons.
I disagree, but they were a very different band, completely different musical style. People will obviously prefer one over the other, but both have fans.
I agree. The band chemistry, regardless of how much they hated each other, was phenomenal. Just like the Beatles or any great band, it's not how well they got along, it is how well they played together and the magic that is created. Sammy was a terrific musician and singer, but their songs together were (mostly) too predictable, designed to sell records. It's funny that Sammy mentions 'Jump' as one decent song--cause DLR hated the keyboards on Jump, he wanted guitar. So why have keyboards when you have EVH?? The rawness and emotion of songs like Running with the Devil or Aint Talking bout Love crush the fluff of the later VH songs. That is the timeless, groundbreaking stuff.
Nah couldn't stand the screaming, screeching that Roth did...that is if you could get around the disco pants & boas. 🤣
Why can't both be bands that we'd all dream of being in? That's how I see it.
Sammy took everything from Daltrey looks wise. And established himself with Montrose and then solo. Dave did what he does. It’s hard to top the albums through 1984.. they are insane. I love both guys for what they did for VH!!!🤘🤘🤘🤘⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️
I think Dave was a much better songwriter, while Sammy was a better vocalist.
Dave a better song writer? OK, that actually made me snicker out loud.
@@laidbacktraveler2580 Right?
@@blanketjackson8075 Hagar, as a solo act, was hot on the heels of Van Halen. People forget that. Sammy is a great song writer.
@@bbb462cid Montrose is comparable to VH w/ Dave in quality but, Sammy solo is not. Also, neither were as popular as VH w/ Dave. Remember, both VH I and 1984 sold over 10M in USA. Sammy solo and Van Hagar never hit those numbers.
I loved Van Halen up until 1984. I never really got over DLR leaving the band, but I was a little kid at the time. Now, the older I get, the more I like Sammy and Van Hagar.
Do you like elevator music more now too? ;)
yeah Dave screeched & screamed thru his songs & was too full of himself @ concerts
I am getting goosebumps, thats always his line.
Always with goosebumps
@@ddobrien1 And genius. The Internet's go-to for defining "above average"..
How do you decide on the final cut for a video like this?
Sam is just the nicest guy... saw him in 2004's reunion and on his first solo tour post 1995 split, he's a genuine class act and always carries himself well in interviews
Yeah both eras were spectacular.... neither could of happened without the respective singers
So much respect for both of these men always.❤
DLR Van Halen was the better version by far. Dave sang his ass off, was very creative, and did the showman thing as well. He was the whole package. In the long run, Sammy had a stronger voice, but that does not diminish what Dave laid down on record... we can all hear it. It's amazing what he did on those first six records.
yuck Dave was embarrassing to watch with those disco pants
@@biancadevino And you were digging on those Sammy "Hammer Time" balloon pants, bruh? LOL!!!!!
Van-Roth and Van-Hagar were both awesome.
I
Liked
Them both but sammy should shut up
VAN HALEN
Quite possibly one of the more honest interviews and takes about Sammy's life with Van Halen. Sincere, professional, and you can tell he's not talking any garbage, but truth and respect. Bother versions of Van Halen were great. I liked Sammy's style and singing better, but if I said back in the day I would have been trashed at school, all my buddies were VH fans and couldn't believe Dave was not going to be forever with the group. Either way great interview, and Sammy just sounds like a standup guy. Thanks for all those great songs. And Eddie...in my top three guitarists ever (in no order, Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page are my other two). RIP Eddie, music genius.
Sammy is a politician who writes corny love songs
"At night I walk this stinkin' street past the crazies' on my block and I see the same old faces and I hear that same old talk and I'm searching for the latest thing, a break in this routine, I'm talkin' some new kicks, ones like you ain't never seen" BIG BOY ROCK!!!
Hell yeah! Chills!
Hell yea!!! Dave had ATTITUDE..and damn it sounded GOOD!
That’s my favorite album. It was dark. It was heavy, and I had a realism to it that you just can’t manufacture.
@@jamescaron6465 Damn right, James! Sammy’s good, but he never had Dave’s flavor for bad ass lyrics. Fair Warning!!
@@toddvanwinkle7777 I’m not a hard-core Van Halen fan to be honest but damn fair warning was their hardest rocking most powerful album by far. That one rocked everybody’s ass off especially mine.
Sammy is a cool guy. He is like a blue collar rock star, serious, hard working, but enjoys life too while being good to those around him. I saw Chickenfoot and was blown away. He just turns everything he works on into magic.
I love Sammy. And I was soo happy when he became the new lead singer of Van Halen. I was 17. But to me.. nothing can beat "Take your Whisky Home" from the third album. "The Showman" was a drunk blues singer speaking his truth while a virtuoso played guitar.
DLR is a fucking Icon and knew exactly how to bring the band to the top. Solos don't sell records or get you on the Radio SMH. Sammy is great, but want to talk about charisma? No comparison and everyone knows it. Once you saw DLR you NEVER forgot him.
VH finally became a 'complete' band when Sammy was added. Every one of the other members were at their pinnacle but what was lacking was a true rock singer like Sammy.
The music that came out after was better consistently and much more in tuned with their younger audience. The vocals became phenomenal.
Nah
Early VH with Roth was Amazing Sammy gave them more pop type music .
if you are a woman @raulcastro925
They became Journey 2.0
It was never just antics... Roth for all his goofy behavior was a great and unique singer. Most importantly, he was dynamic in a way that monotone Sammy could never even attempt.
A decent man respects other men regardless of his personal opinion while others talk trash.
No disrespect to Sammy, but Dave helped make VH. Period. He was the ultimate rock frontman.
Great Interview! Right now I am going to punch in a video for, "Space Station #5" by Montrose! ( Haven't heard it since
I was a young kid getting high and buzzed)
Sammy was spot on about that reunion tour. They played NJ's Meadowlands Arena and Eddie was an absolute mess. Couldn't play at all. Took it out on the mix engineer and after yelling at him from the stage, slammed his guitar headstock into the stage, then dragged the monitor wedge to the side of the stage and dropped it on the monitor mix console. After the show he had a screaming match with Val (who was there because Wolfie went out and played with Eddie; he was 14 at the time). I appreciate Sammie's talent, but Dave was a master showman. There hasn't been a front man like him ever since.
Guitar genius but a complete jackass.
Saw them twice...With each....And Sammy was great, But @ the 1984 concert...Dave would stop songs right in the middle & start telling a cutesy 'about him' story. Like WTF? Then Eddie went on waaay too long 20-25 minute guitar solos & people would leave & go to the bathrooms in the middle of them. ..Very disappointed that time. We all left in silence.
I am glad Sammy and Eddie amended their relationship before he died. I know Sammy and Dave really saw the heart Eddie had...Dave just has a creative way of expressing it. I would love more than anything for there to be love for each other in that band....everyone involved in Van Halen. That means more to me than the music itself. Those guys have been with me since the day I was born. Still a massive fan of both eras.
Oh come on Sammy, be a little more gracious, we all know you're a very gifted singer. Give David the credit he deserves, Van Halen was literally on-fire with David up front, I love that music!
Amen. You can’t hate on Dave for what he did while with VH.
the first 6 VH albums are my all time favorites...The Sammy stuff was a different time. Different band. Different attitude. Good, but not as good. By the time Sam came, they were all millionaires , sort of changes the dynamics. I will say that Sammy can still sing..Dave can't, But Sam never captured the magic of the original line up...I think Sam just had his 75th(?) birthday...still sounds good..I still miss the great EVH
@@raymo6795 Certainly Sammy's voice aged better than Dave's. But I agree those two line ups were very different bands, Van Halen 2.0 with Sammy was actually kind of a pop band. a very good pop band, but nonetheless. I am partial to the original line up with Dave up front.
I think Sammy did give him credit. He basically stated VH wouldn't of been discovered if it wasn't for DLR. His lyrics and music were spot on, but it's not the way Sammy would of lead the band. I think both versions of VH are great, but unfortunately greedy people from outside the band destroyed them.
you are dumb.
Loved both versions of VH…saw Montrose as a headliner..Journey in the middle.. no Steve Perry..opener was Van Halen…dam where’d the time go…
Original journey was fantastic, totally under rated. Lucky you to see those shows
Who was the best?
As soon as he called "Jump" one of their "early" songs, I stopped believing the words coming out of his mouth.
An excellent interview, watched the full length version as well. Sammy Hagar is a great rock vocalist, seemingly honest man who has enjoyed great success even in his business ventures. However I disagree with him regarding David Lee Roth and his contributions to VH. He was also a great vocalist during the band's first and lengthy chapter before Sammy came on board. I couldn't imagine the early albums and 1984 without his stellar vocals. Yeah he was a charismatic showman, that also had vocal substance.
Roth was Van Halen.
LOVED David Lee Roth!
You know who managed Van Halen in the early days? David lee Roth. The guy was a lot more than just hot pants and jumps. He suggested using the brothers last name for the bands name. He was the one on the phone organizing gigs in the early days.
I remember an interview with Roth, about the enormous success of VH. Throughout most of the interview, it was "I this, I that", and he referred to the rest of the band as "they". He very, very rarely used their names.
In another interview mere weeks later, the same thing happened. This time the interviewer question him about it and he point blank said "I am Van Halen. I make the band".
That was DLR.
Sammy though, he knew how to take that band further. No he wasn't as showy or flashy as Dave, but by then, that sort of thing was starting to die out. People wanted the sound, the emotion, the vibe, the ups and downs. They wrre into the seriousness of it. Rocket (sp) high kicks didn't interest people as much as they actual music.
Dave was the past. Sammy was the future. Too bad it didn't last.
No matter who what or why David Lee Roth is one of the greatest frontman in RnR or any genre for that matter.
I felt like Dave's persona matched the playing from the rest of the band at that time...There was tremendous precision from the playing, but the vocalist/front man had the job of balancing that precision with swagger and attitude. I think it worked out REALLY well.
I am a huge classic Van Halen fan myself, but Sammy was the right guy at the right time. David Lee Roth is a great songwriter and I don't understand why he would want to do so many cover songs?
Sammy's a good songwriter with an incredible voice but the energy with Roth in Van Halen was just pure magic!
Hagar did a great job stepping in when it was over with Roth.
I'd say Dave's problem with Sammy is he probably heard somewhere along the line that Ted Templeman actually wanted Hagar to replace Roth from the get go.
Even though Roth and templeman got close, it probably still bothered DLR.
I saw VH multiple times, in both the DLR era and in the SH era, and enjoyed it every time. They were different as frontmen, and as singers, but I enjoyed the heck out of both.
But the best concert I ever saw was Sammy solo on his VOA tour.
I'm thankful that I was able to see Sammy Hagar in the late 70's or early 80's.
Great musician, great show.
As an old-head, early Van Halen fan, I absolutely hated when Dave left and Sammy joined the band, but he absolutely elevated them to another level, and today he is one of my favorite singers of all time
I remember feeling the same way. And i feel the way you feel now....
I have been a Hagar fan since Montrose. When i started touring with my band we would occasionally cover Sammys songs. Like planets on fire. Awesome jam. Of course his music career has gone much better than mine 😆
They always felt like two very different bands to me, linked by the Van Halen brothers' playing. When people would get into the "Who's Better?" debates, I always thought it was pointless. Both rock bands, but with noticeably different musical directions. Apples and oranges. Cheers!
Top Jimmy, Atomic punk, Unchained, Me wise magic could NEVER have been done with Hagar. Don't say Dave was just a showman. When Roth was there, there was an electricity/chemistry that Sammy could never be a part of.
I was blessed to see Roth and Hagar solo and with VH at various times and on their tour together. Long time fan of both of them, who each brought a tremendous and different style. Of VH's 11 platinum albums, I think DLR has 6 of them... so he's no slouch. Much respect to all VH members, even if they had wild and disagreeable personalities at times. HUGE Egos in that industry, fueled by wealth, drugs, booze, women, etc. and most seem unable to control it...
David Lee Roth made Van Halen to most people back in the 80’s.
Love Sammy but Dave’s voice was the vocal identity of VanHalen as was the sound of Eddie’s guitar
One was a showman, one was a vocalist... both great in different eras of VH.
neither was a "vocalist" but both were "showmen" and Roth reigns supreme.
@@america1st721 lmaoooo, Ross doesn't have half the vocal talent that sammy had... roth was a frontman that could sing, in his early days. Sam could always sing and still Sounds way better in the seventies than dave did in his 50s when he came back with van halen over a decade ago. And sam didn't need to bounce around like richard simmons lol.
Sammy could have Jumped around a bit more😂😂😂😂
@@DidntDoo He didnt have to, he was there to sing not look like a superball
@@barbalato5 a little Showmanship never Hurt....lol.hahaha.
Hargar could also 👗 better...like a rock star
I saw Van Halen in Florida in 1984 was a awesome concert I was 14 years old and I still have that ticket! 😁
With each singer they were entirely different bands. Sometimes when you make a change it gives a different perspective to the song writing. I’ve always loved both singers whether solo or as Van Halen.
Bottom line he knows that David Lee Roth is a way better front man just look back at the 6 albums of Vanhalen now it's a totally different story w. Sammy Hager!
It’s a fascinating subject but unfortunately I can’t take anything Sammy, Dave, or Alex says to be objective. Great to have their perspectives but I’m quite certain we’re only getting one side of the coin with each of them.
I'm a Hagar fan from way back..79 I'm thinking...and I agree..
Agreed.
Rock star interviews are just entertainment. None of it matters.
Happy that I was able to see both version of Van Halen live.
They are both great vocalists/front men in their own way. Dave was a huge part of Van Halen's success, you can just tell when you listen to him talk, he is smart and charismatic. Sammy is talented and very driven, big work ethic. I mean both versions of this band were hugely successful! The music out of both eras is great, with the edge going to Roth-era Van Halen. You just can't deny the output of those 5 albums... awesome stuff. It's just sad that they couldn't put their differences together to continue making music, but alas... it's Rock and Roll...
I was a big Van Halen fan. a lot of what he says i agree with, like Eddie looked horrible in a lot of the older stuff.. But David Lee Roth absolutely made Van Halen, and i like Hagar. But when David Lee Roth was out i was no longer a fan. Van Hagar was ok, wasn't a big fan. When someone says Van Halen i immediately think of Van Halen with David lee Roth, nothing else works.
DLR’s lyrics fit incredibly well with EVH’s music - especially when you compare them with the cheesy nonsense Hagar wrote in VH. Sammy needs to chill
Every cover song that Van Halen did was because of Dave’s laziness. Supposed to come in to record an album and didn’t have the lyrics to do it. The cheesiest song they ever did was Jump and that was supposed to go on Diver Down. The music was done, no lyrics from Dave, which is why they covered Dancin’ In the Streets.
That entire hour-long interview was fantastic.
Unfortunately I went to the Dave reunion tour. I got to see a ten minute video of his herding dogs 2/3 the way through the show
Roth was a showman, but he is a very underrated lyricist. Very.
Indeed, “Mean Street” is phenomenal poetry
Sorry bro, he was terrible live at least a couple times that I saw him with Van Halen. Great on the albums though.
Yeah. I think VH live was sometimes just for the party.
@@jimmansi9046Saw Dave 8 times and he was phenomenal….Sammy is a flat out better singer and love him but Dave is my guy!
@@jimmansi9046that’s fine. He didn’t need to be a good singer to be good.
REALLY, Sammy thought he was better than the original Van Halen !!!!! Hilarious Sam !!
Um.. Yeah he was.. And is. He's right on the money accurate how about David Lee Roth being a showman and not a singer. The numbers don't lie. Van Halen was 10 times the Band with Sammy than with Roth.
@@M-Caponeagreed, Van Hagar is much better.
@@M-CaponeRIGHT ON THE MONEY.....100%.
@@M-CaponeSammy Van Halen is low calorie, lightweight, average. The first VH with Roth is all you need to know about, if you have a sack between your legs and musical taste between your ears. Give me a break…. Hey hey hey, 1 break coming up.
@@AdamFlorobullshit.
Sammy Hagar seems so done to earth.
By chance I recently saw the PBS program, Finding Your Roots which does the genealogy of celebrities.
Sammy came from a poor economic Italian background and learned the value of hard work at a young age by his mother.
It was a very interesting episode of the show.
Lifelong VH fan here. Sammy is a great singer/guitarist and had great succes with VH. I prefer the Roth era including the 1984 album. Dont like the keyboard- and lovesong era with Sammy on 5150 etc. But I think they found back to the guitardriven stuff on Balance, which is awesome. ADKOT was a nice swansong. EVH is the GOAT ! RIP !
The first five Van Halen albums blow Sammy’s whole career away, and they wouldn’t have happened without David Lee Roth.
Exactly 💯
Amen. Dave fit like a glove. All that energy. All that skat. Sammy hagar was a basic singer.
DLR was an obnoxious loudmouth. But I'm gonna have to agree with you.
@@asmith8947 I’m going to have to agree with you as well.
I know everyone has their own opinion but van hagar sucked in comparison with old Van Halen. Who cares if DLR's voice sucked later in his career!! Early Van Halen couldn't be topped as a band and that included David!!
Older interview, I say 2007 to 2010. I feel for Hagar, 2 people he loved in his life fell from Grace to the demons of drugs and alcohol, his father and EVH.
February of 2016
And Ronnie Montgomery committed suicide
I was at the Greensboro NC show in 04. They were great🤣
I like Sammy. He's down to earth and seems like a cool guy. I get the sense he treats fan well. VH was great with both singers, it was just great in a different way.
Dave did a great job on the first album for sure. Was he a great singer? No. His voice was a personality and he used what he had well and creatively.
Now he can’t sing one note on key. I saw them live in 2012 and I couldn’t stand listening to him so I left.
Sammy is an actual singer. He knows how to use his voice and he does it very well especially for Rock.
Taking piss,,, David was better Sammy is jealous,, he even brought the word up,,, hagar couldn't touch Roth,,, I was there all these days in the 80s, so fuck up,,
Well said.
Sammy annoying Hagar is overrated as a singer.
There are more people that dislike his style.
There are also better singers in rock but none of them would fit in Van Halen.
David was soulful,original and organic and gave the brown sound personality.
@@tubewrestler59 And David can no longer sing more shit. Because he doesn’t know how to sing. I’m a singer when you have technique you do not lose your voice like Dave has.
We wanna be like Montrose. 😂 ok Sammy.
I think this is really unfortunate that Sammy, at this age, would still be trashing Dave. Dave may be a narcissist but it was that narcissistic mind and Eddie’s brilliance that made Rock history. The first 6 VH albums changed rock forever.
First saw Sammy in February 1979 when he opened for Boston.
david lee roth era for me
He can say what he wants David was Great
I think he gave Dave credit. He called him out as a showman that demanded the attention that got Eddie noticed. In a world full of great guitar players it was never a sure thing that Eddie would be "discovered". Today we can argue over him as a potential "most significant" guitarist in Rock's history but that might never have happened had the band not been "noticed". As for "Dave was Great"? That's always subjective opinion and while Dave was important for Van Halen it's as easy to find people who loved Dave in the band and they just don't see it the same without him as it is to find people who would say, "great band, great songs but why the lousy vocals?". These people, you can count me among them, saw the band as greatly improved for having Sam replace Dave. When 5150 hit the radio I didn't suddenly hate the Dave stuff. Those are still great songs but I was thinking, "Wow!! Finally the Vocalist this band always needed. A guy who can hit the notes!"
He Sucked Perfectly
@@Dogboy1960 When Sammy came to the band they never had the Fire of VH Earlier Work with sammy they were More like a pop band doin more Love Songs and thats Fine just Different not my cup a tea.Dave All The Way.
@@markvanderstelt8999 When-ever I hear that comment it makes me realize how many "Dave only" fans really do completely tune out anything from the Sammy Hagar Era. Go back and listen to songs like Judgement Day, Pound Cake, Best of Both Worlds and no small number of others and try to sell that argument to yourself again. What is true though is the band continued what it had started toward with "Jump". Eddie, as the band's main song writer, clearly wanted more radio hits and a more diverse play list. With Sammy Hagar this was possible because he has vocal chops to pull it off and the big conflict with Dave not wanting any part of it was no longer an issue. (though I do wonder if Dave hadn't left would he still be as against it after scoring his own biggest ever "hit" with Jump? We'll never know because he did choose to leave). I'll never tell you that you're CRAZY for preferring the Dave Era that's the subjective opinion part each of us is going to have our own opinion on. Yet, I will argue that when Sammy Hagar belts out a hard rocker his vocals are far better than Dave here too. He's simply got a range and ability Dave doesn't have and never had. That last reunion tour without Mike Anthony backing him and hitting those notes that Dave never could was very revealing. I'm pretty equally split on both eras of Van Halen. I like 'em both but I also know a lot of folks who see this as you do. They are DIE HARD Dave only people. No small number of them were very disappointed with Dave in the reunion. In fairness to Dave I think it's a bit unfair to blame it all on him. I think most all of the difference can be found in Mike not being in the mix. Dave fans that really want to vilify Sammy as the end of the Van Halen they really liked might want to look at his friendship with Mike and taking Mike with him when he was gone. Though in reality.....Eddie probably deserves most of the blame for that piece of the puzzle.
@@Dogboy1960 do not get me wrong i love Sammys Voice and his Solo stuff and loved montrose and i never said Dave Had a Better Voice i said i Prefer him in VH . i like the showman and the Attitude and Edge he Brought those Early Records and i will say i Hate the song JUMP it was the Biggest Piece of crap they ever Did .
I saw Sammy during his 2023 tour. He really seemed to enjoy performing and appeared to have a bond with his bandmates. He's touring again in 2024. I'm going to buy some tickets.
Such a great interview. Two legends in this video.
Roth more of a rocker, Sam more pop.
Just the opposite. Dave came from R&B, dance, pre-disco, ect. influence. Same was more rock, especially w/Montrose. Some R&B influence with Sam but not as much as with Dave. The MUSIC Ed came up with the first decade they were together was overall more rock influenced but it still was a swingin'. Dave helped with that. The move to pop was very evident in '84. Ed got a big voice with Hagar and made more 'popish' rock. Great, but different for sure.
The dude who has always said the lyrics to Jump are dumb is the same dude who wrote the lyrics to I Can’t Drive 55 😂 jfc.
Hagar VH was good, but Roth era VH was another level. Roth was an underrated lyricist. Sammy could never write lyrics as good, with as much swag as And The Cradle Will Rock or Take Your Whisky Home.
But go on, Sammy, tell us about your amazing lyrics “Oh, that’s what dreams are made of”. Pure cheese.
You forgot the masterpiece lyrics… Red Red I like it Red! 🤣
Agreed
I dunno 3 Lock Box always sounded shitty to me.
Have you really heard Dave's solo stuff?
sammy was writing pop songs for VH dave put on a complete rock Show
When did this interview take place?
2016
Only arena concert I went to was the Live Without a Net album night in New Haven on the 5150 tour. We decided to go for the fun of it that night after work coming from Northampton Massachusetts, a scalper sold us the only tickets he had left, for behind the stage. I think we paid $25 for 3 tickets. We brought a couple 1980s pinner joints and Sammy even came to the back of the stage for a few moments to sing to us, almost all alone back there. Dave Van Halen and Sammy Van Halen are different, but both produced good music.
The real question I have is how could ALEX VH let Eddie get that bad ? ? 😢
Because Alex was a raging alcoholic at the time
"Am I my brother's keeper?"
@@DEADRABBIT8 not sure about that in 2004
@@asmith8947 apparently not