A ‘Burned Out’ Sammy Hagar Wanted a Break; Instead, He Joined Van Halen
Van Halen was one of the most iconic music groups of the 1980s. Led by its namesake, Eddie Van Halen, and brother Alex, the band made its iconic rise with eccentric frontman David Lee Roth. But when Roth quit due to strife and a desire to work alone, Van Halen called on Sammy Hagar. The solo artist brought a new sound that kept the band rocking.
Sammy Hagar’s early days
Hagar was not an industry newcomer when Eddie Van Halen called him to jam with the band. The “I Can’t Drive 55” singer-songwriter had established himself as a talented rock vocalist thanks to his experimental pop-rock and natural showmanship. According to AllMusic, Hagar released his first album in 1976 and performed in the band Montrose between solo ventures.
Hagar and Eddie Van Halen ran in the same circles. Though Roth had the rock persona, Hagar’s love of music made him a refreshing addition to the Van Halen lineup. Rather than re-create what Roth had, the band went in a new direction. When Roth quit after the band’s smash album 1984, the departure was a long time coming.
‘Van Hagar’ is born
Eddie Van Halen and Roth seldom saw eye-to-eye. The latter’s temper, outbursts, and creative philosophy caused a rift between the two musicians. Roth finally quit the band in 1985, and many feared Van Halen would never recover. Picking the right replacement singer was crucial, and Hagar’s blues inflections differed from Roth’s arena-rock sentimentalities.
However, when Hagar got the call from the band’s iconic guitarist, he was ready to quit the touring music scene.
“I had just come home,” Hagar told Rolling Stone in 2016. “I had just cut my hair. I was getting ready to go to L.A. I said, ‘Eddie, that sounds great. I’d love to play with you, but I’m just burned out. I’ve been touring solo for 10 years. I’m thinking about taking a year off.’ He goes, ‘Let’s get together and see what happens.’ I say, “OK, I’ll call you next week.’ He goes, “How about tomorrow?’
But despite Van Halen’s meteoric rise within the genre, Hagar wasn’t initially sold. His music views differed greatly from David Lee Roth’s, and he worried he’d become little more than a cover artist. However, one jam session changed everything for Hagar and the group.
“I never liked the band that much because I didn’t like the lyrics, personally,” Hagar revealed. “I didn’t like Dave’s persona. I had no intentions of joining the band, but then I heard this music. I thought I was going to grab Eddie and go, ‘Hey, come do my next record.’ But when I played with the three of them, there was such chemistry, and it was so exciting. We played until midnight, about 12 hours without stopping. “
Over the subsequent four albums, Hagar was their guy.
‘5150’ and David Lee Roth vs. Sammy Hagar
Hagar’s first album with Van Halen, 1986’s 5150, marked a shift in tone for the band. He displayed more vocal range and less showmanship than Roth, but his bluesier style was a hit with many fans, if not alienating to those who preferred his predecessor. Thirty years onward, the album remains one of the band’s most successful. Roth and Hagar switched in and out of the group for many years, but the ’80s heyday remains the band’s most iconic run.
Van Halen never got the swan song it deserved, thanks partly to the behind-the-scenes tumult. The band continued performing until Eddie Van Halen’s death in 2020. Since then, Roth and Hagar have continued their nearly four-decade feud into 2022, Grunge reports. However, Hagar’s comments show how deep the hatred remains with the namesake gone and memories remaining.
