SAMMY HAGAR Happy To Let VAN HALEN Remain In The Past

[That 70s Guy]

blabbermouth.net

According to The Pulse Of Radio, Sammy Hagar says that nearly a decade after last performing with VAN HALEN, he's happy to let his run in the band stay in the past. On September 24, Hagar releases his star-studded solo set, called "Sammy Hagar & Friends". Among the high-profile guest performers and/or writers are Hagar's CHICKENFOOT bandmates Michael Anthony, Chad Smith, and Joe Satriani, along with Kid Rock, Ronnie Dunn, JOURNEY's Neal Schon, HEART's Nancy Wilson and various members of MONTROSE. The album will feature covers of BOB SEGER's "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man" and DEPECHE MODE's "Personal Jesus".

Hagar spoke to Rolling Stone and when asked if he would ever consider dueting with former touring partner and fellow VAN HALEN frontman David Lee Roth, Hagar said, "It's so hard! Because, probably, if he came to me, **** yeah. I'll do anything. But to go to him and put myself in that vulnerable position, I would get probably the wisest ****ing crack that ever came out of his mouth. I don't think Dave wants to sing with me. I don't think Dave wants to be in the same room with me, to be honest with you. I don't know if I intimidate him or if I piss him off or if he just flat don't like me, or if he's afraid of me. I don't know what it is, but he and I do not get together. We tried. I gave it every shot I had on that tour. And I could care less. I mean, I'm totally over the guy."

Hagar couldn't let the VAN HALEN subject go, adding: "As a matter of fact, the whole idea of VAN HALEN — people ask me all the time, 'What if Eddie [Van Halen] called you up and asked you to be back in that?' I just hope he doesn't do that. I'm so past it, and I'm so happy and proud of what we did, I wouldn't want to tarnish it again like that '04 tour. And now what they're doing, acting like I was never in that band, just playing all that early material. . . How can they do that? But Dave can't sing it, so what the ****. It is what it is, and I'd just as soon let it be. Let them finish it off in their own way, and whatever happens, it's all good. I would love to be friends with those guys. Michael Anthony is one of my dearest friends, and I don't see why Ed and Al [Van Halen] shouldn't be that, someday, in our lives. But until then, it's all fine."

For his new solo set, Sammy Hagar partially revived his early-'80s supergroup with JOURNEY's Neal Schon, with the addition of his CHICKENFOOT bandmates Michael Anthony and Chad Smith — a band which Hagar maintains is a force to be reckoned with. "That band is so good, that we got the first take on 'Goin' Down' and we got the first take on 'Personal Jesus'," he said. "Y'know, we went ahead and took some more, but it was the first take that was fine that was the magic. When you've got musicians like that. . . We even wrote another song, I mean, we just jammed another song that coulda be another song instantly, [laughs] I was just out of time for, y'know, creating new songs. But that band right there, [laughs], which we're calling HSAS, is capable of going in and recording an album in a week and going out on tour, like CHICKENFOOT and putting on a phenomenal show."

 

[LG]

Sammy can't help himself, he's contradicted his own statements many times over the years since the acrimonious split from VH. I understand why he does that though, part of him regrets what happened and it's obvious he enjoyed his time in VH the first few years.

A band can't have two frontmen, so it's no shock to me that Diamond Dave and Sammy don't get along, in fact I'll wager I'd be in a fist fight with Dave within a few minutes more than likely, I only like the guy when he's singing in VH.

 

[Big Ears]

I remember Sammy Hagar saying he left Montrose because he was writing a lot of the material, but the band was named after the guitarist. It seemed fair enough to everyone else, as Ronnie Montrose had gained a reputation based on his work with Edgar Winter and Van Morrison. Then, Hagar joined another band named after the guitarist (this time a lesser band with a far less talented guitarist). Truth be told, Hagar's solo work was mostly crap, despite the talent involved, and VH were making big money. The common denominator appeared be Ted Templeman, although he seemed unable to align Hagar with VH. Hagar was really too good for them and should have formed a band with someone else, like Derek St. Holmes, Neal Schon, Ted Nugent or Jimmy Page.

 

[Vehicle]

The Master Plan For Leaving Van Halen In The Past.


1. Stop talking about it.





End of plan.

 

[gcczep]

Just Shut Up!

The Master Plan For Leaving Van Halen In The Past.

1. Stop talking about it.

End of plan.

It's like the guy who says he's over his hot ex and yet has to remind everyone within earshot that he is.

 

[stepcousin]

Hagar joined another band named after the guitarist (this time a lesser band with a far less talented guitarist). Truth be told, Hagar's solo work was mostly crap

So you're sayin' Ronnie was far more talented than Eddie, Montrose was a better band than Van Halen, and Standing Hampton, Three Lock Box, and V.O.A. are mostly crap?

 

[Khor1255]

Except for the first statement (I'd say Montrose was a more enjoyable guitar player but not necessarily more talented) I'd agree with all of that.

 

[Music Wench]

I actually liked Van Halen with Sammy. I pretty much just like Sammy I think. Seems like a fun guy. David Lee Roth was the better singer overall when he was in his prime, though. I think it's his asshole personality I didn't like.

 

[Khor1255]

I only ever liked the first few Van Halen albums with Roth. By the time they got Hagar they were already over as far as I was concerned.

 

[Big Ears]

So you're sayin' Ronnie was far more talented than Eddie, Montrose was a better band than Van Halen, and Standing Hampton, Three Lock Box, and V.O.A. are mostly crap?

I think Montrose was a far better guitarist than Van Halen, in technique and feel. Montrose and Gamma were a far better bands than Van Halen, in their consistency, songwriting and performances. Someone made a comment about lesser guitarists than John McLaughlin 'taking the path of least risistance'. This is how I see Van Halen with his tapping technique against Montrose's plucking the strings. All great guitarists pluck the strings, from Jimi Hendrix to Tony Iommi. I am not saying I do not like Van Halen or the even the shredders. Fair Warning still stands up as a good album.

On only two albums with Montrose, Hagar made a list of songs that will stand the test of time: Rock the Nation, Space Station No. 5, Bad Motor Scooter, Connection (admittedly a cover), I Got the Fire, Paper Money and the list goes on. I cannot think of many outstanding songs with VH. Maybe Dreams? Sammy Hagar was an infinitely better singer than David Lee Roth, who couldn't really sing, but it did not work.

As a Montrose fan, I bought many of the Sammy Hagar albums at the time and was disappointed by all of them, with the exception of a few tracks (Young Girl Blues live compared favourably with the Montrose material). They contained great musicians, with outstanding pedigrees, but Ronnie Montrose was missing. I've still got them on vinyl and play them every now and again, hoping I hear something I missed, but it never happens.

Okay, crap is probably too strong a word for all of Sammy Hagar's post-Montrose work, as it did improve. VOA, HSAS and Marching to Mars weren't so bad. Chickenfoot is pretty awful though.