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.
Sammy has been the front man for great bands for over 50 years now. myself as an older senior now, having lived through all my own exhausting youth, it is astonishing to me that Sammy still has so much energy.
@wwrighthv1840 I love Sammy Solo or with Montrose but when I think of the songs like Mean Street or Ain't talking bout love or the many other earlier tunes Van Halen Rocked better with Roth as singer
Let’s be honest, Sammy thought mr Lee was embarrassing as a in front man. Those dances it just wasn’t Sammy. He definitely brought music to Van Halen because before Sammy it was just a circus.
Sammy is a rare breed in that world. Not only does he work hard at his craft even today... He always manages to find time for worthy charitable causes. Loyal and loving family man and friend. The first concert I ever saw was when he opened up for Boston in 1978 during the Don't Look Back tour. It was an awesome experience.
@@mikeg3439 When I saw Boston they sounded just like the album! It was early in their career when only the first album had been released but, they nailed it live!
@@lantarsroar87 have you seen this money grab tribute band nonsense? No, sammy needs to freaking grow up along with sheep boys who follow this embarrassing clown show like you,seriously!
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.
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.
I'll never understand how Sammy can think all these things about Dave, that Dave quit, that Dave was the problem... but when it comes to his own departure, it's "I was fired because outside forces turned us against one another." The Van Halen brothers always were toxic. They were the common denominator in every problem and relationship they ever had, particularly Eddie.
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!!!
Me too dude! Then they let me sit in with them while they jammed in the dressing room for like an hour! Al told me I am the best drummer he's ever seen. Amazing!
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!
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.
I love Sammy Hagar! After meeting him when I was hanging out with Herbie Herbert in San Francisco, I can honestly say he is as advertised! I played bass in the Eddie $$ band early days & saw how he handle his fame! It's not easy! Sammy is just that cool as dude, you should be lucky to call a friend! Fame didn't make Sammy cool..... he started out cool from Day 1....😎
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
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.
Your definition of humble is my definition of a narcissist. He’s placing blame, pointing fingers, minimising DLR’s talent, and playing the victim. This unaccountable asshole killed VH
@@bconni2 he spins his stories like Trump . Which means he's full of 💩 . Morons praise him for his big donations to charities . Big effing deal . Thanks to Bush/Cheney and Trump donations are unlimited tax deductibles . That's the main reason for most donations from people like Hagar .
Your definition of humble is my definition of a narcissist. Placing blame, pointing fingers, and minimising DLR’s talent, without taking one ounce of accountability for what he turned VH into. This asshole called himself the leader of the band. A most unearned honor as he was never able to take VH to where it was with DLR.
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.
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.
@@Sickofsociety1 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.
DAVID LEE ROTH WAS A VIBE... You can't tell me they weren't big because of David Lee Roth in the 80's... It's not about vocals, it's about the songs, music, vibe and the energy... Sammy came in and kept it going, i'm sure! But David Lee Roth did his thing.. just say that... you can't erase history!
Got into Van Halen as a boy with Fair Warning. By the time 1984 came out as much as I love it , it felt forced. Musically Van Halen excelled with Sammy. The last album with Dave is proof.
Just listened to a show in 2013 Tokyo Dome with Wolfgang on bass. David sounded comically bad. Could not hold a key or sing to save his soul. I don't think he was drunk but was really surprised how his voice declined. Its on RUclips. Don't listen to that if you want to here David in a dumpster fire. He is so bad in that show. He really needed some vocal training or something at that point. Hagar would have been a better choice at that point but there was allot of bad energy between them at that point. After Eddie died I know Hagar felt bad that he had not reached out before. He realized he went through allot with his health issues.
David Lee Roth represents the earlier raw talent. 1984 was the album where synthesizer were first used yet Dave's voice and Eddie's guitar mastery pulled it off. 5150 (my first concert) became more about them growing up, singing a lot of love ballads masked as Rock... it was closer to Pop Rock for the mainstream. The original fans saw it as bubble-gum rock.. they thought it was terrible. Many thought they sold out.. but they really pulled in the next younger decade of teens... and they continued for almost 4 more decades. They sold more records not because it was better, but because it appealed to a wider audience. Van Halen is my favorite band, and I know just about every word of every song. I used to buy stereo equipment and speakers and test them out with certain songs from both eras. I like both DLR and SH for different reasons. They remind me of different time periods of my childhood, teenage, adolescent and adult years.
@@mattvillano7126 why is Sammy acting like he made some high end masterpieces? Van Hagar is adult Contemporary pop rock. It’s perfectly good but it’s not Hot for Teacher. Compare Panama with Poundcake, please get over yourself Sammy. We know Dave is sort of annoying but that earlier VH delivered.
@williestreiff9314 I think Sammy Hagar came to the same conclusion. Eddie definitely had some self-destructive behaviors unfortunately. I think the fact that the brothers had different management also didn't help
@@mattvillano7126 I wasn't aware of that situation sounds like fumbling bumbling trainwreck and it sure as hell wouldn't have made or breaked them to kick down a better deal with Michael Anthony and as far as Hagar he's a class act and I love his story about walking to Ronnie Montroses house and trying out,,if not for that we probably would know who Sammy Hagar is today 😁
@@williestreiff9314 Sammy got the gig because is auto mechanic was working on Eddie Van Halen's ferrari, and he suggested that Eddie call Sammy. That's how it all started
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.
I saw Sammy in Boise a couple years ago' I had tickets to see REO but one of the band members was ill and they weren't able to perform, Sammy was supposed to perform the next night, but they had arrived a day early so Sammy says last minuet that they will play both nights, anybody who wanted to use their REO tickets to see them instead could, if not they would issue a refund. They played a two-hour shown without playing any songs that they intended to play the next night so anybody who had tickets for Sammy wouldn't be seeing the same show two days in a row, and it was a really great show. And here is the best part the shows were to raise money for a charity, and they probably weren't getting paid anyway.
Around 20 years ago, the Sammy concert at Devore (his home show....my neighbor went to school with him) got rained out. We stuck it out until they pulled the plug. He apologized and said he would come back and do a free show. Roughly the next year, he did a free concert at California Speedway one evening after a race. It was open to the general public, without tickets. His welcome home concert (after leaving VH) at Cal State San Bernardino was great and the my first concert as a high school kid and I went on to see him many more times. Having the Scorpions go on stage after Sammy and the Waboritas was dumb though. I love the Scorpions but the stage presence was just a letdown immediately after seeing a high energy show......and I had onstage tickets for Sammy's portion. He seems like a guy who is all about having fun and being real instead of having an ego or rubbing his wealth and success in people's faces. He has made it in life and is just sharing the enjoyment of his ride with fans. Unfortunately, the only time I saw VH was the reunion tour and it sounded like crap in the Anaheim Ducks stadium and I got sick right after.....I think it was a combo of the stadium, band being off, and my ears already being affected by the cold. At least I saw them as a band, as I never bothered seeing Linkin Park in concert and kind of wish I had.
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 RUclips.
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.
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?
I get what Sammy is saying about Dave, but VH would have NEVER made it without Dave. If Sammy was the initial singer in VH they most likely wouldn't have made it. Dave laid the foundations for Sammy to jump on and take it even higher.
I dont know about that - Because Sammy was already selling out mass venues and CD's galore; When the best of both worlds came together, VH became monumental.
Van Hagar is boring to me. I mean there are good songs for sure but when I think of VAN HALEN as a band I think of Daves shit. Unchained, Running with The devil, Everybody wants Some, Mean Streets, Panama, maybe Right Now if Im in the mood, maybe. No disrespect to the man, but it's just not the same. Id hardly call it taking it higher, maybe taking it somewhere else, but thats fine too for those who like Van Hagar.
I followed Van Hagar for a couple albums to see if they ever did anything as interesting as they did with DLR. Decent music, but I lost interest. Sammy appears to be a much more normal person than Roth. Never nearly as interesting. Our neighbors never usually are as interesting as the circus. But, who wants to live next to the circus?
Thank you Sammy for this take, I am one of the biggest VH fans there is... I enjoyed all VH roth, Sammy and even Gary.... Granted not near as much... But I have always been about 50/50 on the roth/sammy songs .. Never was a fan of any of Davids antics or show really.... Sammy more my type of guy but I did give DLR his props in those early songs are timeless. I started VH about 1983-1984 and been my fav ever since. I was too young for DLR shows until after he rejoined and only saw one show back about 9-10 years ago. I saw balance tour with sammy, Went to a Sammy small tequila show also. Sucks to hear about Eddies bads but man I just have to overlook and respect the music created and I grew up to sooooo much playtime where I have listened to every song from every album from VH original to their last and best of etc. But 5150 and 0U812 albums maybe my fav.... I really liked every album in their own ways and soo many memories growing up listening and still do to this day
Oh please. I like Dave’s baritone voice. It fits with the music perfectly. His rough baritone voice is a nice counterbalance to Eddie’s virtuosity. Dave writes great lyrics too.
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.
@@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.
Sammy a real cool down to earth guy and he's a hell of a rock singer! I seen him live with my wife in Chicago with his band the circle, Jason Bonham on drums and Michael Anthony on bass and Vic Johnson on lead guitar! Great show!
There's a quote that I read when A Different Kind of Truth came out. It said something like "When David Lee Roth sings with Van Halen, it makes Eddie Van Halen play guitar the way the world wants to hear him play guitar."
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.
Yeah that was a weird time--- everyone was split as to whether 5150 or Eat 'em and Smile was better, whether Ted Templeman going with Dave would make the difference, whether the pop stylings of Landee & Jones would ruin VH's sound. In the end it's pretty clear 5150 was a modern rock monster and though I love Steve Vai, it was Dave who suffered musically. I was in L.A. going to GIT and half the people were with Dave, half with VanHagar.
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.
David Lee Roth was a great performer not even a good vocalist.. saw Van Halen 3 times with Roth and although the band was tight and was amazing his vocals were terrible the last time was the Fair Warning tour and i vowed to never waste my money to see them again... I was elated to hear that Sammy was the new lead singer in 85 and couldn't wait to see them with him on the mic!! Id seen Sammy's solo tours and knew he could sing live and i wasn't disappointed, i saw Van Halen 4 more times with Hagar and every show was amazing!! Sammy's the best...awesome human being!!
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.
@@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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
@@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 RUclips 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.
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.
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.
@@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.
@@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.
@@skipdog9912 DLR didn't want synths on Jump but but he admitted he got that wrong when it hit. Sure seem like Eddy kicked Dave out. If you listen to Vai talk about Dave, Vai talks about what a professional Dave was and how hard he worked to stay in shape so he could put on a great show. I'm not sure what to believe other than I preferred Dave to Sammy in VH by a lot BUT Sammy kept that thing going and Dave never really came back on his own in a big way.
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.
He said he had a lot of demons. He was asked about negative experiences, and he shared them. That isn’t “trashing” anyone. It’s answering a question. He even ended it by saying he became a different person
Face the fact that DLR had a lack of talent vocally that was covered by his outgoing over-the-top stage performance. SH is not only vocally talented but can play the guitar as well as write the songs! Both had their time with VH and gave their best but I would've loved to see more out of the SH times. DLR was just an A-hole that nobody wanted to deal with in the end.
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!!!🤘🤘🤘🤘⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️
@@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.
Sammy is an EXCELLENT FRONT MAN!!!! He's also a GREAT DUDE. I grew up on Van Hagar. No disrespect to Eddie. The GREATEST GUITAR PLAYER TO EVER PICK UP A GUITAR. Poundcake, Right Now, Top of The World, The Dream Is Over, When It's Love, Dreams, Cabo Wabo, Mine All Mine, Summer Nights, 5150, I COULD GO ON & ON. Sammy is #1.
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.
Sad to hear about Eddie's deterioration, but, I enjoyed this heartfelt and sincere interview with Sammy Hagar. R.I.P. Ed- thanks for uploading; liked and subscribed.
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.
Sammy might be the one exception to the "Never meet your heroes" trope. All accounts of people who've met him or know him always say he is who he appears to be on camera and on-stage. One solid, down to earth family man. I've had the privilege of seeing him live (with and without VH) multiple times, and his shows are always about the fans. I've been a fan my whole life (I'm almost 50), and will continue to be until the day I leave this plane of existence (probably to the tune of the deep cut "Dream Another Dream" from his 3rd album with VH).
Great observation. After listening to Alex VH book "Brothers" and much, much more, I agree Sam Hagar is authentic. Sorry to end my comment this way, but the VH Brothers...well, never mind.
This is a mindblowing interview. Both bands with Roth and Hagar were different but equally good. But the bit with Eddie. Had no idea he was that far gone with drugs and alcohol. Reminds me of the ( Who) And the Keith Moon Situation.
"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!!!
@@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.
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.
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.
@@merriemisfit8406 who gives a fuck about the reunion tours. Basically bands being a tribute of themselves. When Van Halen ruled the world Diamond Dave was a front man.
I know people don't like Sammy because he is so open and candid. I actually respect him for just telling it like it is. Especially with that 2004 tour he got treated like shit. I think he's allowed to vent on his frustrations over the years with Van Halen.
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.
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.
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.
@@YouCanCallMeDon yep much better. Between the Boas & spandex he wore, you knew you were watching Dave's gay revue right? Not that there's anything wrong w/ being gay, but it changes the slant of the music😆
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.
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.
Do you realize that DLR managed the band, convinced Eddie to use the name VH, was the one getting the band their gigs in the early days, he wrote the lyrics, came up with melodies... he literally WAS VH!!
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.
@@Falconryder 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.
I don't thing David was fake about anything, at all, he just was over flowing with his gifts & talents and David Lee Roth was The Perfect Fit! The whole thig was that David Could-Not turn-it-down from 11 when the Very Best of Rock & Roll at that time was an 8 minus at best...
3:15 Not JUST his "antics" but his vocal stylings and Jewish cheeziness and cockiness and to downplay DLR's importance in the band would be analogous to downplaying Michael Anthony's importance. Gee, Mike could sing high notes and keep a beat but he wasn't tall with that rock n roll bandmember image and he didn't write with the other three!!! cmon, everyone played a PART of making VH what it was and while one can say Dave wasn't a great singer, he didnt' need to be. He was a DECENT singer with tons of charisma and attitude and exactly what the VH brothers and MA needed. His voice was thick and unique. MA's was thin and high. Not good enough in tone NOR singing to carry the band. DLR was. Sammy is a better singer and also plays guitar. Two different incarnations.
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.
There is a Van Halen tribute band in my area that focuses on the Sammy era. They do a good job, and during the show they do toss in a couple songs from the DLR era, and the crowd goes nuts. Everybody knows the early stuff was the best.
I´m gonna commit the ultimate Van Halen "sacrilege": I started listening to this band thanks to the Balance´s singles aired on MTV (around 1996). I was a young kid and got blown away by the tone. I fell in love with that guitar tone. And having listened to Sammy first, going back to their discography with Dave didn´t feel right (eventhough I enjoyed Eddie´s playing).
@@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.
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.
Van Hagar forever. Saw the Red Rocker at his birthday bash in Cabo. He genuinely has so much fun! It was a great time and I’m so grateful for the experience ♥️🎈
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.
I saw Sammy in September 1996. It was a great show with the band that became known as the Waboritas. I saw Sammy apart from VH. He was and is the genuine article. He's a great front man, and always brought his "A" game 🎮!
Well said! It took the individual contributions from every member of the band to make it shine so bright. Which is most often the case for any successful musical enterprise.
Sammy is so full of energy and love for life and family I think he will perform until the day comes he can’t hold a guitar anymore. Such a powerful man. Keep rocking Sam you got a fan forever here. Love your new band as well. Would love to take a ride in one of your favorite vehicles.
Best frontman? And the award goes to David Lee Roth!! He did the rock n roll frontman thing like nobody’s business. Also, out of all the bands in the 80’s, by far VH had the hottest women at their concerts! Nuff Said🤘🏽
This is almost laughable. Dan Rather has (had) no idea who Van Halen, let alone Montrose, is or was. Pee Wee Herman would’ve had more credibility. Also, I’ve been a big fan of Sammy’s for well over forty five years and have an immense amount of respect for him and his entire body of work. But, for the life of me, I can’t see why he can’t/won’t recognize and acknowledge what David Lee Roth was, not only to Van Halen, but to Rock music. In my opinion, he’s one of the greatest front men and “vocalists” in the history of Rock. I’m not sure if Sammy would ever be considered for that list.
I love VH for what both David and Sammy did to make their own sound. I loved David's energy, he was a real showman--regardless of his vocals. He was unique and made the band his. Sammy, likewise. Even better, more sophisticated vocals and loved Sammy's songs with top notch Eddie with his genius guitar-playing skills.
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.
I prefer that David Lee Roth era myself, but the Hagar era had some incredible music as well. 5150 (the song) is perhaps the best guitar work Eddie ever released.
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)
Who, besides DLR, could pull off 'Ice Cream Man' in a hard rock band and have be a beloved classic? The Hagar years were music for grownups...but they were missing the pure fun, swagger and joy of the DLR years.
I was born in 80. My Mom introduced me to VH. We have this back and forth once a year or so. She prefers Dave, I prefer Sammy. Probably can chalk that up to age of course. I listen, have records, and like early VH of course, but she’s a purist so she tends to ignore Sammy. One thing we both agree on, Eddie was an absolute musical genius. One of those artists that I always say cannot be omitted. You cannot tell the story/history of Rock and Roll without mentioning Eddie Van Halen. RIP ❤
David Lee Roth is an incredible musician, with incredible raw talent, and a fantastic voice. No one even realizes that that was Dave fingerpicking acoustic guitar on ice cream man, not Eddie...
Producer Ted Templeman signed Van Halen to Warner Brothers Records after seeing them live at the Starwood in Los Angeles. When they were in the studio recording Dave's vocals for the first album, recording engineer Donn Landee looked at Ted and stated "This guy can't sing." They had to record take after take after take; punching in lines over and over. In Ted's book he wrote that it took hours just to get a lead vocal.
Dave could NOT sing so reading some of these comments are hysterical, guess drugs got to these people. Dave was a showman, not a singer. Go look up any of the online vocal isolated tracks where Dave is al “ow, hey, yeah, wooo” and he’s terrible. Then his “singing” had effects on it. Not taking anything away from being a showman, he was that, but singer or artist talent was nil.
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.
Dan Rather's son is a guitar player. We played together in NYC a few times years ago. I'm sure he's digging these rock star interviews his father is doing... He's probably on set.
I was 15 years old in the early eighties. I saw David Lee Roth in an airport. I told him that I was a big fan and asked him for an autograph. He told me to "Beat it kid!" What a prick! I met Mike Anthony later that year at Lake havasu. I told him about my David Lee Roth encounter. He shook his head and rolled his eyes. Mike took about 5 minutes to talk with my little sister and I and give us both autographs. Mike Anthony is a cool guy! David Lee Roth, just a prick!
The difference between Dave & Sammy was like the difference between Ozzy & Dio. Vocally, neither Dave nor Ozzy could hold a candle to their replacements Sammy & Dio, not even close. But the personalities of the originals Dave & Ozzy were so huge, so entrenched with the fans that it made up the difference. Obviously Sammy is going to be biased against Dave, insulting him and saying showmanship is “fake”, but dude… hard rock fans aren’t just in it for the notes. We want the show.
I guarantee you this interview was probably the basis for why Alex treats Sammy as he does. I certainly have great sadness for Alex losing a brother. I've lost a brother too. You live with it forever. But Alex is doing allot of sterilizing of Eddie's past to band-aid his legacy (hence his abbreviated history in the book). Eddie might have been struggling on a number of fronts, but Alex was also deep in his own addictions so he always looked the other way for his brother and never seem to care what he did to others. Sammy has every right to speak his peace because unfortunately Alex was always going to turn a blind eye to him to prop up some ego driven notion of "greatness" to his little brother who clearly had to be catered to nonstop. Alex leaving Sammy out of the book speaks more to his demons than it says about Sammy. If anything it solidifies everything Sammy said. Alex won't talk about it, because what Sammy says is true and its too late to fix what he could of done years ago if he had stepped up and been accountable.
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,,
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.
![Seungmin "그렇게, 천천히, 우리(As we are)" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kAzmhLHePqU/mqdefault.jpg)
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.
@@jcruisioso5975 Ted is definitely a spitter.
Sammy has been the front man for great bands for over 50 years now. myself as an older senior now, having lived through all my own exhausting youth, it is astonishing to me that Sammy still has so much energy.
@wwrighthv1840 I love Sammy Solo or with Montrose but when I think of the songs like Mean Street or Ain't talking bout love or the many other earlier tunes Van Halen Rocked better with Roth as singer
100%
This was nearly 10 years ago.
Mercenary. Get a life
Let’s be honest, Sammy thought mr Lee was embarrassing as a in front man.
Those dances it just wasn’t Sammy. He definitely brought music to Van Halen because before Sammy it was just a circus.
Sammy is a rare breed in that world. Not only does he work hard at his craft even today... He always manages to find time for worthy charitable causes. Loyal and loving family man and friend. The first concert I ever saw was when he opened up for Boston in 1978 during the Don't Look Back tour. It was an awesome experience.
Boston was great..Ted Nugent was too as well as ACDC and ZZ Top
How was Boston? I heard they are okay live, but don't sound like the studio album to a marked degree.
@mikeg3439 even after forty six years, I can remember how great they sounded and performed that night.
@@mikeg3439 When I saw Boston they sounded just like the album! It was early in their career when only the first album had been released but, they nailed it live!
@@douglashoffman5460 Ted Nugent talks too much
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 RUclips.
AXS should be putting dates on their videos. This is just poor reporting
I’ve met Sammy before a show and can honestly say he is a fantastic down to earth man.
Baaaaaa!
@@jehudavis5422 GROW UP SERIOUSLY
@@lantarsroar87 have you seen this money grab tribute band nonsense? No, sammy needs to freaking grow up along with sheep boys who follow this embarrassing clown show like you,seriously!
But he ain’t no front man. He can’t hold Diamond Dave’s jockstrap.
@@lantarsroar87He's just a sheep voicing his view
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.
@@Falconryder 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.
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.
I'll never understand how Sammy can think all these things about Dave, that Dave quit, that Dave was the problem... but when it comes to his own departure, it's "I was fired because outside forces turned us against one another."
The Van Halen brothers always were toxic. They were the common denominator in every problem and relationship they ever had, particularly Eddie.
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
.
I gained some respect for Sammy as a person, and as a hard working musician after watching this.
@Roper-dr9uhsame here
Me too dude! Then they let me sit in with them while they jammed in the dressing room for like an hour! Al told me I am the best drummer he's ever seen. Amazing!
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
I love Sammy Hagar! After meeting him when I was hanging out with Herbie Herbert in San Francisco, I can honestly say he is as advertised! I played bass in the Eddie $$ band early days & saw how he handle his fame! It's not easy! Sammy is just that cool as dude, you should be lucky to call a friend! Fame didn't make Sammy cool..... he started out cool from Day 1....😎
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
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 Hagar, the guy speaks from his heart and wears it on his sleeve. What a genuinely humble human being.
Yet he lies constantly saying he was fired and cries about being better than Dave even though Dave sold more Can Halen albums than Captain Candyass .
humble.? he's trashing DLR.
Your definition of humble is my definition of a narcissist.
He’s placing blame, pointing fingers, minimising DLR’s talent, and playing the victim.
This unaccountable asshole killed VH
@@bconni2 he spins his stories like Trump . Which means he's full of 💩 . Morons praise him for his big donations to charities . Big effing deal . Thanks to Bush/Cheney and Trump donations are unlimited tax deductibles . That's the main reason for most donations from people like Hagar .
Your definition of humble is my definition of a narcissist.
Placing blame, pointing fingers, and minimising DLR’s talent, without taking one ounce of accountability for what he turned VH into.
This asshole called himself the leader of the band. A most unearned honor as he was never able to take VH to where it was with DLR.
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?
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.
@@Sickofsociety1 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.
@@dominysynclair there was a time after Val left Ed that he. looked like he was not gonna make it,
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
DAVID LEE ROTH WAS A VIBE... You can't tell me they weren't big because of David Lee Roth in the 80's... It's not about vocals, it's about the songs, music, vibe and the energy... Sammy came in and kept it going, i'm sure! But David Lee Roth did his thing.. just say that... you can't erase history!
DLR's studio vocals were amongst the best in rock history. Recordings sells records and make the way for live shows...
Got into Van Halen as a boy with Fair Warning. By the time 1984 came out as much as I love it , it felt forced. Musically Van Halen excelled with Sammy. The last album with Dave is proof.
Sammy turned Van Halen into adult contemporary. DLR was about being young and partying.
@@powerfuless That's sounds about right. I just loved the raw energy and sound.
Just listened to a show in 2013 Tokyo Dome with Wolfgang on bass. David sounded comically bad. Could not hold a key or sing to save his soul. I don't think he was drunk but was really surprised how his voice declined. Its on RUclips. Don't listen to that if you want to here David in a dumpster fire. He is so bad in that show. He really needed some vocal training or something at that point. Hagar would have been a better choice at that point but there was allot of bad energy between them at that point. After Eddie died I know Hagar felt bad that he had not reached out before. He realized he went through allot with his health issues.
David Lee Roth represents the earlier raw talent. 1984 was the album where synthesizer were first used yet Dave's voice and Eddie's guitar mastery pulled it off. 5150 (my first concert) became more about them growing up, singing a lot of love ballads masked as Rock... it was closer to Pop Rock for the mainstream. The original fans saw it as bubble-gum rock.. they thought it was terrible. Many thought they sold out.. but they really pulled in the next younger decade of teens... and they continued for almost 4 more decades. They sold more records not because it was better, but because it appealed to a wider audience. Van Halen is my favorite band, and I know just about every word of every song. I used to buy stereo equipment and speakers and test them out with certain songs from both eras. I like both DLR and SH for different reasons. They remind me of different time periods of my childhood, teenage, adolescent and adult years.
@@mattvillano7126 why is Sammy acting like he made some high end masterpieces? Van Hagar is adult
Contemporary pop rock. It’s perfectly good but it’s not Hot for Teacher. Compare Panama with Poundcake, please get over yourself Sammy. We know Dave is sort of annoying but that earlier VH delivered.
DLR could read the writing on the wall and vacated 😂
@williestreiff9314 I think Sammy Hagar came to the same conclusion. Eddie definitely had some self-destructive behaviors unfortunately. I think the fact that the brothers had different management also didn't help
@@mattvillano7126 I wasn't aware of that situation sounds like fumbling bumbling trainwreck and it sure as hell wouldn't have made or breaked them to kick down a better deal with Michael Anthony and as far as Hagar he's a class act and I love his story about walking to Ronnie Montroses house and trying out,,if not for that we probably would know who Sammy Hagar is today 😁
@@williestreiff9314 Sammy got the gig because is auto mechanic was working on Eddie Van Halen's ferrari, and he suggested that Eddie call Sammy. That's how it all started
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.
I saw Sammy in Boise a couple years ago' I had tickets to see REO but one of the band members was ill and they weren't able to perform, Sammy was supposed to perform the next night, but they had arrived a day early so Sammy says last minuet that they will play both nights, anybody who wanted to use their REO tickets to see them instead could, if not they would issue a refund. They played a two-hour shown without playing any songs that they intended to play the next night so anybody who had tickets for Sammy wouldn't be seeing the same show two days in a row, and it was a really great show. And here is the best part the shows were to raise money for a charity, and they probably weren't getting paid anyway.
Around 20 years ago, the Sammy concert at Devore (his home show....my neighbor went to school with him) got rained out. We stuck it out until they pulled the plug. He apologized and said he would come back and do a free show. Roughly the next year, he did a free concert at California Speedway one evening after a race. It was open to the general public, without tickets. His welcome home concert (after leaving VH) at Cal State San Bernardino was great and the my first concert as a high school kid and I went on to see him many more times. Having the Scorpions go on stage after Sammy and the Waboritas was dumb though. I love the Scorpions but the stage presence was just a letdown immediately after seeing a high energy show......and I had onstage tickets for Sammy's portion. He seems like a guy who is all about having fun and being real instead of having an ego or rubbing his wealth and success in people's faces. He has made it in life and is just sharing the enjoyment of his ride with fans. Unfortunately, the only time I saw VH was the reunion tour and it sounded like crap in the Anaheim Ducks stadium and I got sick right after.....I think it was a combo of the stadium, band being off, and my ears already being affected by the cold. At least I saw them as a band, as I never bothered seeing Linkin Park in concert and kind of wish I had.
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 RUclips.
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.
No, he lied about George Bush, lied through his teeth, he was a crazy leftist lunatic.
Lying Dan Blather.....
It sounded like his voice was different. Was it electronically altered?
He was a shady in the news business. He's great at interviewing Rock musicians. I respect him for these Rock interviews!
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.
I get what Sammy is saying about Dave, but VH would have NEVER made it without Dave. If Sammy was the initial singer in VH they most likely wouldn't have made it. Dave laid the foundations for Sammy to jump on and take it even higher.
I dont know about that - Because Sammy was already selling out mass venues and CD's galore; When the best of both worlds came together, VH became monumental.
Van Hagar is boring to me. I mean there are good songs for sure but when I think of VAN HALEN as a band I think of Daves shit. Unchained, Running with The devil, Everybody wants Some, Mean Streets, Panama, maybe Right Now if Im in the mood, maybe. No disrespect to the man, but it's just not the same. Id hardly call it taking it higher, maybe taking it somewhere else, but thats fine too for those who like Van Hagar.
I followed Van Hagar for a couple albums to see if they ever did anything as interesting as they did with DLR. Decent music, but I lost interest.
Sammy appears to be a much more normal person than Roth. Never nearly as interesting.
Our neighbors never usually are as interesting as the circus. But, who wants to live next to the circus?
@@MSWSB good point.
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
Thank you Sammy for this take, I am one of the biggest VH fans there is... I enjoyed all VH roth, Sammy and even Gary.... Granted not near as much... But I have always been about 50/50 on the roth/sammy songs .. Never was a fan of any of Davids antics or show really.... Sammy more my type of guy but I did give DLR his props in those early songs are timeless. I started VH about 1983-1984 and been my fav ever since. I was too young for DLR shows until after he rejoined and only saw one show back about 9-10 years ago. I saw balance tour with sammy, Went to a Sammy small tequila show also. Sucks to hear about Eddies bads but man I just have to overlook and respect the music created and I grew up to sooooo much playtime where I have listened to every song from every album from VH original to their last and best of etc. But 5150 and 0U812 albums maybe my fav.... I really liked every album in their own ways and soo many memories growing up listening and still do to this day
Oh please. I like Dave’s baritone voice. It fits with the music perfectly. His rough baritone voice is a nice counterbalance to Eddie’s virtuosity. Dave writes great lyrics too.
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.
Sammy a real cool down to earth guy and he's a hell of a rock singer! I seen him live with my wife in Chicago with his band the circle, Jason Bonham on drums and Michael Anthony on bass and Vic Johnson on lead guitar! Great show!
Vic Johnson playing was so good that it was mind blowing! So grateful I saw him with Mike and Sammy!
There's a quote that I read when A Different Kind of Truth came out. It said something like "When David Lee Roth sings with Van Halen, it makes Eddie Van Halen play guitar the way the world wants to hear him play guitar."
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
Yeah that was a weird time--- everyone was split as to whether 5150 or Eat 'em and Smile was better, whether Ted Templeman going with Dave would make the difference, whether the pop stylings of Landee & Jones would ruin VH's sound. In the end it's pretty clear 5150 was a modern rock monster and though I love Steve Vai, it was Dave who suffered musically. I was in L.A. going to GIT and half the people were with Dave, half with VanHagar.
@@jamesball5743 No I think Sammy is a lover who writes horny songs.
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.
David Lee Roth was a great performer not even a good vocalist.. saw Van Halen 3 times with Roth and although the band was tight and was amazing his vocals were terrible the last time was the Fair Warning tour and i vowed to never waste my money to see them again... I was elated to hear that Sammy was the new lead singer in 85 and couldn't wait to see them with him on the mic!! Id seen Sammy's solo tours and knew he could sing live and i wasn't disappointed, i saw Van Halen 4 more times with Hagar and every show was amazing!! Sammy's the best...awesome human being!!
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
But he still looks great. Far better than DLR.
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.
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.
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.
A real “ Macher”!
also DLR had mentors. His uncle owned Cafe WHA? & his dad got them bookings.
The original Van Halen songs are classics that Sammy couldn't duplicate. IMO
Yahhhh buddy!🤟🏻
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 RUclips 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
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.
@Seeker24- Perfect adjective for Sammy; a Blue Collar Rock Star. Love Sammy!!
This is the best reflektive Interview I ve seen in my whole Life!! Congrats to Sammy for this honest words about VH and the sad times of Eddie!!
2:00 Sammy’s ability to see the 10,000ft view while also being so close to it, respect.
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.
@@skipdog9912 DLR didn't want synths on Jump but but he admitted he got that wrong when it hit. Sure seem like Eddy kicked Dave out. If you listen to Vai talk about Dave, Vai talks about what a professional Dave was and how hard he worked to stay in shape so he could put on a great show. I'm not sure what to believe other than I preferred Dave to Sammy in VH by a lot BUT Sammy kept that thing going and Dave never really came back on his own in a big way.
5150 came out when I was 16, and it grabbed ahold of me. So incredible. Then DL's Hysteria the next year. Those albums were off the charts.
It's refreshing to hear the truth for a change. Lots of other musicians have said the same about EVH.
Just because this irrelevant clown tells a story it doesn't make it true!
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.
He said he had a lot of demons. He was asked about negative experiences, and he shared them. That isn’t “trashing” anyone. It’s answering a question. He even ended it by saying he became a different person
Face the fact that DLR had a lack of talent vocally that was covered by his outgoing over-the-top stage performance. SH is not only vocally talented but can play the guitar as well as write the songs! Both had their time with VH and gave their best but I would've loved to see more out of the SH times. DLR was just an A-hole that nobody wanted to deal with in the end.
David Lee Roth to me was Van Halen. Just could never get used to Sammy
I like Sammy, but not with Van Halen. Loved Montrose, love his other stuff - hated Van Hagar.
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.
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?
Sammy is an EXCELLENT FRONT MAN!!!! He's also a GREAT DUDE. I grew up on Van Hagar. No disrespect to Eddie. The GREATEST GUITAR PLAYER TO EVER PICK UP A GUITAR. Poundcake, Right Now, Top of The World, The Dream Is Over, When It's Love, Dreams, Cabo Wabo, Mine All Mine, Summer Nights, 5150, I COULD GO ON & ON. Sammy is #1.
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.
Totally Loved Van Hagar! I saw them 2 times and also saw Sammy and the circle! All the amazing tunes still give me chills!!! Thank you Sammy Hagar
Sad to hear about Eddie's deterioration, but, I enjoyed this heartfelt and sincere interview with Sammy Hagar. R.I.P. Ed- thanks for uploading; liked and subscribed.
❤ this guy. #1 one of the greatest shows on earth. Never a disappointing show. Seen Sammy many times. I'm a red rocker fan for life. A must see live.😜
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.
Sammy might be the one exception to the "Never meet your heroes" trope. All accounts of people who've met him or know him always say he is who he appears to be on camera and on-stage. One solid, down to earth family man. I've had the privilege of seeing him live (with and without VH) multiple times, and his shows are always about the fans. I've been a fan my whole life (I'm almost 50), and will continue to be until the day I leave this plane of existence (probably to the tune of the deep cut "Dream Another Dream" from his 3rd album with VH).
Great observation. After listening to Alex VH book "Brothers" and much, much more, I agree Sam Hagar is authentic. Sorry to end my comment this way, but the VH Brothers...well, never mind.
RIP Eddie
This is a mindblowing interview. Both bands with Roth and Hagar were different but equally good. But the bit with Eddie. Had no idea he was that far gone with drugs and alcohol. Reminds me of the ( Who) And the Keith Moon Situation.
Exactly but the Who's first album was dynamite in concert used to be a favorite
When I first heard Van Halen’s eruption album in the late 70s I couldn’t believe. David was awesome and so was Eddie. It was such a great time.
"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.
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.
@@merriemisfit8406 who gives a fuck about the reunion tours. Basically bands being a tribute of themselves.
When Van Halen ruled the world Diamond Dave was a front man.
I know people don't like Sammy because he is so open and candid. I actually respect him for just telling it like it is. Especially with that 2004 tour he got treated like shit. I think he's allowed to vent on his frustrations over the years with Van Halen.
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.
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!!!!!
Eddie said it himself, Dave's shtick got old! Compared it to Vauldville. 😂
@@YouCanCallMeDon yep much better. Between the Boas & spandex he wore, you knew you were watching Dave's gay revue right? Not that there's anything wrong w/ being gay, but it changes the slant of the music😆
Sammy is a true artist. Mad respect for him!
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.
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.
Do you realize that DLR managed the band, convinced Eddie to use the name VH, was the one getting the band their gigs in the early days, he wrote the lyrics, came up with melodies... he literally WAS VH!!
@@TheRoadhammer379 True, but it took the mix of all ingredients to make the final product as great as it was.
DLR was like NO other! Period. Sammy was a vibe as well but honestly the showman also produced amazing vocals!
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.
@@Falconryder 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.
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?
I don't thing David was fake about anything, at all, he just was over flowing with his gifts & talents and David Lee Roth was The Perfect Fit! The whole thig was that David Could-Not turn-it-down from 11 when the Very Best of Rock & Roll at that time was an 8 minus at best...
3:15 Not JUST his "antics" but his vocal stylings and Jewish cheeziness and cockiness and to downplay DLR's importance in the band would be analogous to downplaying Michael Anthony's importance. Gee, Mike could sing high notes and keep a beat but he wasn't tall with that rock n roll bandmember image and he didn't write with the other three!!! cmon, everyone played a PART of making VH what it was and while one can say Dave wasn't a great singer, he didnt' need to be. He was a DECENT singer with tons of charisma and attitude and exactly what the VH brothers and MA needed. His voice was thick and unique. MA's was thin and high. Not good enough in tone NOR singing to carry the band. DLR was. Sammy is a better singer and also plays guitar. Two different incarnations.
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 is truly a better singer and treated his band mates way better.
There is a Van Halen tribute band in my area that focuses on the Sammy era. They do a good job, and during the show they do toss in a couple songs from the DLR era, and the crowd goes nuts. Everybody knows the early stuff was the best.
that's YOUR opinion.
I think the Roth Era had better singles but still enjoyed Hagars hits as well.
Van Halen died when Dave left.
I´m gonna commit the ultimate Van Halen "sacrilege": I started listening to this band thanks to the Balance´s singles aired on MTV (around 1996). I was a young kid and got blown away by the tone. I fell in love with that guitar tone. And having listened to Sammy first, going back to their discography with Dave didn´t feel right (eventhough I enjoyed Eddie´s playing).
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
@@PeterOldschool a little Showmanship never Hurt....lol.hahaha.
Hargar could also 👗 better...like a rock star
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
Van Hagar forever. Saw the Red Rocker at his birthday bash in Cabo. He genuinely has so much fun! It was a great time and I’m so grateful for the experience ♥️🎈
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
5150 was good, but got progressively worse after that. as mentioned by others, great vocals doesn't necessarily mean great music.
I am getting goosebumps, thats always his line.
Always with goosebumps
@@ddobrien1 And genius. The Internet's go-to for defining "above average"..
I saw Sammy in September 1996. It was a great show with the band that became known as the Waboritas. I saw Sammy apart from VH. He was and is the genuine article. He's a great front man, and always brought his "A" game 🎮!
Yeah both eras were spectacular.... neither could of happened without the respective singers
Well said! It took the individual contributions from every member of the band to make it shine so bright. Which is most often the case for any successful musical enterprise.
And you're saying David wasn't a vocalist please he had one of the greatest voices ever
Sammy is so full of energy and love for life and family I think he will perform until the day comes he can’t hold a guitar anymore. Such a powerful man. Keep rocking Sam you got a fan forever here. Love your new band as well. Would love to take a ride in one of your favorite vehicles.
Best frontman? And the award goes to David Lee Roth!! He did the rock n roll frontman thing like nobody’s business. Also, out of all the bands in the 80’s, by far VH had the hottest women at their concerts! Nuff Said🤘🏽
David Lee Roth needs more credit than just being a front man. He wrote the great lyrics to Eddie's guitar playing. That was the magic of Van Halen.
This is almost laughable. Dan Rather has (had) no idea who Van Halen, let alone Montrose, is or was. Pee Wee Herman would’ve had more credibility. Also, I’ve been a big fan of Sammy’s for well over forty five years and have an immense amount of respect for him and his entire body of work. But, for the life of me, I can’t see why he can’t/won’t recognize and acknowledge what David Lee Roth was, not only to Van Halen, but to Rock music. In my opinion, he’s one of the greatest front men and “vocalists” in the history of Rock. I’m not sure if Sammy would ever be considered for that list.
I love VH for what both David and Sammy did to make their own sound. I loved David's energy, he was a real showman--regardless of his vocals. He was unique and made the band his.
Sammy, likewise. Even better, more sophisticated vocals and loved Sammy's songs with top notch Eddie with his genius guitar-playing skills.
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.
Seriously?
I don't agree ...saw him in Vancouver Canada in around 1980 he was awesome
I prefer that David Lee Roth era myself, but the Hagar era had some incredible music as well.
5150 (the song) is perhaps the best guitar work Eddie ever released.
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)
I love Sammy but Van Halen with David Lee Roth was magical. From the original Van Halen record right up to 1984 record was absolute magic!
Who, besides DLR, could pull off 'Ice Cream Man' in a hard rock band and have be a beloved classic?
The Hagar years were music for grownups...but they were missing the pure fun, swagger and joy of the DLR years.
I was born in 80. My Mom introduced me to VH. We have this back and forth once a year or so. She prefers Dave, I prefer Sammy. Probably can chalk that up to age of course. I listen, have records, and like early VH of course, but she’s a purist so she tends to ignore Sammy. One thing we both agree on, Eddie was an absolute musical genius. One of those artists that I always say cannot be omitted. You cannot tell the story/history of Rock and Roll without mentioning Eddie Van Halen. RIP ❤
David Lee Roth is an incredible musician, with incredible raw talent, and a fantastic voice. No one even realizes that that was Dave fingerpicking acoustic guitar on ice cream man, not Eddie...
Producer Ted Templeman signed Van Halen to Warner Brothers Records after seeing them live at the Starwood in Los Angeles. When they were in the studio recording Dave's vocals for the first album, recording engineer Donn Landee looked at Ted and stated "This guy can't sing." They had to record take after take after take; punching in lines over and over. In Ted's book he wrote that it took hours just to get a lead vocal.
Dave could NOT sing so reading some of these comments are hysterical, guess drugs got to these people. Dave was a showman, not a singer. Go look up any of the online vocal isolated tracks where Dave is al “ow, hey, yeah, wooo” and he’s terrible. Then his “singing” had effects on it. Not taking anything away from being a showman, he was that, but singer or artist talent was nil.
You're full of schit! He has a 5 octave vocal range.
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.
Dan Rather's son is a guitar player. We played together in NYC a few times years ago. I'm sure he's digging these rock star interviews his father is doing... He's probably on set.
I was 15 years old in the early eighties. I saw David Lee Roth in an airport. I told him that I was a big fan and asked him for an autograph. He told me to "Beat it kid!" What a prick! I met Mike Anthony later that year at Lake havasu. I told him about my David Lee Roth encounter. He shook his head and rolled his eyes. Mike took about 5 minutes to talk with my little sister and I and give us both autographs. Mike Anthony is a cool guy! David Lee Roth, just a prick!
i love a lot of his stuff he did but he's been known for years to be a fucking prick
The difference between Dave & Sammy was like the difference between Ozzy & Dio. Vocally, neither Dave nor Ozzy could hold a candle to their replacements Sammy & Dio, not even close. But the personalities of the originals Dave & Ozzy were so huge, so entrenched with the fans that it made up the difference. Obviously Sammy is going to be biased against Dave, insulting him and saying showmanship is “fake”, but dude… hard rock fans aren’t just in it for the notes. We want the show.
Great comment
I guarantee you this interview was probably the basis for why Alex treats Sammy as he does. I certainly have great sadness for Alex losing a brother. I've lost a brother too. You live with it forever. But Alex is doing allot of sterilizing of Eddie's past to band-aid his legacy (hence his abbreviated history in the book). Eddie might have been struggling on a number of fronts, but Alex was also deep in his own addictions so he always looked the other way for his brother and never seem to care what he did to others. Sammy has every right to speak his peace because unfortunately Alex was always going to turn a blind eye to him to prop up some ego driven notion of "greatness" to his little brother who clearly had to be catered to nonstop. Alex leaving Sammy out of the book speaks more to his demons than it says about Sammy. If anything it solidifies everything Sammy said. Alex won't talk about it, because what Sammy says is true and its too late to fix what he could of done years ago if he had stepped up and been accountable.
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.