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David Lee Roth on Sammy Hagar: “There goes the last 10% of the career down the toilet,” Van Halen

full in bloom | February 17, 2026



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-Description:
During an interview with SPIN Magazine in 1986, David Lee Roth talked about Eddie Van Halen, Sammy Hagar and touring with Van Halen.

-Links-

David Lee Roth Interview:
https://fullinbloom.com/david-lee-roth-on-sammy-hagar-in-1986-eddies-new-singer-has-zoomed-up-out-of-oblivion-2022/

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Intro & Outro by FOOL OF FATE

#vanhalen #eddievanhalen #davidleeroth #sammyhagar

Written by full in bloom

Comments

This post currently has 29 comments.

  1. @RonRichards-v5f

    February 17, 2026 at 1:13 pm

    Why is Dave still talking about Sammy? Dave's place in history is secure. When Dave left, the Van Halen brothers made synthesizer pop records with Sammy Hagar and had good success. It's 2 different bands. I never understood this idea that one was better than the other.

  2. @crsantin

    February 17, 2026 at 1:13 pm

    Most rock bands are always on the verge of collapse with all the dysfunction, addictions, egos at play. VH took dysfunction to another level. It was never a smooth running operation, before, during or after Roth.

  3. @hussard2062

    February 17, 2026 at 1:13 pm

    Everyone knows DLR was in the right. Van Halen without DLR isn't Van Halen with DLR, it's still Van Halen but it's also Van Hagar. The fun of Van Halen was DLR. Eddie van Halen, Alex van Halen, Michael Anthony, and DLR were the perfect lineup. The Van Halen brothers get shit but Alex van Halen was the glue that held everyone together. Eddie van Halen was an artist, a true artist, like a painter. Artists are often unstable and Eddie van Halen was no exception.Van Halen as a band was a powerhouse and everyone in it was monumental at what they did. Sammy Hagar is a bit of a cunt, I don't think he means to be but he's very intimidated by DLR (a lot of people are, DLR's entertainment personified, gets bored easily, women love him, and isn't the kind of guy to cry over spilled milk. Guys get intimidated by people like this, especially more emotional guys like Eddie van Halen.), you can tell from their interviews together, whereas DLR just likes to have a good time. DLR is a hard act to follow and that being said i'm sure people weren't kind to Sammy Hagar when he took DLR's spot in Van Halen which probably left a chip on his shoulder. Overall we all wish we could've got more albums out of the original Van Halen lineup, 1984 was truly their magnum opus and had they made another album it would have surpassed 1984. Regardless, we got what we got from the original lineup and even some good songs out of the Hagar era of Van Halen. The original Van Halen lineup gave us timeless songs that give you that VAN HALEN feeling everytime you listen to them, were all very lucky and blessed to be able to experience it.

  4. @TheWayTruthAndLife25

    February 17, 2026 at 1:13 pm

    Van Halen was amazing, I was literally a child when the 1984 album came out. Roth was always a character. I did like van hagar, I have to admit. Im not sure which version of the band i like best both had amazing songs for their era and both always had Eddie. So win win if you ask me. If I had to pick only one version of the band, Id pick the version with Roth, not because i like Rotj or dislike hagar, but because those songs are what introduced my ears to Eddie fucking Van Halen.

  5. @scott6828

    February 17, 2026 at 1:13 pm

    David Lee Roth was absolutely spot-on…and years later Sammy Hagar would go on to say the very same thing. Also, both would say that the VH brothers constantly wanted to replace Michael Anthony, which for the life of me, I could never wrap my mind around why they wanted to get rid of the guy whose backing vocals literally defined their sound.

  6. @thomasminarchickjr.7355

    February 17, 2026 at 1:13 pm

    Sammy can make all the money he wants, but he blew up his own legacy with Van Hagar. Dave never talked about the band in dirty detail like Spammy did. Eddie never forgave him. Van Halen is and always will be those 4 guys. Period

  7. @Iknowthelaw13

    February 17, 2026 at 1:13 pm

    Van Halen turned into a corporatized, safe, acceptable to children joke band the second Roth left. They lost their adventurous, no holds barred spirit and it was Hallmark Valentine’s music for squares who like to act like they’re badasses when they drink too much. It was so sad to see that band turn into the converse of what they were. Dave always lived and breathed the music. He kept the lifestyle and was a committed artist. Sam Hagar is a businessman. His concern is popularity and sales. Just a totally different approach.

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