Sammy Hagar Declares He Will Never Perform with Alex Van Halen Again
In a candid new interview, rock icon Sammy Hagar has made a definitive statement about his relationship with former Van Halen bandmate Alex Van Halen, vowing that he will never perform with the drummer again. The 78-year-old singer, currently in the midst of a Las Vegas residency, compared their longstanding feud to the infamous rift between Pink Floyd members David Gilmour and Roger Waters.
Decades of Silence and Unresolved Conflict
Hagar revealed that he hasn't spoken to Alex Van Halen in over twenty years, despite briefly reuniting with the band for a tour in 2004. The musician expressed his feelings clearly, stating, "I'm the biggest Pink Floyd fan. I see David Gilmour say: 'I will never play with Roger Waters again,' and I know what he means. I feel that way about Alex Van Halen. They're negative people."
Despite this declaration, Hagar continues to perform songs from the Van Halen catalog during his shows, feeling more comfortable doing so since the passing of Eddie Van Halen and Alex's sale of his drum kit. He emphasized that performing these songs remains important because "no one will ever hear it again" in the original configuration, and it represents "the biggest part of my career, and everybody's career."
Possible Reasons Behind the Rift
While Hagar hasn't explicitly stated why the pair haven't communicated in decades, he hinted in previous interviews that jealousy might be a factor. He suggested that Alex may have been bothered by Hagar and bassist Michael Anthony continuing to perform Van Halen material, while Alex, as the drummer, wasn't involved in the songwriting process like Eddie and Hagar were.
Another potential source of tension mentioned was the Cabo Wabo business venture. Hagar and his bandmates launched the restaurant and bar in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico in 2000, with Hagar eventually buying out the other members in the mid-1990s and turning it into a profitable enterprise. Some have suggested Alex might harbor resentment about the financial success of this venture after the other members had walked away from it.
Historical Context and Reconciliation Attempts
Sammy Hagar famously replaced original Van Halen singer David Lee Roth in 1985, recording four platinum albums with the band before leaving in 1996. The 2004 reunion tour proved to be their final collaboration, with offstage tensions persisting.
Notably, Hagar was able to reconcile with Eddie Van Halen before the guitar legend's death in 2020, describing their final connection as something that "broke my heart" but for which he was grateful. Despite his firm stance on never performing with Alex again, Hagar has expressed hope that their estrangement might eventually end, telling Rolling Stone in 2024 that "It's on my bucket list that I will not take this to my grave, and I don't want Al taking it to his grave."
The rocker has made multiple attempts at reconciliation, stating he's "put the olive branch out there many times," though apparently without success thus far. This ongoing feud represents one of the most enduring conflicts in rock music history, with no resolution currently in sight despite Hagar's expressed desire for eventual peace.
