In a surprising exchange, Sammy Hagar has responded to Alex Van Halen‘s recent remark during an interview, in which the former drummer described Hagar as “a complete idiot.” This comment emerged during a discussion between Van Halen and Brazilian music journalist Marcelo Vieira for Roadie Crew magazine.
Background on Van Halen’s Comment
During the interview, Vieira sought Van Halen’s impressions of the autobiographies penned by his former bandmates, David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar. While the drummer praised Roth’s memoir, Crazy From The Heat, as “a very interesting perspective on that era,” he was less charitable about Hagar’s literary offering. “I don’t know what he wrote, and I don’t wanna know,” he stated, adding, “In my opinion, Sammy Hagar is a complete idiot.”
Hagar’s Response to the Criticism
The comment quickly gained traction, especially after being shared by the Instagram account Rock Celebrities. Hagar took to Instagram to address the remark, writing, “This comment and post is so unnecessary at this time in our lives, but I guess the truth hurts sometimes. Peace already.”
History of Tension Between Hagar and Van Halen
The friction between Hagar and Van Halen is not new; last year, Hagar discussed their complicated relationship with Rolling Stone. When asked about the reasons for the ongoing tension, Hagar indicated that it might not solely stem from Van Halen’s private nature compared to his own more open demeanor. “I don’t think that’s it,” he remarked. Hagar shared that he has contemplated the relationship with various individuals, including former VH manager Irving Azoff, and posed the question, “What’s the problem?”
During those conversations, some suggested that the origins of the tension may involve Cabo Wabo, the nightclub company originally a partnership among Van Halen band members. Hagar recounted, “At one time, Van Halen, when you built it, you guys were all partners in that. And then they didn’t want it anymore when it was losing money, and they gave it to you [Hagar bought out his bandmates in 1990], and you turned it around and made hundreds of millions of dollars on it. And they’re angry. Alex is angry about that.”
Hagar Defends Himself
Hagar went on to express disbelief that his former bandmates could hold resentment over the financial success of Cabo Wabo, stating, “How the fuck could they be angry about that? They gave me the damn thing, they walked out on me, left me with it. And they made me indemnify them in case I got sued and lost everything. They made me sign off big time.” He concluded by hoping the feelings weren’t rooted in that incident.
