SAMMY HAGAR: 'I Apologize From The Bottom Of My Heart For Exposing EDDIE's Dark Side'

[James in New York]

SAMMY HAGAR: 'I Apologize From The Bottom Of My Heart For Exposing EDDIE VAN HALEN's Dark Side' In My Book

June 28, 2021

In a new interview with Brazil's "Inside With Paulo Baron", Sammy Hagar was asked if there were any things that he left out of his 2011 autobiography "Red: My Uncensored Life In Rock", that he thinks he should have put it or any stories that he included that he later wished he hadn't.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot so many really fun little things, and every now and then I'll wake up in the morning and have a dream and I'll wake up and it makes me remember something in the childhood, and I think, 'Oh, I should have put that in the book.

But the fucking book would have been this big."

[Holds hands wide apart.]

"But more than anything, because of the untimely and tragic death of Eddie Van Halen, I apologize from the bottom of my heart for exposing his dark side to where I don't think anyone wants to hear that now, and, unfortunately, it's in the book.

And it's true — it's all true. It's not like I have to say, 'Oh, I was lying' — no, no, no.

If I wrote the book today, I would only put the good of Eddie Van Halen, because he was such a brilliant, genius guitar player and such a great friend and a great partner — until everything went wrong, like everything else.

Anybody's that's been divorced or broke up with your girlfriend or your boyfriend, you know how it goes.

Happy endings aren't always the case in a relationship. Eddie and I had a happy ending — thank God — but before that, it wasn't a happy ending of the band.

But thank God we got it back together."

When journalist Regis Tadeu pointed out that it's important to expose the dark side sometimes because it's "reality," Sammy said:

"No one knew a lot of that about Eddie, but they'd see him on stage and they would think, 'Why is he acting like that?'

And I would say, 'Well, you should have seen what happened backstage. Holy fuck!'

If we'd have known he was sick then, then I would have understood and I would have been a little more, 'Hey, Ed, come on,' try to reel him in.

But he was impossible. He was on a track of just wild. It was tough."

Hagar added: "He was the sweetest guy in the world when I met him.

When Eddie Van Halen walked into my dressing room in that show in Anaheim Stadium with BOSTON and BLACK SABBATH, that was one of the sweetest people, most humble human beings I've ever met in my life.

I thought, 'How can this guy play so badass and be that humble?'

I thought, 'It's impossible. He must have a fire inside of him that he's not showing.'

And when that fire came out, it was quite the fire — a freakin' volcano."

Hagar replaced David Lee Roth in VAN HALEN in 1985 and recorded four studio albums with the band — "5150", "OU812", "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge" and "Balance" — all of which topped the U.S. chart.

Sammy, Eddie, Alex and Michael last teamed up in 2004 for a U.S. summer tour. In exchange for taking part in the tour, Anthony reportedly had to agree to take a pay cut and sign away his rights to the band name and logo.

In "Red: My Uncensored Life In Rock", Hagar slammed Eddie, saying the guitarist was unkempt, hunched over, frighteningly skinny, drinking wine straight out of a bottle, missing part of his tongue (after a cancer scare) and several teeth.

"What happened on that reunion tour in '04 was some of the most miserable, back-stabbing dark crap I've ever been involved with my whole life."

In a 2015 interview with Rolling Stone, Eddie questioned an "embellished" portion of "Red: My Uncensored Life In Rock" that painted the guitarist as a "very angry drunk" during the group's 2004 reunion tour.

Last November, Eddie's son Wolfgang revealed that his father had contemplated a "kitchen-sink tour" that would have included Anthony, as well as vocal turns from both Hagar and Roth.

There was even talk about bringing back Gary Cherone, who sang with VAN HALEN on one poorly received album, 1998's "Van Halen III".

[Ashe]

And away we go...

[nightrain5150]

Hahaha. I'm new to this, but it's like clockwork, isn't it?

[Number 47]

Closed!

[Speedway]

A bit late for that, Samuel.

[Little Dreamer]

The only positive thing is that social media wasn't around during the VH "wars." Imagine the shit show it would've been with everyone commenting in real-time.

[Raldo]

The only positive thing is that social media wasn't around during the VH "wars." Imagine the shit show it would've been with everyone commenting in real-time.

Without a doubt!!

[Number 47]

Typical Blabbermouth crap. One minute of a one hour interview because they just want to stir shit.



Disappointed in you for this one James. Especially for a guy who is always trying to keep the peace around here. + no link in the OP to the video or the shitmouth article.. No biggie.

[Jamie M]

I love this forum but there does seem to be too much arguing and shit stirring going on when it should just be about the music and our mutual appreciation of Van Halen as a whole but I guess this is an unrealistic view to have.

[jimmy812]

I love this forum but there does seem to be too much arguing and shit stirring going on when it should just be about the music and our mutual appreciation of Van Halen as a whole but I guess this is an unrealistic view to have.

I disagree.

[Jamie M]

I disagree.

With which part?

[James in New York]

Typical Blabbermouth crap. One minute of a one hour interview because they just want to stir shit.



Disappointed in you for this one James. Especially for a guy who is always trying to keep the peace around here. + no link in the OP to the video or the shitmouth article.. No biggie.

If I don't post it, someone else will, so there's no hiding from the news...

I looked for the original interview and couldn't find it!

I really did!

Thanks for the link to the video, too!

[Number 47]

If I don't post it, someone else will, so there's no hiding from the news...

I looked for the original interview and couldn't find it!

I really did!

Thanks for the link to the video, too!

I'm just having fun with you because I know it all rolls right off your back.

[Dave's Dreidel]

I love this forum but there does seem to be too much arguing and shit stirring going on when it should just be about the music and our mutual appreciation of Van Halen as a whole but I guess this is an unrealistic view to have.

He just posted a story link, that isn't stirring the shit.

[ziggysmalls]

i don't have an issue with this being posted because he admitted a huge mistake. He alluded to it a bit before but this was more apologetic IMO. What has happened has already happened and can't be erased. He realizes now that his friendship was more important than pushing a few books which didn't really make a dent in his savings account. He is allowed to get it off his chest because it may help him. Him doing this may make some of us realize that we shouldn't go for the jugular when somebody wrongs us.

If this helps Sam then its ok. Its a shame but so many things in VH are a shame so its just part of the history