Former Van Halen singer Sammy Hagar says he’s no longer interested in working with the band again in the future – but he still wants Eddie Van Halen to apologise for his behaviour on their 2004 tour.
And he insists he can’t open the conversation because the guitarist would become convinced he was trying to force a reunion.
David Lee Roth is back behind the mic for Van Halen’s new album A Different Kind of Truth while Hagar – who once said a reunion was “inevitable” – is touring with his supergroup Chickenfoot.
But he says he finds all the creative satisfaction he needs in his new outfit, and all he needs from his previous squad is closure.
Hagar tells Vegas Rocks: “I could get along with Alex Van Halen. Obviously, Mike Anthony and I are dearest friends on the planet.
“But Ed – he turned on me. It was a horrible, horrible ending to a beautiful, beautiful story. I’m still disappointed they haven’t reached out to be friends. Especially Alex – but of course, he sides with his brother and I understand that.
“As far as I’m concerned Ed owes me an apology. He should reach back out to me, because what happened on that tour in 2004 was some of the most miserable, backstabbing, dark crap I’ve ever been involved with my whole life. I would never go through that again with anybody or for any amount of money, fame and fortune.
“So until he comes around and says, ‘Dude, I’m sorry. I was an asshole, I was wrong, and I want to be friends again…’ I would be there in a second, all forgiveness, just like that.
“But for me to reach out would be stupid. He’d probably say, ‘Yeah, what, you want to get back in the band? Fuck you, buddy.’”
Hagar underlines that Chickenfoot is the only band he wants to be with. “I love where I am now,” he says. “It feels so much like early Van Halen when I was in the band at the beginning. They satisfy ever musical need I have.
“If it wasn’t for that I’d be bummed about the Van Halen situation. But because of that, it doesn’t bother me whatsoever.”
-Classic Rock Magazine
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