Why Van Hagar Pales In Comparison

[Nitro Express]

The magic died in 1985. Everything became goofy after that.

[Nickdfresh]

I agree that Dave always seems like he's on something. Always.
Early on that was probably part of his shtick. As much as I love him it gets/got old real fast.
Could be it's all he knows and it's worked for him all these years but really
"skiddley scoobeyu diddly do boop" just doesn't cut it anymore.
You have fans. Give us something...

Or he's not on something, medication for AADHD..

[Terry]

Dave is a major weed smoker. What he really got high on was his own bullshit. He’s living in his bubble fantasy like the rest of the has beens in LA. Dave is a nut job. It was entertaining for awhile.

Think it was shortly after the BBQ vid was out there that Dave's interview schtick started to wear thin for me. I couldn't even make it through a full broadcast of his brief talk radio stint, much less the hour + podcast interviews on shows where he was a guest years later.

Entertaining as an interview subject in the 1980s and 1990s, though.

[Terry]

The magic died in 1985. Everything became goofy after that.

Terms of Roth, his post EEAS stuff - even as far as the studio albums went - was a bit hit or miss for me.

[So this is love]

Terms of Roth, his post EEAS stuff - even as far as the studio albums went - was a bit hit or miss for me.

Although, disclaimer: all I care about Van Halen is EVH guitar playing. Dave post six pack has not much interest for me... IMHO, and I like EEAS but I must admit Skyscraper had some great songs on it.

[Nitro Express]

Think it was shortly after the BBQ vid was out there that Dave's interview schtick started to wear thin for me. I couldn't even make it through a full broadcast of his brief talk radio stint, much less the hour + podcast interviews on shows where he was a guest years later.

Entertaining as an interview subject in the 1980s and 1990s, though.

Diamond Dave was not a character you could take past middle age. Add in the end of spandex rock when grunge came in. Add in a huge ego, a bipolar personality, insecurities and crazy randomness and you have a bit of a mess. I think reality being the key word here. Most of us have to live there. Apparently Dave does not.

[Vinnie Velvet]

Not sure why all the ragging on Dave is coming from but there were tons of great music, shows and moments during Dave's solo career.

The EEAS show I saw was one of the best rock concerts I've ever been to. Dave delivered big time. Much better than what he did on the '84 tour.

When Dave started playing regular gigs again in 1999 he was great IMO. The hair thing you could tell he struggled with throughout as it was a big part of his image. Easier for the rest of us non-celeb types who can just shave it all off. But he tried to contain whatever he could. Sometimes it looked ok other times not.

And when Dave wore slacks and a dress shirt with short hair in '94, people were like "what happened to Dave??" By 2002, he was back wearing bell bottomed spandex and suspenders. Then people started saying he was "stuck in the 80s".

Whatever Dave did or tried during the solo years he couldn't win.

[Terry]

Although, disclaimer: all I care about Van Halen is EVH guitar playing. Dave post six pack has not much interest for me... IMHO, and I like EEAS but I must admit Skyscraper had some great songs on it.

First time around with Roth, when Roth was with the band up until 1984, probably 75% of the draw of Van Halen for me was EVH's guitar playing. I thought Dave was perfect for the band back then, but Eddie was the main draw for me.

It was that mindset that left me initially open to checking out the band with Hagar; while I didn't want Roth to leave and was a bit bummed out the split happened, I didn't automatically think Van Halen without Roth would become as useless for me as it did because Eddie was still in the band.

Yep. Fuckin' way wrong there, wasn't I?

[Terry]

Not sure why all the ragging on Dave is coming from but there were tons of great music, shows and moments during Dave's solo career.

The EEAS show I saw was one of the best rock concerts I've ever been to. Dave delivered big time. Much better than what he did on the '84 tour.

When Dave started playing regular gigs again in 1999 he was great IMO. The hair thing you could tell he struggled with throughout as it was a big part of his image. Easier for the rest of us non-celeb types who can just shave it all off. But he tried to contain whatever he could. Sometimes it looked ok other times not.

And when Dave wore slacks and a dress shirt with short hair in '94, people were like "what happened to Dave??" By 2002, he was back wearing bell bottomed spandex and suspenders. Then people started saying he was "stuck in the 80s".

Whatever Dave did or tried during the solo years he couldn't win.

Some of the solo albums/solo projects I really enjoyed. Others didn't work as well for me. I will say it was a varied solo career stylistically.

[Vinnie Velvet]

Some of the solo albums/solo projects I really enjoyed. Others didn't work as well for me. I will say it was a varied solo career stylistically.

DLR Band was awesome. "Going Places", "Black Sand", "Relentless". Lots of great songs.

[Terry]

DLR Band was awesome. "Going Places", "Black Sand", "Relentless". Lots of great songs.

It was, indeed.

Shame only Slam Dunk got a live workout.

[Nitro Express]

DLR Band was awesome. "Going Places", "Black Sand", "Relentless". Lots of great songs.

Dave hired the best hot shots he could find and it worked out real well. To this day Billy Sheehan, Steve Vai and Gregg Bissonette are all friends which is really cool because bands are notorious for people not getting along. All those guys said they had a blast working with Dave.

[Nitro Express]

Eat ‘Em and Smile was the pinnacle of 80’s spandex rock. Ha! Ha!

[Seshmeister]

[Nitro Express]

Well Sammy still lingers. I had to go to LA for business and I was driving down Sunset and The Whiskey was advertising a Sammy Hagar jam night. A bunch of different musicians were going to play all Sammy songs.