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Despite the positive attitudes surrounding the reunion of Van Halen last year, it seems that the band will not continue with the recalled Sammy Hagar on lead vocals. The band recorded three news songs for a "best of" package and toured the country last summer, with interviews and public statements all suggesting a renewed sense of unity among all four members. But a year later, as Hagar embarks on a solo tour, it seems the tables have significantly turned.
During a stop on his current tour, dubbed "The Tequila Made Me Do It," Hagar indicated that his happiness concerning the Van Halen reunion was short-lived and that the band's future would most likely not include his services. "The Van Halen thing wasn't a horrible experience, but it wasn't a great experience," the Red Rocker told Billboard's online division. "I don't get along with Eddie anymore, and that's all there is to it. I think the whole world knows that he's changed. He used to be a great guy, a fun guy, but now he's miserable and he likes to make everyone around him miserable."
Hagar also was quick to note that if Eddie Van Halen's attitude was to change, he would rejoin the band in a second. But he was also quick to note that things definitely did end on a bad note. "We almost got into it after the last show," he told Billboard. "They just pulled him one way and me the other. We didn't even say goodbye to each other. It was a horrible way to end the whole thing, so I just said 'Man, that's it for me. I'm not playing with people like this."
Hagar was not alone in his opinion of the guitar virtuoso, who penned such legendary hits as "Jump" and "Right Now." Bassist Michael Anthony told Iowa disc jockeys Dwyer & Michaels that he was unhappy with the way the reunion panned out. "Eddie's still doing a bit of drinking," Anthony said during his May 11th appearance on Dwyer & Michaels. "Myself, I would have liked to have seen him totally clean up if we were going to take this further...We could have gone all around the world with it."
Since the tour's conclusion in late 2004, the Van Halen camp has remained quiet, a common characteristic for them. The band remained virtually mute after the announcement that they had parted ways with their third vocalist, former Extreme leader Gary Cherone, in 1999. In fact, the first major news from the band after Cherone's departure came with the annoucement of the 2004 reunion stint. On the rare occasion that Eddie or Alex Van Halen make a public appearance, they steer pretty clear of any of the dirty laundry concerning their band.
Hagar and Michael Anthony are both moving forward with their own projects, which often include them performing together. In fact, Hagar's current outing has seen him reunite with another high-profile group he helped gain notoriety early in his career, Montrose. Hagar is all about making his current run of performances really special for his fans, which includes a slue of surprise guests and other events. "My dream come true would be to have a guy like Eddie [Van Halen] be buddies with me and go out with the Wabos and have Montrose and ... everybody, man," Hagar told Billboard. "That's my dream situation, and I think the fans would be real happy with that."
In addition to his current summer tour, Hagar has also been hard at work in the studio with his longtime backing band, The Waboritas. According to Hagar, he has five songs completed for his next album, which he has dubbed a "lifestyle concept record" that will include cover songs and even hold the possibility of featuring new recordings of his older material. The "lifestyle concept" goes hand-in-hand with his current tour, which extends beyond an evening of music into an entire day's worth of events and fun. "We have a direction and a lifestyle and a way we want to live," Hagar explained to Billboard. "It's beach by day and dancing all night, tank tops and flip flops. It's all about keeping my fans happy, giving them a little direction if I can find it for them and turning them on to anything I get turned onto, and that's it."
During a stop on his current tour, dubbed "The Tequila Made Me Do It," Hagar indicated that his happiness concerning the Van Halen reunion was short-lived and that the band's future would most likely not include his services. "The Van Halen thing wasn't a horrible experience, but it wasn't a great experience," the Red Rocker told Billboard's online division. "I don't get along with Eddie anymore, and that's all there is to it. I think the whole world knows that he's changed. He used to be a great guy, a fun guy, but now he's miserable and he likes to make everyone around him miserable."
Hagar also was quick to note that if Eddie Van Halen's attitude was to change, he would rejoin the band in a second. But he was also quick to note that things definitely did end on a bad note. "We almost got into it after the last show," he told Billboard. "They just pulled him one way and me the other. We didn't even say goodbye to each other. It was a horrible way to end the whole thing, so I just said 'Man, that's it for me. I'm not playing with people like this."
Hagar was not alone in his opinion of the guitar virtuoso, who penned such legendary hits as "Jump" and "Right Now." Bassist Michael Anthony told Iowa disc jockeys Dwyer & Michaels that he was unhappy with the way the reunion panned out. "Eddie's still doing a bit of drinking," Anthony said during his May 11th appearance on Dwyer & Michaels. "Myself, I would have liked to have seen him totally clean up if we were going to take this further...We could have gone all around the world with it."
Since the tour's conclusion in late 2004, the Van Halen camp has remained quiet, a common characteristic for them. The band remained virtually mute after the announcement that they had parted ways with their third vocalist, former Extreme leader Gary Cherone, in 1999. In fact, the first major news from the band after Cherone's departure came with the annoucement of the 2004 reunion stint. On the rare occasion that Eddie or Alex Van Halen make a public appearance, they steer pretty clear of any of the dirty laundry concerning their band.
Hagar and Michael Anthony are both moving forward with their own projects, which often include them performing together. In fact, Hagar's current outing has seen him reunite with another high-profile group he helped gain notoriety early in his career, Montrose. Hagar is all about making his current run of performances really special for his fans, which includes a slue of surprise guests and other events. "My dream come true would be to have a guy like Eddie [Van Halen] be buddies with me and go out with the Wabos and have Montrose and ... everybody, man," Hagar told Billboard. "That's my dream situation, and I think the fans would be real happy with that."
In addition to his current summer tour, Hagar has also been hard at work in the studio with his longtime backing band, The Waboritas. According to Hagar, he has five songs completed for his next album, which he has dubbed a "lifestyle concept record" that will include cover songs and even hold the possibility of featuring new recordings of his older material. The "lifestyle concept" goes hand-in-hand with his current tour, which extends beyond an evening of music into an entire day's worth of events and fun. "We have a direction and a lifestyle and a way we want to live," Hagar explained to Billboard. "It's beach by day and dancing all night, tank tops and flip flops. It's all about keeping my fans happy, giving them a little direction if I can find it for them and turning them on to anything I get turned onto, and that's it."
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