Former Van Halen singer Sammy Hagar recently addressed his ongoing rift with former bandmate Alex Van Halen, extending an olive branch despite recent public insults. Hagar shared his thoughts on the matter during an interview with Billboard.
The discussion focused on Hagar’s desire to reconcile with the drummer, who had previously referred to him as a “complete idiot” in a public interview. Hagar explained his willingness to move past their differences and reunite the different eras of the band.
“I’ll put out an olive branch right now, and say it again a million times — I would love to bury the hatchet with Alex,” Hagar said. “I would love to be friends again. If we played music, mo’ better. That would be awesome. But I’m willing to forget anything and everything and be friends and bring the two eras together like they should be.”
Hagar also reflected on the broader theme of unity, comparing their personal division to larger issues in the world.
“It’s the crack in the world I wrote about 50 years ago,” Hagar continued. “He’s sticking with it, and why? I’m trying to get rid of that. Unification over separation. Let’s unify this world. That’s my dream and wish; if I could find a way to do that, there you go. That might be my future.”
This gesture comes after a period of public tension between the former bandmates. Further updates on their relationship may follow.
The dispute between Hagar and Alex Van Halen is rooted in decades of history between the singer and the band he joined at a turning point in its career.
Hagar joined Van Halen in 1985 after David Lee Roth’s departure and remained the band’s singer until 1996. He later reunited with the group for its 2004 tour, which accompanied the compilation The Best of Both Worlds. His 1996 exit followed tensions with Eddie and Alex Van Halen, including disagreements over recording new material for a greatest-hits album after the band’s 1995 tour. The 2004 reunion also deteriorated amid reported tensions involving Eddie Van Halen’s health and alcohol use.
The recent insult that prompted Hagar’s response came during an interview with the Brazilian music magazine Roadie Crew, where Alex Van Halen was asked about Hagar’s 2011 autobiography, Red: My Uncensored Life in Rock. The drummer said:
“I don’t know what he wrote, and I don’t want to know. In my opinion, Sammy Hagar is a complete idiot.”
The relationship has unfolded against the backdrop of Eddie Van Halen’s death, which reshaped the band’s legacy. Eddie Van Halen died of cancer on October 6, 2020, at age 65. Hagar posted a photo of himself with Eddie and wrote, “Heartbroken and speechless. My love to the family,” while Alex publicly honored his brother by saying, “Hey Ed, Love you. See you on the other side. Your brother Al.”
Hagar has repeatedly said he wants to end the dispute with Alex, and his latest remarks echo that stance. “I’ll put out an olive branch right now, and say it again a million times — I would love to bury the hatchet with Alex. I would love to be friends again. If we played music, mo’ better. That would be awesome,” he said.
Van Halen’s legacy has received renewed attention in recent years, including through Alex’s 2024 memoir Brothers, which focuses on the band’s history and pays tribute to Eddie. Eddie’s death is regarded as effectively ending the band, leaving questions about its future and about whether its two eras might ever come together again.
