Sammy Hagar shared an old interview with Alex Van Halen on Instagram to highlight that he wasn’t truthful about their time together.
In the video, Alex states, “Sammy complements Ed not only vocally but also on the guitar. Musically I think the band is really expanded because Sammy plays guitar. It allows Ed to further pursue his interest in the keyboard and whatever other musical directions he goes into.”
The clip was posted by the Van Halen Archive account called ‘Van Hagar/Other Half.’ Fans interpreted it as a response to Alex’s recent remarks about Hagar.
Alex claimed that Van Halen lost its essence after Sammy joined as the new singer, replacing David Lee Roth. He also noted that this was why he didn’t mention the Van Hagar years in his new book, ‘Brothers.’
‘Brothers’ does not cover Hagar’s tenure in Van Halen from 1985 to 1996 or the three years they worked with Gary Cherone from Extreme. Alex recently explained to Billboard, “What happened after Dave left is not the same band. I’m not saying it was better or worse or any of that… But the magic was in the first years when we didn’t know what we were doing, when we were willing to try anything.”
Hagar also discussed Alex’s lack of acknowledgment in the Van Halen legacy. The Red Rocker posted some photos from Rock Hall rehearsals, stating, “Cool x Kool & the Gang at Rock Hall rehearsals. (Scroll) Gettin’ ready to celebrate and induct some old friends and legends tonight.”
A fan commented, “Alex Van Halen doesn’t mention you once in his book. So strange?” Hagar replied to the fan.
In the same Billboard interview, Alex explained why he declined to join his old bandmates on The Best of All Worlds tour this year, saying, “I’m not interested. They’re not doing the band justice. They can do what they want to do. That’s not my business.”
Following Alex’s comments, Van Halen fans reacted strongly against the drummer. Some users on X criticized Alex, suggesting he should have been more involved. Others stated their growing dislike for him with each comment, emphasizing that Sammy Hagar brought talent and financial success to the band.
