Sammy Hagar stated that he would gladly participate in a VAN HALEN tribute event if asked, and went on to say how singing David Lee Roth‘s songs would be easy for him.
Although it was reported in April that former METALLICA bassist Jason Newsted had been approached by the VAN HALEN drummer Alex Van Halen about playing bass for a possible tribute show six months earlier, nothing has since been said of this project. In The Palm Beach Post, Newsted told the Florida newspaper that he went to California and jammed with Alex and legendary guitarist Joe Satriani to see if feel right, but eventually realized that recreating VAN HALEN‘s legacy would be impossible.
In a new interview with Growth TV, the Red Rocker said that if a project were ever to take place, he would very much like to front it.
“Oh hell yes. I would be involved, and I would insist that Dave come along somehow. He’s not so friendly.”
Hagar delved deeper into the subject of Roth‘s “unfriendliness,” saying: “He doesn’t play well with others and never has and never will, but if he didn’t want to do it, then, of course, I can always sing those songs. Those songs are easy. I sing those songs, lying on my back, smoking a cigarette, even though I don’t smoke.
“That would be awesome. I would say that if Alex and Mike are in, Mike [Anthony, former VAN HALEN bassist] and I are really tight; Alex is a little quirky, and I don’t know what he wants to do.”
However, Hagar believes that Wolf Van Halen is unlikely to give permission for such a project anymore.
“Wolfie is the guy, but I don’t think Wolfie wants to do that,” Hagar said. “I don’t communicate with Wolfie that much. I’m not really that close with Wolfie anymore since I was not in the band. When he was little, I was really close to Wolfie.”
“He’s doing a great job with his own band,” Hagar added about Wolf’s own career.. “He’s really making it. He’s making a carbon on a name for himself original, and I think the coolest thing he ever did was say, ‘No. I’m not going to try to fill my dad’s shoes. I’m going to go out and be Wolfie.’ He’s got his dad’s shoes on. He’s wearing it. He’s got his dad’s heart. He’s doing the right thing.”
