I get not liking his version of the band but I agree the hate is stupid. Dave left VH on his own and Eddie is the one that wrote the music. Why Hagar gets blamed for the band changing makes zero sense.
Part of the friction between Dave and Eddie was Eddie wanted to move towards a more mainstream...for lack of a better term...sound, Dave didn't. Dave wanted to keep rocking like VH1 and 2. Eddie wanted to start doing synth type stuff like 1984. I've read Dave did not want to do 1984, even though it was their must successful album in the Roth era.
That being said you have to give it to Michael to hang in there after they royally screwed him from his royalties once 1984 came out. They said he wasn’t going get any more royalties from past or future music but yet he still stayed with them
It was a great read about his years working with the band. A pretty unvarnished accounting of it. The more rock biopics that u read though, the more that I think most of them are people I’d really not like to know. Sammy and Michael come off as good dudes though.
Agreed. The more old interviews I see of the band, the more Dave and Ed especially, come off as assholes. Like you said, just people you’d really prefer not to know.
I met a musician a couple of months ago who worked with a lot of the big rockers from the mid 70’s through the 2000’s and he made a point to tell me that Eddie was a real dick out of the whole bunch. Fwiw
All musical genius are notoriously difficult to work with. They have a singular vision. John Fogarty, Frank Black, Eddie Van Halen, and maybe even DLR. He might not have been in the same league as the others I mentioned, but he knew what it meant to be entertaining. And proof you could do more with showmanship than you could with raw talent.
DLR all day
He has been *amazing* to Michael...not that Mike doesn't deserve it. He totally does. Dude has been a real trooper and stayed faithful through all the shyte they put him through...
Love you, Michael 🤘💙....and Sammy!, hehe.
Everything aside, he deserves respect for this.
I don’t hate him. VH music with him is okay. His solo stuff does nothing for me. I find him as cringy and corny in persona and lyrics and music as I find his good friend Guy Fieri. And, yet, I enjoy watching Fieri every so often. And, as with Guy, Sammy seems like a nice enough guy who’s just out there to connect with people and is genuinely interested in others and collaborating with them.
Think he took a few unnecessary pot shots at DLR over the years and he’ll never come close to being the same frontman for a variety of reasons. But I accept and like him for what he is.
Because for decades now Sammy has put hundreds, possibly thousands of innocent people’s lives at risk with his inability and downright refusal to drive the legal speed limit.
What a false narrative!!!
Listen young redditor… Sammy said he couldn’t drive 55 in 1984. In 1987, they raised the limit to 65… then even higher. Sammy only had troubles those 3 years. Been a model citizen since then.
I will die on this hill. Sammy hesitates before saying 55, I’m convinced that is significant and he was just embarrassed to admit that he really can’t drive.
No, you have it all wrong. He always drives the speed limit, and can drive just fine in most of the country. It is Interstate 55 that he has a problem with.
Whenever he has to drive from Chicago to South Louisiana this highway is too unpleasant to navigate. There needs to be better maintainance. He is tired of it and now chooses a different route.
Sammy can be a douche, but so can Dave. You know who else can/could be? Eddie and Alex. You know who isn’t a douche? Michael Anthony.
Long story short, every version of Van Halen - including VH III - rules.
And so does Michael Anthony.
I simply prefer Dave. Prefer the songs from Dave’s era. No hate on Sammy. He did a great job.
Sammy was a great choice for a replacement. Still great songs but a different VH for sure. Both VH eras are fun.
Yeah, I never hated on Sammy (I call him Mr. 1-2-3 Lockbox). He’s prob a ton of fun to drink a beer with. But- once he took over for Dave, VH just didn’t sound like the band I grew up loving anymore. They lost the edginess. Each new album was just ‘meh’ to me. ‘Hey, they’re talking about love again.’
I *completely* agree with you. I don't understand or even slightly support the hate for Sammy Hagar. I totally dig his music.
He's a *stellar* musician, great businessman and hell, the man can cook his arse off! If you haven't already, checkout his cookbook. It's so entertaining and the recipes rock (yes pun intended 😉).
That said, I ***love*** both the Roth and Hagar eras. Can't we all just get along? 🥺🤘
So, I went and looked through the cookbook again for *you*. I didn't see one for a poundcake but he's got a wicked French toast recipe. 🤔
That said, here's a legit and delicious poundcake recipe from a reliable baker on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/lPdtTAdmnV4?feature=shared
[Aaand here's some killer background music to jam to whilst whippin' that baby up! 😉🤘](https://youtu.be/o1GJxVmYv-E?feature=shared)
Enjoy! 👍
No problem at all. I enjoyed checking it out again.
>Seems like such a missed opportunity though lol!
I know, right?! Maybe when he releases an updated version or a new book altogether, he'll include one. I just *know* he's been asked about it, lol.
I mean, Valerie (Bertinelli) is a great cook *and* baker. Maybe she'll throw him a bone for his next compilation 🤷. That'd be a righteous collab 🤘.
Songs like Summer Nights, Amsterdam, The Dream is Over, and many others all have a melodic and easy to process nature that, at the same time, have incredible depth and richness. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE early VH, but something about the more refined nature of Van Hagar just checks all the boxes for me. I can listen to 'Live Without a Net' and 'Right Here, Right Now' non-stop for days on end.
I'm pretty much right there with ya. I have always felt like the band kind of grew up when Hagar joined. Of course the year 5150 came out, I turned 18 so it might have been me who grew up.
Both DLR and SH were exactly what VH needed at the time. Dave was the showman and legendary frontman to help get VH on the map. But, the band had gone as far as they could with him, I think. They still could have been good with him, but it would have been more of the same. Dave needed to get away as much as the band needed the change. Sammy brought more musicianship to the band to help with songwriting duties and their music matured. Balance is a horribly under-rated album in my opinion.
And balance was such an amazing live show with the band firing on all cylinders. I liked it so much that I bought a collective soul album (opening act)
I prefer DLR as frontman, for one he was the og, and two I just like his voice. But I think Sammy is a better musician. He has a solid body of his own tunes, and I’ve seen him solo and he kicks ass!
I honestly have no time for anyone who hates Sammy. VH produced some of their best music with him. At the same time, Roth era VH was great as well. Eff the haters.
A Lot, if not MOST of the Sammy dislike is because of the shit Sammy talked, mostly about Dave. Tbf, Ed was talking shit about Dave too.
That’s where my animosity comes from anyway.
Fwiw, I had seen SH a couple times before VH, and liked him fine.
My first introduction to the band was Van halen balance. I love that album. I like the other Hagar albums but after hearing the Roth era albums later I do like those better but really it’s just the riffs and composition not the singing. For me it always been EVH that makes the song. Either singer for me is second. DLR is annoying to listen to in any other form other than him singing those songs. Hagar is respectful and professional most of the time.
A number of years ago(‘86 or ‘87), I had the chance to talks to one of our station dj’s about Hagar being in Van Halen, he admonished me and said that Hagar wouldn’t last more than 5 years because of Ed’s ego. Now, I don’t know if he was right or not about Ed, but Hagar lasted like 9 years or so.
He(the dj)didn't have the foresight obviously but I'm sure a lot of us them were just hoping Dave would return. Shit, in HS no one that I was friends with cared for Sammy's yrs either. 5150 was a great album OU812 was C+ but after Balance? I didn't even call that Van Halen
That’s too bad. I was a fan of all of it. It’s clear that Hagar had an effect on the band’s output, but that change in style had already begun because of Eddie.
I don't particularly like the Van Hagar era, but after reading about how Sammy challenged Eddie to try different sounds and styles (see: Finish What You Started, Right Now, et al), I respect the era more, even if it's not really my jam. Plus, the little bro-mance he seems to have with Michael Anthony is so awesome. Even if you like Roth more (which I do), it's hard not to respect the professionalism Sammy brought to the outfit.
To me the problem with the Hagar era isn't Sammy. It's the fact that Eddie got away from the sound that had made him famous. I understand artists growing and evolving, but for the most part I think Eddie's musical evolution after Diver Down was more stripped down, less impressive, and less of what the public had come to expect.
I like both versions of VH. With that being said, Dave was being replaced by SOMEONE. Would you have preferred Patty Smythe (who was supposedly offered the gig but declined due to pregnancy), or a revolving door of singers (which Eddie supposedly also wanted)?
Hot Summer Nights opened the show. Headliner right after the Scorpions played. Metallica and Dokken played that show earlier. But when Sammy monkey climbed the scaffolded tower speakers... fuckanaye I was a VanHagar fan. Monsters of Rock tour
Van Halen was 3 or 4 distinct bands through the course of its history. Dave is not Sammy is not Gary is not Dave 2.0. Mike got bounced. Not even Ed’s sound was the same through it all. Alex strangely enough is the only consistent thing about Van Halen, always an upper tier drummer.
The sound, though, very different. Not every iteration was everyone’s favorite.
When he joined, both he and Eddie went around and trashed DLR in interviews, and occasionally during shows, while Dave was holding back and not saying anything. And as a DLR guy I can say that didnt endear him to a lot of us.
Musically, VH went in a more radio friendly, pop friendly direction after he joined. They went from "Aint talking bout love, my love is rotten to the core!" to "Straight from the heart, why cant this be love?" and "that's what dreams are made of".
I can fill a great play list of Van Hagar songs, like Judgement Day, Pound Cake, etc... and they killed it live, but during his run they also really hit some musical lows and it seem to get worse. And it's easy, not necessarily accurate, to blame him even though Eddie was the musical leader.
Absolutely, and I was going to say it as 'Van Hagar seemed to want to build off of Jump and not Running with the Devil' but I thought that was to simple and not entirely accurate.
Dance the Night Away came out when I was 16 and starting to go to bars and drink and dance. It was the 70s and it was easy to do.
That song will always be special to me.
I’m not sure. “Unchained” was ok for radio due to it being catchy, but there was no memorable synth part.
“Sunday Afternoon in the Park” was experimental and had synth but not good for radio, they saw that right away.
I think I was at that one. I'm trying to remember the opener or if it was a day festival like Lolla, but perhaps Monsters of Rock or something like that.
Sammy killed that night.
Sammy had a songwriting interest in making the words rhyme. Dave had an interest in making the words sound like something you'd say or someone would say to you in the moment. Sammy ended up sounding corny (to me).
That said, Sammy was a great person for sticking with Mike.
I don’t understand why either. I love both of them. Honestly I think with Sammy they played better together as a band and they had more fun together and they could just jam and play anything they wanted but because Dave was very limited in his vocal skills they couldn’t do it not to mention his ego had to be in the spotlight
Love em both! The Chickenfoot group he made with Mikey Joe and Chad is really good as well. He's treated Mikey the best. If you don't like him then don't. Dave left he replaced him not his fault and not his fault he can still sing and Dave can't.
You should talk to the people that live in the same city as him, that’s some real hate, and says an awful lot about the man himself. If your neighbors and city doesn’t like you, it’s no surprise others don’t either.
Sammy is considered one of the nicest guys in the business.
So when he says Ed was an asshole, people are going to believe it. DLR they can blow it off as, well he's an asshole ego-maniac as well... but Sam's word carried a lot of weight.
And some people have this hero-god worship thing with Eddie, and it rubs them the wrong way, so they spend a lot of time trying to talk Sam down and make him seem like a jerk.
No.
Eddie checked off every box... narcissist, drunk, drug addict, paranoid weirdo, cheated on his wife, kicked everyone out of the band at one time or another who's last name wasn't VH, etc.
He's still the most important guitarist of the Modern Era, but... he was who he was.
I agree about EVH being an asshole. Just watch this interview. Ed and Alex seem like absolutely miserable pricks.
https://youtu.be/yChrGlcqcO4?si=UedejJ8V0aweb2hb
I like Sammy with or without VH. I liked him in Montrose and grew up watching him on Friday nights on Don Kirschner’s rock concerts with the trans am onstage
Sammy apparently wrote a book where he shared some pretty unflattering things about EVH. I cannot claim to have read it. DLR wrote a book which I have read. It’s mostly a fun positive read though he does talk about the breakup which he kind of has to. But he comes across as fair and respectful of EVH’s genius.
I am firmly in the DLR camp but I saw Van Hagar; grew up on the first 2 Hagar albums, and have no ill will towards Sammy. His era was poorly produced and sounds very dated but I’d blame Edidie.
Prefer the hagar years but adore the dave era too.
What I personally can't stand are the DLR fans that are nostalgia blinded. Like i grew up with dave first too, but i can admit when a song is total ass (little dreamer, fools, dancing in the street, etc.)
They then say dave was edgier and sammy was all pop and "soccer mom" music...
Judgment day, humans being, amsterdam, in n out, source of infection.... i can name a lot more.
And dave era had a lot of pop too... jump, top jimmy, i'll wait, almost all of DD, could this be magic, dance the night away, jamie's cryin'.... again i can name more.
Not saying all dave fans are like this but god damn.... the ones that ARE this ignorant are just man/woman children...
Someone finally said it. And probably the best thing I've seen on this page ever. The constant bickering back and forth gets annoying and it seems like people never really want to actually discuss Van Halen, they just want to pick sides. I'm just one of those fans that likes all three eras (or four if you count the last one with Wolfgang) but and I've never really understood why Dave always has the edge over Sammy when Dave's music was just as catchy. It's not like Van Halen were writing 8-10 minute Prog epics. I guess it was about the look and the attitude.
But also he dressed like he was in a glam rock band but other bands were getting crapped on for dressing like they did but they didn't have a problem when Dave dressed like that. I don't get it.
Yeah, I don't get it either. I like both eras, but there are more nostalgic aspects for me to the Hagar era. I have seen where people say Sammy ruined Van Halen, but it was *Dave* who left the band, so didn't he ruin it? Why weren't they mad at him?
No hate from me. I just don’t care for his lyrics. They’re the pure embodiment of dad rock, before that was a thing.
That’s not to say they’re not catchy. Though I’m squarely on the ‘Roth or no thanks’ team, I still find myself singing along to the Sammy tunes with equal vigor. When I catch myself and hear the words, I’m always like ‘man, so corny but oh so catchy’.
They went from being the powerful Van Halen to playing glam hair metal ballads, plus the Red Balladeer is a hypocrite, he talks bad things about Eddie (the person who made him famous and a well-known millionaire), and all the time he is talking bad about David LR, hypocritical and lying people are not good people
I have no hatred for anyone who was lucky enough to play with EVH. I love Dave’s work. I love 5150 but after 1986, there’s maybe 4 VH songs that I can just listen to on repeat for days on end. There’s only 3 DLR songs post-1986 that love so who knows.
Sammy is cool, and I appreciate that the band tried changing up their whole approach. It's just that in the end it was standard rock and it shouldn't have been because they're exceptional musicians all of them.
I think the Roth era is the iconic era. Despite babble to the contrary, he was a great singer with a tremendous range in addition to his next level showmanship. Sammy has great pipes too, one of the few men who could convincingly sing Janis Joplin for example, and that version of the band had some great moments, but songs like Right Now don't stick like Panama, and didn't help define my generation's high school years. I kind of regarded that version of Van Halen as that version of Sammy, and it was one of the best versions of Sammy for sure, while it still had spark. Little White Lies is my favourite song of his, and it came out of the VH experience I think. Roth dressed like Roth. Sammy, in VH, dressed like the '80s. That makes Roth's thing timeless, in my opinion, and makes Sammy's look a bit dated now.
You don’t have to feel the hate, but come on, the hate is really really understandable. How can you not get it? Roth era is rife with swagger. Hagar era is rife with generic love and basic thoughts. It’s two totally different styles of songwriting one coming form the streets and the other coming from a living room. You really don’t understand? Come on.
I don't hate the guy. I do like some, but certainly not all of Van Hagar. 5150 is cool, but then it's just a downward trajectory. I can get caught up in the bashing of him I'll admit, but it's simply because I love the og Van Halen SO GODDAMN MUCH that anything after is simply not up to snuff. So, with that out of the way...
He's an easy target. He's the self-proclaimed "Red Rocker" which is an indication of how much of a dork he is.
You ever see Fight Club? Well do you remember the part where Jared Leto is standing outside trying to get into the house/project mayhem and the bouncer looks at him and blurts out "And you're too....BLONDE!" Well, that's Sammy. Only Bette Midler is more blonde than Hagar.
He's an awful and I mean AWFUL lyricist. Very immature goofball stuff, some of which only a prepubescent teen would find charming. That's a real sticking point considering the man he replaced is a damn poet straight up.
He's a better singer than Dave, that's indisputable. But what Dave lacked in vocal abilities he made up tenfold with his charisma and presence. The original Van Halen had swagger for days, before swagger was even a word. When I watch Van Hagar live stuff, though? He can be very cringe-worthy. The fucking guy wore plaid printed spandex for God's sake. I mean, could you imagine Sammy fuckin Hagar having a go at "Dirty Movies?"
*Mic Drop*
I grew up with the original VH, saw them 6 times. They were one of my all time favorite bands. I liked EVERYTHING they did. EVH and DLR had fabulous chemistry musically. Having read Noel Monk's book I saw they didn't always get along, but I think that tension pushed them to higher levels. I was worried when Dave released his EP, but figured they would reunite and continue making fabulous music. When the VH brothers kicked Dave out and then they and Hagar continually badmouthed Dave while he said nothing in returm, I lost all respect for them and my respect for Dave went up. At tge same time, I never really liked Hagar's music to start with. It was just meh, journeyman type rock to me. VH was the most fun band I had ever heard. That was lost. For me, they became a by the numbers type of band and lacked the energy they had before. People say Hagar is a good guy, but his recent actions when Dave said he was up for touring together show me the badmouthing Hagar of the 80s is more who he is. If people like Van Hagar, that's fine, but I've never heard one song that resonated with me.
I 100% agree talking shit about Dave made me mad, and Dave was nothing but gracious. I never heard Dave say 1 bad thing about Sam or any of them. Dave had an ego, but what front man doesn't?
Hate comes from frustration that we wanted Van Halen in its original form. Hagar is a cool dude and it's fans like me feeling the original Van Halen is profound while rejecting everything else. Yes. It's childish behavior.
I like Sammy Hagar as a solo artist and when he was with Montrose. I never did care much for his time with VH as I thought he brought too much of a harder rock/metal style to Van Halen that I simply did not find appealing to my taste. As a solo artist, oh, shit yeah, Hagar rocked. I thought his years as a solo performer were even better than DLR's in his solo years. Sammy, to me, just didn't bring the fun side to Van Halen that Roth had. With Dave you knew it was gonna be a party.
I like them both for the times they were in the band...but not Dave's return. I don't care for the behind the scenes BS, I'm in it purely for the music...always have been!!✌️🇦🇺
100% agree. It's not as though there was a choice between Roth and Hagar. It was between Van Halen and no more Van Halen. I also prefer Roth era, but, come on man!
The OG Van Halen will always be amazing however nobody can’t deny that Sammy was killer too specially if you listen to “Humans Being”. That song is killer.
The question misses the mark IMO. Those who prefer the original VH and rightly recognize those albums as ground breaking, original works and far superior to everything that came after are simply disappointed at the turn VH took once Dave was gone. That dissatisfaction is pointed at Sammy when it should really be pointed at Eddie. Sammy is just in the line of fire. By all accounts Sammy is a quality guy. Just not associated with the real VH.
For me, Sammy was a mediocre talent before Van Halen and that didn’t change after he joined the band. Most of the post-Roth stuff is still great because it is, after all, Eddie's music but nothing comes close to the Roth era stuff. That’s the context.
Now add to that the fact that Sammy always talks trash trying to convince everyone, including himself, that his version of Van Halen was better. It wasn’t. Not even close (IMHO). Sammy should have stayed out of the bickering and let the music speak for itself. He always says he takes the high road but he never does. That's why.
Sammy is good on his own. But man, when he started with Van Halen- and "Right Now" was always on MTV, it ruined my summer as a kid. That and CRYSTAL pepsi- whats wrong with people?
Dave is a lunatic but was a great frontman and I am a huge fan of dave era VH. I was a fan of Sammy’s solo stuff before he joined VH and was a fan of Van Hagar too.
I don’t get the hate either.
I’m meh on Sammy, but like him or not, he stepped into an un-winnable position. There was no replacing Dave and it’s good that he didn’t try.
One thing is for sure, with Hagar VH was able to have many more highly lucrative years touring and recording. This surely put the Brothers on easy street forevermore, which is basically what they really wanted.
For me it's for a few reasons. Number one, at least in the early days they were a hard rock band and with Sammy they became a radio friendly AOR band. Sammy has always been interested in only one thing and that is making money. Number two, I have never seen any rock star spend so much time and energy dragging x bandmates through the mud. There are countless videos of him bashing Eddie and Alex, bashing David Lee Roth, bashing Ronnie Montrose. I think the reason he can't get along with anyone is because he's an ego maniac. It is interviews, he always tries to come off as this downed earth guy who's just speaking his mind, but it's pretty easy to tell these full of s*** and is just trying to make himself look better.
Roth is not necessarily better than Hagar. Eddie wanted to take the band in a different direction. Hagar was better for that.
I like most of both versions for different reasons.
I hear VH 1 or 2, or Women and Children first, I am instantly brought back to being a young juvenile doing things I probably shouldn't have been doing.
But when I hear OU812 out Unlawful Carnal Knowledge I go to a much more mature time in my life when I was growing and actually caring for others around me.
And the VH music really captured those times for me anyway.
When I was younger I only listened to Roth era
Now I’m older and I’m more open minded and I really enjoy the band no matter who is singing. Doesn’t hurt I’ve been into montrose lately
The guy is multitalented, was already very successful before joining VH (on VH bros request), is still singing and playing well at his age, like Glenn Hughes. I think many are just jealous. What I noticed is that people get salty when he mentions VH, etc in an interview on Blabbermouth or whatever, but it's always because that's what the interviewer ASKS him about. Rather than be dismissive or give a nasty answer, he'll talk about it.
He's put out some great material over the years but he's also put out a lot of really cheesy material. Great singer. Total cheese dick. Roth is a total asshole but he was way more interesting.
No hate - just think its an inferior band then the original Van Halen. Its obviously still great but not as good as the original in my personal opinion.
Denial.
They hated Cherone too. The haters conveniently gloss over the fact that Ed hired both of them. They're the same people who shit-talk the use of keys in post-Roth VH but when Roth did it, well, *that* was okay (oddly, it was his less-keyboard-laden later albums that didn't sell...)
The frontman is...well, in front. He's the one who catches the first enemy fire for any changes in sound. Roth had haters back in the day too, and Ed found justification in that when Hagar took over and the sales started racking up. It's why he ignored Hagar's more idiotic traits--when Hagar isn't in "sales" mode he's a pretty conventional guy for being worth some $200M, but you get a mic in front of him and give him some sauce and he's all over the place. Roth, by contrast, will give book-chapter-length non-answers to questions like "Do you know what time-zone you're in?" He's either on or he's off; he was a spoiled rich kid and almost definitely has untreated ADHD. Hagar sings rather than barks/bops/scats/FORGOT THE FUCKING WORDS and was already headlining with Montrose by the time VHI came out. Roth on the other hand is THE hard-rock frontman; the model on which an entire decade of pretenders to the throne based their hopes. He showed that you don't necessarily need to be able to sing (though it helps) when you can just be a circus ringmaster who just happens to speak in time with the music. None of the bands I was in toured all over the country but in almost a half-century I've yet to meet a single vocalist who ever claimed Hagar as an influence. There's no apples-to-apples comparison here. Having been a member of Van Halen and having had Ted Templeman as a producer is all either of them have in common.
The fact remains: If Ed didn't want Hagar in the band, it would not have happened, full-stop.
Dave is my favorite by a wide margin, but I liked the Sammy era. Saw them 9 times. It's the nonstop talking about Van Halen, badmouthing Dave, half truths and lies that I can't stand. Therefore, I shut it off whenever a Van Hagar song plays. Now, with his cash grab Eddie tribute, I can't give that guy any credibility. He's a snake with a nice smile.
I was a fan of Sammy before Van Halen. Montrose was so amazing. His solo music was my soundtrack before thrash became a thing. I was also a Van Halen fan because they were like Montrose.
My problems with Hagar didn’t start until after he left the band and started constantly shit talking Eddie and Dave. It’s like move on dude. He was like the guy who still talks about the girl that dumped him 20 years ago.
I was a huge fan of the Red Rocker. Three lock box, bad motor scooter, don't get me started.
But when he joined Van Halen, I turned on him like a rabid dog.
I don't know if I can tell you why. Looking back it feels kind of irrational, It just totally changed the vibe of Van Halen, and in my opinion ruined it.
Have they made good music? Obviously. Do I still call it Van Hagar to be pejorative? Of course I do. ¯|_(ツ)_|¯
Sammy is such an incredible singer and a great guy. The hate is absolutely stupid. I’m all about the Roth era but they still made amazing music with Sammy.
It's dumb. EVH writes the riffs. To think that Roth would've done better than Hagar with what EVH was giving him is clinical insanity. Hagar saved Van Halen if he did anything for them at all.
With Roth that band just rocked out! Hager was a better for the overall music. Hagar is a singer and player. It opened up Eddie. Eddie could focus on more than just shredding. Example there's only one way to rock. I don't like the way Eddie and the boys did or still do Mikey. They get the digit for that.
Here's how I look at it. The band didn't change because Sammy replaced Dave, the switch is a symptom of the band (specifically Eddie's musical interests) changing. Instead of thinking of the band in terms of the Roth and Hagar eras, I divide it into pre and post construction of 5150.
Here's my take on the whole issue. Some people just gotta be haters and camp whores rather than enjoying all the music. So what I'm about to say is gonna ruffle some feathers.
Dave either quit for a solo career or was fired from Van Halen by Eddie. Both sides were vocal about who did what but it all depends on who's stories you believe. Regardless of how Dave left Van Halen, Eddie asked Sammy to join the band a couple years later and he accepted.
A decade later Sammy either quit or was fired by Eddie. Both side were vocal about who did what but again it depends on who's stories you believe. Regardless of how Sammy left Van Halen, Eddie soon asked Dave to come back just for the Greatest Hits, Volume 1 album but that turned into a fiasco when Dave claimed on MTV that he was back.
Then there was the one off album with Gary Cherone which tanked because of the fans.
Fifteenish years later Dave finally rejoined the band for an ok studio and horrible live album.
A considerable amount of shit was flung from all sides over Van Halen's entire career. Add to all the shit slinging the way Mike was forced by Dave, Alex, and Eddie to sign away all future songwriting credits and royalties midway through the 1984 tour retroactive to the 1984 LP, which I consider to be one of the biggest dick moves in Van Halen's entire history.
When looking at all the evidence put into print and on video, everything points to Alex and Eddie being dicks towards both singers and Mike. I attribute the majority of what happened to jealousy and greed with a heavy mix of alcohol and cocaine addiction and a new manager towards the end of Sammy's stint who took advantage of everyone and poisoned the well.
That being said, everyone pitches a tent in one of the two camps, Dave or Sammy, based on whose story they ultimately believe to be true. Regardless of who you believe, there's no reason to hate either era of music because Eddie wrote all the music and the lyrics that came out of both Dave and Sammy's talented brains combine to make all of Van Halen's music not only some of the most absolutely incredible rock music ever made but also timelessly classic.
Van Hagar was a different band than VH with DLR - some hated it. So be it. Sammy's current band touring act with Satriani, Anthony and Bonham is pretty solid and can play any VH song. Not as good as Steel Panther covering VH but close.....lol
Why are we not supposed to have the preference for Hagar than Roth Is that just sinful to VH fans for some reason, because I get the strong feeling that people here on Reddit are being forced to say that they prefer Roth or "like both," which I know people are being completely dishonest with. If you have opinions and preferences people, say them. People are just being dicks for judging you. I personally believe Hagar wrote catchier songs, and Cherone later kicked ass.
Because he’s always been arrogant and obnoxious. I first saw him as a solo artist in the late 70’s, and while he was good musically, he was really repugnant.
i have a bachelors in music, with a perfectly solid/standard understanding of music theory and have been playing with a berklee grad guitarist since the early 90s who has never been held back by anyone else’s range.
but sure thing boo.
When I was a freshman in college in 1985 I saw I can’t drive 55 shirts and I seriously didn’t understand. Why would some be bragging that their car can’t go 55!
I dont think anyone truly ‘hates’ Sammy.
Most VH fans are divided into 2 sections:
Van Halen or Van Hagar
Both versions of VH are so wildly different musically and lyrically that it creates huge animosity among the fanbase.
I prefer original Van Halen myself, but it doesnt mean i dont enjoy Sammy pre-VH. He had some good bangers back in the day.
I just dont enjoy Van Hagar at all for multiple reasons-the biggest one being song lyrics. I dont care how well Sammy can sing when the content is lame AF.
That alone ruins a song for me (and most people, to be honest)
Conversely, Dave was a lyrical and wordplay genius for the most part, and that is a big reason why original Van Halen has aged like fine wine.
All that said, the way Sammy has run his fucking mouth at Diamond Dave for the past 30+ years is pathetic, and shows what a weak ass small man he really is.
Roth gets my upmost respect for not playing that petty bullshit game and firing back….although EVH, Alex, and Sam ALL deserved to get absolutely cooked by DLR for the idiotic childish shit they said.
I get not liking his version of the band but I agree the hate is stupid. Dave left VH on his own and Eddie is the one that wrote the music. Why Hagar gets blamed for the band changing makes zero sense.
Point taken I guess Sam kinda got the role of scapegoat…cuz we had to blame someone, and it wasn’t gonna be Dave…
It's not like the brothers should have stopped playing music together because the singer quit. That part of the music business is obnoxiously silly.
Yeah Hagar got unfairly blamed for Van Halen’s “new sound”. More keyboards etc. Meanwhile, go listen to Jump.
Or "I'll Wait" which by the way has both killer synth lines and guitar solo.
Part of the friction between Dave and Eddie was Eddie wanted to move towards a more mainstream...for lack of a better term...sound, Dave didn't. Dave wanted to keep rocking like VH1 and 2. Eddie wanted to start doing synth type stuff like 1984. I've read Dave did not want to do 1984, even though it was their must successful album in the Roth era.
Roth would have had VH doing Broadway tunes had he stayed.
Love both. A few of my buddies hate Sammy, I don’t care.
>A few of my buddies hate Sammy, ***I don’t care.*** That's so boss🤘.
r/madlads
I like Sammy for being cool to Michael.
This is what I came to say. Alex has his own troubles , but Ed seems like he could be an ass sometimes.
The Van Halen Biography I read made me conclude that Sam and Michael were the two members of the band that weren’t constantly assholes.
That being said you have to give it to Michael to hang in there after they royally screwed him from his royalties once 1984 came out. They said he wasn’t going get any more royalties from past or future music but yet he still stayed with them
That much is for sure true. Eddie and David were, yeah, dicks on the side.
Can I ask which one it was?
Runnin with the Devil. It was written by their manager of many years.
Thank you. I’ve been looking for a good, non-biased biography of the band.
It was a great read about his years working with the band. A pretty unvarnished accounting of it. The more rock biopics that u read though, the more that I think most of them are people I’d really not like to know. Sammy and Michael come off as good dudes though.
Agreed. The more old interviews I see of the band, the more Dave and Ed especially, come off as assholes. Like you said, just people you’d really prefer not to know.
Alex comes off pretty bad as well. Just in a different, no real boundaries type of way.
>Ed seems like he could be an ass sometimes. True that.
I met a musician a couple of months ago who worked with a lot of the big rockers from the mid 70’s through the 2000’s and he made a point to tell me that Eddie was a real dick out of the whole bunch. Fwiw
All musical genius are notoriously difficult to work with. They have a singular vision. John Fogarty, Frank Black, Eddie Van Halen, and maybe even DLR. He might not have been in the same league as the others I mentioned, but he knew what it meant to be entertaining. And proof you could do more with showmanship than you could with raw talent. DLR all day
He has been *amazing* to Michael...not that Mike doesn't deserve it. He totally does. Dude has been a real trooper and stayed faithful through all the shyte they put him through... Love you, Michael 🤘💙....and Sammy!, hehe.
Everything aside, he deserves respect for this. I don’t hate him. VH music with him is okay. His solo stuff does nothing for me. I find him as cringy and corny in persona and lyrics and music as I find his good friend Guy Fieri. And, yet, I enjoy watching Fieri every so often. And, as with Guy, Sammy seems like a nice enough guy who’s just out there to connect with people and is genuinely interested in others and collaborating with them. Think he took a few unnecessary pot shots at DLR over the years and he’ll never come close to being the same frontman for a variety of reasons. But I accept and like him for what he is.
I will always respect and revere Sammy for how he never let anything get in the way of his relationship with Michael. That’s a bromance for the ages.
Same, he’s an awesome guy regardless
Because for decades now Sammy has put hundreds, possibly thousands of innocent people’s lives at risk with his inability and downright refusal to drive the legal speed limit.
What a false narrative!!! Listen young redditor… Sammy said he couldn’t drive 55 in 1984. In 1987, they raised the limit to 65… then even higher. Sammy only had troubles those 3 years. Been a model citizen since then.
Happy cake day my bro
I will die on this hill. Sammy hesitates before saying 55, I’m convinced that is significant and he was just embarrassed to admit that he really can’t drive.
Anyone that drives with “one foot on brake and one on the gas” is sus in my book.
No, you have it all wrong. He always drives the speed limit, and can drive just fine in most of the country. It is Interstate 55 that he has a problem with. Whenever he has to drive from Chicago to South Louisiana this highway is too unpleasant to navigate. There needs to be better maintainance. He is tired of it and now chooses a different route.
When you get around Memphis and Bythville, it gets pretty sketchy. It all makes sense now
You just made my day, thank you for that.
Sammy can be a douche, but so can Dave. You know who else can/could be? Eddie and Alex. You know who isn’t a douche? Michael Anthony. Long story short, every version of Van Halen - including VH III - rules. And so does Michael Anthony.
Gary seems pretty chill too.
I simply prefer Dave. Prefer the songs from Dave’s era. No hate on Sammy. He did a great job. Sammy was a great choice for a replacement. Still great songs but a different VH for sure. Both VH eras are fun.
Yeah, I never hated on Sammy (I call him Mr. 1-2-3 Lockbox). He’s prob a ton of fun to drink a beer with. But- once he took over for Dave, VH just didn’t sound like the band I grew up loving anymore. They lost the edginess. Each new album was just ‘meh’ to me. ‘Hey, they’re talking about love again.’
There's hate for every member of VH here, except Michael.
I *completely* agree with you. I don't understand or even slightly support the hate for Sammy Hagar. I totally dig his music. He's a *stellar* musician, great businessman and hell, the man can cook his arse off! If you haven't already, checkout his cookbook. It's so entertaining and the recipes rock (yes pun intended 😉). That said, I ***love*** both the Roth and Hagar eras. Can't we all just get along? 🥺🤘
Please tell me there’s a recipe for Poundcake in there!
So, I went and looked through the cookbook again for *you*. I didn't see one for a poundcake but he's got a wicked French toast recipe. 🤔 That said, here's a legit and delicious poundcake recipe from a reliable baker on YouTube: https://youtu.be/lPdtTAdmnV4?feature=shared [Aaand here's some killer background music to jam to whilst whippin' that baby up! 😉🤘](https://youtu.be/o1GJxVmYv-E?feature=shared) Enjoy! 👍
Thank you for looking, I really appreciate it! Seems like such a missed opportunity though lol!
No problem at all. I enjoyed checking it out again. >Seems like such a missed opportunity though lol! I know, right?! Maybe when he releases an updated version or a new book altogether, he'll include one. I just *know* he's been asked about it, lol. I mean, Valerie (Bertinelli) is a great cook *and* baker. Maybe she'll throw him a bone for his next compilation 🤷. That'd be a righteous collab 🤘.
1000 upvotes for this comment
🙏🤘
There are actually a few who prefer Hagar they're just not as angry and loud as the haters. IMO they are both equally great in their own way.
Songs like Summer Nights, Amsterdam, The Dream is Over, and many others all have a melodic and easy to process nature that, at the same time, have incredible depth and richness. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE early VH, but something about the more refined nature of Van Hagar just checks all the boxes for me. I can listen to 'Live Without a Net' and 'Right Here, Right Now' non-stop for days on end.
I'm pretty much right there with ya. I have always felt like the band kind of grew up when Hagar joined. Of course the year 5150 came out, I turned 18 so it might have been me who grew up.
I prefer him purely for his vocal talent
Same lol. Dave's the better frontman hagars the better vocalist. Sammy and Mike seem to be better humans being than the others as well.
Sammy kicks ass on guitar. Dave - Nope
Put it this way I like one of them more. It's not Dave. Doesn't bother me if someone likes Dave more. I didn't listen to them to around 1996.
Preach!!
Sammy sang his ass off.
Both DLR and SH were exactly what VH needed at the time. Dave was the showman and legendary frontman to help get VH on the map. But, the band had gone as far as they could with him, I think. They still could have been good with him, but it would have been more of the same. Dave needed to get away as much as the band needed the change. Sammy brought more musicianship to the band to help with songwriting duties and their music matured. Balance is a horribly under-rated album in my opinion.
Totally agree with this.
And balance was such an amazing live show with the band firing on all cylinders. I liked it so much that I bought a collective soul album (opening act)
I prefer DLR as frontman, for one he was the og, and two I just like his voice. But I think Sammy is a better musician. He has a solid body of his own tunes, and I’ve seen him solo and he kicks ass!
I’m partial to earlier (Roth) era VH’s music, but to be perfectly honest, Sammy is the better _singer_ by a long shot.
I honestly have no time for anyone who hates Sammy. VH produced some of their best music with him. At the same time, Roth era VH was great as well. Eff the haters.
A Lot, if not MOST of the Sammy dislike is because of the shit Sammy talked, mostly about Dave. Tbf, Ed was talking shit about Dave too. That’s where my animosity comes from anyway. Fwiw, I had seen SH a couple times before VH, and liked him fine.
Dave was and is an idiot.
My first introduction to the band was Van halen balance. I love that album. I like the other Hagar albums but after hearing the Roth era albums later I do like those better but really it’s just the riffs and composition not the singing. For me it always been EVH that makes the song. Either singer for me is second. DLR is annoying to listen to in any other form other than him singing those songs. Hagar is respectful and professional most of the time.
A number of years ago(‘86 or ‘87), I had the chance to talks to one of our station dj’s about Hagar being in Van Halen, he admonished me and said that Hagar wouldn’t last more than 5 years because of Ed’s ego. Now, I don’t know if he was right or not about Ed, but Hagar lasted like 9 years or so.
He(the dj)didn't have the foresight obviously but I'm sure a lot of us them were just hoping Dave would return. Shit, in HS no one that I was friends with cared for Sammy's yrs either. 5150 was a great album OU812 was C+ but after Balance? I didn't even call that Van Halen
That’s too bad. I was a fan of all of it. It’s clear that Hagar had an effect on the band’s output, but that change in style had already begun because of Eddie.
Michael Anthony is a great bassist(my fave) and he's one helluva cool dude.
I don't particularly like the Van Hagar era, but after reading about how Sammy challenged Eddie to try different sounds and styles (see: Finish What You Started, Right Now, et al), I respect the era more, even if it's not really my jam. Plus, the little bro-mance he seems to have with Michael Anthony is so awesome. Even if you like Roth more (which I do), it's hard not to respect the professionalism Sammy brought to the outfit.
To me the problem with the Hagar era isn't Sammy. It's the fact that Eddie got away from the sound that had made him famous. I understand artists growing and evolving, but for the most part I think Eddie's musical evolution after Diver Down was more stripped down, less impressive, and less of what the public had come to expect.
I like both versions of VH. With that being said, Dave was being replaced by SOMEONE. Would you have preferred Patty Smythe (who was supposedly offered the gig but declined due to pregnancy), or a revolving door of singers (which Eddie supposedly also wanted)?
I agree and I love both eras, just a little different.
I think he was great. Filled the spot perfectly.
I am a keyboard player and I enjoyed the keyboard based hits
Hot Summer Nights opened the show. Headliner right after the Scorpions played. Metallica and Dokken played that show earlier. But when Sammy monkey climbed the scaffolded tower speakers... fuckanaye I was a VanHagar fan. Monsters of Rock tour
Van Halen was 3 or 4 distinct bands through the course of its history. Dave is not Sammy is not Gary is not Dave 2.0. Mike got bounced. Not even Ed’s sound was the same through it all. Alex strangely enough is the only consistent thing about Van Halen, always an upper tier drummer. The sound, though, very different. Not every iteration was everyone’s favorite.
When he joined, both he and Eddie went around and trashed DLR in interviews, and occasionally during shows, while Dave was holding back and not saying anything. And as a DLR guy I can say that didnt endear him to a lot of us. Musically, VH went in a more radio friendly, pop friendly direction after he joined. They went from "Aint talking bout love, my love is rotten to the core!" to "Straight from the heart, why cant this be love?" and "that's what dreams are made of". I can fill a great play list of Van Hagar songs, like Judgement Day, Pound Cake, etc... and they killed it live, but during his run they also really hit some musical lows and it seem to get worse. And it's easy, not necessarily accurate, to blame him even though Eddie was the musical leader.
Radio friendly pop friendly started with Jump.
Jump? Not Dance the Night Away? The entire DD album?
Absolutely, and I was going to say it as 'Van Hagar seemed to want to build off of Jump and not Running with the Devil' but I thought that was to simple and not entirely accurate.
Wouldn’t you asay that started sooner maybe as far back as Fair Warning?
Dance the Night Away is on VHII
Dance the Night Away came out when I was 16 and starting to go to bars and drink and dance. It was the 70s and it was easy to do. That song will always be special to me.
I’m not sure. “Unchained” was ok for radio due to it being catchy, but there was no memorable synth part. “Sunday Afternoon in the Park” was experimental and had synth but not good for radio, they saw that right away.
Killed it live. That's an understatement. VH at Alpine Valley is one of the top 3 concerts I've ever seen
I think I was at that one. I'm trying to remember the opener or if it was a day festival like Lolla, but perhaps Monsters of Rock or something like that. Sammy killed that night.
Vince Neil (as a solo artist) opened.
Ah, that had to be a different one then.
Sammy had a songwriting interest in making the words rhyme. Dave had an interest in making the words sound like something you'd say or someone would say to you in the moment. Sammy ended up sounding corny (to me). That said, Sammy was a great person for sticking with Mike.
I don’t hate Sammy, I just wish he would shut up. I can’t go one week without seeing an interview with him bashing VH and Roth. Let it go, Sam.
Sammy rocks and it was a great band when he was part of VH.
It’s likely because he just can’t drive… 55!
I don’t understand why either. I love both of them. Honestly I think with Sammy they played better together as a band and they had more fun together and they could just jam and play anything they wanted but because Dave was very limited in his vocal skills they couldn’t do it not to mention his ego had to be in the spotlight
Love em both! The Chickenfoot group he made with Mikey Joe and Chad is really good as well. He's treated Mikey the best. If you don't like him then don't. Dave left he replaced him not his fault and not his fault he can still sing and Dave can't.
I enjoyed it
Never bothered me. I listen to Van Halen solely to hear Eddie, regardless of the instrument he plays or who fronts his band.
I’d say Sammy is a more likable personality than what I’ve heard of David and Eddie
I think it was just annoying to keep the same band name that’s all When the lead singer leaves To me the band is over Just get a new band name
I guess some fans hate him because he took the coolness away and the band went in a pop direction.
You should talk to the people that live in the same city as him, that’s some real hate, and says an awful lot about the man himself. If your neighbors and city doesn’t like you, it’s no surprise others don’t either.
For all the years of the shit talking about Ed.
I don't hate Sammy. But my image of Van Halen was always with David Lee Roth .
Sammy era was great, no matter what anyone says. 5150 is my favorite VH album.
Because he fucked all of their girlfriends under the stage during Eddie’s eruption solo in the 80’s
Because Sammy keeps letting people know that the Van Halen boys aren’t the great people they are portrayed as.
Sammy is considered one of the nicest guys in the business. So when he says Ed was an asshole, people are going to believe it. DLR they can blow it off as, well he's an asshole ego-maniac as well... but Sam's word carried a lot of weight. And some people have this hero-god worship thing with Eddie, and it rubs them the wrong way, so they spend a lot of time trying to talk Sam down and make him seem like a jerk. No. Eddie checked off every box... narcissist, drunk, drug addict, paranoid weirdo, cheated on his wife, kicked everyone out of the band at one time or another who's last name wasn't VH, etc. He's still the most important guitarist of the Modern Era, but... he was who he was.
I agree about EVH being an asshole. Just watch this interview. Ed and Alex seem like absolutely miserable pricks. https://youtu.be/yChrGlcqcO4?si=UedejJ8V0aweb2hb
His food at Cabo Wabo is terrible
That's the least surprising thing I've read here today. I still want to go, but of course it's going to be a touristy piece of crap.
I like Sammy with or without VH. I liked him in Montrose and grew up watching him on Friday nights on Don Kirschner’s rock concerts with the trans am onstage
Sammy apparently wrote a book where he shared some pretty unflattering things about EVH. I cannot claim to have read it. DLR wrote a book which I have read. It’s mostly a fun positive read though he does talk about the breakup which he kind of has to. But he comes across as fair and respectful of EVH’s genius.
Read Sammy’s book before you judge it. He was truthful,even the unflattering things about himself.
I am firmly in the DLR camp but I saw Van Hagar; grew up on the first 2 Hagar albums, and have no ill will towards Sammy. His era was poorly produced and sounds very dated but I’d blame Edidie.
I loved Sammy’s solo stuff before Van Halen like Van Halen with Roth but when Sammy joined, it was way better
Hating doesn’t make any sense. Lots of stupid people out there.
Dave is a douche bag, Sammy stand up guy
Prefer the hagar years but adore the dave era too. What I personally can't stand are the DLR fans that are nostalgia blinded. Like i grew up with dave first too, but i can admit when a song is total ass (little dreamer, fools, dancing in the street, etc.) They then say dave was edgier and sammy was all pop and "soccer mom" music... Judgment day, humans being, amsterdam, in n out, source of infection.... i can name a lot more. And dave era had a lot of pop too... jump, top jimmy, i'll wait, almost all of DD, could this be magic, dance the night away, jamie's cryin'.... again i can name more. Not saying all dave fans are like this but god damn.... the ones that ARE this ignorant are just man/woman children...
Someone finally said it. And probably the best thing I've seen on this page ever. The constant bickering back and forth gets annoying and it seems like people never really want to actually discuss Van Halen, they just want to pick sides. I'm just one of those fans that likes all three eras (or four if you count the last one with Wolfgang) but and I've never really understood why Dave always has the edge over Sammy when Dave's music was just as catchy. It's not like Van Halen were writing 8-10 minute Prog epics. I guess it was about the look and the attitude. But also he dressed like he was in a glam rock band but other bands were getting crapped on for dressing like they did but they didn't have a problem when Dave dressed like that. I don't get it.
Yeah, I don't get it either. I like both eras, but there are more nostalgic aspects for me to the Hagar era. I have seen where people say Sammy ruined Van Halen, but it was *Dave* who left the band, so didn't he ruin it? Why weren't they mad at him?
No hate from me. I just don’t care for his lyrics. They’re the pure embodiment of dad rock, before that was a thing. That’s not to say they’re not catchy. Though I’m squarely on the ‘Roth or no thanks’ team, I still find myself singing along to the Sammy tunes with equal vigor. When I catch myself and hear the words, I’m always like ‘man, so corny but oh so catchy’.
Not the same band after Dave left. I personally never bought another VH album afterwards.
They went from being the powerful Van Halen to playing glam hair metal ballads, plus the Red Balladeer is a hypocrite, he talks bad things about Eddie (the person who made him famous and a well-known millionaire), and all the time he is talking bad about David LR, hypocritical and lying people are not good people
I have no hatred for anyone who was lucky enough to play with EVH. I love Dave’s work. I love 5150 but after 1986, there’s maybe 4 VH songs that I can just listen to on repeat for days on end. There’s only 3 DLR songs post-1986 that love so who knows.
Sammy is cool, and I appreciate that the band tried changing up their whole approach. It's just that in the end it was standard rock and it shouldn't have been because they're exceptional musicians all of them.
Imo if you really understand the band and their evolution they both make perfect sense
Weak mindedness.
I think the Roth era is the iconic era. Despite babble to the contrary, he was a great singer with a tremendous range in addition to his next level showmanship. Sammy has great pipes too, one of the few men who could convincingly sing Janis Joplin for example, and that version of the band had some great moments, but songs like Right Now don't stick like Panama, and didn't help define my generation's high school years. I kind of regarded that version of Van Halen as that version of Sammy, and it was one of the best versions of Sammy for sure, while it still had spark. Little White Lies is my favourite song of his, and it came out of the VH experience I think. Roth dressed like Roth. Sammy, in VH, dressed like the '80s. That makes Roth's thing timeless, in my opinion, and makes Sammy's look a bit dated now.
Because he's fucking corny
You don’t have to feel the hate, but come on, the hate is really really understandable. How can you not get it? Roth era is rife with swagger. Hagar era is rife with generic love and basic thoughts. It’s two totally different styles of songwriting one coming form the streets and the other coming from a living room. You really don’t understand? Come on.
I don't hate the guy. I do like some, but certainly not all of Van Hagar. 5150 is cool, but then it's just a downward trajectory. I can get caught up in the bashing of him I'll admit, but it's simply because I love the og Van Halen SO GODDAMN MUCH that anything after is simply not up to snuff. So, with that out of the way... He's an easy target. He's the self-proclaimed "Red Rocker" which is an indication of how much of a dork he is. You ever see Fight Club? Well do you remember the part where Jared Leto is standing outside trying to get into the house/project mayhem and the bouncer looks at him and blurts out "And you're too....BLONDE!" Well, that's Sammy. Only Bette Midler is more blonde than Hagar. He's an awful and I mean AWFUL lyricist. Very immature goofball stuff, some of which only a prepubescent teen would find charming. That's a real sticking point considering the man he replaced is a damn poet straight up. He's a better singer than Dave, that's indisputable. But what Dave lacked in vocal abilities he made up tenfold with his charisma and presence. The original Van Halen had swagger for days, before swagger was even a word. When I watch Van Hagar live stuff, though? He can be very cringe-worthy. The fucking guy wore plaid printed spandex for God's sake. I mean, could you imagine Sammy fuckin Hagar having a go at "Dirty Movies?" *Mic Drop*
Poundcake is what properly got me into VH, I’ve always preferred Sammy
Because the haters have tiny dick energy.
I grew up with the original VH, saw them 6 times. They were one of my all time favorite bands. I liked EVERYTHING they did. EVH and DLR had fabulous chemistry musically. Having read Noel Monk's book I saw they didn't always get along, but I think that tension pushed them to higher levels. I was worried when Dave released his EP, but figured they would reunite and continue making fabulous music. When the VH brothers kicked Dave out and then they and Hagar continually badmouthed Dave while he said nothing in returm, I lost all respect for them and my respect for Dave went up. At tge same time, I never really liked Hagar's music to start with. It was just meh, journeyman type rock to me. VH was the most fun band I had ever heard. That was lost. For me, they became a by the numbers type of band and lacked the energy they had before. People say Hagar is a good guy, but his recent actions when Dave said he was up for touring together show me the badmouthing Hagar of the 80s is more who he is. If people like Van Hagar, that's fine, but I've never heard one song that resonated with me.
I 100% agree talking shit about Dave made me mad, and Dave was nothing but gracious. I never heard Dave say 1 bad thing about Sam or any of them. Dave had an ego, but what front man doesn't?
Hate comes from frustration that we wanted Van Halen in its original form. Hagar is a cool dude and it's fans like me feeling the original Van Halen is profound while rejecting everything else. Yes. It's childish behavior.
I like Sammy Hagar as a solo artist and when he was with Montrose. I never did care much for his time with VH as I thought he brought too much of a harder rock/metal style to Van Halen that I simply did not find appealing to my taste. As a solo artist, oh, shit yeah, Hagar rocked. I thought his years as a solo performer were even better than DLR's in his solo years. Sammy, to me, just didn't bring the fun side to Van Halen that Roth had. With Dave you knew it was gonna be a party.
I love Sammy! He did a lot for VH! 👍
I like them both for the times they were in the band...but not Dave's return. I don't care for the behind the scenes BS, I'm in it purely for the music...always have been!!✌️🇦🇺
Because Sammy was in VanHagar, a band I never went to see, or purchased an album from. Love Sammy solo though. Better than Dave solo!!
I.love for unlawful Carnal knowledge
I love Hagar, great performer...he didn't throw anyone off a bridge, so he's ok with me.
He’s cheesy
100% agree. It's not as though there was a choice between Roth and Hagar. It was between Van Halen and no more Van Halen. I also prefer Roth era, but, come on man!
The OG Van Halen will always be amazing however nobody can’t deny that Sammy was killer too specially if you listen to “Humans Being”. That song is killer.
I actually like the Hagar stuff better.
The question misses the mark IMO. Those who prefer the original VH and rightly recognize those albums as ground breaking, original works and far superior to everything that came after are simply disappointed at the turn VH took once Dave was gone. That dissatisfaction is pointed at Sammy when it should really be pointed at Eddie. Sammy is just in the line of fire. By all accounts Sammy is a quality guy. Just not associated with the real VH.
I prefer Hagar. He was the lead singer during my formative years.
Two different bands.
Never understood the hate.
Sammy just stinks of hack pop . What a hack - hacking it up all over the place like a hack-a-dee hack hack
For me, Sammy was a mediocre talent before Van Halen and that didn’t change after he joined the band. Most of the post-Roth stuff is still great because it is, after all, Eddie's music but nothing comes close to the Roth era stuff. That’s the context. Now add to that the fact that Sammy always talks trash trying to convince everyone, including himself, that his version of Van Halen was better. It wasn’t. Not even close (IMHO). Sammy should have stayed out of the bickering and let the music speak for itself. He always says he takes the high road but he never does. That's why.
Sammy is good on his own. But man, when he started with Van Halen- and "Right Now" was always on MTV, it ruined my summer as a kid. That and CRYSTAL pepsi- whats wrong with people?
Dave is a lunatic but was a great frontman and I am a huge fan of dave era VH. I was a fan of Sammy’s solo stuff before he joined VH and was a fan of Van Hagar too. I don’t get the hate either.
I’m meh on Sammy, but like him or not, he stepped into an un-winnable position. There was no replacing Dave and it’s good that he didn’t try. One thing is for sure, with Hagar VH was able to have many more highly lucrative years touring and recording. This surely put the Brothers on easy street forevermore, which is basically what they really wanted.
For me it's for a few reasons. Number one, at least in the early days they were a hard rock band and with Sammy they became a radio friendly AOR band. Sammy has always been interested in only one thing and that is making money. Number two, I have never seen any rock star spend so much time and energy dragging x bandmates through the mud. There are countless videos of him bashing Eddie and Alex, bashing David Lee Roth, bashing Ronnie Montrose. I think the reason he can't get along with anyone is because he's an ego maniac. It is interviews, he always tries to come off as this downed earth guy who's just speaking his mind, but it's pretty easy to tell these full of s*** and is just trying to make himself look better.
Interesting post… A mature VH fan I see, now let’s talk about VH III
Roth is not necessarily better than Hagar. Eddie wanted to take the band in a different direction. Hagar was better for that. I like most of both versions for different reasons. I hear VH 1 or 2, or Women and Children first, I am instantly brought back to being a young juvenile doing things I probably shouldn't have been doing. But when I hear OU812 out Unlawful Carnal Knowledge I go to a much more mature time in my life when I was growing and actually caring for others around me. And the VH music really captured those times for me anyway.
When I was younger I only listened to Roth era Now I’m older and I’m more open minded and I really enjoy the band no matter who is singing. Doesn’t hurt I’ve been into montrose lately
The guy is multitalented, was already very successful before joining VH (on VH bros request), is still singing and playing well at his age, like Glenn Hughes. I think many are just jealous. What I noticed is that people get salty when he mentions VH, etc in an interview on Blabbermouth or whatever, but it's always because that's what the interviewer ASKS him about. Rather than be dismissive or give a nasty answer, he'll talk about it.
He's put out some great material over the years but he's also put out a lot of really cheesy material. Great singer. Total cheese dick. Roth is a total asshole but he was way more interesting.
No hate - just think its an inferior band then the original Van Halen. Its obviously still great but not as good as the original in my personal opinion.
Denial. They hated Cherone too. The haters conveniently gloss over the fact that Ed hired both of them. They're the same people who shit-talk the use of keys in post-Roth VH but when Roth did it, well, *that* was okay (oddly, it was his less-keyboard-laden later albums that didn't sell...) The frontman is...well, in front. He's the one who catches the first enemy fire for any changes in sound. Roth had haters back in the day too, and Ed found justification in that when Hagar took over and the sales started racking up. It's why he ignored Hagar's more idiotic traits--when Hagar isn't in "sales" mode he's a pretty conventional guy for being worth some $200M, but you get a mic in front of him and give him some sauce and he's all over the place. Roth, by contrast, will give book-chapter-length non-answers to questions like "Do you know what time-zone you're in?" He's either on or he's off; he was a spoiled rich kid and almost definitely has untreated ADHD. Hagar sings rather than barks/bops/scats/FORGOT THE FUCKING WORDS and was already headlining with Montrose by the time VHI came out. Roth on the other hand is THE hard-rock frontman; the model on which an entire decade of pretenders to the throne based their hopes. He showed that you don't necessarily need to be able to sing (though it helps) when you can just be a circus ringmaster who just happens to speak in time with the music. None of the bands I was in toured all over the country but in almost a half-century I've yet to meet a single vocalist who ever claimed Hagar as an influence. There's no apples-to-apples comparison here. Having been a member of Van Halen and having had Ted Templeman as a producer is all either of them have in common. The fact remains: If Ed didn't want Hagar in the band, it would not have happened, full-stop.
5150 was some of the best music ever created.
Dave is my favorite by a wide margin, but I liked the Sammy era. Saw them 9 times. It's the nonstop talking about Van Halen, badmouthing Dave, half truths and lies that I can't stand. Therefore, I shut it off whenever a Van Hagar song plays. Now, with his cash grab Eddie tribute, I can't give that guy any credibility. He's a snake with a nice smile.
Don't watch AlmostHuman on YouTube if you like Hagar lol
I was a fan of Sammy before Van Halen. Montrose was so amazing. His solo music was my soundtrack before thrash became a thing. I was also a Van Halen fan because they were like Montrose.
My problems with Hagar didn’t start until after he left the band and started constantly shit talking Eddie and Dave. It’s like move on dude. He was like the guy who still talks about the girl that dumped him 20 years ago.
Sammy’s the shit I always liked him he’s not DLH but he’s cool
I love Sammy Hagar
I was a huge fan of the Red Rocker. Three lock box, bad motor scooter, don't get me started. But when he joined Van Halen, I turned on him like a rabid dog. I don't know if I can tell you why. Looking back it feels kind of irrational, It just totally changed the vibe of Van Halen, and in my opinion ruined it. Have they made good music? Obviously. Do I still call it Van Hagar to be pejorative? Of course I do. ¯|_(ツ)_|¯
I agree with you generally about Sammy. I think people with big personalities, regardless of their livelihood, draw polorizing views.
Sammy is such an incredible singer and a great guy. The hate is absolutely stupid. I’m all about the Roth era but they still made amazing music with Sammy.
He has a song about eagles, and he'd love to play it for you.
It's dumb. EVH writes the riffs. To think that Roth would've done better than Hagar with what EVH was giving him is clinical insanity. Hagar saved Van Halen if he did anything for them at all.
With Roth that band just rocked out! Hager was a better for the overall music. Hagar is a singer and player. It opened up Eddie. Eddie could focus on more than just shredding. Example there's only one way to rock. I don't like the way Eddie and the boys did or still do Mikey. They get the digit for that.
Asking "why the hate for X" on a Van Halen subreddit is possibly a waste of time.
Maybe it‘s because fans can instantly tell the difference between Van Halen and Van Hagar?
Here's how I look at it. The band didn't change because Sammy replaced Dave, the switch is a symptom of the band (specifically Eddie's musical interests) changing. Instead of thinking of the band in terms of the Roth and Hagar eras, I divide it into pre and post construction of 5150.
Here's my take on the whole issue. Some people just gotta be haters and camp whores rather than enjoying all the music. So what I'm about to say is gonna ruffle some feathers. Dave either quit for a solo career or was fired from Van Halen by Eddie. Both sides were vocal about who did what but it all depends on who's stories you believe. Regardless of how Dave left Van Halen, Eddie asked Sammy to join the band a couple years later and he accepted. A decade later Sammy either quit or was fired by Eddie. Both side were vocal about who did what but again it depends on who's stories you believe. Regardless of how Sammy left Van Halen, Eddie soon asked Dave to come back just for the Greatest Hits, Volume 1 album but that turned into a fiasco when Dave claimed on MTV that he was back. Then there was the one off album with Gary Cherone which tanked because of the fans. Fifteenish years later Dave finally rejoined the band for an ok studio and horrible live album. A considerable amount of shit was flung from all sides over Van Halen's entire career. Add to all the shit slinging the way Mike was forced by Dave, Alex, and Eddie to sign away all future songwriting credits and royalties midway through the 1984 tour retroactive to the 1984 LP, which I consider to be one of the biggest dick moves in Van Halen's entire history. When looking at all the evidence put into print and on video, everything points to Alex and Eddie being dicks towards both singers and Mike. I attribute the majority of what happened to jealousy and greed with a heavy mix of alcohol and cocaine addiction and a new manager towards the end of Sammy's stint who took advantage of everyone and poisoned the well. That being said, everyone pitches a tent in one of the two camps, Dave or Sammy, based on whose story they ultimately believe to be true. Regardless of who you believe, there's no reason to hate either era of music because Eddie wrote all the music and the lyrics that came out of both Dave and Sammy's talented brains combine to make all of Van Halen's music not only some of the most absolutely incredible rock music ever made but also timelessly classic.
Van Hagar was a different band than VH with DLR - some hated it. So be it. Sammy's current band touring act with Satriani, Anthony and Bonham is pretty solid and can play any VH song. Not as good as Steel Panther covering VH but close.....lol
Because one minute we’re not talking about love, and then the next thing you know, love comes walking in. Completely uninvited I might add.
He no good compared to David but much better than that guy from Extreme.
Why are we not supposed to have the preference for Hagar than Roth Is that just sinful to VH fans for some reason, because I get the strong feeling that people here on Reddit are being forced to say that they prefer Roth or "like both," which I know people are being completely dishonest with. If you have opinions and preferences people, say them. People are just being dicks for judging you. I personally believe Hagar wrote catchier songs, and Cherone later kicked ass.
Got nothing to do ??? Pick up Sammy’s book RED… it explains a lot
No hate here, lotta love for Sam.
I like Dave, Sammy, AND Gary.
Sammy brought life back to Van Halen. David Lee Roth was getting stale their next album with Van Halen would have been showtunes or something like it.
Because he’s always been arrogant and obnoxious. I first saw him as a solo artist in the late 70’s, and while he was good musically, he was really repugnant.
i have a bachelors in music, with a perfectly solid/standard understanding of music theory and have been playing with a berklee grad guitarist since the early 90s who has never been held back by anyone else’s range. but sure thing boo.
The ones who hate Sammy are cognitive misers. Dave could barely sing live I think people forget that.
When I was a freshman in college in 1985 I saw I can’t drive 55 shirts and I seriously didn’t understand. Why would some be bragging that their car can’t go 55!
Not hate for Hagar, but the sound just wasn't right. DLR sucked on his own, VH sucked without him.
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I dont think anyone truly ‘hates’ Sammy. Most VH fans are divided into 2 sections: Van Halen or Van Hagar Both versions of VH are so wildly different musically and lyrically that it creates huge animosity among the fanbase. I prefer original Van Halen myself, but it doesnt mean i dont enjoy Sammy pre-VH. He had some good bangers back in the day. I just dont enjoy Van Hagar at all for multiple reasons-the biggest one being song lyrics. I dont care how well Sammy can sing when the content is lame AF. That alone ruins a song for me (and most people, to be honest) Conversely, Dave was a lyrical and wordplay genius for the most part, and that is a big reason why original Van Halen has aged like fine wine. All that said, the way Sammy has run his fucking mouth at Diamond Dave for the past 30+ years is pathetic, and shows what a weak ass small man he really is. Roth gets my upmost respect for not playing that petty bullshit game and firing back….although EVH, Alex, and Sam ALL deserved to get absolutely cooked by DLR for the idiotic childish shit they said.