Sammy Hagar has criticized Alex Van Halen for what he sees as major omissions in the drummer’s new memoir, brothers.
The book focuses on Van Halen’s early days with singer David Lee Roth but does not acknowledge the band’s later success with Hagar as lead singer.
In response, Hagar didn’t hesitate, calling the omission “blasphemous” to Eddie Van Halen’s legacy in a recent comment on Instagram.
“Alex is not doing his brother’s musical legacy justice by not acknowledging all the No. 1 albums and some great tracks,” Hagar wrote in response to fans on the social media platform. which Eddie and I wrote together.” Severe consequences then reported.
What prompted this back and forth was Hagar’s post featuring a nostalgic photo from 1991 of him and Eddie Van Halen taking the stage. Hagar joked about their bold fashion choices before fans began debating the merits of the Roth and Hagar eras.
One commenter noted: “Most purists believe VH ended with DLR,” which prompted Hagar’s scathing reply.
“It could have [ended]friend, but instead we sold over 50 million records,” Hagar said. He highlighted their string of No. 1 albums and sold-out stadium tours, highlighting achievements in throughout the decade he remained with the band.
However, Alex Van Halen recently said Billboard that Van Halen’s magic dates back to his early years working with Roth. “What happened after Dave left wasn’t the same band,” Alex says.
“I’m not saying it’s better or worse or anything like that,” the drummer continued. “The truth is Ed and I tried our best every time we played. We always tried our best.”
He added, “But the magic was in those early years, when we didn’t know what we were doing, when we were willing to try anything.”
Alex Van Halen, David Lee Roth and Eddie Van Halen perform on stage in 2015. Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Hagar disagreed, insisting the music he and Eddie created together deserved recognition. He called the lack of recognition harmful to Eddie’s musical talent and legacy.
Despite the tension, Hagar recently expressed her desire to reconcile with Alex. “I don’t want Al to take this to his grave,” he said last month. Classic rock. “I just want to be friends again.”
Tags Sammy Hagar, Van Halen