Sammy Hagar didn’t want to quit Van Halen because he loved the band so got kicked out

Sammy Hagar didn’t want to quit Van Halen because he loved the band so got kicked out

Chickenfoot lead vocalist and entrepreneur Sammy Hagar was recently interviewed by Parade and asked when he left Van Halen in 2005 if it felt like the end of an ear or a new beginning. 

Hagar replied: “Both. It was end of a lot for me because it was very disheartening for me. I was not happy about that but was not happy in the band either. It was at a real tipping point in my life. I did not like being in that band anymore because we weren’t getting along. And I did not want to tour as much as they did. I did not want to work work work. I was getting ready to have my first daughter. When she was born, I just said, I don’t want to go out, and drag her all over the country. It was a weird thing but I did not want to quit because I loved the band. So I got kicked out. And after that, it became a new chapter that I discovered my lifestyle thing and I moved to Cabo and I became Sammy Hagar. The one you see now. So, it really was a new chapter.”

In terms of how he finds a distinctive voice for all the bands that he has been in which includes Montrose, Van Halen and Chickenfoot, Hagar stated: “That is an interesting question. You’ve stumped Sammy here. I only sing like myself. I am not real versatile singer as much as I think I could sing a lot of different kinds of music, I still sound like myself. The difference between singing in Montrose, or singing in Van Halen, or singing in Chickenfoot or solo is the music that I sing to. So, when Eddie [Van Halen] writes music and I write lyrics and melody, it is different than when Joe Satriani writes music and I write lyrics and melody; Because his music is different. It guides me melodically through different elements of music and styles that come out of me. That is the only difference. Other than that, I am still the same dude.”

Hagar was also asked whether the preferred performing solo or in a band to which he replied: “Ten years in a group and 10 years solo. I really get horny to be a solo artist and do everything my way, and I do that for a while, and then I get really bored with that. I feel like I run dry and then I need to be in a band again. I’ve done it in my whole life – Montrose, Solo, Van Halen, Solo, Chickenfoot, Solo… I’m always back and forth.”

You can read the rest of the interview with Hagar at Parade.