Eddie Van Halen has faced sad health rumors recently with bizarre videos surfacing following reports that he is battling throat cancer again, but his ex-bandmate Sammy Hagar is in great health, and has even predicted when he will die in a new Classic Rock Magazine interview.
“I don’t know what the f*** is wrong with me. But I plan on making it to a hundred, so I’ll be the oldest living rock star on the planet some day.”
He later said, “I’m not gonna lie to nobody. I still have more fun than anybody on the planet. My mind still works, my voice still works, my dick still works, my heart is still good and I got a memory, I’m rich and famous and I got a beautiful family.
Dude, if you see me going around with a bad look on my face, hit me on the shoulder and say: ‘Aren’t you Sammy Hagar?’ And I’ll say: ‘Oh yeah, you’re right!'”
Eddie Van Halen disease ‘concern’ was also revealed by a famous radio host. Sammy Hagar currently tours with Michael Anthony, Vic Johnson, and Jason Bonham in The Circle, and fans on VHLinks.com recently discussed if Bonham can play like Alex Van Halen.
CalFB posted, “Not many can cop Al’s groove. I saw some footage of Sam’s birthday thing and i’m not sure who the drummer was, but he was also way off Al’s groove. I think Jason Bonham is a great drummer though.”
Jungle Drummer responded, “Bonham is a great player. There’s no shame in not being in Al’s class. But, yes, he doesn’t have Al’s groove or feel, even though none of the VH songs they are playing are among Al’s best or most interesting lines.
But that just illustrates how difficult it is to replicate AVH on what seem to be straightforward lines. WIL is a master class in touch and feel and playing to serve the song, but Bonham sounds like he’s playing that tune with 2 lb sledgehammers.”
Eddie Van Halen was ‘caught off guard’ in a new photo. Darrin Stephens wrote about The Circle, “Bonham is a great drummer, just solid. He has a very distinctive style and it works for him with Zeppelin material. Style wise he is just too distinctive and different than Alex for it to work. Its like whatever Eddie plays he still sounds like Eddie not whoever he is covering. Bonham is not that level but he does have a very distinct sound and the gap gets a spotlight when he plays stuff by someone who also is distinctive but in a different way.”
ziggysmalls chimed in, “Some things I just don’t understand. Like hearing How Many Say I and thinking it needs to be on an album. Another is knowing that VH will be in your live catalog yet you hire a guitarist who handles it as well as Edward Scissorhands doing hand stuff to a woman.” Louder Sound has the full Hagar interview.
