Sammy Hagar recently clarified his interpretation of David Lee Roth’s comments about his claim of receiving a song from Eddie Van Halen’s ghost.
During Roth’s August 13th performance at Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom, he jokingly claimed Eddie Van Halen’s ghost told him the song he gave Hagar was actually Iron Butterfly’s “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” backwards. Hagar had previously stated that his song “Encore, Thank You, Goodnight” was inspired by a dream visit from the late guitarist.
Hagar’s response focused on defending Roth’s remarks, which many interpreted as mocking. He insisted they were actually positive. Hagar said,
“I can’t believe social media is trying to make something out of this. This is the first compliment and real olive branch moment Dave and I have had in 100 years. Listen closely and you will see that this is not negative whatsoever.”
The Van Halen vocalist continued to express his appreciation for Roth’s storytelling approach, saying,
“And I believe Dave had the dream as well. Dave’s a good storyteller, but there’s some truth in between the showmanship. All good with me. Keep it up, Dave. These songs we both wrote with Eddie need to be carried on forever.”
The history between these two vocalists runs deep with conflict. The two singers have “never been friends.” Their relationship became so strained during tours that physical barriers were literally built to keep them apart, including a plywood wall constructed to prevent near altercations between the former bandmates.
Both singers represent distinct eras in Van Halen’s evolution. Roth served as the original frontman through the 1970s and early 1980s, establishing the band’s theatrical rock persona.
Hagar joined later to help revitalize the group with new hits and albums. Hagar has previously described Roth as “the enemy” during the band’s most turbulent years, reflecting the complexity of their relationship despite their shared musical legacy.
Sammy Hagar previously told Fox News that, chances are slim he and Roth will ever reconcile. As both singers fronted Van Halen during different eras, they maintained a rivalry for decades. However, the two teamed up in 2002 when they co-headlined the “Song For Song, The Heavyweight Champs Of Rock And Roll” tour.
