Van Halen members Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony mourned Ace Frehley in new comments to Eddie Trunk.
“Totally understand my friend. God bless you for having the courage to look in the camera and relay this soulful message. I believe the first time I met you we talked about Ace. You’ve been a huge supporter of him from day one I know it hurts. too many too soon.🙏”
Michael Anthony added, “Words really can’t convey what Ace meant to all of us. I didn’t know him really well, but I had the pleasure to jam with him on a few occasions and hang out, and we always had a good time. He came out to a couple Van Halen shows back in the day, and we had a great time hanging backstage The rock world is already missing ya Ace🙏🙏🤘🤘❤️”
Sammy Hagar recently talked about a performance mishap at Ozzy Osbourne’s tribute concert, Back to the Beginning. He shared why he felt compelled to apologize to the late rock legend’s team.
Sammy Hagar talks about Ozzy Osbourne
Speaking on Loudwire Nights, the Red Rocker reflected on his performance at Back To The Beginning event in Birmingham, U.K. on July 5th, which marked Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath’s final show. He expressed regret about not being fully prepared when he took the stage. When asked about his performance, Hagar explained the circumstances that led to his on-stage struggle.
He said, “I just wish I would have been better, you know? I was so wrapped up in everything backstage. By the time it’s time to go on, I’m backstage talking to somebody and I hear the guy yell, ‘Yeah, the Red Rocker, Sammy Hagar,’ and I’m going, ‘Holy Shit.’ I ran out, unprepared.”
The veteran rocker then admitted that his lack of preparation led to forgetting lyrics during the first verse. This prompted him to apologize backstage afterward.
He said, “In my head, I should have been singing the lyrics over because I didn’t want to use the teleprompter. And sure enough, I choked the first verse and spit it out. Ozzy’s people, when I came back, I just apologize to Ozzy’s people. They’re going, ‘Oh, you know, don’t worry. You did what Ozzy probably would have done.’ They tried to make me feel good that Ozzy never remembered his lyrics either.”
At the show, Hagar sang Ozzy’s 1981 classic “Flying High Again” with a supergroup featuring Nuno Bettencourt, Vernon Reid, Adam Jones, Rudy Sarzo, and Chad Smith.
Following the event, Hagar posted a clip of the performance on X and wrote, “I had the chance last night to jump on stage at an event, and I thought it was a good opportunity to do an acoustic first verse of “Flying High Again” and redeem myself by for messing up the lyrics at the Back To The Beginning show. Still can’t believe he’s gone.”
Ozzy Osbourne passed away at the age of 76, just weeks after reuniting with his Black Sabbath bandmates, and performing a huge farewell concert for fans.
He has left behind his wife, Sharon, and their children, Aimee, Kelly and Jack, as well his two older children, Jessica and Louis, from his first marriage to Thelma Riley, and grandchildren.
