ARTSETC.
Former Van Halen members burry hatchet
Looking for a print version?
Simply choose ‘Print’ on your computer and a printer-friendly document will be generated.
Also by :
- Bartime - The Caribou Tavern (February 8, 2002)
Related Stories:
- Janet Jackson cancels European leg of tour (October 4, 2001)
- Courtney Love charged with drug possession in L.A. (October 29, 2003)
- Courtney Love pleads not guilty to drug charges (November 13, 2003)
- Ozzy Osbourne on ventilator after ATV accident (December 10, 2003)
- Roots-rock with a peppermint twist (November 14, 2003)
Thursday, April 18, 2002
LOS ANGELES (REUTERS) — One of rock ‘n’ roll’s oddest soap operas took a new twist Tuesday when the two former lead singers of Van Halen said they would tour together now that the hugely popular rock band has run aground. Original singer David Lee Roth, 47, and his replacement Sammy Hagar, 54, told reporters they would hit the road in May for a co-headlining tour of U.S. arenas. The tour is subtly billed as “Song for Song: The Heavyweight Champs of Rock and Roll,” a reference to Hagar’s pugilist past and to Roth’s enthusiasm for martial arts.
It unites two performers who sold a combined 70 million records worldwide with Van Halen, one of the most successful American rock bands of the last 25 years. And also one of the most chaotic: the band has been through three singers and has not released a new album in almost four years.
The Roth/Hagar tour will allow fans to hear such Van Halen classics as “Panama,” “Runnin’ with the Devil” and “Why Can’t This Be Love” — albeit without the fiery guitar of Van Halen’s musical mastermind, Eddie Van Halen. The influential rocker has been battling cancer but is now reportedly cancer-free.
MR. ROTH, I PRESUME
Roth co-founded Van Halen in 1974 with the Dutch-born Van Halen brothers, Eddie and drummer Alex, and bass player Michael Anthony. Success led to ego problems, and Roth quit in 1985 for a failed solo career. Hagar came on board that year and maintained the band’s momentum. But that run came to a messy end in 1996. Hagar claimed he was fired during a Father’s Day call at home from Eddie Van Halen; the band claims Hagar quit.
At that time, Hagar approached Roth about touring together, but was rebuffed. Then Roth revived the idea a few months ago, and the two met for the first time to work out creative issues.
Tuesday’s news conference at a trendy Hollywood bar marked only their second meeting, and it underscored the huge differences between the pair.
The flashy Roth, dressed in black nylon trousers and shirt, was accompanied by three bodyguards, three masked catwomen in fluorescent unitards and a beer-drinking midget sporting an Andy Warhol wig. Hagar turned up solo in jeans and T-shirt.
Roth, the consummate salesman, charmed the crowd with witty one-liners and double entendres. Hagar brought things back to earth with sensible comments. “Between the two of us,” Roth declared, “What you have is quintessential Americana. You couldn’t pick a more appropriate time for that. Whether you owned any of the records or the albums between the two of us … you’ve heard Sammy’s or my voice tearing out of a pick-up truck in front of you in the driveway of a local Burger King for how many f
