Why Sammy Hagar Is Against Releasing Van Halen Vault Music
Sammy Hagar said he was against the idea of releasing any Van Halen tracks that had been left off albums. But he speculated on another way fans could hear “new” music.
Following the death of Eddie Van Halen in 2020, his son Wolfgang confirmed there was a chance of unheard recordings being released in the future, although not soon.
In a new interview with The San Diego Union-Tribune, Hagar said, “Van Halen didn’t have many songs that were completed that didn’t come out. Maybe there’s some stuff we could add background vocals to or that I could write new lyrics for. But I’m leery about doing that. Because the legacy of Van Halen is so great, and – prior to me joining the band – the legacy is pure greatness: Eddie’s guitar work, the band’s playing, the songs.” He asserted that "anything left over wasn’t good enough to be on those records.
"I don’t care what anyone says; putting out [any such material] wouldn’t do anything other than make someone a little money. ... I know Eddie had a ton of jamming stuff he made on cassette tapes because that’s how we wrote songs. ... So, maybe. Who knows what they could put together?"
Meanwhile, Hagar noted that work was continuing on a new record with his band the Circle, tentatively titled Crazy Times. At 74, he argued that he was still able to sing “every song I ever wrote” even though he delivers them in slightly lower keys these days. “If I couldn’t sing well, I would not do that my fans,” he said of performing live. “Ticket prices are so high that if I wasn’t good, I wouldn’t do that to people. I will not embarrass myself, or my fans, or family. But, right now, I’m as strong as a horse, man!”
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