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Sammy Hagar Still Upset About Van Halen's Rock Hall Induction

Although they've moved forward with Chickenfoot, former Van Halen members Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony are still upset about being snubbed during their 2007 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction when former bandmates Alex and Eddie Van Halen failed to show up for the event.

"You know, it was a pretty bittersweet thing for me," co-founding bassist Anthony told Artisan News. "It was uncomfortable. It was one of the greatest nights, you know, one of the biggest accolades a person in the business can have. To be recognized for everything that we've done. I remember turning to Sammy, I think R.E.M. was playing and we were going, 'Man, it should have been us.'"

"It could have been," Hagar added. "Like the way Metallica did it this last year, they brought both bass players. They brought the father of the bass player that died, Cliff [Burton], and they all played together. That's the way you're supposed to do it at an event like that. So, it wasn't cool, I don't care what anybody says -- I'll dog those guys the rest of my life for not doing that -- but for me not to be there, or Mike not to be there, are you kidding? Like I said, it would take a shotgun to keep me from being there. It's an honor to be brought into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame and I'm going to show up if I'm invited, you know?! It's as simple as that."

Speaking of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Chickenfoot, which also features world famous guitarist Joe Satriani and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith -- will support its self-titled debut album by performing at the Cleveland Museum on August 15th. The free show is part of an upcoming eight-week North American tour, which gets underway in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on August 2nd. And despite its all-star line-up, Anthony doesn't want the band to be labeled a "super group."

"When we first got together and played, there was a magic and a chemistry there," Anthony tells Noisecreep. "Even in the beginning, we didn't go out and look for a record label. We just went in and started recording and doing it ourselves. We were just four guys having fun. We are not a super group. We're destroying that whole super group rumor now. "

"We're a cult band," Anthony insists. "We're working on our cult following. When you think of super groups anyway, you think of a prefabricated thing, a put together type of project that usually only lasts one album and one tour. They do it for the sake of publicity."

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gdwest11

Voice go's to Sammy.....Showman Ship go's to David Lee Roth. I still like the older stuff with David Lee Roth because it wasn't as poppy.

September 29 2011 at 4:08 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Fred Lott

Everyone has their opinions and it will be debated for years (tells me both Van Halen & Van Hagar deserve credit)... Ive been a die hard fan since the beginning and finally quit giving a shit when they kicked out Mike, Proved to me that all the rumors that Eddie was a dick were true.....

April 11 2011 at 3:14 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Michaela Melanson

MICHAEL ANTHONY CAN SING! BOY DOES HE RIP THE HARMONIES AND ALL OR MOST OF THE BACK GROUND SINGING ON ALL VH SONGS. FROM WAY BACK IN THE 70'S WHEN VH STARTED. IT WAS MICHAEL ANTHONY. SHOW UP AND GROW SOME BALLS. SAMMY ROCKED AND SO DOES M.A.! GIVE THEM BOTH LOTS OF CREDIT! VH WOULD NOT BE HERE IF IT WASN'T FOR THOSE TWO.

January 28 2011 at 10:19 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Rick Okamatsu

Like Jeff Shamonsky, I too grew up listening to Van Halen from the late seventies and agree that anyone who recorded a /or any songs with the band should have been in attendance.David Lee Roth was with the band from the start when they were called Mammoth and was the front man when Van Halen took the world by storm however, like alot of bands with their original members or not, change their sounds or come up with something different. When Sammy "took over" they created a new sound and it was in my opinion great.I have seen Van Halen perform in both indoor and outdoor venues numerous times and they always put on a great show.My opinion(s)after seeing both David and Sammy perform are that David sounded different at different shows and would seem to loose interest and/or energy at times (perhaps he was catching his breath) whereas Sammy who could play the guitar and the harmonica was always energetic and also had some of his own songs to add to the show which to me was cool because it added to the "arsenal" used at the show.It would have been real cool if everyone could have gotten along but that's just human nature especially when dealing with huge egos like David's and perhaps everyone else's too.Who knows what goes on behind the scenes.Mike Anthony's voice is in most all Van Halen songs and it is hard to replace but I hope that Van Halen continues to tour for a long time.Still I can't understand why for just one night the members couldn't put differences aside and accept their award of induction to the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame...What A Shame!

April 03 2010 at 5:02 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Joe

Sammy Hagar sucks balls. Anyone that says Van Hagar outsold the Roth era is full of sh*t. Look up the numbers on RIAA, posers. Hagar is crap. Yeah, he saved VH (eyeroll). VH coming off the biggest album and tour in their careers and they needed Sammy to save them. Give me a break. He took them down the road to pop/rock hell with such barnburners as "Why Can't This Be Cheese" and "How Do I Know When It's Cheese". Thanks for the memories, Sam. Now, go back to your band Chickensh*t and stfu.

December 17 2009 at 6:42 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to Joe's comment
Mike

Oh come on Joe, VH had great songs with DLR, And The Cradle Will Rock, Beautiful Girls, Running With The Devil , agreed great songs, however, When its Love, and Love Walks In are amazing 80's rock anthems, give credit where it's due, SH can sing a rock song

April 21 2010 at 12:07 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
mec1140

PUHLEEZE! David Cheese Roth put the CHEESE in Van Halen, not Hagar. Cheese Roth can go back to singing about bein' a gigolo - Louie Prima probably wants to rise out of his grave and kick Cheese's ass for mangling that one!

May 20 2010 at 8:48 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
BBash09

I agree with Van Hagar. David Lee Roth is a talentless P.O.S. Who would want to hook up with him to record an album, and if they did, I would hope they could write the songs, you know Roth can't. I can count good VHalen songs on one hand, the ipod is load with VHagar. I read Hanks' blog, that's probably Eddie there, you sound very intelligent. Keep rocking Sammy and Mike, bring Chickenfoot to StL.

November 11 2009 at 5:19 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Van Hagar

Sammy saved VH. If he had not come on board when Roth's ego finally dwarfed Eddie's, we would not have had the pleasure of hearing the best of VH. I do believe the scalping and anticts to screw the fans led to the early exit for Sammy, he would have never agreed to it. How's still rock'in out new tunes, oh yea it's Sammy and M. Anthony.

September 01 2009 at 9:51 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
jama5150

Chickenfoot one Hell of a Band...KEEP IT LOAD SAMMY

September 01 2009 at 3:37 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
jama5150

Hagar was a rock star, before Van Halen was signed. Sammy sing's & play's guitar& write's music. Roth is a no talent leech. When you play Van Halen's early recording's you can hear the cuts's in the tape because Roth can't keep time! Sammy will away's make money, he dose not need VH. Don't get me wrong Van Halen is a Great Band.Eddie's Label made him fire Hagar............

September 01 2009 at 3:32 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
jeff shamonsky

Hey wtf. Sammy Hagar is ten times the singer of roth that is #1. Second i have been following Vanhalen since i was a kid. Or roughly around 1978. The fact of the matter is they all should of been there. Any one who ever recorded a song within that band should of been there. It seems to me (and please note you may never find a bigger fan of this band) Eddie and Alex need to wake the f upp. They have let countless oppurtunities slip away and they are not getting younger. Even if you didnt like Sammy ... How do you explain the snub of Michael Anthony???? Any one who ever listened to a VH album knows how important he is to that band. ...And by the way went to last concert with roth and he sucked. sammy hagar joined that band in 1985 and they were never better than when they had him.. I grew up listening to roth and hagar. the only way i see any one liking the roth era more is because EDDIE was a much better player back then so his recorded stuff was 100 times better. Not saying Eddie isnt good now, he is. But solos like from meanstreet and others you just dont get anymore. Bottom line they all need to go on tour together. Play for four hours. No opening act do it in outdoor stadiums in the summer and have even a intermission in between singers.

August 18 2009 at 9:53 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to jeff shamonsky's comment
Michaela Melanson

(YES I''M A GIRL) THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORDS. I'M FED UP TOO WITH ED NOT WAKING UP. SAMMY AND MICHAEL ANTHONY
HELPED THEM SO THEY SHOULD HELP BACK. YA KNOW? ANYWAY HAS ED LET BYGONES BE BYGONES YET? SAMMY MADE THEM SO POPULAR AND SO MUCH MONEY IN THE 80'S AND SOME 90'S ED CAN'T EVEN FATHOM. AND ALEX ONLY FOLLOWS. HE'S GOT NO BALLS EITHER. I BET DAVID SUCKS AND SAMMY IS WAY BETTER. LUCKY YOU, I'M 45 AND HAVE NEVER GOTTEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THEM. I'VE BEEN ENAMOURED BY THEM SINCE I WAS IN 8TH GRADE. HOW LUCKY THEY ARE TO BE VAN HALEN!

January 28 2011 at 10:11 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply