On Friday (April 25), Sammy Hagar released his new song, “Encore, Thank You, Goodnight,” a track he co-wrote with Joe Satriani. The inspiration came from a vivid dream Hagar had about Eddie Van Halen.
Joining Loudwire Nights on Friday, Hagar shared the story behind the dream, talked about writing with Satriani, and even opened up about his upcoming role in Ozzy Osbourne’s final show on July 5.
“I dream about Eddie all the time,” Hagar told host Chuck Armstrong. In this particular dream, Van Halen was showing him a song idea — just like he used to. “When Eddie had a new idea, he’d pull me aside and say, ‘Come here, come here, I want to show you,’ because he didn’t want others chiming in,” Hagar recalled.
The dream felt so real that Hagar woke up immediately, grabbed a notepad, and started jotting things down. He quickly recorded some melodies on his iPhone. “I’ve written songs out of dreams before, but not like this,” he said.
Aside from celebrating his new release, Hagar is also preparing for Back to the Beginning, the final show for Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath, set to take place on July 5 in Birmingham, England.
“When word got out, Tom Morello called and asked if I’d be interested. I said, ‘Yes!’ before he even finished,” Hagar said, laughing.
Though he admits he doesn’t sound like Ozzy, Hagar has been hard at work studying Osbourne’s unique vocal phrasing and melodies. “I’m listening to Ozzy every day until the 5th. I’m so honored,” he shared.
Hagar also revealed some early details about the setlist. Initially, he planned to sing “No More Tears,” but once he learned Ozzy wanted to perform it himself, he pivoted to “Flying High Again.” If needed, he’s ready to perform both songs.
He was even invited to perform one of his own songs and is considering “Rock Candy” from his Montrose days, which aligns with the early era of Black Sabbath. “I’m so excited,” Hagar added.
