For Sammy Hagar, his decade-long tenure with Van Halen was like a turbulent marriage—equal parts exhilarating and exhausting. Throughout much of his time with the band, Hagar poured his energy into ensuring their success, even when that meant putting the needs of the group ahead of his own. However, by the end of his tenth year, tensions between him and Eddie Van Halen had begun to unravel their once-solid camaraderie.
Van Halen was always Eddie’s vision, even if both Hagar and David Lee Roth left their distinct marks on the group’s legacy. Eddie’s chemistry with his brother, drummer Alex Van Halen, often took center stage, but when Roth exited, Hagar’s versatility as both a singer and songwriter made him an ideal choice for Van Halen’s new era. Known for his approachable style and talent for crafting ballads like “Dreams” and “Love Walks In,” Hagar brought a refreshing balance to the band’s more intense energy.
Yet, the dynamic shifted in the 1990s following the passing of their longtime manager.
After signing with Ray Danniels, Hagar noticed growing friction, explaining to Howard Stern, “He started poisoning Ed…saying, ‘Sammy thinks it’s his band.’ I was innocent. They all turned on me because I didn’t like this manager.”
This rift grew to the point where Eddie dismissed Hagar with little hesitation.
Hagar moved on to his solo career, but their reunion in the early 2000s revealed Eddie in an alarming state. Recalling Eddie’s erratic behavior, Hagar described one moment in particular: “[He tried] to bust windows out of a G5 aeroplane at 4,000 feet with a wine bottle…I said I can’t do this anymore – the guy’s going to die.” After one chaotic incident too many, Hagar left, bringing bassist Michael Anthony with him.
While Eddie eventually reunited with Roth for Van Halen’s final album and tour, Hagar and Eddie would never perform together again. They did, however, manage to patch things up in the years that followed, with Hagar reaching out on Eddie’s birthday in 2016, showing that their bond, while fraught, had never fully disappeared.
Eddie’s death in 2020 marked the end of an era, with Hagar left to reflect not only on losing a bandmate but also a musical partner he had once seen as a soulmate.
