Sammy Hagar hails late Eddie Van Halen who did ‘lot for my musical songwriting’
The frontman also addressed rumours that his upcoming tour, which will be a partial Van Halen reunion, will be his last.
Sammy Hagar has expressed gratitude for late bandmate Eddie Van Halen who “did a lot for my musical songwriting and breaks in life” – during his Walk of Fame ceremony.
The 76-year-old, who joined US rock band Van Halen in 1985 before departing under acrimonious circumstances more than a decade later, was honoured with a star in Los Angeles on Tuesday.
Seven-time Grammy winner John Mayer was among the musicians at the ceremony, alongside fellow Van Halen star Michael Anthony, and Chad Smith, the drummer from rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Hagar originally departed Van Halen in 1996 before reuniting for The Best Of Both Worlds tour in 2004, but later reportedly became estranged from bandmate Eddie.
He previously said he “buried the hatchet” with Eddie before he died in October 2020 from a “long and arduous” battle with cancer aged 65.
“The amount of people that I would have to thank it would be impossible to do in one day,” Hagar said during the Walk of Fame ceremony.
“There’s so many people that aren’t here that I need to thank.
“Eddie Van Halen, Ronnie Montrose, Ed Leffler, my old manager, people like that, that did a lot for my musical songwriting and breaks in life.”
Van Halen blurred the line between hard rock and heavy metal on their way to becoming one of the biggest bands in the world in the 1980s – with hit tracks including Why Can’t This Be Love and Right Now.
Hagar won a Grammy with the group for album For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge in 1992, and was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the band in 2007.
Before his time in Van Halen, Hagar performed with the rock band Montrose founded by Ronnie Montrose, and has since been the frontman for supergroup Chickenfoot, and The Circle.
Hagar is set to go on tour with former Van Halen bandmate Anthony on The Best Of All Worlds tour this summer, alongside Chickenfoot guitarist Joe Satriani and British drummer Jason Bonham – who has performed with Led Zeppelin and The Circle.
“Michael Anthony over here… Mike is my partner in crime, we’ve been inseparable since 1985 when I walked into Van Halen 5150 Recording Studio Mike and I, boom, we’re attached at the hip,” Hagar said.
“I’ve always said that Eddie and Alex (Van Halen) are the real brothers by name, but Mike and I are the real brothers by nature.
“We got work to do this summer Mike. We got work to do.”
Hagar also addressed rumours that The Best Of All Worlds tour will be his last.
“I don’t have a last tour in me OK, my DNA doesn’t ever quit. My DNA isn’t about retirement,” he said.
“My DNA is let’s go keep doing it, keep having fun.”
Your Body Is A Wonderland singer Mayer appeared as a guest speaker during the ceremony, wearing a Van Halen T-shirt and joked that it was the first time he was publicly wearing reading glasses.
Mayer, who first met Hagar in 2015, said: “I’m a Van Halen fan. But I’m an even bigger Sammy Hagar fan.
“…Sammy Hagar proves that living your life with generosity, curiosity, and kindness pays off in every way imaginable.”
