In a recent appearance on Ultimate Classic Rock, former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar provided insights into the reasons behind Alex Van Halen’s decision to stay out of the public eye. The Van Halen brothers, Eddie and Alex, co-founded the iconic band in 1972, creating a musical legacy that endured for decades.
Hagar, who joined Van Halen in 1985, replacing David Lee Roth, shared his perspective on the situation.
Revealing that attempts to connect with Alex post-Eddie’s passing were met with resistance. Hagar’s tenure with Van Halen had its ups and downs, culminating in his departure in 1996 due to internal conflicts. Despite the rocky history, he returned to the band in 2003 but parted ways again two years later.
Eddie Van Halen’s death in October 2020 marked the end of an era for the band, with the remaining members choosing not to carry on without their legendary guitarist. Sammy Hagar expressed his desire to collaborate with Alex Van Halen on a new project to honor Eddie’s memory.
“I guess if Dave and Alex teamed up then that would be kind of cool, but other than that, there is very much you can do here. You know what I mean with that… It was one of the greatest bands of all time and one of the greatest times in my life musically. So, I think we should start sharing with the people and having fun as well.”
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Despite Hagar’s willingness to work together, he noted that Alex appeared to be in seclusion and unresponsive to attempts at communication.
The singer acknowledged that the pain from Eddie’s loss might be a factor, but he remained optimistic about reconciling with Alex in the future.
“Alex just seems to he just doesn’t want to communicate with anybody. You know, Mike has reached out, and I reached out many times. I don’t know, I’m sure he’s still in pain from the whole thing, but I’m not dogging him. I’m just saying he just really doesn’t want to be friends or doesn’t want to communicate. I don’t know why but, we still got the rest of our lives to work this out. I’m going to live to be a hundred, so I got away. We have got a lot of time to work this out.”
The sentiment reflects Hagar’s understanding of the complexities surrounding Alex’s grieving process and the challenges of navigating the post-Eddie era. As the musical world continues to adapt to the absence of Eddie Van Halen, fans and fellow band members alike grapple with the legacy left behind and the uncertain future of one of rock’s most influential groups.