Sammy Hagar says Van Halen are jealous of him because they no longer perform material from the Van Hager era.
The Red Rocker’s latest rant against his former bandmates is an extension of claims he made earlier this year that the Van Halen brothers are trying to prevent him from performing songs from his time with the group.
Hagar says he discovered the issue when he was a taping of his appearance on Live From Daryl’s House with Daryl Hall earlier this year.
“I'd like this to be known,” Hagar tells Rolling Stone. “The Van Halen brothers will not allow me to do any of my own songs on TV. They can't stop me from doing them live, because they've tried and they can't. They want to pretend like Van Hagar never existed. The only Number One albums they've had in their life, and they want to pretend like they never happened. I don't know why they hate me so bad, but I guess I'm too happy for them.
“Yes, it's true. They wouldn't let me do them. I can hire an attorney and fight them and I'm going too, but I didn't have time to do that then. On the new Circle DVD we're making from the live album, Led Zeppelin agreed to let us use their music. And Van Halen said, ‘No.’ And then I said, I don't need to do this to survive, and thank God, because otherwise, they would starve me out like I think they're trying to do.”
“It's unbelievable that Led Zeppelin lets us cover their songs on TV and anywhere else,” he continues, “and the brothers won't let me sing my songs. And why? 'Cause they can't do them anymore. Without me, they can't play those songs, and they're jealous. And that's the thing that gives me comic relief out of the whole thing.”
Still bitter over his 1996 split with Van Halen and a failed reunion attempt in 2004 to market a greatest hits package, Hagar maintains it’s up to the Alex and Eddie to step up and apologize.
“I was the one they pushed out and tried to f**k over,” he explains, “To me, it's up to them to come back and say they're sorry. I'm not sorry for anything. I didn't do anything. Matter of fact, I did everything for that band. It was 100 percent my heart and soul and the best I had to give. All I did was make Number One albums and a lot of money. That's all I ever did for the band.
“Anything that's been done has all been in anger towards myself and now Mikey, too. To me, they need to come and say, ‘We're sorry.’ And then our job would be to say, ‘Great, you're forgiven.’ Boom. Not for a reunion or anything like that. That's over, to me. That's completely over. I wouldn't want to be in a band like that right now.
“If I joined Van Halen right now, I'd feel like the biggest hypocrite in the world. And I'm not a hypocrite.”
Van Halen closed out their 2015 North American tour with David Lee Roth over two shows at the Hollywood Bowl last weekend.
Hagar launched his annual series of birthday concerts at his club in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico this week as he gets set to turn 68 on October 13.
See also:
VIDEO: Van Halen close out 2015 tour at the Hollywood Bowl
VIDEO: David Lee Roth slams fan for thrown beer at Van Halen show
Van Halen cancel Hershey show due to illness
VIDEO: Van Halen pay tribute to Frank Gifford in New Jersey
Search Van Halen at hennemusic
