Sammy Hagar says he believes a reunion tour with Van Halen is “inevitable.”
“I think it could happen in a second,” Hagar tells Rolling Stone. “I think there's so much money involved that somebody will make it happen. Think of the promoters, managers, T-shirt guys, you name it."
“I haven't talked to anyone, and I'm not reaching out,” he says, while adding his dream concept would be to share center stage with David Lee Roth alongside the group’s classic lineup, including the return of bassist and longtime friend Michael Anthony, who was unceremoniously replaced by Eddie’s son, Wolfgang, in 2007.
“I'd say, "Dave, you go out and play two songs, then walk off the stage. I walk out, I'll do two songs. I'll walk off, you do two songs." Can you imagine the competition of that?,” explains the singer. “Dave goes out and does ‘Jump,’ and ‘Ain't Talkin 'Bout Love.’ I go out there and blow out something like ‘Good Enough.’ You gotta hit it hard, and you better be good.”
In 2002, Hagar and Roth teamed up for a US tour that saw the singers exchange headlining slots each night while performing with their own bands.
Despite not having any real contact with his former group since a 2004 reunion tour ended poorly, the 69-year-old Hagar says a full Van Halen combo reunion run is the cards – but needs to happen soon.
“Yeah. I really think it's kind of inevitable,” he says. “And if it doesn't happen, it's getting kind of late now. If it doesn't happen by next year ... Here I am making predictions again. But at 75, I don't want to do a Van Halen reunion.”
The Red Rocker’s love/hate relationship with Van Halen has continued throughout the years, dating back to his first split with the band in 1996.
Hagar’s on-again/off-again interest in rejoining the group has sent mixed messages to both the band and fans ever since, and appeared to be settled somewhat last year when the singer delivered what is believed to be his first ever public apology to Van Halen after two decades of bashing them in media interviews.
Following the late 2015/early 2016 deaths of rockers Scott Weiland, Lemmy, David Bowie and Glenn Frey, Hagar told Oprah Winfrey that he found himself in a new place of peace and forgiveness.
"The whole Van Halen issue, I really put that behind me, and I'm proud of what we did. So I've decided, forgive and forget,” he explained. “I ain't looking for nothing from nobody. I don't wanna… I ain't asking to be, you know… get back in the band and do all that again; that's work! I don't wanna do that. No, no, no. I just wanna be friends."
2018 will mark the 40th anniversary of Van Halen’s groundbreaking self-titled debut album.
“I would love to give the fans the greatest Van Halen show they could possibly have today,” Hagar now tells Rolling Stone. “And then say, ‘OK, I still don't like you guys.’"
Van Halen have been on an extended break following the end of a 2015 North American tour in support of “Tokyo Dome Live In Concert.”
Bassist Wolfgang Van Halen has been working on his debut solo album over the past year, although no timetable for the project’s release has been revealed to date.
See also:
Former Van Halen bassist mourns death of infant grandson
VIDEO: Eddie Van Halen supports music education in schools
Eddie Van Halen spends time with terminal cancer patient
Michael Anthony open to Van Halen reunion for 40th anniversary tour
Search Van Halen at hennemusic
