Sammy Hagar, lead singer of supergroup Chickenfoot, returns to the roost for a solo turn on Thursday at the San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino near San Bernardino.
Hagar, onetime frontman for Van Halen, grew up in nearby Fontana. "I haven't played in the Inland Empire in a long time," he said Wednesday. "This came up at the right time."

Hagar has sold more than 60 million CDs. Despite enjoying sold-out arenas, he enjoys playing smaller venues, too, he said.

"When I built Cabo Wabo (a bar and lounge in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico), I got into the intimacy of how you can get into a show and have more spontaneity and more fun. It's a different kind of energy in a small room. And 3,500 is not that small. But it's small enough to feel intimate."

Hagar said he's more into Chickenfoot these days than the old Van Halen songlist. "I like Chickenfoot better. With Van Halen, I tried that reunion ... we really couldn't get along. Everyone should get along great and the fans should come first. Mikey (fellow Chickenfoot bassist and former Van Halen member Michael Anthony) is the same kind of person. You don't go out there wasted and incapable of doing your job night after night. It's not the way I do things. I just don't see it coming together."

Hagar said of Van Halen: "The band broke up in 1995. The last record was in '93. Seventeen years and they haven't made any new music. That's crazy ... if it changed and it was like it used to be when I was

in the band, I could do a reunion and an album, but not under these circumstances."
When asked if Anthony would join him onstage on Thursday, Hagar answered, "Probably ... but you don't want to say he is. He might."

http://www.sgvtribune.com/living/ci_14720008

Why am I not surprised?? But Sammy does bring up some valid points.

How many times is he going to point out that he no longer enjoys much association with VH? VH was the biggest, hard driving band in the world and sold out arenas for years. He should be thankful he got the experience...and move on.

Eddie Van Halen has some serious issues. Sammy has some real points. Why haven't Van Halen been doing any new albums for over a decade and a half?
I've always taken Sammy Hagar's side in regards to the Van Halen debacle. Eddie was underhanded when he secretly was working with David Lee Roth behind Sammy's back. It's just all messed up.

Great to see that Sammy and Michael Anthony are still best of friends and working with another guitar genius, Joe Satriani, in Chickenfoot.

Eddie and Alex made a HUGE mistake dumping Michael Anthony, who is not only an awesome bass player but a very good vocalist in his own right. Great to see that he and Sammy have remained tight and are working together again. :cool:

The last Van Halen album with Sammy was Balance in 1995. It was also the band's last hit album. There was the Van Halen III album with Gary Cherone in 1998, that sold poorly. Except for three new songs on the Best Of Both Worlds collection in 2004, Van Halen hasn't recorded any new music since. Eddie stated that the band would record a new album with David Lee Roth after Wolfgang graduated from high school. I think its been a year since Wolfie graduated, but there hasn't been any news of a new album.

I'm not sure what is going on in the Van Halen camp, and I honestly don't really care anymore. I still love the music the band made with Sammy and Dave, but the truth is they are never going to make any new music. I think Eddie and Alex tease fans with new music just to keep them interested.

I really enjoyed seeing Eddie and Alex play with Dave two years ago, since I never gor to see them perform together back in the day (I was only eight and a half when Dave quit in 1985) but I don't see them ever making music together again.

I think Sammy needs to get beyond the entire Van Halen thing. The Chickenfoot album was really good and he should focus his energy into that.

I sided more with Sammy in his breakup with VH, but he needs to let this go. I don't agree with Van Halen dumping Michael Anthony, but Anthony has shown nothing but class in the way he's handled it. No one has more right to be bitter towards Eddie Van Halen, but he's not going that route.

Sammy has moved on to a solo career and a tequila empire that's made him far more money than his music would have. He should be happy with that.

Van Halen pretty much self-destructed in the '90s -- and it's their fault.

I'll believe new Van Halen music when I hear it. In the meantime, I'll enjoy the music from the Roth and Hagar eras and remember the good times.;)

^ Well said, Chris!! I haven't heard one negative thing about VH from Michael Anthony and he has every right to be PO'ed at them. Instead, he's found another outlet to channel his creativity. That's more than VH can say these days. I have to admit I'm a bigger fan of the Roth era, but you can't deny that Sammy was fantastic on songs like "Dreams", "Right Now", "Up For Breakfast" and "Love Walks In". :rock:

^ Well said, Chris!! I haven't heard one negative thing about VH from Michael Anthony and he has every right to be PO'ed at them. Instead, he's found another outlet to channel his creativity. That's more than VH can say these days. I have to admit I'm a bigger fan of the Roth era, but you can't deny that Sammy was fantastic on songs like "Dreams", "Right Now", "Up For Breakfast" and "Love Walks In". :rock:

Monika, you and I agree once again. I like both the Roth and Hagar eras, but prefer the Roth era.

Ironically, I've seen Van Halen seven times and six of them were with Sammy, the other with Gary Cherone. The Cherone era Van Halen was better live than in the studio -- they did some of the Roth songs. I figured at that time it would be the only way I'd get to hear VH do some of the classic stuff live as it looked like they'd never get back with Roth.

^ Those must have been fun shows. With all due respect to Gary Cherone, who I liked in Extreme, he just wasn't the right fit with VH.

^ Those must have been fun shows. With all due respect to Gary Cherone, who I liked in Extreme, he just wasn't the right fit with VH.

They were fun shows, especially the first tour (5150). You could tell they were having fun onstage. At that time (1986), the Boston Celtics had just won the championship over the L.A. Lakers. At the show I attended in Worcester, MA, Michael Anthony came out for the encore dressed in a Boston Celtics uniform.

Needless to say, the crowd went nuts.

They were fun shows, especially the first tour (5150). You could tell they were having fun onstage. At that time (1986), the Boston Celtics had just won the championship over the L.A. Lakers. At the show I attended in Worcester, MA, Michael Anthony came out for the encore dressed in a Boston Celtics uniform.

Needless to say, the crowd went nuts.
Sounds great!!!! :D

Sounds great!!!! :D

It was. And what's scary is that was nearly 24 years ago!:eek:

It was. And what's scary is that was nearly 24 years ago!:eek:
Time flies while you're having fun. :cool:

Time flies while you're having fun. :cool:

And when you're not having fun, also.

And when you're not having fun, also.
:nod:

Last Saturday night, I went out with my cousin and his wife to a Mexican restaurant. On the way back, he had the heavy metal channel on his satellite radio.

Hearing '80s metal on a Saturday night is a throwback to me, particularly if it's stuff like VH, Judas Priest, Motley Crue, Iron Maiden, etc. I can remember hot summer nights listening to stuff like "5150" or "Girls, Girls, Girls."

I go out so seldom on a Saturday night now (as opposed to all the time back then) that old songs are reminders of younger days.

Yeh, I'm an old fart now.:cool:

It seems that Sammy and Michael Anthony developed their friendship and working relationship well during their VH years. Sammy even said one time that he couldn't perform as well if it weren't for Micheal's background vocals. It was an integral part of both eras of VH, Roth and Hagar.

BTW - Chickenfoot rocks. :rock:

I've never heard any of Chickenfoot's music. I'll have to check it out one of these days. :cool:

I've never heard any of Chickenfoot's music. I'll have to check it out one of these days. :cool:

If you like '80s rock/metal, it's pretty good. Definitely a throwback to that era, with guitar solos and stuff. More fun than anything else.

I have the DVD of the first tour when Mike joined Sammy's group on tour. When they do the old VH stuff, you can tell they're having fun and enjoying playing those songs again.

At least Sammy and Mike are making new music, which is more than can be said for some people.

If you like '80s rock/metal, it's pretty good. Definitely a throwback to that era, with guitar solos and stuff. More fun than anything else.

I have the DVD of the first tour when Mike joined Sammy's group on tour. When they do the old VH stuff, you can tell they're having fun and enjoying playing those songs again.

At least Sammy and Mike are making new music, which is more than can be said for some people.
Very cool!! :cool: :D

If you like '80s rock/metal, it's pretty good. Definitely a throwback to that era, with guitar solos and stuff. More fun than anything else.

I have the DVD of the first tour when Mike joined Sammy's group on tour. When they do the old VH stuff, you can tell they're having fun and enjoying playing those songs again.

At least Sammy and Mike are making new music, which is more than can be said for some people.

Why isn't Eddie Van Halen making new music?

I saw Van Halen 2 years ago and he was in fine form.

Is he just tapped creatively?
Is he out of new tunes?

Maybe he's afraid of releasing something subpar after all this time.
Though you'd think he wouldn't want to leave VH III as his last original album.

Why isn't Eddie Van Halen making new music?

I saw Van Halen 2 years ago and he was in fine form.

Is he just tapped creatively?
Is he out of new tunes?

Maybe he's afraid of releasing something subpar after all this time.
Though you'd think he wouldn't want to leave VH III as his last original album.

When Hagar rejoined for the 2004 tour, there were three new songs on The Best Of Both Worlds compilation. They weren't that great. They weren't bad, but they didn't measure up to the classic Van Hagar stuff.

As for why Eddie and VH haven't done any new songs, you'd have to ask them. Prior to reuniting with Dave, Eddie would always claim to have 10 albums worth of material written, but given the fact that he was drinking still, I don't know that's the truth or if the songs were any good.

What's ironic is that back in 1996 is that Sammy was dead set against releasing the Best Of Volume I collection because he felt that doing so said that a band was over, finished. Eight years later, not only did VH release their second compilation (which they supported with the ill-fated Van Hagar reunion tour), but Hagar released another solo compilation shortly after that.

In 1996, Eddie remarked that doing a reunion tour with Roth without a new album would be "ripping off our fans." Eleven years later....:D

^ I happen to like "Up For Breakfast", but as for the other new songs on Best of Both Worlds, I can take them or leave them.

^ I happen to like "Up For Breakfast", but as for the other new songs on Best of Both Worlds, I can take them or leave them.

I can understand that, Monika. After all, "Up For Breakfast" stresses the need for proper nutrition first thing in the morning.

I can understand that, Monika. After all, "Up For Breakfast" stresses the need for proper nutrition first thing in the morning.
Oh yes, it wasn't full of innuendoes or anything like that. :lol:

Oh yes, it wasn't full of innuendoes or anything like that. :lol:

Of course not. It would be pretty ridiculous for a bunch of middle aged guys to be singing about those kind of things.;)