Sammy Hagar Lashes Out At Alex Van Halen, Says “Al’s Angry Because I’m Out Doing It” And “He Can’t”

Former Van Halen bandmates Sammy Hagar and Alex Van Halen have not been on speaking terms for 21 years, and in a new interview with Rolling Stone, Hagar speculates that jealousy might be behind the drummer’s ongoing rift. Hagar recently released a single inspired by a dream about Eddie Van Halen called “Encore, Thank You, Goodnight,” and is set to kick off a Las Vegas residency with his all-star band, which features Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony, along with Joe Satriani and Kenny Aronoff. “I think Al’s angry because I’m out doing it, and Mike and I are out doing it, and he can’t,” said Hagar. “He’s not a singer. He’s not a guitar player. He is not really a band leader. And he seems like he doesn’t want to play drums or can’t play drums anymore, and he can’t go write a new record.” Hagar maintains that he is keeping the Van Halen legacy alive through his performances, while acknowledging Alex’s health issues and Eddie’s passing as contributing factors to their ongoing feud. (Consequence of Sound)