Sammy Hagar on stage at Pine Knob, August 2, 2024.
By Meltdown
I’ve had a lot of conversations in my life, but when Sammy Hagar cracks up at my name right off the top, you know you’re in for a ride.
“Meltdown… I’m just cracking up at your name!” Sammy laughed. “You don’t forget a name like that.”
Right back at you, Red Rocker.
We go way back — years ago, he was at one of our Detroit golf outings, cruising the course in a golf cart, handing out tequila. “That was Cabo Wabo tequila,” he remembered. “I don’t even play golf, man! And I probably shouldn’t have been driving the cart either.” That was a fun day of swigging his tequila straight out of the bottle!
A Song from a Dream
Sammy’s latest track, “Encore, Thank You, Goodnight” — a powerful tribute with Joe Satriani — is doing some serious numbers. But it’s more than a hit. It’s closure.
“It’s not just a song. This one’s important,” Sammy told me. “I had a friggin’ dream and wrote a song with Eddie. I mean, come on! That’s as real as it gets.”
And when Joe Satriani laid down the guitar work? “He channeled Eddie. No question,” Sammy said. “The intro… I don’t even try to figure out what Joe’s doing. I ain’t torturing myself with that.”
He brought in Michael Anthony and Kenny Aronoff to help complete the vision. And while he would’ve loved to include Alex Van Halen, Sammy kept it honest:
“Al and I… we’ve got a problem. You’d have to ask him what it is. I don’t know. But I knew he probably wouldn’t be part of it.”
Even without Al or Wolfie, the song gave Sammy the peace he needed.
“It’s like: dream, thought, word, action. We rehearsed it. Played it live. That was closure for me. That ‘what if’ is gone now. I feel good. Healthy, even.”
Wolfie, Respect, and Letting the Boy Boogie
I had to ask — did he reach out to Wolfgang Van Halen about the track?
“Yeah, I sent it over before it was done. Through Valerie’s brother Patrick. But I didn’t want to drag Wolf into it. He’s doing his own thing. He’s not trying to be his dad — and I love that. Let that boy boogie.”
Still, Sammy left the door open for the future.
“Hey Wolf, let’s do a residency someday — just one show of Van Halen songs. That would be awesome.”
Regrets? Just One.
Sometimes I'll ask a question that might seem absurd, but you never know where it could lead. While riding my Harley over the weekend, I wondered if Sammy ever regrets joining Van Halen, given all the drama that came with it, from Alex to David Lee Roth and beyond. Yes, he made millions and songs that are timeless, but is there a piece of him that could've done without the drama?
“Oh hell no,” Sammy fired back. “The only regret I have is that we didn’t make more music. Eddie and I were just getting started. We were capable of so much more.”
He shared a story about Eddie getting into the cello of all things:
“I said, ‘Play me something, dude!’ I was ready to write a cello song with him. I mean, come on!”
He talked about Eddie’s musical range, especially on keys, and how they unlocked new possibilities together. That freedom, that creativity — it could’ve gone even further.
“The hardcore fans might’ve said ‘no keyboards!’ but screw it. It was real. And I’m proud of what we did.”
Rocking with Ozzy One Last Time
Before we wrapped, I had to ask about Ozzy’s final show. Sammy’s performing at it — and he’s pumped.
“I love Ozzy. I got to choose my songs and at first I picked ‘No More Tears.’ Then it was gonna be ‘Rock Candy’ — until Ozzy said he wanted to sing it! So I’m doing ‘Flying High Again.’”
But singing Ozzy? Not easy.
“You try singing his stuff without sounding like him — it’s tough! The melodies are so unusual. But I’m honored to be part of it.”
Encore. Thank you. Goodnight.
That’s the name of the song, but it also kinda sums up this whole chapter in Sammy’s life — and rock history.
“Peace and love, Detroit,” Sammy signed off. “I’ll see you one way or another. Adios, amigos!”
