Former Van Halen singer Sammy Hagar recently opened up about how his disciplined approach to his career clashed with his bandmates’ party lifestyle. He shared his perspective in an interview with The Express.
Hagar discussed how he maintained his professional standards while working with a band known for their excessive partying habits.
“I was guilty as everyone else. I would just always conservatively did all those things. I was always the first guy to leave during the heavy party in years and I’d say, ‘I’m out of here.’ And I’d go to my room, lock myself in and tell my tour manager, I don’t care if I come beating on your door, drag me back to my room,” Hagar said.
The rock veteran explained his motivation for maintaining discipline throughout his career.
“Because I had a job to do. My job was more important to me than anything. I also don’t like feeling like a piece of shit because I drank or did too much coke or something or stayed up all night with a bunch of ladies. I don’t like myself the next morning for doing any of that. So it’s more important to have more fun tomorrow night,” he continued.
Hagar revealed details about his personal history with substances and his approach to self-control.
“And it’s worked for me. I’ve run my life like this from day one. I used to never even drink and do any drugs of any kind. I always was a sexual guy. I am a sucker for that, I didn’t even drink and stuff until I was in my 40s,” he said. “And then I discovered fine wine and then tequila but I’ve never had a drinking problem. I’ve just always had discipline. I’ve never had an iron fist on top of me telling me, ‘Don’t do this.'”
The singer emphasized how his bandmates’ lack of discipline affected his own approach to maintaining professional standards.
“In fact, the people I run with, like in a band like Van Halen where everybody was so undisciplined, it was like I had to use my own strength and my own sense. If my voice was shot and I did a shit show, I felt like a piece of shit,” Hagar concluded.
Hagar’s commitment to professionalism during his eleven-year tenure with Van Halen (1985–1996) has become even more significant in light of the band’s later treatment of his contributions.
Loudwire reported that Van Halen attempted to minimize Hagar’s contributions by refusing to remaster his era’s material or license it for films, video games, and commercials after the band reunited with David Lee Roth in 2007. This deliberate effort to “bury the Van Hagar era” highlights the ongoing tensions that stemmed from the very lifestyle differences Hagar described in his recent interview.
Despite these challenges, Hagar has maintained his professional approach and embraced both periods of the band’s history. American Songwriter noted that audiences respond enthusiastically to Van Halen material from his era. The singer now regularly performs songs like “Panama” during tours. This audience reception validates Hagar’s disciplined approach to his craft during his time with the band.
The contrast between Hagar’s work ethic and Van Halen’s party culture becomes even more pronounced when considering the band’s commercial success during his tenure. I95 Rock documented that while Van Halen’s earlier albums with David Lee Roth achieved significant sales, the band’s continued success during the Hagar years demonstrated that his professional approach contributed to their sustained commercial viability. This success came despite the internal conflicts over lifestyle choices that Hagar has now openly discussed.
Hagar’s reflections on his time with Van Halen reveal how his disciplined approach not only preserved his vocal abilities but also helped maintain the band’s performance standards during an era when many rock acts were struggling with the excesses of the music industry. His ability to balance professionalism with the rock and roll lifestyle ultimately defined his contribution to one of rock’s most successful partnerships.
