Sammy Hagar disclosed the reasons behind Alex Van Halen’s apparent anger in a recent interview with Rolling Stone.
“I’ve had this conversation with a few people, including [former Van Halen manager] Irving Azoff,” Hagar said. “I’ve asked him, ‘What’s the problem?’ And some people have said to me, ‘Oh, Cabo Wabo. At one time, Van Halen, when you built it, you guys were all partners in that. And then they didn’t want it anymore when it was losing money, and they gave it to you, and you turned it around and made hundreds of millions of dollars on it. And they’re angry. Alex is angry about that.'”
“To that I said, ‘How the f*ck could they be angry about that? They gave me the damn thing, they walked out on me, left me with it. And they made me indemnify them in case I got sued and lost everything. They made me sign off big time.’ And I’m going, ‘I hope it’s not that,'” he continued.
Hagar presented another perspective on the situation. “I think Al’s angry because I’m out doing it, and Mike [Anthony, former Van Halen bassist] and I are out doing it, and he can’t,” he explained. “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. Alex wasn’t the songwriter in the band,” Hagar added. “He was the drummer. Eddie and I wrote the songs. Dave [Lee Roth] and Eddie wrote the songs, and so we can go out and do them.”
“And I think that really bothers him that Mike and I are still out there doing it. I would feel bad. If I put myself in his shoes, I would feel terrible if I couldn’t do it anymore,” he concluded. “But I’m the happiest guy out of all of them. That pisses people off in itself. Being too happy, people don’t like that.”
The tension stems from the remarkable success of ventures following the band’s collaboration.
Ultimate Classic Rock documented Cabo Wabo’s rise as a significant success story in the spirits industry. Hagar transformed the struggling cantina into a thriving business empire. The establishment’s house brand of tequila, launched in the late 1990s, became the second-best-selling premium tequila in the United States by 2006.
The business reached new heights in 2007. Industry sources revealed that Hagar sold an 80% stake in Cabo Wabo Tequila to Gruppo Campari for $80 million. This marked a remarkable turnaround from its early days as a joint venture with Van Halen.
The business dispute continues to simmer. Inc. Magazine noted Hagar’s ongoing success in both music and entrepreneurship. He maintains an active touring schedule while managing various successful business ventures.
Hagar and former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony continue their successful musical collaborations. This success contrasts sharply with Alex Van Halen’s current situation, further complicating the dynamics between the former bandmates.
