Sammy Hagar has responded to a resurfaced comment from Dave Mustaine about his time in Van Halen. A post from the RockBlog Instagram account brought attention to the remark. Mustaine made it in a 2022 interview with Classic Rock.
In that interview, the Megadeth frontman discussed Hagar singing for Van Halen after David Lee Roth’s exit.
“Look at Van Halen,” Mustaine said in 2022. “I love Sammy Hagar, but for me, him being in Van Halen makes as much sense as Axl Rose being in AC/DC.”
Hagar later commented on the social media post. He addressed Mustaine’s statement directly.
“Dave Mustaine is a bad ass, tells it like it is and a longtime friend,” Hagar said. “I have no problem with his opinion.”
Hagar joined Van Halen in 1985, replacing original frontman David Lee Roth. Roth had left to pursue a solo career. A mutual connection introduced Hagar to the band, and he agreed to sing and play rhythm guitar. His first public appearance with guitarist Eddie Van Halen came at the inaugural Farm Aid concert in September 1985.
Hagar fronted the band from 1985 to 1996. Their partnership produced four consecutive chart-topping studio albums. He returned for a brief reunion period in the mid-2000s.
Mustaine’s analogy points to a similar case in AC/DC. Axl Rose stepped in for Brian Johnson on the band’s 2016 Rock or Bust tour after Johnson stopped touring because of hearing loss.
Mustaine’s remark was a critique of the lineup, not a personal attack. Hagar treated it that way, which fits his description of Mustaine as a longtime friend.
