Sammy Hagar has explained his decision to step back from touring and new projects, speaking about his plans to reassess his career direction in an interview with Billboard.
Hagar discussed how he wants to balance his Van Halen legacy with other parts of his musical past. He also revealed that he has turned down several offers for next year as he takes time to figure out what comes next for him.
“The Van Halen stuff…is a great torch to carry, but I don’t want to be just that,” Hagar said. “I’m never done with Van Halen. I’ll always play five or six Van Halen songs. Van Halen was the pinnacle of my long f–kin’ five-decade career.”
“But that Montrose material’s as important to my heart as anything, my fans who have followed me since then deserve to hear a couple more Montrose songs and stuff from the Red (Rocker) years — a song like ‘Red’ or ‘Marching to Mars’ and stuff like that. They’re important to those fans who have followed me, and I can’t do that if I’m playing 14 Van Halen songs. So a little more Montrose, a little more Chickenfoot, (solo) stuff from the post-Van Halen years. People have let me know they want to hear it.”
“I don’t know where or when I plan on doing that. I’m kind of in a limbo, confusion state [about what he wants to do, admittedly planning] a long break…to see what I want to do, and then go do it. [I’ve turned down] all these wonderful opportunities for next year in order to just chill and see what happens.”
Hagar added that he is looking for ways to make a broader impact beyond music. “I could do anything I want. I’m one of the luckiest guys in the world. My career has been phenomenal. I’ve had such a fantastic run. I think what I’m looking for now is something I can do to help people and make some sort of statement or impact like that. It may not be musical, or maybe it’s something I can do with me and an acoustic guitar. I do things like that quietly and on the side now, but I’d like to make that front line.”
“That would be a wonderful thing if that light went on and, ‘Wow, I have an opportunity to help people that need help.’ That’s my goal. I’m being transparent right now because I don’t know what I want to do yet. I need some time off to figure it out, but I’ll do something.”
These comments came after Hagar recently performed at one of his Birthday Bash events. His decision to take a break follows the end of his Best of All World touring concept, which ran for two years.
Hagar’s “Best of All Worlds” tour began in July 2024 and continued through 2025 and 2026, featuring performances alongside bassist Michael Anthony, guitarist Joe Satriani, and drummer Kenny Aronoff. The tour included a residency at Dolby Live at Park MGM in Las Vegas with multiple runs of performances. Hagar said in September 2026 that he was bringing the two-year Van Halen-focused tour to an end.
Throughout his career, Hagar has long wanted to reunite with surviving members of Montrose, the band that launched his career in the early 1970s. In April 2012, Hagar performed at “A Concert For Ronnie Montrose” with the original lineup, which featured bassist Bill Church and drummer Denny Carmassi, with Joe Satriani on lead guitar. The performance focused on the landmark first Montrose album from 1973.
Hagar celebrated his 79th birthday with three concerts at his Cabo Wabo Cantina in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico on October 9, 11, and 13. His first show was heavy on Montrose songs, including just three Van Halen numbers, which reflects his desire to balance different eras of his career. Hagar will turn 80 years old in 2027, the year he says will have no touring.
