Sammy Hagar looked back at a couple of key turning points of his tenure in Van Halen on the Big Interview with Dan Rather podcast. The Red Rocker reflects on when band silenced doubters with the release of their first album together, and when they lost their manager.
AXS TV sent over the following: It's hard to step in for the lead singer of a world-famous band. But the easy-going Sammy Hagar was more than up to the challenge when he took over as frontman for Van Halen.
"Everyone was questioning it, 'Hey is this going to work with Sammy? Dave was such a flamboyant character, can he fill those shoes?'" Hagar said during a conversation with Dan Rather, referring to his first album recorded with the band. "We were in there making this music going, 'Ahh, shut up, wait 'til they hear this.'"
"And when they heard it and it exploded, that was a big moment for all of us," Hagar noted.
But the band would face new tribulations during Hagar's tenure. Namely, the death of Ed Leffler, Hagar's beloved friend and Van Halen's manager.
"When he died... every vulture came at us, every manager on the planet, every promoter," Hagar said, explaining how music industry officials would approach guitarist Eddie Van Halen while causing strife throughout the group.
"They just turned us against each other and I got thrown out of the band," Hagar explained.
You can listen to insightful music conversations like these on Dan Rather's Big Interview podcast, available on iHeart, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and on additional podcasting platforms.
Van Halen Stream 1995 UK Performance Of 'The Seventh Seal'
Wolfgang Van Halen Pulls Out Of Ozzy's Back To The Beginning Concert
Van Halen's 'Balance' Expanded For 30th Anniversary
Rock & Roll Road Trip With Sammy Hagar Marathon Coming
Sites and Sounds: Montana Folk Festival Coming to Butte (And It's Free!)
Dave Koz & Friends at Sea Cruise, Part 1: Sax Man and Pals Set Sail in Europe
5 Star: Styx - Circling from Above
Quick Flicks: Re-Animator 40th Anniversary
Clarksville, TN Attraction Historic Collinsville Set for Civil War Days Reenactments
Scorpions Recording Home Town Show For 60th Anniversary Live Album
Robert Plant Guests On Paul Weller's New Track 'Clive's Song'
Gibson To Honor Black Sabbath At Historic 'Back to the Beginning' Reunion Event
Spiritbox To Rock Jimmy Kimmel Live
Yungblud Scores His Third No. 1 UK Album With 'IDOLS'
Watch Bruce Dickinson's 'Gods Of War' Lyric Video
Giant Stream 'It's Not Right' Lyric Video
FM Announce New Album With 'Living on the Run'