Sammy Hagar has explained his reasoning for not bringing Jason Bonham back into the band for his upcoming Best Off All Worlds Las Vegas Residency and instead keeping acclaimed drummer Kenny Aronoff in the group.
Aronoff was called in to replace Bonham for the final dates of The Best Of All Worlds Summer Tour after Bonham was forced to leave the trek early due to his mother's illness.
The tour was launched by Sammy to celebrate the music and the legacy of his former band Van Halen. The group features his former Van Halen bandmate Michael Anthony, as well as guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani.
Hagar spoke to Rolling Stone about the upcoming residency and explained why he decided to stick with Aronoff for the shows, "There's two reasons.
"Number one, he's one of the greatest drummers on the planet. I think he's been on more million-selling records than any musician in the world. And he did so well on this tour, and he plays with Joe on a full-time basis.
"And he blew my mind. I played with Kenny in Chickenfoot, and he blew my mind then too, because when we auditioned him, he learns every song. 'Tell me what songs we're playing.' 'Okay, here they are.' He charts them out and he sits there, and he f***in' can read it, and play it with soul and power perfectly, just one time, the first time he plays it. If that don't blow a musician's mind, I don't know what would, especially these kinds of songs. These songs are crazy. They're f***in' Van Halen arrangements."
Rock & Roll Road Trip With Sammy Hagar Marathon Coming
Sammy Hagar Reveals Over $1 Million Raised At OK Kid's Korral Benefit
Jason Bonham Recalls 'Shock' At Being Let Go By Sammy Hagar
Sammy Hagar Looking At Doing Another Las Vegas Residency
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'