Sammy Hagar has made a good living creating rock music. He has also made quite a lot by selling his tequila business. The former he did, in part with Van Halen, and the latter he didn't. Neither will seemingly have anything to do with Alex Van Halen ever again.
Alex Van Halen is busy putting what are hopefully the finishing touches on an album of songs that were recorded during jam sessions with Eddie Van Halen and others. Re-mixes need to be completed, instruments potentially added, and some vocal work done. That won't include Hagar.
The singer recently said he wished the new project would include him, and he'd be happy to play a part, but he understands that the relationship between him and Alex isn't good, and hasn't been for quite some time. Meanwhile, Hagar still performs some Van Halen songs in concert he had a part in making, and his band often includes former VH bassist Michael Anthony.
Sammy Hagar sees Alex Van Halen as the Roger Waters of his former band
But working with Alex again? It's not going to happen, it appears, and the feeling might be mutual. The drummer hasn't invited Hagar to do any work on the new album, but the vocalist doesn't want to deal with what he perceives as Alex Van Halen's negativity.
He said as much in a recent interview with Louder. Among many subjects discussed, he equated his relationship with Alex Van Halen to that of Pink Floyd's David Gilmour and Roger Waters.
"I’m the biggest Pink Floyd fan," Hagar said. "I see David Gilmour say: ‘I will never play with Roger Waters again’, and I know what he means. I feel that way about Alex Van Halen. They’re negative people."
The singer is correct about one thing: Roger Waters comes across to many as a very negative and narcissistic person. Pink Floyd has done just as well without Waters as with him, though Waters is likely to dispute that.
The difference with Hagar and Van Halen, however, is that the latter was already an iconic band before Hagar replaced David Lee Roth. The Red Rocker doesn't really fit the same role as Gilmour, but his overall point might have teeth. It is doubtful Alex Van Halen would see himself as the Roger Waters of the situation, however.
The hope for music fans, though, is beyond that. No matter who participates in the making of the new Van Halen album, let's just hope it is good. Fans don't want a tracklist of remixed throwaways. We want the project to do justice to the memory of Eddie Van Halen.