Sammy Hagar: 'Eddie & Alex Van Halen have still got it against me and Mike Anthony'
Days after he said there was no chance of a reunion, Sammy Hagar has accused Eddie and Alex Van Halen of having something against him and Michael Anthony.
After years of caustic words, Sammy appeared to bury the hatchet with Van Halen in 2016; first sharing pleasantries with Eddie Van Halen on Twitter and then issuing a public apology to Eddie and Alex on the Oprah: Where Are They Now TV show.
This prompted him to talk about the possibility of reuniting with Van Halen in March saying he would be interested if Michael Anthony was drafted back in on bass and David Lee Roth traded off vocal duties with himself on the respective songs they recorded.
However, after celebrating his 70th birthday in October without receiving a message from Eddie and Alex, Sammy told Eddie Trunk last week that this proves they have no interest in getting back together.
“People say, ‘What's going on with Van Halen?’ Absolutely nothing. I have no idea – I haven't heard from the guys,” Sammy said.
“To me, they made a real strong statement by not wishing me a happy birthday for my 70th – especially amongst the fact that so many people have died. A week before that, Tom Petty died. Tom Petty's birthday was the next Thursday after mine, and he was still a young man, as far as I'm concerned.
"With all those people dying, if somebody turns 70, that's a monumental thing. You would think if they ever wanted to be friends, it would be so easy. And even if they didn't wanna be friends, it's just something that would be the right thing to do.”
Echoing these comments in a fresh interview with Tampa Bay Online, Sammy said: "Those boys have still got it against me and Mike for some reason. Whatever."
Asked if the Van Halens sent a fruit basket for his 70th birthday, Sammy responded: "Oh, hell no, man. If you want to go into those waters right now, I can just say that it pretty much confirms it when Mikey's grandson died (in April, from a heart defect) - a brand-new baby died - and they didn't reach out to him.
“And my 70th birthday, they didn't reach out to say happy birthday. Yeah. Pretty much says it all."
In the wake of the death of his grandson Rex Becerra, Michael went on a sponsored walk and set up a fundraising page with the Los Angeles Children's Hospital. David Lee Roth personally donated $10,000 to the fund.
In other Sammy Hagar news, the singer says that his next musical project is either Chickenfoot or The Circle.
"Joe (Satriani) and I have been talking, when he finishes his (G3 2018) tour next June, if he has enough time and if Chad's available, about doing another Chickenfoot record," Sammy said.
“And if they can't do it, if we can't all get together, then I'm gonna do a Circle record. It's gonna be one or the other. Those are my two favourite bands in the world.”