Sammy Hagar Extends an Olive Branch to Alex Van Halen After Years of Feuding
Sammy Hagar says he is ready to set aside years of tension with Alex Van Halen, rebuild their friendship, and possibly play music together again.
Sammy Hagar wants to end his long-running feud with former Van Halen bandmate Alex Van Halen.
During a new interview with Billboard, Hagar extended an olive branch to the drummer and said he was prepared to leave their decades of disagreements in the past.
"I would love to bury the hatchet with Alex," Hagar said. "I would love to be friends again."
The singer added that he would welcome the opportunity to play music with Alex again but emphasized that restoring their friendship was more important. He also expressed a desire to bring the Sammy Hagar and David Lee Roth eras of Van Halen together instead of allowing the division between them to continue.
Hagar's remarks arrive shortly after Alex called him a "complete idiot" during an interview with Brazilian magazine Roadie Crew. Hagar initially responded with humor, describing himself as "probably the most successful idiot on the planet," while admitting that he did not understand the drummer's continued hostility.
The attempted reconciliation represents a major shift for Hagar. Earlier this year, he said he could not imagine performing with Alex again, describing their relationship as too damaged to repair. The two have reportedly not spoken directly in more than two decades.
Hagar joined Van Halen in 1985 following David Lee Roth's departure. He remained the band's frontman until 1996 and returned for a reunion from 2003 to 2005. His tenure produced four consecutive No. 1 albums: 5150, OU812, For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge, and Balance.
In recent years, Hagar has celebrated both eras of the band's catalog through his Best of All Worlds tour and Las Vegas residency alongside former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony. Although he recently said he plans to move away from shows centered entirely on the band, he intends to keep several Van Halen songs in his set.
Whether Alex accepts the offer remains unknown, but Hagar made it clear that he does not want their estrangement to last forever.
"I will not take this to my grave," he said.
