Sammy Hagar 'wanted to break' David Lee Roth's neck during 2002 tour
The rock star, 77, aired some grievances about former VanHalen vocalist David Lee Roth in a blunt conversation with Rolling Stone published April 29. Hagar said he "wanted to break the guy's" neck sometimes during their 2002 tour together.
USA TODAY has reached out to representatives for Roth for comment.
"Dave always wants too much," Hagar said. "He always tries to upstage. He tried to pull stuff on the Sam and Dave tour (of 2002). The nights when he was opening, when we flip-flopped ... which I would never do again. I would never bother. But look, I'm not an opening act for anybody.
"On those nights, he would call in and say that the bus broke down, 10 minutes before he was supposed to go on. And because I care about my fans, I would go on. And I did that about four times."
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
Roth, 70, served as lead vocalist for Van Halen until leaving the band in 1985 and being replaced by Hagar. In 2002, the duo launched a co-headlining tour together. During a press conference at the time, Roth, who noted there was a "rivalry between us," announced that he and Hagar would "flip a coin and the winner will headline opening night and then we'll flip-flop," according to Ultimate Classic Rock.
Sold! What did Sammy Hagar's custom Ferrari LaFerrari sell for at Arizona auction?
Speaking to Rolling Stone, Hagar declared that Roth "did the worst when he headlined."
When the magazine asked the rocker whether he would ever share the bill with Roth on tour again, he said the "circumstances would have to be right." But when Rolling Stone mentioned that Roth is coming out of retirement this summer to play some shows, the outlet reports that Hagar fell "off his chair, roaring with laughter, out of the frame of the camera."
"Let's see if he makes the shows," Hagar said.
In a 2002 interview with Guitar World magazine, Hagar declared that his tour with Roth "could have been a heck of a lot better" because Roth is "an unreasonable guy" and "not a fun guy." He added, "Boy, I hate to ever say I'm sorry I did something, so I can't say I'm sorry I did it. But I certainly wouldn't do it again, let's put it like that."
Hagar also told AXS TV that he "never really had a lot of respect for" Roth, adding, "To me, I wasn't buying it. There was something that was fake about him. The old Van Halen fans, if I'd have said that in the beginning, would have crucified me. But he was the enemy."
In 2023, Hagar extended an invitation for Roth to join him on tour in an appearance on "The Howard Stern Show." But Hagar later said on the "Eddie Trunk Podcast" that Roth "went AWOL" and "went to sleep" on the offer.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
4 hours ago
- USA Today
CNN anchor Jake Tapper caught on hot mic during Trump/Putin coverage: 'Give me my show'
CNN anchor Jake Tapper was caught on a hot mic during the network's special Aug. 15 coverage of President Donald Trump's summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Tapper, who usually hosts his two-hour program "The Lead" from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. EST from Washington, D.C., was live Friday in Alaska, when his colleague Anderson Cooper attempted to throw it back to him. "I'm fine, just give me my show back," Tapper said, seemingly expressing his frustration while failing to realize he was live. The hot mic moment was shared on X by conservative NewsBusters managing editor Curtis Houck. A smiling Cooper then quipped, "Show's back!" 'Allison Cooper': Trump calls CNN anchor Anderson Cooper 'Allison' in rant After the awkward exchange, Tapper welcomed Sen. Adam Schiff to the show, but the California Democrat couldn't hear the CNN host. "I think I lost you," Schiff said. Tapper then told the audience that "we're having real comms problems today. I'm sorry about that. If anybody can hear me, let's go throw it back to New York." At that point, Cooper again took over, saying "Okay, Jake, thanks very much." USA TODAY reached out to reps for Cooper, Tapper and CNN for comment. At the Alaska summit, Trump and Putin failed to achieve a major breakthrough in peace negotiations over Russia's war against Ukraine. Tapper occasionally becomes frustrated during on-air coverage. In 2020, Tapper played Lara Trump's remarks at a "Women for Trump" 2020 campaign event about former President Joe Biden during her interview on "State of the Union." "Every time he comes on stage and they turn to him, I'm like: 'Joe, can you get it out. Let's get the words out,'" Trump said. Tapper then asked, "How do you think it makes little kids with stutters feel when they see you make a comment like that?" Trump then responded that she did not know Biden had a stutter, which was a well-documented disability of the then-presidential candidate. "I think what we see on stage with Joe Biden, Jake, is very clearly a cognitive decline. That's what I'm referring to," Trump said. Tapper then shut down the interview, telling Trump that she had "absolutely no standing to diagnose somebody's cognitive decline." In May, Tapper revealed that he had apologized to Trump about the incident. That same month, Tapper and co-author Alex Thompson of Axios released a controversial book "Original Sin" that explored the physical and cognitive decline of Biden during his presidency. The book received significant backlash from certain liberal and center corners of the political spectrum. Contributing: James Powel
New York Post
6 hours ago
- New York Post
‘Stuttering John' suing podcaster pair for ‘surreptitiously' recording his voice and mocking him
'Stuttering John' Melendez is suing a pair of podcasters for secretly recording his voice and using his name — and even his couch cushions — to make a buck off his 'significant fame.' Melendez, 59, claims comedians Karl Heberger and Shuli Egar, the hosts of 'Who are These Podcasts?' used 'illegally recorded private phone calls' to mock and ridicule him on air and in live events where he was the main attraction. 'Melendez is a well-known figure in comedy and broadcasting, with a distinctive voice and persona that he has cultivated over decades,' Melendez said in his Manhattan Supreme Court lawsuit. 6 Melendez is suing a pair of podcasters over secret phone recordings. Getty Images Melendez rose to fame on the Howard Stern show, where he was known for asking celebrities offensive questions and then taking the abuse they hurled his way. 'Melendez's name and likeness carry significant fame and goodwill among audiences,' he contended in the Aug. 7 legal filing, adding Heberger and Egar were 'not as well-known.' Egar also worked for Stern until 2024. He and Melendez were coworkers on the show for about a year. At the center of the complaint is an event held in Rochester last August called 'DabbleCon 2,' aimed at online fans who 'dabble' in internet gossip. Heberger, 47, and Egar, 50, allegedly teased juicy portions of secret phone calls between Melendez and comedian Kate Meaney, in which he makes unsolicited advances towards her. 6 Egar worked on the Howard Stern show until last year. The Howard Stern Show/ YouTube The duo has systematically used excerpts of those recordings, along with Melendez' picture and other personal material, as the centerpiece of their podcast and comedy act for months, Melendez said in the legal filing. Heberger and Egar even trespassed on his Los Angeles property and rifled through his trash to snatch sofa cushions from an old couch to display as a 'comedic exhibit' in Rochester, he alleged. The pair 'put the used cushions on display for attendees to photograph and joke about' essentially treating his 'discarded trash as a trophy,' Melendez claimed in the lawsuit. 6 Heberger called Melendez' lawsuit frivolous. @whoarethesepod/X 'The stunt was clearly intended to ridicule plaintiff and to further entice fans by offering a bizarrely intimate connection to him,' it states. 'This lawsuit is completely frivolous and without merit,' Heberger told The Post, denying any wrongdoing and slamming it as an 'asinine attempt at a money-grab.' 'This lawsuit is a sad attempt from a sad man to make money,' added Egar. 6 Melendez said the podcasters stole an old couch from his trash to mock him. Obtained by the NY Post 6 Melendez said he was at the center of 'Dabblecon 2' without his knowledge or consent. Obtained by the NY Post It's not the first time Melendez has gone after people for using his voice. In 2020, he sued SiriusXM, claiming the company exploited his name and voice to promote Stern's show when he left after 15 years. He ultimately lost the case. 'John is not an intelligent man. We've watched him make the same mistakes over and over,' added Heberger. Melendez was on 'The Howard Stern Show' from 1988 to 2004 when he left to become the new announcer on 'The Tonight Show With Jay Leno,' where he worked in various capacities until 2014. 6 Melendez rose to fame as Howard Stern's sidekick. FilmMagic In 2018, he launched 'The Stuttering John Podcast,' where he gained attention for a prank call to President Trump. The podcast ran until December. Since then, he's been doing stand-up shows and Cameo videos. Melendez's lawyer did not respond to The Post's request for comment.
USA Today
14 hours ago
- USA Today
Tristan Rogers, who played Robert Scorpio on 'General Hospital,' dies at 79
The soap star, who also played Hunter Jones on "The Bold and the Beautiful," had revealed his cancer diagnosis in July. Tristan Rogers, best known for his longtime role as Robert Scorpio on "General Hospital," has died. He was 79. Rogers' longtime manager, Meryl Soodak, confirmed the soap star's "unfortunate passing" to USA TODAY on Aug. 15. Soodak also told Los Angeles' ABC7 that Rogers was battling lung cancer at the time of his death. Playing Scorpio "meant everything to him," Soodak told ABC7. In a statement shared with USA TODAY, the ABC show's executive producer, Frank Valentini, said that "the entire General Hospital family is heartbroken to hear of Tristan Rogers' passing." "Tristan has captivated our fans for 45 years and Port Charles will not be the same without him (or Robert Scorpio)," Valentini continued. "I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to his family and friends during this difficult time. Tristan was a one-of-a-kind talent and will be greatly missed. May he rest in peace." Rogers' 55-year career on screen also included roles as Colin Atkinson on "The Young and the Restless," Hunter Jones on "The Bold and the Beautiful" and Lex Martin on "The Bay." "The Bay," which streams on Amazon Prime and Tubi, shared a statement acknowledging "the profound loss of a beloved member of our cast, Mr. Tristan Rogers (aka Commissioner Lex Martin)." "His immense talents and spirit touched us all and he will be deeply missed," the tribute said. "His legacy lives on through his incredible work. Blessings to Tristan's family and loved ones during this difficult time. Let us honor his memory and the joy he brought to all of our lives." Cancer diagnosis was 'a challenging time' for Tristan Rogers and his family The news comes a month after the soap star shared with fans in a July 17 news release that he had been diagnosed with cancer. "While he remains hopeful and is working closely with his medical team on a treatment plan, this is a challenging time for Tristan and his family," the release said. "As they face both the emotional and physical burdens that come with this diagnosis, the family kindly asks for privacy and understanding." The release said that Rogers "sends love to his fans" and that their support "means more to him now than ever." Rogers is survived by his wife of 30 years, Teresa Parkerson, and their two adult children, daughter Sara and son Cale. Rogers' path to becoming a daytime staple Rogers, who was born in Melbourne, Australia, cut his teeth as a soap actor in the 1970s with roles on the Australian TV series "Number 96," "The Box" and "Bellbird." The budding actor traded the Down Under for the fictional town of Port Charles, New York, when he joined the cast of "General Hospital" in December 1980, playing super spy Scorpio. Rogers went on to enjoy a 12-year stint on the long-running drama before departing the series in 1992. He was nominated for two Soap Opera Digest Awards during his initial "GH" tenure, including a 1986 nod for outstanding daytime actor in a leading role. After a nearly 15-year hiatus, Rogers returned to the show in 2006 for a series of recurring appearances, followed by additional guest performances in 2008, 2012-2016 and 2018-2024. In total, the fan-favorite actor has appeared on over 1,400 episodes of "General Hospital," according to Rogers' IMDb page. Rogers also appeared on several episodes of the "General Hospital" spinoff "General Hospital: Night Shift" in 2008.
