Sammy Hagar responds to his former bandmate’s comments as the pair’s 25-year rift continues.
Van Halen drummer Alex Van Halen called former bandmate Sammy Hagar a “complete idiot” during an interview with Brazilian magazine Roadie Crew. When journalist Marcelo Vieira asked the 73-year-old drummer about books written by the band’s former vocalists, Van Halen stated he did not know or care what Hagar wrote before making the insult. Hagar later responded on Instagram, writing that the comment was “so unnecessary at this time in our lives” and ending his post with “Peace already.”
The two musicians have not spoken in 25 years. Their ongoing feud traces back to Hagar’s 2011 book Red: My Uncensored Life In Rock, which detailed the late Eddie Van Halen’s struggles with alcoholism, as well as Alex Van Halen’s 2024 memoir Brothers, which completely omitted Hagar’s era with the band. Hagar joined Van Halen in 1985, recording four No. 1 albums—5150, OU812, For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge, and Balance—before his departure.
