SAMMY HAGAR THINKS THERE MAY BE NO NEW VAN HALEN SONGS ON THE NEW VAN HALEN ALBUM
The ink is barely dry on Van Halen’s new record deal with Interscope. So, of course, it’s time to start speculating about the actual contents of the band’s new record, which will be their first with David Lee Roth in almost three decades, and their first with Fatty Ding Dongs Van Halen ever. And who better to speculate than Sammy Hagar, a dude who hasn’t been in the band in six years and hasn’t recorded with them in sixteen?
Hagar has never been shy about discussing his old band (although, in his defense, it’s obviously difficult to be a former member of one the biggest acts in rock history and not get asked about that group on a regular basis), and in a new interview with Rolling Stone, the current Chickenfoot singer reveals that while the new Van Halen album will contain material none of us have heard before, that doesn’t mean it’s actually new:
“I heard this record is old outtakes from the old days. I mean, stuff from before I even joined the band. I heard this five years ago though. Michael Anthony was curious if his background vocals would wind up on the album. I don’t think it’s a bad idea. It’s kind of interesting. Bob Seger did it, and so did the Rolling Stones. I think it’s an interesting thing to do in your old age if you can’t come up with fresh, good stuff – or you can’t get along. Because from what I heard, they aren’t working with new material. Ed and Dave didn’t actually write new songs. They took old stuff from previous sessions, and then maybe Dave had to go in and add vocals because they just had scat vocals, or even no vocal part at all.”
Of course, Hagar isn’t really in a position to tell us what’s on the new Van Halen album, so who knows. That being said, I actually hope he’s right — ’cause as impressed as I was with Van Halen’s ability to still kick ass live in the 21st century, I am not wholly convinced that Eddie and company still have it in them to write something which would live up to their tremendous legacy. So maybe digging up some old demos and dusting ’em off ain’t such a bad idea, y’know?
What do you think? Is this cheating? A good idea? A terrible idea? Weigh in with your thoughts below.
-AR
[via Metal Insider]
