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marble falls

(73,241 posts)
1. I think Van Halen gave more to Sammy than Sammy gave Van Helen. No doubt, David Lee Roth was a raging ego ...
Thu Jun 11, 2026, 11:32 PM
Thursday

... but he was a major part of their live shows.

I cannot say exactly why, but Sammy Hagar did nothing for me past the juke box with "I Can't Drive 55".

chicoescuela

(3,318 posts)
2. I gotta disagree. I've always preferred Van Hagar to Van Halen
Fri Jun 12, 2026, 12:03 AM
Friday

But I get it is a personal preference that I can respect. Eddie was the connective tissue that made both unbelievably awesome.
I saw the original group in about March 1979 in Caldwell Idaho. I think I paid $5 for my ticket. Great show

MarineCombatEngineer

(18,207 posts)
3. Agreed.
Fri Jun 12, 2026, 12:04 AM
Friday

Sammy came in after Van Halen had already made their mark with David in the Rock N Roll world.
There will never be another David Lee Roth, nor an Eddie Van Halen.

keep_left

(3,235 posts)
7. Hagar proved he could actually *sing*...
Fri Jun 12, 2026, 10:16 AM
Friday

…after so many years of screaming all over his solo records. That was largely at the behest of one of their producers, who knew that Sammy could croon as well as he could wail.

Nobody screams like Sammy, but it was refreshing to hear him take it down a notch. And he sounded awesome when he did.

marble falls

(73,241 posts)
8. Good point. He did sing with Van Halen and from the bit I've heard since, he's still singing.
Fri Jun 12, 2026, 10:42 AM
Friday
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