Sammy Hagar has revealed that David Lee Roth, the original frontman of Van Halen, did not participate in the ongoing Best Of All Worlds Tour despite initial interest. Hagar, who extended an invitation to Roth to join the tour, clarified that Roth was expected to make guest appearances on select songs rather than perform throughout the entire tour.
In an interview with Eddie Trunk, Hagar disclosed that Roth “went AWOL” after receiving the invitation. “After clarifying the offer, he just kind of went to sleep on it, which is fine. I don’t need Roth antagonizing me,” Hagar said.
Hagar further elaborated on Roth’s unpredictable nature, stating, “If he really wanted to come out and play music, sing a song and be genuine without trying to pull any crazy stunts… The guy’s unpredictable. And God bless him, he’s been an entertainer his whole life, a showman who enjoys upstaging people. We’re just not into that.”
Despite Roth’s absence, the tour continues to pay tribute to Van Halen’s early years. Hagar emphasized that the setlist includes classic hits such as “Ain’t Talkin’ ’bout Love,” “Panama,” and “Jump.” “Quite honestly, I think that’s enough. I don’t want to overdo it and make it look like I’m patronizing or whatever,” Hagar concluded.
