A decades-old Van Halen rift has suddenly found its way back into the spotlight, and this time, a blunt comment from Alex Van Halen has put Sammy Hagar directly at the centre of the conversation. The dispute reaches back through multiple eras of the band, with both musicians holding very different views of what Van Halen’s history means.
Now, as attention around Alex’s memoir Brothers and previously unreleased Van Halen recordings continues to grow, another chapter has opened — one that Hagar appears far less interested in continuing.
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Alex Van Halen reignites the Sammy Hagar feud
The latest exchange began when Alex Van Halen, 73, was asked about Sammy Hagar’s 2011 autobiography, Red: My Uncensored Life in Rock, during an interview with Brazilian music journalist Marcelo Vieira for Roadie Crew.
Vieira translated Alex’s memoir, Brothers, into Portuguese for its Brazilian edition, and the conversation covered autobiographies written by former Van Halen frontmen David Lee Roth and Hagar.
Alex had a relatively positive assessment of Roth’s 1997 autobiography, Crazy From the Heat. He described it as an interesting perspective on that period and praised Roth’s sense of humour, although Alex felt the writing could sometimes become abstract and lose its train of thought.
His reaction to Hagar’s book was considerably more direct.
Discussing Red: My Uncensored Life in Rock, Alex said:
“I don’t know what he wrote, and I don’t wanna know,”
He then added:
“In my opinion, Sammy Hagar is a complete idiot.”
The wording is important because Alex’s description is his personal opinion about his former bandmate. It is not an objective assessment of Hagar’s career or musical abilities.
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Sammy Hagar responds with a call for peace
Hagar, 78, did not answer the remark with a comparable insult.
After the Rock Celebrities Instagram account shared Alex’s comments, Hagar responded in the comments section:
“This comment and post is so unnecessary at this time in our lives, but I guess the truth hurts sometimes. Peace already”
Rather than escalating the dispute, Hagar’s response appeared to call for the public back-and-forth between the two musicians to end.
That response is particularly notable because Hagar has previously spoken openly about wanting to repair his personal relationship with Alex.
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Sammy Hagar previously said reconciliation with Alex was on his “bucket list”
In 2024, Hagar said that making peace with Alex was on his “bucket list”. He explained that he did not want either musician to carry their estrangement through the rest of their lives.
Hagar said:
“It’s on my bucket list that I will not take this to my grave, and I don’t want Al taking it to his grave,”
However, Hagar also made an important distinction: reconciliation did not necessarily mean returning to the stage together.
He said:
“I want to be friends, though. I don’t want to play in a band with Al. I’m not asking for that. I can see that he’s not capable of doing that. If he was, I’d be happy to play with him, but it’s not what I’m looking for. I just want to be friends again.”
His latest “Peace already” response therefore follows years of Hagar publicly expressing a desire to settle the personal differences between them.
How Sammy Hagar became part of Van Halen’s most successful era
Hagar joined Van Halen after David Lee Roth’s departure in 1985. His arrival marked the beginning of one of the band’s most commercially successful periods.
The lineup featuring Sammy Hagar, Alex Van Halen, Eddie Van Halen and Michael Anthony released four studio albums together:
| Album | Release period in Hagar’s tenure | Billboard 200 result |
| 5150 | Hagar era | No. 1 |
| OU812 | Hagar era | No. 1 |
| For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge | Hagar era | No. 1 |
| Balance | Hagar era | No. 1 |
All four reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200, making Hagar’s tenure a major chapter in Van Halen’s commercial history.
But the relationships inside the band eventually became strained.
Hagar left Van Halen in 1996 and later returned during the 2004 reunion period. That reunion, however, did not lead to a lasting reconciliation.
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Why Alex Van Halen and Sammy Hagar still disagree about Van Halen’s legacy
The tension between Hagar and Alex is not simply about one autobiography or one recent comment. A deeper disagreement has developed over how Van Halen’s history and legacy should be remembered.
Alex’s 2024 memoir, Brothers, focuses heavily on his relationship with Eddie Van Halen and the band’s formative years. The narrative ends in 1984, before Hagar joined the group.
Alex has explained that decision by saying:
“For me, the spirit of the band ended in 1984.”
He later clarified that this did not mean he believed the music Van Halen made after that point was bad.
Instead, Alex said something fundamental had changed when the original lineup was altered.
He explained:
“We did good work after that, but the primary spiritual aspect, the magic, the potential, the looking to the future together, all of that stuff, our mutually strange backgrounds — that’s what made Van Halen.”
That perspective has inevitably been a source of frustration for Hagar.
For Hagar, the decade he spent with Van Halen remains an important part of Eddie Van Halen’s musical legacy. His period in the band produced four consecutive No. 1 albums and some of Van Halen’s best-known songs.
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Hagar criticised the way Brothers handled his Van Halen years
The disagreement became even more visible following the publication of Brothers.
In 2025, Hagar expressed disappointment that his years with Van Halen received little attention in Alex’s memoir.
Hagar said:
“Alex is not doing his brother’s musical legacy justice by not acknowledging all the No. 1 albums and some great music Eddie and I wrote together – not Alex – but Eddie and I wrote together,”
He continued:
“To not acknowledge 10 years of music is blasphemy to his brother’s musicianship, songwriting and legacy.”
Alex, meanwhile, has presented the structure of Brothers as a reflection of his own memories rather than an attempt to provide a comprehensive history covering every Van Halen lineup.
That difference sits at the centre of the continuing friction.
Hagar views his time in the band as an essential part of Eddie Van Halen’s legacy, while Alex continues to emphasise the unique chemistry of the original lineup.
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Alex’s criticism also brings Hagar’s 2011 autobiography back into focus
The latest criticism specifically concerns Hagar’s Red: My Uncensored Life in Rock, which was released in 2011.
The autobiography included Hagar’s recollections of his time with Van Halen, including his experiences with Eddie and the problems that affected the guitarist during the later stages of his life.
Following Eddie’s death in 2020, Hagar said he regretted exposing some of the darker aspects of Eddie’s life in the book.
Hagar said:
“More than anything, because of the untimely and tragic death of Eddie Van Halen, I apologize from the bottom of my heart for exposing his dark side to where I don’t think anyone wants to hear that now, and, unfortunately, it’s in the book.”
At the same time, Hagar maintained that the material was truthful.
He said:
“And it’s true — it’s all true. It’s not like I have to say, ‘Oh, I was lying’ — no, no, no.”
Hagar also explained that if he had written the book after Eddie’s death, he would have approached his story differently.
He said:
“If I wrote the book today, I would only put the good of Eddie Van Halen, because he was a great friend, and I loved him.”
The contents of Red, together with Hagar’s descriptions of Eddie, have long been viewed as one possible source of Alex’s resentment toward Hagar. However, neither musician has publicly established a single definitive reason for the depth of their estrangement.
Alex Van Halen is also working on unreleased music with Steve Lukather
The renewed dispute comes as Alex is simultaneously working on previously unreleased Van Halen material involving his late brother.
Alex has been collaborating with Toto guitarist Steve Lukather on recordings made by Eddie and Alex that were never officially released.
Lukather has described the material as substantially more complete than fans might assume. Rather than simply assembling fragments from old sessions, he has said the recordings contain completed performances by the Van Halen brothers.
Lukather has also stressed that he is not attempting to replace Eddie or recreate Eddie’s guitar parts.
His role is primarily as a collaborator and co-producer helping Alex organise and finish the archival material.
The project has generated considerable interest among Van Halen fans because it could provide a rare opportunity to hear previously unreleased performances by Eddie Van Halen.
However, there is currently no confirmed public release date for the project.
What is known about Alex Van Halen’s archival project?
| Detail | Information |
| Musicians involved | Alex Van Halen and Eddie Van Halen |
| Additional collaborator | Steve Lukather |
| Material | Previously unreleased Van Halen recordings |
| Eddie’s guitar performances | Remain on the recordings |
| Lukather’s role | Collaborator and co-producer |
| Project purpose | Organising and finishing existing archival material |
| Confirmed public release date | None currently confirmed |
The project is not being presented as a new Van Halen lineup or as an attempt to recreate Eddie’s playing with another guitarist.
Lukather has indicated that Eddie’s original guitar performances remain on the recordings and that he is not replacing Eddie’s playing with his own.
Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony were not invited to participate
The archival project has already caused frustration for Hagar.
During a February appearance on Rock of Nations, Hagar was asked whether he and former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony had been invited to participate in Alex’s project.
Hagar answered:
“No. We haven’t been asked, number one.”
He explained that Van Halen had accumulated a substantial amount of unreleased material during its recording sessions and suggested there could be significant music from the periods when he and Anthony were members.
Hagar made clear that he was disappointed by the possibility of being excluded.
He said:
“I’m disappointed that Mike and I wouldn’t be invited. It’s, like, what? Are you kidding me? We’re still alive. We’re out here doing it. We’re playing those songs. We can still do it, you know?”
Hagar nevertheless acknowledged that the project was ultimately Alex’s decision to make.
The issue is particularly significant because Hagar and Anthony were both members of the Van Halen lineup that recorded four consecutive No. 1 albums during Hagar’s tenure.
Steve Lukather explains what he is — and isn’t — doing
Lukather’s involvement has offered further insight into Alex’s approach to the unreleased recordings.
The Toto guitarist has said the project is not intended to create a new Van Halen lineup or substitute new performances for Eddie’s original playing.
Instead, the focus is on preserving and presenting material that already exists.
Lukather has indicated that Eddie’s guitar performances remain on the recordings and that he is not replacing Eddie’s playing with his own.
That distinction matters because speculation surrounding a potential new Van Halen album has naturally raised questions about whether the project could become a posthumous attempt to recreate the band’s sound.
So far, the people involved have presented it as an archival project centred on existing work by Eddie and Alex.
Hagar remains closely connected to Van Halen’s music
Despite his continuing friction with Alex, Hagar remains closely associated with the music he made during his decade with Van Halen.
He continues to perform songs from that period and has repeatedly defended the contribution he and Michael Anthony made to the band’s history.
Hagar has also continued to speak positively about Eddie, describing him as a gifted musician and a close friend despite the difficult circumstances surrounding parts of their relationship.
In recent interviews, Hagar has appeared increasingly focused on celebrating the music rather than continuing old disputes.
That makes his latest response to Alex particularly notable.
Instead of challenging Alex’s assessment or answering with another personal attack, Hagar described the public exchange itself as unnecessary and ended with:
“Peace already”
No reconciliation between Alex Van Halen and Sammy Hagar has been confirmed
For now, there is no indication that Alex and Hagar have repaired their relationship.
The latest comments suggest that the divide between them remains deep, even though Hagar has previously said he would like to become friends with Alex again.
Alex’s decision to end Brothers in 1984, his continued emphasis on the original Van Halen lineup and his latest criticism of Hagar all point to a fundamentally different interpretation of the band’s history.
Hagar, meanwhile, continues to regard his years with Van Halen as an important part of Eddie’s legacy and has expressed frustration when that period is overlooked.
The latest exchange is therefore about more than a single insult. It represents another chapter in a decades-long disagreement involving friendship, music, authorship, memory and the legacy of one of rock’s most influential bands.
For the moment, Hagar appears to be the one asking for the argument to end. Whether Alex shares that desire remains unclear.
Conclusion
Alex Van Halen’s latest comments have brought his long-running tension with Sammy Hagar back into public view, while Hagar’s response has taken a notably different direction. His “Peace already” message follows earlier attempts to resolve their personal differences without necessarily returning to a working musical relationship.
At the same time, disagreements over Brothers, Hagar’s decade in Van Halen, Red: My Uncensored Life in Rock and Alex’s archival project with Steve Lukather continue to highlight how differently the two musicians view the band’s history and Eddie Van Halen’s legacy.
For now, there is no confirmed reconciliation — only Hagar’s stated desire to leave the feud behind.
Source disclaimer
This article has been prepared based on thorough research of the sources provided below. It reflects the information, interviews, statements and reports available through those sources and does not imply independent verification beyond what the supplied material supports. Quotations attributed to Alex Van Halen, Sammy Hagar and other musicians are reproduced as provided in the source material; translations from Portuguese have been identified as such where applicable. Statements expressing personal opinions or recollections have not been presented as independently established facts.
Sources
- Roadie Crew (via Blabbermouth translation) — original interview with Alex Van Halen and Marcelo Vieira, issue 293
- Guitar Player — Sammy Hagar responds to Alex Van Halen: “Peace already”
- Blabbermouth — Sammy Hagar responds to Alex Van Halen’s “idiot” remark
- Guitar.com — Sammy Hagar says making peace with Alex Van Halen is on his “bucket list”
- VHND — Sammy Hagar discusses reconciliation with Alex Van Halen
- Guitar Player — Steve Lukather details the unreleased Van Halen recordings
- Guitar.com — Steve Lukather’s role in the unreleased Van Halen project
- Ultimate Classic Rock — Sammy Hagar on being excluded from Alex Van Halen’s archival project
- Sonic Perspectives — Alex Van Halen explains why Brothers ends in 1984
Featured Image Credit: Craig ONeal / Creative Commons Attribution 2.0
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