No one entertains a crowd like former Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth. At 70, Diamond Dave’s voice isn’t quite what it was back in the rock legend’s heyday. He can still hold a crowd’s attention with his witty and amusing tales, especially if it is at the expense of his decades-long enemy, Sammy Hagar.
David Lee Roth doesn’t hold back when it comes to the long and complicated history with Van Halen. During a recent solo show in Hampton Beach, the rock icon took a breather from singing to interact with the crowd.
David is quite the storyteller, and did have a story on Sammy Hagar and Eddie Van Halen. Well, Eddie’s ghost, that is. It was a tale that Roth couldn’t resist sharing.
Van Halen fans may recall that in 2022, Sammy Hagar shared that he had been visited by his longtime pal, and former band member, Eddie Van Halen’s ghost. So, in honor of the upcoming 5th anniversary of Eddie’s passing, it is time to bring on the ghostly encounters.
Sammy Hagar claimed that the late guitar legend Eddie Van Halen’s spirit came to him in a dream. According to Hagar, Eddie gifted him a riff that eventually inspired the song Encore, Thank You, Goodnight. According to UltimateClassicRock.com, Sammy Hagar’s story revealed his ongoing deep connection to Eddie even beyond the grave.
David Lee Roth One-Ups Sammy Hagar’s Eddie Van Halen Paranormal Experience
So recently, David Lee Roth decided it was time to one-up Hagar’s story with one of his own. Taking an obvious swipe at Sammy in the meantime. Roth told the audience in great detail that Eddie Van Halen’s ghost recently appeared to him in a hotel room while he was watching the weather report to share an alleged devious and hilarious secret.
“I said, ‘What did you do now?’ He said, ‘Dave, Dave…Dave, you know that song I gave Hagar?’ I said, ‘What now?’ He said, ‘It’s actually [Iron Butterfly’s 1968 hit] ‘In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida’ backwards. Don’t f**King tell him.’
Roth wrapped up the tale with a mix of absurd humor and rock-and-roll charm. He adds that he and Eddie Van Halen then shared a cigarette, exchanged hugs, and a few choice words. David Lee Roth has never missed a chance to poke fun at Sammy Hagar.
It’s classic Diamond Dave. A mix of mischief, mockery, and just enough chaos to keep fans laughing, and often cringing. However, fans know that when it comes to Van Halen’s legacy, Roth will always find a way to keep himself center stage, even if it means sharing the spotlight with Eddie Van Halen’s ghost.
