Sammy Hagar Reveals Rarely-Known Plans With Eddie Van Halen: “We Were Talking About Touring With Van Halen In 2022”

In a new interview with Paul Rudy, former Van Halen singer Sammy Hagar once again paid his tribute to the late musician Eddie Van Halen and revealed what they planned for 2022 if Eddie was still alive.

Sammy Hagar is The Red Rocker of the rock community. His Van Halen career includes two stints. At first, the musician performed as a member of them from 1985 to 1996, replacing the original singer David Lee Roth. In 2003, he rejoined Van Halen and rocked until 2005. Throughout his musical career with Van Halen, he released four studio albums.

Hagar was one of those close friends of the Van Halen founder Eddie Van Halen. Even though Eddie had passed away in October 2020, his legacy still lives thanks to Eddie‘s close friends and family, including his close friend Sammy Hagar, his band Van Halen, his son Wolfgang Van Halen, and fans.

After Eddie died, the whole rock world was saddened deeply. Sammy Hagar, who mentions his late friend and pays his tribute to him every time he talks about Van Halen, was one of those musicians who was devastated. But thanks to their friendship, Eddie is still alive in his memories.

However, recently, Sammy Hagar detailed how he mended his relationship with the late guitar mastermind Eddie Van Halen. Saying that Eddie and he talked about writing music again, Sammy Hagar shocked people admitting that they were talking about touring with Van Halen in 2022.

“The whole year, of 2020, in the early parts, around January, Eddie and I connected and we started talking again,” Sammy says. “We were talking about writing music again. We were talking about going out and touring with the whole gang one time for the big time in ’22; that was the plan. Of course we wouldn’t wanna announce anything like that.

“But I think Wolfie [Eddie’s son Wolfgang Van Halen] said it in some interviews how everybody was planning on doing that, and it would have been the greatest thing that ever happened to Van Halen. Unfortunately, Eddie didn’t make it.”

Sammy Hagar Claims No One Realized How Sick Eddie Was

Sammy Hagar then touched on Eddie Van Halen‘s illness. At first, The Red Rocker claimed that no one realized how sick Eddie was. Later, he recalled his phone call with Eddie and revealed that Eddie told him that he was in the hospital and felt very sick. Concluding, Sammy praised his late friend and said he was made out of something special.

“I don’t think anyone realized how sick he was,” Sammy claims. “And then when I started talking to him, I would send him a call and he wouldn’t answer. I would send him a text and say, ‘Word man…’ — I used to call him ‘Word Man — ‘Word man, where are you, man? I’m trying to get a hold of you. You’re making me nervous.’

“And about a day later, he’d get back [to me] and say, ‘Dude, I was in the hospital.’ I’d say, ‘Oh, god.’ It was funny. ‘Dude, I’m in the hospital. Give me some slack.’

“But I’ll tell you what: that guy was made out of something special, man. That Dutch blood or whatever it is, he hung in there a long time.

“He’s had cancer and hip surgery and all these things for years; I guess he’d battled it almost 20 years.”

Back in May 2021, Sammy Hagar had commented on Eddie Van Halen’s ego. According to Hagar, Eddie was a sweetheart and so humble. He also said that Eddie was the greatest of all time.

“It was on that show – Boston was the headliner, Black Sabbath was second, Pat Benatar, Van Halen, and me opening,” Sammy told 95.5 KLOS. “It was at the Anaheim Stadium.

“After my show, I was sick as a dog, and I was lying in my room, completely exhausted, just sweating from the heat – I had a fever.

“And Eddie comes running in, ‘Oh, man! The first Montrose record… Let me shake your hand!’

“The funniest thing is – he is in my trailer, I’m lying, saying, ‘Thanks, man,’ and I was already digging that band, I loved Eddie Van Halen as a guitar player and the sound of those records.

“And he goes to the door and yells, ‘Dave!’ And Dave was walking by, ‘Hey, Dave, Sammy Hagar is here!’ If I was feeling better, I would have jumped up, ‘Let’s get it on!’

“It was so funny. Eddie was a sweetheart, he was so humble, and for a guy who plays the guitar like that! He wasn’t one of those guitar players with giant egos, he was the most humble musician I’ve ever met.

“Every time I met Eddie, he was just sweet and humble, he acted like you meant so much to him. ‘Dude, stop, you are embarrassing me! You are the GOAT – the greatest of all time! Don’t be kissing my butt!’”