So today I wanna talk a little bit about probably one of the greatest musical conundrums of our time. And that conundrum was whether Van Halen was better with David Lee Roth or Sammy Hagar.
What it's really gonna come down to is whether you prefer a great showman or a really great musician.
Let's talk.
I think there is no doubt that Alex, Eddie, and Michael were all phenomenal musicians. All three came from families with some musical background, and they all took music very seriously. We know that Alex and Eddie were literally obsessive musical perfectionists, and it showed in the kick-ass music they created. Then there's David Lee Roth. Personally, I never really cared for him. He didn't have a horrible voice, but I always found his persona to be a little cartoonish. I realize bands sometimes need a flashy frontman, and he did fit the bill. I will never argue with anybody about the music of Van Halen with David Lee Roth. It was very influential to a whole generation of folks, myself included. No matter how old I get, it's absolutely amazing to me that I can hear the beginning riff of a song and, in that moment, be catapulted back to a time in my life when something meaningful was going on for me.
I really hated David Lee Roth's solo ventures. When he did "Just a Gigolo" and "California Girls," I was not impressed. The purely commercial money-grab aspect of it bothered me A LOT. He is essential to the band's history and legacy, but in my opinion, Sammy Hagar elevated Van Halen to heights they would not have reached with David Lee Roth. I said what I said.
I have always loved Sammy Hagar, from his solo stuff to every side project he's worked on. Even when he sings the songs of the David Lee Roth era, they sound absolutely fantastic. If I could have a theme song to play when I walked into a room, it would be Dreams, hands down. I fucking love that song. I like Van Halen's music with both singers. I simply prefer the stripped-down, pure musicianship of Sammy Hagar over the strutting and microphone gymnastics of Diamond Dave.
One more thing, there are three types of chest hair in the world. Number one, a normal amount of chest hair, number two, too much chest hair, and number three, David Lee Roth, in that exact order. There's just way too much chest hair going on there, and it has absolutely nothing to do with the music, but that's just my opinion; I may be wrong.
I want to stress that these are my thoughts only. We can agree to disagree. I'm still going to listen to both, but Sammy is heading up my way in June, and I will be there in all my glory to enjoy him. I hope to have a plan in place by then to have Dreams play every time I walk into a room...suggestions? Love you guys!
A few of my faves for you all to enjoy: