Band might have been more interesting if they had been an instrumentally-oriented ensemble, a "Ventures" of Hair Metal, if you will.
While Sammy Hagar certainly brought his own style and flair (I met him one time while I waitressed at the Hard Rock Casino in Biloxi years ago, and he was a complete gentleman), I have to say that Roth's voice is so uniquely central to the Van Halen sound for me. So yes, it has to be Roth (not that I dislike Hagar).lets see it..
I like both major iterations of Van Halen - Roth era and Hagar era - equally for different reasons. Also, I'm not entirely ashamed to admit I bought Van Halen III (Gary Cherone's one and only album as front man) on release day.
Sammy who?
David "Weave" Roth
Well, Roth wasn't necessary a musician as much as an entertainer. And his vocals blended perfectly with that band. It just worked. As far as guitarists go, I recall Eddie was pretty good. Dave didn't really need to play. Just sayin.