Van Halen better with Roth or Hagar?
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I was a big fan of Sammy when he was with Montrose and am still a big fan. He puts on one hell of a show! But I was also a big Van halen fan and when DLR left and Sammy took over I was a little skeptical about how it would work out, I just didn't see how he would fit in with the songs that VH was playing at the time. I never did really connect with " Van Hagar", it wasn't bad,but it wasn't the old VH that had kept me glued to MTV back when they were exploding onto the scene. I was glad when he finally left the band and was back on his own and eventually doing his Wabo thing and solo work and his recordings with Chickenfoot. But I have to vote for the DLR era of Van Halen as the one that I enjoyed more. But on the whole,Sammy is by far the better musician and more enduring of the 2 singers..DLR is washed up and was never anything on his own,he needed Eddie and the band much more than they needed him.
I would say both, but I can't...I voted for Roth, though, because he did more of my favorite songs of theirs.
From their 1st record through 1984, Van Halen was something special. Eddie did his best guitar work there. If I listen to those early records and then listen after 1984 it's just not the same. Call me Captain Obvious, if you will, but the Van Halen I knew and enjoyed when I was young ended when David Lee Roth left. It was his big mistake. He wanted the spot light and during the MTV era he got it. His music videos beat anything Van Halen made at the time, but Eddie Van Halen was still Van Halen. I'd argue that when Hagar came on board the song writing improved. New themes and adventures; not just girls. Roth was pretty much a one trick pony when it came to song writing with Van Halen, which was fine. I am a Hagar fan; he's got some good music out there, and he was a decent song writer, but Van Halen with Hagar just couldn't compete, musically.
S.J.
S.J.
truckrglenn
Lost
Sammy who?
Really?
truckrglenn
Lost
Sarcasm. I've always thought the he was an a-hole, even more when he joined VH and wouldn't sing any of Dave's songs.
Mitkraft
Super Member
I like them both. I see a lot of people talking about Roth being a better "showman" but to be honest, I listen to recordings WAY more than I see live show so that doesn't carry as much weight with me. Outside if VH I like Hagar way better but as part of VH they both have their place. Even those who aren't Hagar fans should at least be happy that thanks to him there is still a VH today. Of course some kermudgen will chime in and say he preferred they ceased to exist when Dave left.
Gotcha, agreed but "Badmotorscooter" and "Rock the Nation" in the Montrose days were scorchers imho.
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