Saw Roth on joe Rogan a few months ago (or years). Something wrong with him. Very intelligent but off. Was he a drug addict years ago or is he suffering from some neurological disorder?
Hes unique, and always has been. Im biased because they were GODS when I was eight years old in 1984, but I think hes a really smart guy, and I love the way he is. Sammy had a great rock voice, and Van Halen was excellent with him im in it, but there was NOTHING like Van Halen with David Lee Roth as the singer. Best Rock band in the world in those years.
@@BoslagerBBQ History and reality will disagree with you. Sam was a businessman first and just wore the label of an artist. Roth was the real dedicated artist. He lived it and breathed it. He was married to the seas. The process of being an artist and carrying out a vision. That's why the spirit of VH songs is so much brighter than the corporatized Van Hagar.
@@jeffswank9018 This is rock n' roll music. It's not reading a book. You want something to make literal sense to you go read an essay. Rock n' roll is a spirit. Stay in your lane.
@@hinjurock Thank you for saying that. I was about to mention there have been far too many geniuses who were almost, or were completely, insane. Just like it's always amazed me how some actors just seem like they're always walking this very thin line between regular non-show business people, and psychotic/psychopaths. Jack Nicholson leaps immediately to mind, for one example. If anyone else did some of the psychotic stuff he's done in many of the roles he's played in his movies? They'd get hauled off to the psychiatric ward. (Or, what some call the violent ward.) Jack? Gets paid for it. David Lee Roth has occasionally seemed like the Jack Nicholson of rock to me. Always quite literally dancing right on the edge of the precipice, between sheer brilliance, and sheer insanity. But truthfully? No one entertains Dave more than Dave does. As others here have pointed out. (Speaking of Jack Nicholson: I found this tidbit of information on Jack interesting: Was watching an interview with Rob Reiner not too long ago, and the interviewer asked Rob what it was like directing Jack Nicholson. And Rob basically said he almost didn't need to direct Jack, because Jack always just knew where he needed to be. And always had his lines down cold. But the thing I found most fascinating was that Rob said Jack was always there for all of the scenes he was in, especially those tense courtroom scenes in "A Few Good Men" where he was being combative with costar Tom Cruise and so forth? Even when Jack wasn't on camera. Usually, on the shots where Rob's camera was focused on the other actors? They'd have someone sit off-camera and read the other actor's lines for them, so the actors on-camera could have someone to act against. In the case of Jack Nicholson in "A Few Good Men"? Jack told Rob he wanted to just play his role off-camera, too, so the other actors would have him to play off. And Rob said that that's very unusual, but Jack basically said "Would you mind if I just stayed in my seat and played my character?" I love acting and I don't get to do as much of it as I'd like." And Rob said Jack played the role of the colonel exactly as you see him when he's on screen, even when the camera was on the other actors. And he played the part with *EXACTLY* the same intensity, even off-camera, when he wasn't on-screen. Say this much for Jack: He's definitely an actor deeply dedicated to his craft.) I feel Dave is sometimes very deeply dedicated to the craft of being a rock star, but I really wonder if you could ever just sit down with Dave somewhere and just have a real conversation, that wasn't just him spouting all these ideas and thoughts/quotes that often just seem like they're all scripted. Or, as more than one former band mate has said of him, it's like Dave swallowed the complete book of Bartlett's Famous Quotations, and that's all he really knows to say. Just in this clip alone, if you watch Joe try to engage Dave in an actual conversation, it seemed, to me at least, more like Dave was just waiting for Joe to stop talking so he could interject some funny story or a smart-ass comment. Maybe related to what Joe was saying. Or not. Usually? Not. But he does just seem like he's always "on." I wonder if Dave ever has any relaxed quiet time, just chilling out somewhere all by himself. Because, if not? Eventually he's going to just wind up completely exhausted, constantly being *ON* all the time. I would think. It doesn't seem like he ever just gets to "take off" the whole "David Lee Roth--ROCK STAR!" personae. I'd get tired of that whole being on all the time thing myself. I enjoy my down time. (But then I'm not trying to be a rock star, either.)
Can't be done. As a child growing up in the 80s I can't tell you how many bathrooms I remember my dad taking me to when I was small and turning around and walking right out after seeing a group of fellas at the sink cutting up some lines.
DLR was the best frontman in rock for a few years...bar none. And I've seen them all LIVE with the exception of Jim Morrison. Sammy was a cool dude (met him once at my record store in 1978 in Fort Worth) whose best work was his first band Montrose. Van Hagar was OK musically but LIVE? I had already seen VH in 1978 twice and 1980 and Montrose in 1973 and BOTH were better......
@@steveludwig4200 Van Hagar was much better live then Roth. Roth was exhausting with all the talking in-between songs. Granted I saw him at the end of Van Halen, maybe thats why they broke up. Just imagine this interview, Roth talking after every song, explaining every song, freaking exhausting. It was the David Lee Roth show, everyone else was backup. With Sammy, him and Eddie jammed together, looked like they were having fun.
@@mustangjim1jim210 I saw Van Halen 3 times (Apr 1978 first tour w/Ronnie Montrose/Journey (Dead center front row @ Will Rogers Auditorium in Fort Worth), Summer 78 @ Texas Jam-Cotton Bowl and Nov. 78 in Dallas opening for Black Sabbath) all kickass shows with no DLR nonsense). Saw Sammy with Montrose (first tour 1973 with Jo Jo Gunne//Black Oak Arkansas in Dallas) and three or four times solo between 1976 and 1979 (one was a FREE show in Fort Worth). All great shows.
Yeah man, it's kinda, about the songs too. I can't think of one song with Hagar, that's like. . . . . . . .Beautiful Girls as one example. Then we could go deep, as some people might put it with, Dirty Movies or Hear About it Later. These things seemingly didn't happen with Hagar. Just an opinion.
David lee Roth is the crazy uncle every one wanted growing up. Wise, insightful, fun, arrogance, he’s everything rolled into one. My favourite frontman of all time
David Lee Roth has the same problem now that he's always had... he just can't shut his big fat mouth for more than 2 seconds. He's a legend in his own mind. Enough said! 👨🏻🎤🎸🎼 - Max Giganteum
i was visiting a friend in La Canada, near Pasadena, when i saw David while i was standing outside the LA airport after landing from Houston, i recognized him and noticed his jacket with a kick boxer emblem on the back, and knew it was him, i asked him for an autograph and he stopped right away and obliged, and was very friendly......i was a 24 yr old from Toronto, he at the time was 29......it's so odd to see him here at 69 yrs old....time flies by so fast
Dave was always the best PR man for the band . He did do a better job than Sam . The band's concerts were better with Dave too . And the band didn't have all that digital equipment for keyboards and sequencers . Just watch their US Festival and compare it to Live Without A NET . A Van Halen concert with Sam is a concert . A Van Halen concert with Dave is a party.
DLR is a showman, and fronted my favorite band of all time(even when he wasn't in the band anymore). My take, for what it's worth(probably nothing), is that I feel David Lee Roth is a character being played by David Lee Roth, and he has been playing him so long, he has become that character. He never turns it off. He is exhausting to listen to.
He's like that person that is telling a story that you know in theory, is supposed to be funny, but the story has gone on so long you can no longer follow it and are just trying to make sure to politely laugh at the right time. In his case, it's almost as if every sentence he thinks he's saying something deeply profound and then he looks at you in a way that he is expecting a mind-blown reaction on your face. If you think he's exhausting to listen to, it's probably 10x worse if he were actually talking to you.
He is a strange guy but extremely intelligent at the same time. When you get to that level, whether it is a successful rock band or sports, .. those guys are just at a different level mentally.
Definitely. Van Halen doesn't get started without Dave ( at least not as famous)'cause late 70's early eighties definitely a turning point for hard rock
@@lynnclary845 He was great in the studio, but his live vocals sucked, ( opinions of many in the know) singing half the lyrics was common & those he sang was out of tune 70% of the time..I like to see bands live as most people do, though people expect for it to sound somewhat of the recording & just not singing lyrics is just damn lazy, at least Sammy live sounded great !! Rogan later said he was uncomfortable in that interview, you could tell Joe was fake laughing when Roth was laughing at his damn self
@@stevenbender66 lol I love early VH, but as an interview I couldn't agree more. Who in the hell could spend more than 30 seconds with this guy? It's awkward and exhausting.
Never knew Roth was so analytical with music. He seems absolutely insane, but his musical knowledge is very impressive. Van Halen with him as lead singer was an absolutely monster band.
@@scarlette536 I just don’t know if you could keep up-he is like an 8 year old with ADD. While Joe is digesting one point, DLR is 4 comments down the road.
I know one thing. Dave made the late 70's and 80's a LOT of fun with his insane "over the top" personality. They say the line between sanity and insanity is a razor's edge, and Dave has been dancing on it his entire life.
@@danielswann3319 Love me some Sammy, he's one of the greatest rockers out there no doubt. I'm glad he was there to step in and take Dave's place even though I'm not a big fan of great bands splitting up and replacing their lead singer that was such a huge part of what made them so great. I remember hearing the news back then that Dave was out of the band and I remember most folks were happy Sammy was the replacement because he was already well known, loved and respected. Had it been anyone else, I doubt things would've worked out as well as they did.
This man, David Lee Roth, is an Artist I mean on canvas. He is also a great vocalist, and gymnast 🤸♀️. Just so theatrical, and a very happy fellow. He cracks himself up, every time. I also love Toto, Africa is one of my favorites.
he is so smart and the positive way he talks about Rock and Roll from OUR era gives me a warm feeling. He gets it. This music is our soundtrack. I'm 55. RIP Eddy
David Lee is one of those guys who if you met in Cabo in a five-star hotel. He would be super cool to hang out with. His conversations always remind me of someone who just loves to have a good time, and talk about the reality behind certain bands, while listening to your point of view as a fan of rock music. Sammy is just one of those guys you could chill with, have a few drinks, and listen to some great behind-the-scenes stories from back in the day
It's so weird. He seems like he's aimlessly rambling at such a speed that he can't have a real point, but somehow does nearly every time. He's a free form jazz interview, but firmly rooted in theory.
kitoyobeni1 you're forgetting Dave has the best stage rap,of any frontman in history, which is to say he expertly makes a very small point in an entertainingly roundabout way.
@@j_freed Sure, but he was often so drunk live that those raps would be incoherent. Not so on the reunion tours, but he's kinda morphed into Steve Martin somehow.
I totally get his point about toto. They were absolutely stellar musicians, but they were also mostly faceless studio musicians (granted, the best of the best) who formed a super group. Most people are studio musicians for the very reason that they don't have the "it" factor that makes a star, a star. Even if they are extremely talented.
Oh the irony... TOTO is still going in 2023 whereas DLR is dead in the water and has been since about 1990. True talent lasts. All flash and no substance doesn't. - Max Giganteum
He also is very kind and treads lightly on people's feelings about Van Halen, while also sticking up for the man who replaced him. That takes some confidence and self-worth, and a lot of frontmen who revel in hearing that stuff and bask in the narcissistic supply, but Dave speaks well of Hagar and says they're different people, and doesn't judge. I'm surprised and rather impressed. He's a better guy than I thought he might be.
@@le_th_ Yeah, you can really hear that in the revealing tone of his voice how he gives it up for others. And when it comes to the point of putting in for himself he pauses letting that pass. So he's genuinely humble, something we all need in today's world. Hats off to Dave.
@@JoeGator23 You really could feel his intensity, I have to admit it was palpable. I remember Dave going out on his own after he left VH, doing his solo projects, so he didn't exactly leave the rock'n'roll lifestyle behind. Of course, I suppose you could mean that leaving VH got him out of an environment that was surrounding him with enablers and/or addicts that were encouraging/facilitating his drug use?
@@le_th_ I think it humbled him, maybe enough to realize what was going on and that he was replaceable. Nobody can run at those speeds forever and getting the boot probably saved him from the typical rock star demise. He had his time at the top of the world and lived to tell about it. Many others never made it out... ie Cobain, Layne Staley, Bon Scott, Jimi, Janice, etc. Lucky he made it considering he ran full-throttle 24/7. He never would have quit.
As incoherent as he sounds sometimes, Roth hit the nail on the head. The original era of VH was all about gettin with babes, bangin' hos, and partying. When Sammy came in, all the lyrics were about true love and believing in yourself or whatever, lol. It was a very different vibe.
Dave is a legend in his own mind. When he’s 90, and the male orderly is changing his poopy diaper, he’ll launch into “...boze-de-boze-de-bop, se-de-bop... Humala bebuhla zeebuhla boobuhla, Humala bebuhla zeebuhla bop!”
Joe hit the nail on the head with kids in school drawing the VH logo on their book covers. That stopped when Hagar joined the band. It was just a different vibe. They went from a party band that could seriously play to a pop band that wanted to appeal to the Journey crowd.
Your so wrong. Sammy Hager started early in the early 70's with Montrose. Just listen to Bad Motor Scooter, Space Station # 5. etc.They ain't no pop songs. Sammy trained his voice for longevity. The last tour Van Halen did dave had no voice. F.U.C.K. was their best recording, and they said so. All of sammy's records went multi platinum. How did dave's last record do ?
Diamond Dave is the absolute king of one liners. The DLR version of VH is my fave all time band! And I feel that "Dancing the night away" captures the VH sound perfectly. And as Dave has said, if you listen to a VH song for at least 3 minute, you'll feel 30 years younger & invincible!
I’ve seen almost every band I’ve ever wanted to, except for Van Halen with DLR. Love him or hate him, you know he could still bring the heat….now with the passing of Eddie, I’ll never get that chance and I’m really bummed
@@Mysterywhiteboy78 Exactly, it annoys me people always say he's 'coked up'. He's not, he's been hyperactive since he was a kid, it's just the way he is.
Van halen aint van halen without david lee roth literally every amazing hit they had david sang. Jump, aint talk bout love, hot for teacher, the cover of really got me now, jamies crying running with the devil and the list goes on.
Rogan said exactly what I was thinking. When Dave left VH and Sammy came on it was good but it was so different that my friends and I just moved on. We were obsessed with trying to stay connected with Dave so we tried to enjoy and value his solo career as much as original VH but that was difficult as well. Original VH with Dave, Eddie and Michael was and still is something un replicable.
This vid is hilarious because normally Joe has to coax his interviewees out a bit and kinda keep everything on track a bit but it's like Joe's just along for the ride here and it's Roth's podcast haha.
Gotta admit, when I would hear Roth in these kinds of interviews back in the 80's I felt like he personified Rock and Roll. It was as if he had done and seen things we had not and was actually one step ahead. He is crazy AF but this took me back.
Dave had the spark and the howling voice that made Van Halen. But Sammy is an amazingly talented great musician. Both great guys who deserve great recognition for there work.
Like both versions of VH. Dave would be hard to spend a lot of time around. Sammy just comes across being more honest and what you see is what you get.
Laughter is often used as communication, and not necessarily a result of humor. There could be many reasons for DLR to be laughing so much, not necessarily that he finds himself amusing. In fact, it could be the opposite.
Dave had a fraction of Sammy’s vocal talent but I gotta say he was a great frontman. No one ever accused jagger of having a great voice but we can’t imagine the stones without him
@@clutch7548 true. Lennon was double tracked by George Martin for years to give him a thick powerful vocal and McCartney had a clearer slightly better voice but untrained. The Hollie’s actually had better vocals
@@99Maddux more polished music for sure but Hager sang circles around Roth. And he was a great guitar player to boot. Roth was an entertainer like jagger with about the same lack of vocals.
I was tending bar at the Hilton in Mobile when Van Halen played the auditorium. Van Halen and their roadies stayed at the Hilton. The roadies were in the lobby with remote control cars chasing people. David Lee came in the lounge and sat at the bar and he was amazing, so funny and treated everybody like they were a friend and this was at the height of his fame. He blessed us with an unforgettable memory. He drank Jack and Coke.
What's that like? Is it like he's just a popular, gregarious guy at a bar for the night? Or was it a full blown bum-rush swarm screaming to get a peek at him through the crack between the neck of the 2 guys in front of you?
When I was kid the band was staying at our hotel in Biloxi before Biloxi was big. It was around 1981 or 82? and I didn't know the band, not yet. Nothing but bikini chicks and bikers around the pool. I was talking to a guy along with my brother. He told us about the band in brief. 2 limos pulled up and he.got in with Eddie and Alex. David got in.his.own limo. Not long after we got home they appeared on MTV and we recognized we were talking to Michael Anthony.
Lived close by his Hermosa Beach digs in the early 80s, he was accessible, us locals used to talk to him like one of the guys, I couldn't believe the way he acted on stage, we weren't friends, but I knew him well, I saw him skating on the Strand every day and used to offer first aid when he got hurt, which was a lot.
i am shamed that i ever even kinda liked any of the van hagar stuff. only album that i ever bought from that era was 5150, and somewhere in the last 20 years i listened to it. ONCE.
I didn’t bought any VH album. Well, not by the time I started listening VH when I was 13, 13 years ago. It was always RU-vid, the app for downloading music was ares. Since I started working I could pay Apple Music with no problem. I have bought some actual cds and those new vynils. They always looked cool to me, even when I was a teenager.
I get it guys, Dave is a trip and way past his prime. But man, when he was in his prime he was the opitamy of the rockstar front man. He had a great voice. Not a singing voice but sounds great on mic. He was spot on about the differences between the two Van Halens...
@SuperPunch76 yeah, I saw that too (I can spell quite well myself) but then I criticised myself for being so judgemental. At least he was able to get his point across. More to the point, it this was a show about arithmetic ... I’d be hopeless.
Roth is simply one of the greatest PERFORMERS of our time. YOU cannot take a single thing away from the man, True showmanship. He even succeeded with his own band and it was killer. But Van Halen carried on and was still Wildly successful as that's where music went
… Say what you want about Dave, but he always has something interesting to say, and most interesting person in the room. In my opinion he’s earned his artistic license. Those unfamiliar with him in his peak, check out their live performance in Canada from their 1984 tour. Next level.
Shaun Haddock After watching that little interview of Roth he is Nuttier than I thought. For someone who was in 1 of the Greatest Rock Bands ever and NOT know about the Great Rock Bands like Toto & Journey other than the Lame Rotation of Rock Radio Hits like “Rosanna” & “Don’t Stop Believing”... Does Steve Lukather or Neal Schon ring a bell? Just as Talented as Eddie in my opinion based on Body Of Work Fucking Clueless, no wonder Eddie booted him out the 1st Time. Ignorance is Bliss
DLR is one of the more important figures in rock history. Forget how he looks now and understand that Van Halen launched almost 50 years ago. What do you expect someone to look like at age 70? The music in their early years will resonate with me forever. Songs to listen to in the DLR catalog that might be off your radar: On Fire, Hear about it later, Women in Love, Secrets.
That's 100% correct. I remember back when he was with Van Halen and they were promoting their latest tour on all the radio stations. I happened to catch two distinct interviews on the same day and remember him giving the same rambling answer to completely different questions. What had originally sounded like a rambling delivery of a personal anecdote in the first interview I realized Jesus dude, you're just saying what you want to say when there's dead air space without giving a fuck as to what the guy asked you.
Dario Impini He has conjured thoughts and stories ready to fit (or not fit) any moment but remember, he’s human ... we all have our quirks, faults and idiosyncrasies. He will always be the lead singer of an iconic California band to the level of The Beach Boys in terms of notoriety . Brian Wilson’s personality is just as whacky ! Ha
@@zoomonkeydotcom2005 I said my previous comment with all affection and respect for the man. The first time I saw a video of one of their performances, I think in something like 1983 my jaw was on the floor. I'd NEVER seen anything like that before. Because there NEVER was anything like that before. It was a fucking spectacle. And that guy was a warlock. I'm just stating an observation; as you mention we all have our quirks.
John Adams I’d say 1991, Little Ain’t Enough was the last album Roth had full vocal range, after that he started losing it. Sammy is an anomaly, he’s like 72 and he’s still sounds great, maybe it’s the tequila.
John Adams the song Little Aint Enough was a hit but yeah, by 91’ MTV was on to grunge, Van Halen’s F.U.C.K. was a big album in 91, and they also had hits off Balance in 95’, the really great bands where still able to do well in the 90s, I always wondered if the break up with Sammy didn’t happen would they have had another hit album after Balance.
David made VH a standout rock band. Sammy made it an also ran pop band. And I don't mean because of them individually as people, but because of the influence they had on the band's music. That's what he's really saying here.
John Adams is full of shit, first off Van Halen 1 and 1984 are diamond status albums those two albums by themselves have outsold the entire Van Hagar catalog, source RIAA the Roth era albums have outsold the Hagar era 2-1, next Van Halen’s peak was 1984 it sold 5 million albums in one year from release over 10 million total, 5150 Hagars biggest album with VH 3 million in one year from release 6 million total, Van Halen’s biggest tours were also with Roth source pollster, so these Sam revisionist fans don’t have a clue Sammy was a B tier rocker like Rick Springfield before Van Halen, Hagar never had platinum album before he Joined Van Halen or after he left Van Halen source RIAA, both Roth and Hagar have 3 solo platinum albums Roth had two of those after he left Van Halen source RIAA. Early Van Halen smokes anything Hagar ever recorded.
