dpAlex Van Halen doesn’t seem interested in making amends with Sammy Hagar.
The legendary Van Halen drummer, 73, made his feelings about the band’s former frontman crystal clear during a September 3 interview with Brazilian music journalist Marcelo Vieira, who translated Alex’s memoir, Brothers, into Portuguese.
While discussing books written by other members of Van Halen, Alex had relatively positive things to say about original frontman David Lee Roth’s 1997 autobiography, Crazy From the Heat. But when the conversation turned to Hagar’s 2011 memoir, Red: My Uncensored Life in Rock, his response was harsh.
“I don’t know what he wrote, and I don’t wanna know,” Alex said, according to a translation from Portuguese published by Roadie Crew. “In my opinion, Sammy Hagar is a complete idiot.”
The blunt remark comes amid continued tension surrounding the band and its legacy.
READ MORE: ’80s Classic Rock Icon Reacts to Being Snubbed From Reunion Plans
Hagar, 78, fronted the band after Roth’s departure, joining Alex, Eddie Van Halen, and Michael Anthony for a hugely successful run that began with 1986’s 5150. However, Hagar recently revealed that he and Anthony haven’t been asked to participate in an archival project Alex is developing from unfinished Van Halen recordings.
“No. We haven’t been asked, number one,” Hagar said during a February appearance on Rock of Nations. Hagar claimed there could be an enormous amount of unreleased material featuring that lineup because the band recorded lengthy jam sessions while creating albums.
He didn’t hide his frustration over potentially being excluded, either. “I’m disappointed that Mike and I wouldn’t be invited. It’s, like, what? Are you kidding me? We’re still alive. We’re out here doing it. We’re playing those songs. We can still do it, you know?” Hagar said.
While Hagar acknowledged that the archival project is ultimately Alex’s to control, the drummer’s new comments make it clear no reunion is on the table, at least anytime soon.
This story was originally published by Parade on Sep 6, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
