Regrets. She’s had a few. Not being lead singer of Van Halen is one of them.
Patty Smyth has enjoyed a successful career as both the singer of Scandal (“The Warrior”, “Goodbye To You”) and later as a solo artist (“Sometimes Love Just Ain’t Enough”) but she could have added another major accomplishment to that list.
Back in 1985 Eddie Van Halen and wife Valerie Bertinelli were friends with Smyth. Eddie offered her the job as lead singer of Van Halen after the departure of David Lee Roth. She turned it down.
In a recent interview with Stereogum, Smyth talked about the regrets she had over the decision.
“I regretted turning him down. For a long time I regretted it,” said Smyth. “When you start to have regrets, I was like, ‘Oh man I would’ve made so much money.’”
Smyth said there were two reasons as to why she turned down the opportunity – lifestyle and location.
“They were heavy drinkers. I don’t drink,” Smyth explained. “I [also] never saw myself living in LA. I was like, ‘I’m from New York, we don’t move to LA.’”
Not that she wouldn’t have minded recording at least one album with Eddie, Alex Van Halen and Michael Anthony.
“It’s all semantics because if [Eddie] had said to me, ‘Let’s make a record,’ then I would have said yes to that,” she continued. “But joining the band — to me then, ‘Oh god, they fight all the time, him and his brother, and I don’t want to get into a volatile situation.’ And I was probably heavily hormoned out because I was eight months pregnant, so there was a state of mind that I was in of how I need to take care of myself.”
Smyth added: “Who the heck knows what would’ve happened if I joined Van Halen?”
You’re not the only one who wonders Patty.
Embed from Getty ImagesPatty Smyth and husband John McEnroe with Eddie and Janie Van Halen at the secret Van Halen gig at Cafe Wha? on January 5, 2012 in New York City. Van Halen announced their 2012 North American tour and the February 7, 2012 release of their album “A Different Kind of Truth.”
Patty Smyth has a new, upcoming album entitled ‘It’s About Time.’ Listen and watch her music video for “Drive” here.
So, Van Halen fans. What do you think would have happened if Patty Smyth ended up joining the band in 1985? Join the discussion below our through the Van Halen News Desk Facebook page.
You can read Smyth’s entire interview with Stereogum’s Rachel Brodsky HERE.