Photo Credit: Neil Zlozower
A never-published interview with Diamond David Lee Roth has arrived courtesy of the Tapes Archive! At the time of this interview in December 1984, Roth was just months away from being out of Van Halen. In the interview, Roth talks about the future of Van Halen, his need for attention, whether he’s a bad role model, and what he wants on his tombstone. And the legendary rocker even busts into an impromptu freestyle rap!
In the interview you can hear above, Roth talks about:
- How to transcend a mentor
- The rumors about Eddie Van Halen wanting to leave the band
- Was it an ego blow with Van Halen’s album 1984 not hitting #1 on the charts
- Playing Black Sabbath music while watching a football game
- Was having a pop hit with “Jump” harmful to the band?
- About his love life and what his type is
- Who is the real David Lee Roth
- How Roth is a bit of a loner, and his need for attention
- How he’s critical of other bands
- Roth does a freestyle rap. (Not kidding, not A.I.)
- His first and other jobs as a teenager
- Who manages his money
- Where his next adventure will be
- How does he defend the criticism that he’s a bad role model
- What’s next for Van Halen
- What’s the Van Halen groupie scene like
- The Hot For Teacher video
- The auditions for his music videos
- What would he want on his tombstone
- Answering machines
- What he wants back
- A scene he likes from the movie Cotton Club
- His Harley Davidson
- What type of car he drives
- His height and weight
- The movie Amadeus
- He was just offered a low-budget film
- Who’s going to remember him in 500 years