Sammy Hagar dropped a few reveals during a recent interview, starting with the next Van Halen album to receive the re-issue treatment. It’ll be the final album he recorded with the band – 1995’s Balance.
“It’s next. Balance is next,” Hagar said during an appearance on the Bogus Otis podcast.
Hagar didn’t give the release date or what bonus content will be included, but a question from co-host Darin Bristow got the Red Rocker’s attention. Bristow brought up Van Halen’s live pay-per-view concert at Toronto’s Molson Ampitheatre in August of 1995. The concert aired in Canada in November of ’95 with a US special airing the following month. There had been plans to release the show on home video, but Hagar’s departure from the band ended those plans.
“I didn’t know about that…so I’ll bring that [concert] up. That’s a very good idea,” said Hagar.
Hagar’s interview took place on July 31st in Toronto, just before he hit the stage for a show at the Budweiser Stage.
New Music
The other unexpected news from Hagar had to do with his current band. Fans can expect to hear new original material from the Best Of All Worlds band featuring the Red Rocker, along with bassist Michael Anthony, guitarist Joe Satriani, drummer Jason Bonham, and keyboardist Ray Thistlewaite.
“Yes. I guarantee it,” Hagar said. “I don’t know when and why because records don’t sell! [laughs]. I’ve made a couple of my best records of my life the last two solo records and they’re lucky to sell 50, 60 thousand [copies]. You go and make a record nowadays just to lose a couple hundred thousand bucks. It’s all good but, ya know, I need a tax write-off so it really helps. I go, ‘Look it. I made too many this year, let’s go make a record! [laughs]’”
Meanwhile, the Best Of All Worlds tour rolls on and Hagar is having a blast playing Van Halen songs he hasn’t played in a very long time including “Good Enough”, “Judgment Day”, “Summer Nights”, “The Seventh Seal”, and the title track to Van Halen’s 1986 album 5150.
“’5150’ is a masterpiece. It’s a rock f—-n’ musical masterpiece,” said Hagar. “It’s written as a masterpiece and we’re playin’ it as a masterpiece.”
The complete interview with Bogus Otis hosts Darin Bristow and Brent Kinnaird is below:
Watch Michael Anthony w/ the Best Of All Worlds band perform “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love” (including a Bogus Otis Show shoutout) [Toronto 7/31/24]