Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
In early 1985, Sammy Hagar took a surprising shot at David Lee Roth—months before Roth left Van Halen and before anyone knew Sammy would replace him.
In this episode, we examine a fascinating Hit Parader interview published during that brief period when Sammy was enjoying the greatest success of his solo career but was also considering walking away from music altogether. We’ll look at the making of VOA, Sammy’s experimental HSAS project with Neal Schon, the business ventures that made him financially independent, and the African trip that helped inspire some of his music.
We’ll also explore Sammy’s reputation for outrageous honesty, his thoughts on capturing the energy of his live performances, and the strangely prophetic insult he aimed at the man whose job he would soon inherit.
Plus, Robert shares stories involving Ronnie James Dio, Paul McCartney, Robert De Niro—and the surprising difference between a rock star’s actual height and the way we imagine them.
VIDEO OVERVIEW OF THE AUDIOMOVER TRIP TO THAILAND - youtu.be/AxKwyHL-Z3s
How did you feel about Sammy Hagar’s solo career during this period? And did you ever expect him to become the next singer of Van Halen?
CHAPTERS
00:00 Sammy Hagar Attacks David Lee Roth
00:35 Sammy Hagar Rock Trivia Challenge
01:38 Join Us in Thailand and Cambodia
02:00 Sammy’s Career Just Before Van Halen
02:56 “Revenge of the Red Rocker”
03:18 How Tall Was Sammy Hagar?
03:36 Ronnie James Dio’s Seven-Foot Voice
04:53 Sammy Buys Dio’s Car
05:40 Meeting Paul McCartney
06:49 “I’m Honest, Not Outrageous”
07:46 Sammy’s Rise to Solo Stardom
09:38 The Story of HSAS
12:02 How Through the Fire Was Recorded
13:49 Sammy Builds a Life Outside Music
14:44 Capturing Sammy’s Live Energy on VOA
15:32 The Ted Templeman–Van Halen Connection
17:02 Learning to Perform for Arena Crowds
17:15 Sammy’s Life-Changing African Trip
18:25 The Birth of “I Can’t Drive 55”
19:29 Sammy Hagar Meets Robert De Niro
19:52 Sammy Finally Says Something Outrageous
20:13 The David Lee Roth Insult
20:28 Why the Timing Was So Remarkable
21:35 Rock Trivia Answers
23:28 Thailand and Cambodia Trip Details
In early 1985, Sammy Hagar took a surprising shot at David Lee Roth—months before Roth left Van Halen and before anyone knew Sammy would replace him.
In this episode, we examine a fascinating Hit Parader interview published during that brief period when Sammy was enjoying the greatest success of his solo career but was also considering walking away from music altogether. We’ll look at the making of VOA, Sammy’s experimental HSAS project with Neal Schon, the business ventures that made him financially independent, and the African trip that helped inspire some of his music.
We’ll also explore Sammy’s reputation for outrageous honesty, his thoughts on capturing the energy of his live performances, and the strangely prophetic insult he aimed at the man whose job he would soon inherit.
Plus, Robert shares stories involving Ronnie James Dio, Paul McCartney, Robert De Niro—and the surprising difference between a rock star’s actual height and the way we imagine them.
VIDEO OVERVIEW OF THE AUDIOMOVER TRIP TO THAILAND - youtu.be/AxKwyHL-Z3s
How did you feel about Sammy Hagar’s solo career during this period? And did you ever expect him to become the next singer of Van Halen?
CHAPTERS
00:00 Sammy Hagar Attacks David Lee Roth
00:35 Sammy Hagar Rock Trivia Challenge
01:38 Join Us in Thailand and Cambodia
02:00 Sammy’s Career Just Before Van Halen
02:56 “Revenge of the Red Rocker”
03:18 How Tall Was Sammy Hagar?
03:36 Ronnie James Dio’s Seven-Foot Voice
04:53 Sammy Buys Dio’s Car
05:40 Meeting Paul McCartney
06:49 “I’m Honest, Not Outrageous”
07:46 Sammy’s Rise to Solo Stardom
09:38 The Story of HSAS
12:02 How Through the Fire Was Recorded
13:49 Sammy Builds a Life Outside Music
14:44 Capturing Sammy’s Live Energy on VOA
15:32 The Ted Templeman–Van Halen Connection
17:02 Learning to Perform for Arena Crowds
17:15 Sammy’s Life-Changing African Trip
18:25 The Birth of “I Can’t Drive 55”
19:29 Sammy Hagar Meets Robert De Niro
19:52 Sammy Finally Says Something Outrageous
20:13 The David Lee Roth Insult
20:28 Why the Timing Was So Remarkable
21:35 Rock Trivia Answers
23:28 Thailand and Cambodia Trip Details
