Former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar has said sorry to his former bandmates for the comments he’s made about them over the years.
He sang with Eddie Van Halen and co from 1985 until 1996, then again from 2003 until 2005 – and he’s been particularly incendiary about the second stint and about original vocalist David Lee Roth.
And despite apologising for all those outbursts, he insists he’s not looking for a reunion.
In the below clip from a documentary to be broadcast on the Oprah Winfrey Network, Hagar says: “The whole Van Halen issue, I really put that behind me. I’m proud of what we did.
“So I’ve decided – forgive and forget. I ain’t looking for nothing from nobody. I ain’t asking to get back in the band again. That’s work!
“I don’t want to do that. I want to be friends. I want to say I’m sorry for anything bad I’ve said about you.”
Last year Hagar dismissed claims by Roth that Van Halen had suffered a “credibility issue” during the Red Rocker’s time with them. He bit back by suggesting the band would have to confront a “quality issue” if Roth tried to sing any of his songs.
Later he branded Eddie Van Halen a liar over comments about former bassist Michael Anthony.
But in January this year Hagar and Van Halen exchanged tweets on the occasion of the guitarist’s birthday – and the singer followed that up by saying he’d accept an offer to “get some coffee” with his ex-colleagues.
OWN say the show, to be screened on August 20 (Saturday), will feature an in-depth look at Hagar’s career and his life at is right now, as he says he “never wants to take an enemy to his grave.”
Roth responded to speculation about Van Halen’s future in May by saying he expected them to record and perform again – although he couldn’t say when that might happen.
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