Sammy Hagar and Eddie Van Halen Wanted to Write Song on Cello

Sammy Hagar said he’d once discussed writing a Van Halen song with Eddie Van Halen on the cello.

The singer said it was just a single example of how their partnership might have developed if they’d continued working together – despite what fans might have thought.

“Eddie and I wrote some great songs together, and I think the best stuff was yet to come… because Eddie was really reaching out on instruments,” Hagar told Talkin’ Rock With Meltdown (audio below).

READ MORE: Top 10 Van Halen Keyboard Songs

He continued: “Last time I talked to Eddie before he passed I said, ‘Man, what are you playing?’ He said, ‘Oh, man, I’ve really been playing a lot of cello!’ And I’m going, ‘Cello? Holy shit! Play me something, dude. I’m ready to write a song with you on cello!’”

Hagar went on to argue: “As artists, Eddie and I were really capable of doing a lot of stuff that he couldn’t do before me, because the other guy didn’t want keyboards. 

“And when I [first] walked in the room with Eddie … he showed me ‘Good Enough’ and he showed me ‘Summer Nights.’ Those are two riffs he had. And then what did he do? He went and sat down at the piano and he started playing all this stuff. And I’m going, ‘Whoa. What?’ He starts playing to riff to ‘Dreams;’ he’s sitting there playing ‘Love Walks In.’

Sammy Hagar’s Only Regret with Van Halen

“I’m going, ‘Whoa, I had no idea he was that good of a keyboard player.’ So he really wanted to expand as a musician. … And it was always held back by the record companies and the people around him. I think we would’ve broken out of that… and start doing some really crazy stuff.”

Hagar accepted that might not be good news for every supporter. “Now, all the hardcore Van Halen fans are out there saying, ‘No, no – you would’ve ruined it! We want ‘Poundcake!’’” He added: “But it’s all good, man. It’s all good.”

The vocalist reflected that his only regret with Van Halen was that the band broke up. Asides from that, he said, “I regret nothing… It’s the greatest thing that ever happened to me. 

“I will never reach that pinnacle again in my musical career, and I don’t even try for it. … Those times are gone; and I’m proud to have been there.”

Listen to Sammy Hagar’s Interview