A Glimpse into Sammy Hagar's New Song and Insights on Van Halen

Late last week, rock legend Sammy Hagar unveiled his latest track, “Encore, Thank You, Goodnight,” which he intriguingly claims was co-written in a dream with the late Eddie Van Halen. “This was undoubtedly a message from the other side,” Hagar shared with Rolling Stone. “Honestly, I often dream about Eddie.”

We delved deeply into the making of “Encore, Thank You, Goodnight” in a recent piece, but Hagar’s engaging personality truly shines in interviews. Much like Noel Gallagher, Hagar isn’t one to settle for a conversation on just one topic when speaking to Rolling Stone over Zoom. Thus, the discussion naturally expanded to other subjects, including his strained relationship with Alex Van Halen, who hasn’t spoken to Hagar in over two decades and avoided mentioning him by name in his memoir, “Brothers.”

“Oddly enough, I dreamt about Alex recently,” Hagar reveals. “It was surreal. I confronted him, asking, ‘Why are you upset with me? What’s the issue? Just tell me.’“

In his dream, Alex responded with a friendly laugh. “He said, ‘You really have no idea, do you?’ and I admitted, ‘No, I don’t.’“

Hagar speculates that Alex might be frustrated due to his continued involvement in music, while Alex has not been active. He also considers that Alex’s resentment may stem from not being a primary songwriter in the band and facing personal challenges, such as health issues and the loss of his brother.

Hagar concludes with a message to Alex: “Relax, Al. Just leave me be, and I’ll do the same for you. Everything’s fine. I’m keeping the Van Halen legacy alive by selling records and keeping the music out there.”

Additionally, Hagar shared details about his upcoming Las Vegas residency, the setlist, and other facets of his ongoing career.