Diamond David Lee Roth Turns 64 Today (video)

Say what you want about Diamond Dave but he was a heck of a front man for Van Halen. Sadly, his performance skills have diminished a bit as he ages.

I always thought of Roth as a reincarnated vaudeville performer trapped in a rock star's body.

One of the great arguments in rock music is, who did it better, David Lee Roth or Sammy Hagar? My answer is, they both did great.  Roth was more of a showman and the band just wrote better quality stuff with Hagar. Neither one was better than the other. Just two different bands, each great in their own rite.

Besides being with Van Halen, DLR had a semi successful solo career and even did a stint at a Vegas casino.

I first met Diamond Dave in 1990 and was surprised how tall he was. My boss called me one night while I was on the air in Orlando and said that

I have to admit, I wasn't prepared to do an interview but figured what the hell. It turned out great. I'd ask a question and Dave would talk for ten minutes. Very smart and articulate would be my description of Roth.

I'd heard from others that he could be kind of a dick but he couldn't have been more fun to interview and hang out with.