Sammy Hagar Says ‘New’ Van Halen Album Is Made Up Of Old Songs

Sam Roy "Sammy" Hagar, he of the massive financial empire of tequila, bars, books and bands, numerous chart successes as both a solo act and member of numerous groups, who is ceaselessly smiling  and upbeat, who is supposed to be the one former member of Van Halen who has happily moved on now jams with the rock star-laden Chickenfoot, is, as of late, offering curious quips regarding VH's current state.

Which is namely that they have reunited with the singer Hagar replaced, David Lee Roth, have signed with a new record label (Interscope) and have, reportedly, recorded a new album that will see the light in 2012.

Now just yesterday, Sammy told blabbermouth.net, regarding the new record "I thought they signed to Sony. Hmmm . . . Interesting. I'll be the first guy waiting in line at the record store, if I could find one anymore. I'll be really curious. I think they owe the fans that. I would love to see them make a great
record. They have some of the most loyal fans in rock, and they've been treated so, so bad these last 20 years."

And now today?

"I heard this record is old outtakes from the old days," he tells Rolling Stone. "I mean, stuff from before I even joined the band . . . it's an interesting thing to do in your old age if you can't come up with fresh, good stuff --or you can't get along. Because from what I heard, they aren't working with new material. Ed (Van Halen) and Dave didn't actually write new songs. They took old stuff from previous sessions, and then maybe Dave had to go in and add vocals because they just had scat vocals, or even no vocal part at all."

Wow.

Again, Sammy has at least always publicly seemed like the happy-go-lucky star who either wished Dave, Eddie, Alex and Wolfgang (ex bassist Michael Anthony is of course planted firmly in Sammy's camp) the best of luck or has just sort of rolled his eyes at the various rumours, innuendo and drama surrounding the group.

But recent comments such as this, which come in the wake of a slowly building public relations train regarding Van Halen, make one wonder what exactly Sammy's real feelings might be.

Is he bitter? Or on the other hand, what if that's true about the record? Would it be disappointing to know that the new Van Halen album is made up of recycled material?

I just hope it rocks. Whether it's "1984" good or "5150" good, I just want it to rock.

We'll see.