Eddie Van Halen Won't See Sammy Hagar's Ass Again

Two years after Van Halen's reunion tour, 58-year-old Sammy Hagar is on speaking terms and touring with VH bassist Michael Anthony. The Red Rocker's relationship with Eddie Van Halen isn't nearly as solid, however.

Hagar begins a 36-date tour on May 5. He'll perform his own songs with his band, The Wabos, and will be joined about an hour in by Anthony to play a set of Halen songs that's being billed as "The Other Half."

"We're really having fun with stuff and, after the last Van Halen reunion, it doesn't feel much like that may ever happen again for all kinds of reasons," Hagar told Billboard.com. "But I just think I need to play those songs, the fans need to hear those songs, and it's just unfair to let it sit and die."

The idea arose from a show at last year's Cabo Wabo Cantina birthday party in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where Anthony surprised the audience with an unannounced stage appearance. Hagar and Anthony's collaboration shouldn't be seen as a precursor to a full-blown Van Halen reunion, however.

"There were some real problems in the band," the former Montrose singer said of the group's last tour.

"There were nights I didn't know what song Eddie was playing. There were times I wanted to kill that guy for what he was playing. I would have left that tour in the middle of it if it wasn't for the professional aspect. He's never going to see my ass again unless he goes and gets himself some help."

Hagar has recorded a new "country rock" album called Livin' It Up that he's shopping to labels. The record was written over the last few years at his Cabo San Lucas home and features original songs "One Sip And You'll Surrender" and "The Way We Live" as well as covers of Toby Keith's "I Love This Bar" and the Staple Singers' "I'll Take You There." He'll play half-a-dozen tracks from the album during the tour.