Hagar Questions Van Halen's Motives After 'Idiot' Jab

Sammy Hagar has publicly responded to former bandmate Alex Van Halen's recent comment calling him a "complete idiot," questioning the drummer's motives and criticizing his handling of Van Halen's legacy. The exchange highlights ongoing tensions between the two musicians years after their time together in the iconic rock band. In an interview on SiriusXM's Trunk Nation, Hagar addressed Van Halen's remark, which was made in a recent interview with Roadie Crew magazine. When asked about Hagar's 2011 memoir "Red: My Uncensored Life in Rock," Van Halen stated, "I don't know what he wrote, and I don't want to know. In my opinion, Sammy Hagar is a complete idiot." Hagar responded by saying he does not know the root cause of Van Halen's anger towards him. Hagar criticized Van Halen for ignoring the Van Hagar era, during which the band sold over 40 million records and had four number-one albums. "You act like there was never a Sammy Hagar. You act like there was never a Van Hagar," Hagar said, adding that Van Halen has "scratched that off" his brother Eddie's legacy. He also took issue with Van Halen releasing old photographs for profit, suggesting they should be made available for free.