Sammy Hagar Performs Van Halen Songs Out Of A Sense Of Duty

Sammy Hagar said in a statement that he’s performing more Van Halen songs in concerts with current band the Circle out of a sense of duty.

The group, which also features old bandmate Michael Anthony, is gearing up to release the new album Crazy Times! – and Hagar admits his latest material might be the darkest he’s ever recorded. Hagar tells the News-Herald:

“These are crazy times we’re in after the last couple of years, that’s what it’s about.

“It’s a little dark, a dark kind of Sammy album, but I like that. I don’t mind being serious.”

He identified the track “Father Time” as “maybe the most personal song I’ve ever written,” adding:

“I felt like I really nailed how I was feeling and how I’m viewing things.”

Following the death of Eddie Van Halen, Hagar said that the Circle has thought of playing a lot more Van Halen now that there’s nobody to play it. Hagar said:

“I’m shocked that no matter what Van Halen song we play, no matter how deep the cut, [audiences] are like it’s a No. 1 single. We can do [1995 deep cut] ‘Amsterdam’ and they’re singing along like it was on the radio all the time.

“When people love that music that much and we’re the guys who did it and we’re still around, then, yeah, we have that responsibility to play it for them.”