Sammy Hagar Sees Truth in Roth’s Van Halen Ghost Story

In the world of rock ’n’ roll, tales of dreams, ghosts, and guitar gods are not uncommon. But when David Lee Roth recently claimed that the ghost of Eddie Van Halen visited him in a hotel room, the story quickly made waves—and raised eyebrows.

Surprisingly, it wasn’t dismissed by fellow Van Halen alum Sammy Hagar. Instead, the Red Rocker embraced the moment as a sincere—and possibly healing—gesture between the long-feuding frontmen.

A Ghost, a Joke, and a Guitar Riff

During a recent performance in Hampton Beach, Roth surprised fans with a wild anecdote that felt equal parts spiritual and tongue-in-cheek.

“I don’t know what the odds are, but last night the ghost of Eddie Van Halen visited me at the fucking hotel room,” Roth told the crowd. “I was watching the weather report and he came in and he was laughing. His fucking ghost was laughing.”

Then came the twist. Roth claimed Eddie joked about a song he had supposedly given Hagar. “I said, ‘What did you do now?’ He said, ‘Dave, Dave…Dave, you know that song I gave Hagar?’ I said, ‘What now?’ He said, ‘It’s actually [Iron Butterfly’s 1968 hit] In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida backwards. Don’t fucking tell him.’”

Though many interpreted the moment as Roth poking fun at his longtime rival, Hagar saw something different.

Not a Jab—An Olive Branch

Hagar, who in 2022 claimed that Eddie Van Halen appeared to him in a dream and inspired his song “Encore, Thank You, Goodnight,” didn’t laugh off Roth’s story. He saw it as a rare and genuine moment of respect.

“I can’t believe social media is trying to make something out of this,” Hagar responded via Instagram. More notably, he pointed out that Roth referred to him as an “esteemed colleague” with a great voice and catalog—a surprising compliment, given the duo’s history.

“This is the first real compliment and first real olive branch moment Dave and I have had in 100 years,” Hagar wrote. “Listen closely and you will see that this is not negative whatsoever. And I believe Dave had the dream as well. Dave’s a good storyteller, but there’s some truth in between the showmanship.”

Keeping the Legacy Alive

Hagar ended his message by offering well-wishes to Roth, who’s currently touring with a beefed-up band that includes a four-man vocal section. Despite their well-documented tension over the decades, Hagar stressed the importance of continuing to perform the music they created with Eddie Van Halen.

“Keep it up Dave, these songs we both wrote with Eddie need to be carried on forever.”

From guitar-slinging dreams to ghostly hotel visits, the spirit of Eddie Van Halen may be gone—but his influence clearly lives on, not only in the music but in the long-awaited moments of mutual respect between his two most famous frontmen.