Hagar says Michael Anthony plays better now than in Van Halen

The singer and guitarist Sammy Hagar said in an interview with Guitar World that in his opinion, his bandmate, the bassist Michael Anthony plays better now than during the time he was a member of Van Halen. The musician explained that Mike was in the band with Eddie Van Halen there was not so much space for him to show what he could do with the bass guitar.

Michael was a member of Van Halen from 1974 until 2006 and Hagar from 1985 to 1996 and from 2003 to 2005. Since the early 00s Anthony plays with Hagar on his solo career and as a part of the supergroups Chickenfoot and The Circle.

Sammy Hagar explains why Michael Anthony plays better now than in Van Halen

“In Van Halen, Eddie was so busy with the way he played guitar that there wasn’t much room for Mikey to do anything. Eddie played lead, rhythm, melody. In some ways, the bass line all at once because he was just a master.”

“So, Mikey rarely got to stretch out. The truth is that he’s up there with John Paul Jones, John Entwistle, Geddy Lee, and Jack Bruce. But he never got to show it with Van Halen. But now, we’ve got Mikey off the leash. So we get more from him than we ever got when he was in Van Halen,” Sammy Hagar said.

Sammy Hagar & The Circle released in 2022 a new studio album called “Crazy Times”. Besides Sammy and Michael, the group is formed by guitarist Vic Johnson and drummer Jason Bonham (Son of Zeppelin’s John Bonham).

“Crazy Times” tracklist

1. Intro: The Beginning Of The End
2. Slow Drain
3. Feed Your Head
4. Pump It Up
5. Be Still
6. You Get What You Pay For
7. Crazy Times
8. Funky Feng Shui
9. Father Time
10. Childhoods End