Formed in Pasadena, California back in 1972 by the brothers Alex and Eddie Van Halen, the legendary Hard Rock band Van Halen became one of the most influential of all time. The group first achieved success with David Lee Roth as their vocalist and then with Sammy Hagar as the frontman. Not everybody likes both versions of the band but the Kiss bassist and singer Gene Simmons revealed which one he prefers.
Which Van Halen era Gene Simmons prefers
In an interview with Forbes in 2024, Gene Simmons talked about bands that managed to continue to be successful even without a classic singer. After mentioning AC/DC, he also talked about the American band, saying: “Van Halen—a band I supposedly discovered or found, they had signed to me and all that. And I personally preferred the [David Lee] Roth era Van Halen. It was great. There was nobody like him, it changed what lead singers were. Once Roth left, ‘Oh boy, that’s the end of it!’ No, actually they literally got bigger with Sammy Hagar.”
As Gene said, he was one of the first people who tried to help Van Halen to get a record deal. Back in the mid 70s he saw the band playing in a club and was really impressed, especially with Eddie. So he took them to New York, helped to record a demo but sadly it was not enough to get them a record deal. But not long after they finally got a record deal and the producer Ted Templeman helped them to make their groundbreaking debut album.
When David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar were Kiss’ opening acts things didn’t end up so well
Curiously, both ex-Van Halen vocalists David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar were Kiss’ opening acts as solo artists, but both partnerships didn’t end up so well. Hagar opened for Kiss back in 1977 during their “Rock and Roll Over” tour but he lost his temper after being booed by the audience who apparently didn’t know him.
He recalled that awful moment in an interview with That Rocks! channel. “They didn’t really know I was going to be on the show. So when the guy came out to announce it, I’m standing on the side of the stage, I’m pumped and the guy goes, ‘Ladies and gentlemen please welcome Sammy Hagar!’ And the fucking place started booing! They didn’t even know who the fuck I was.”
“I tried to give it up, I fucking worked them hard with the two rock songs. And then I went to the ballad – in those days you did two heavies and then you did your ballad, which was ufsually your hit – and oh, man they went off.”
He continued:
“I just stopped the song and said, ‘I’m so glad they flew in a special audience from Los Angeles for me. Then I pulled my pants down, fucking shook it at them and then smashed my guitar to bits and walked off the stage saying, ‘Fuck you,’ Sammy Hagar said.
Although things didn’t end up well, Sammy said that they are good friends nowadays but he wouldn’t try to be their opening act again.
As for David Lee Roth, he was Kiss’ opening act more recently, on a few dates of their farewell tour. Things didn’t end up that well when after the shows, Gene Simmons compared Roth’s current voice and stage presence as “a bloated, naked Elvis”. Not happy with that, Roth shared a mysterious message at the time on his social media, of a kid showing his middle finger with the caption “Roth to Simmons”.