Sammy Hagar Rebukes Alex Van Halen's 'Idiot' Slur After 21-Year Rift

Q: What dark secrets did Sammy Hagar reveal about Eddie Van Halen that fueled a bitter, decades-long feud with his brother Alex?

The “dark secrets” were Hagar’s claims in his 2011 memoir *Red* that Eddie Van Halen struggled heavily with alcoholism, erratic behavior, and backstage instability during their later years together, especially around the troubled 2004 reunion. Across interviews revisiting the book, Hagar said he portrayed Eddie’s “dark side” as a gifted but increasingly difficult bandmate whose drinking affected the band’s relationships and performances. He described Eddie as volatile and “impossible” at times, and said fans often saw odd onstage behavior without knowing what had happened behind the scenes. Other reports tied the book to depictions of Eddie as physically diminished and deeply unwell during that period. Hagar has since said he regretted airing those details after Eddie’s 2020 death, apologizing in 2021 for exposing material he felt people no longer wanted to hear. But he also insisted the stories were true. That appears to be a key reason Alex Van Halen has never forgiven him. The broader feud, however, is not only about the memoir. It has also been fueled by long-running disputes over Van Halen’s legacy, Alex’s preference for the David Lee Roth era, Hagar’s defense of his own commercially successful years in the band, and resentment over Hagar and Michael Anthony continuing to tour with Van Halen songs while Alex does not.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 8

Sammy Hagar answered Alex Van Halen's latest insult with an Instagram comment saying the post was "so unnecessary at this time in our lives" and adding, "Peace already."
The exchange followed a Brazilian interview in which Alex, asked about Hagar's 2011 memoir, said he did not want to know what Hagar wrote and called him a "complete idiot."
Their feud has stretched for more than two decades: Hagar told Rolling Stone in 2025 they had not spoken in 21 years and said he had tried repeatedly to reconnect.
That breakdown has spilled into Van Halen's legacy, with Alex declining Hagar and Michael Anthony's 2024 "Best of All Worlds" tour and continuing to downplay Hagar's 1985-1996 era in the band.