Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony React To New Van Halen Album Project

By Editorial Staff | Published: Mar 01, 2026 4:27 PM EST

Former Van Halen stars Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony were asked in a new interview if they have any involvement in the new Van Halen album that drummer Alex Van Halen is working on with guitarist Steve Lukather.

Hagar and Anthony appeared on the Rock Of Nations With Dave Kinchen And Shane McEachern podcast and were asked about the project and if have any involvement with it or would they like to be.

Sammy responded "No. We haven't been asked, number one. I can tell you, Mike and I, the day I walked in the studio, in 5150, to basically, if you wanna call it an audition, but to meet the guys and to play music, we played for about eight hours at least. And we recorded everything. Everything that I ever did, and every time we made a record, we recorded hundreds of hours of jam and music, and then we cut 'em up, made songs.

"That's the way we did it, right? So there's so much stuff from Mike and I and Ed and Al in the studio. Like I said, just the initial day that I went in there, we got 'Summer Nights,' we got 'Good Enough' and the beginnings of 'Get Up' from 5150. three songs that came from that eight-hour jam. And I remember there was a blues thing we did, and I was making up lyrics.

"So, there's so much stuff that Al could really choose from, if he wanted to include Mike and I. But, obviously, Al's got a reason, and he's Alex Van Halen; he can do whatever he wants.

"And, to me, it's an Alex Van Halen project, and it's not necessarily a Van Halen project, but I guess we'll see if it ever sees the light today. But I'm disappointed that Mike and I wouldn't be invited. It's, like, what? Are you kidding me? We're still alive. We're out here doing it. We're playing those songs. We can still do it, you know?"

Anthony responded, "Yeah. If this is material that we jammed on or whatever, I'd have no problem coming in and singing or playing bass or whatever. It's all good there."