“I don't think I want to go on tour anymore. I hate to say that”: Sammy Hagar reveals his touring days are over
Hagar clarifies this does not mean he's retiring – but at 77, he prefers residencies over the stresses of touring
Touring for over five decades might be enough for Sammy Hagar – especially after traversing the States, Canada, and Japan with the Van Halen-coded Best of All Worlds Tour last year, alongside Joe Satriani, Michael Anthony, and Jason Bonham.
“I don't think I want to go on tour anymore. I hate to say that, because I don't want to piss my fans off,” the 77-year-old Hagar tells the Las Vegas Review-Journal, ahead of a recent guest appearance at Caspian’s Cocktails & Caviar at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
“I'll go out and do a one-off show and do things like that, but the residency is going to give me a good extension of my career. That's what I'm hoping for.”
The Red Rocker points to his upcoming Las Vegas residency – The Best of All Worlds Tour: The Residency, scheduled for April 30–May 17 at Dolby Live – as his ideal format to continue his stage career without being forced to retire.
“With this, I don't have to travel, I don't have to unpack and pack and get on an airplane every day,” Hagar explains. “You know, at my age, it hurts my shoulders to do all this. And I have to perform. I'm a performer, at the end of the day.
“I keep telling my manager, ‘Don’t take any tours, let me do this residency. If I like it enough, I’ll do another one. And if that’s successful I’ll do another one, and I can squeeze a few more years out of my career.’”
Last November, Hagar shared plans to continue paying tribute to Eddie Van Halen via a song he's written with Best of All Worlds bandmate Joe Satriani and Van Halen, Chickenfoot, and Sammy Hagar and the Circle bassist Michael Anthony.
Get The Pick Newsletter
All the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!
Janelle is a staff writer at GuitarWorld.com. After a long stint in classical music, Janelle discovered the joys of playing guitar in dingy venues at the age of 13 and has never looked back. Janelle has written extensively about the intersection of music and technology, and how this is shaping the future of the music industry. She also had the pleasure of interviewing Dream Wife, K.Flay, Yīn Yīn, and Black Honey, among others. When she's not writing, you'll find her creating layers of delicious audio lasagna with her art-rock/psych-punk band ĠENN.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
“Tina Turner signed it with a flick knife after he recorded for her in London. Then they all went out to dinner”: What the auction of Jeff Beck’s best-loved electrics tells us about the late guitar icon
“I never get to discuss guitar in most interviews!” Franz Ferdinand’s Alex Kapranos reveals his obscure vintage gear obsessions, how Peter Green was a huge influence on his playing, and why the thrill of guitar is undeniable