In a world where rock legends are as mystical as they are musical, David Lee Roth has added a whimsical chapter to the lore of Van Halen. Earlier this week, the iconic frontman recounted a ghostly encounter with none other than the late Eddie Van Halen, joining Sammy Hagar in the spectral storytelling game.
Back in August 2022, Hagar shared with UCR that Van Halen appeared to him in a dream, gifting him a riff that would become the backbone of a new song. Fast forward nearly three years, “Encore, Thank You, Goodnight,” featuring Joe Satriani, Michael Anthony, and Kenny Aronoff, has finally graced the airwaves.
Enter David Lee Roth, who, during a cheeky performance in Hampton Beach, took a playful jab at Hagar’s celestial narrative. Roth began by acknowledging Hagar’s talents more graciously than ever before, calling him a “contemporary” with a “great voice” and “great catalog.” He humorously recounted Hagar’s story of being visited by Eddie’s ghost, which supposedly inspired his new song.
But Roth couldn’t resist adding his twist. With a devilish grin, he claimed that Eddie’s ghost had also dropped by his hotel room, interrupting his weather report binge. “His ghost was laughing,” Roth quipped, launching into a tale where Eddie mischievously revealed that the song given to Hagar was actually “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” played backwards. “Don’t tell him,” Eddie’s ghost allegedly whispered, a secret shared between spiritual brothers.
As Roth continued performing “Dance the Night Away,” he concluded the tale with a ghostly cigarette shared with Eddie’s apparition. “I hugged my brother Ed,” Roth reminisced, “Man, do I fucking miss you.” The ghost replied, “I miss you too, Dave,” before jokingly condemning Roth to hell. “Save me a seat,” Roth retorted with a wink.
While the story was told with Roth’s trademark flair and humor, it was a touching nod to the deep bond shared by bandmates. Roth’s solo tour, featuring a powerhouse vocal group, is currently rolling across the country, wrapping up mid-September. Fans can catch this spectacle by checking out his official website for show and ticket info.
Whether you believe in ghost stories or not, Roth’s tale is a delightful reminder that in rock ‘n’ roll, legends never truly die—they just get more interesting.
