Sammy Hagar Says He’s Willing To Risk His Life To Play Live Concerts Again: ‘We All Gotta Die, Man’
Sammy Hagar said he’s willing to risk his life to help get the economy back on track.
In a controversial new interview, the former Van Halen frontman said the coronavirus shutdowns have done enough harm already. He also thinks everyone should get back to work and let nature take its course. When asked about how the deadly COVID-19 pandemic has affected the music industry, Hagar, 72, didn’t hold back.
“I’m going to make a radical statement here,” the rocker told Rolling Stone. “This is hard to say without stirring somebody up, but truthfully, I’d rather personally get sick and even die, if that’s what it takes.”
Hagar, who joined Van Halen in 1985 and recorded four albums with the band before his exit, said he would be “comfortable” playing a live venue show before there’s a COVID-19 vaccine if the sickness numbers are declining and the virus seems to be going away. But the “I Can’t Drive 55” singer reiterated that he believes it is time to “save the world from this economic thing” that he thinks will kill even more people than the virus in the long run.
“I would rather see everyone go back to work,” Hagar said. “If some of us have to sacrifice on that, OK. I will die for my children and my grandchildren to have a life anywhere close to the life that I had in this wonderful country.”
Hagar made it clear that he would never go around spreading the virus but added that he does believe a time will come when people will have to sacrifice their lives in an attempt to get back to normal.
“I mean, how many people die on the Earth every day?” Hagar said. “I’m sorry to say it, but we all gotta die, man.”
Hagar has been vocal about the fact that he is tired of the “coronavirus crap.” In May, the Red Rocker told KSHE 95 that he’s no longer afraid of the virus and that he’s not locking down anymore.
“I’ll go around to anyone,” Hagar said. “If you don’t wanna be around me, fine. Keep your distance.”
The singer added that at his age, he knows he’s had the best life of anyone on the planet, so if the virus wants to kill him, it can come and get him.
Still, it’s no surprise that not all of Hagar’s peers are on the same page as him.
Creedence Clearwater Revival singer John Fogerty told Rolling Stone that he’ll be patient until there’s a vaccine in place. The 75-year-old CCR legend admitted that the reopening of the country is “pretty scary” to him and that he thinks it’s irresponsible to rush into things and be reckless. Fogerty added that as a musician he would feel terrible to do a concert with 10,000 people, and then find out afterward that some of them died. The music legend added that he’s not “dying for the economy.”
In addition, Cheap Trick bass guitarist Tom Petersson, 70, said his band would not be comfortable playing in front of a live audience until a vaccine is in place, and Pretenders singer Chrissie Hynde, 68, admitted she “can’t imagine” a socially distanced gig where everybody stands 6 feet apart.
“I’ll just wait,” Hynde said of playing future shows.
