Van Halen Roll With Sammy

It's official: Sammy Hagar is again the singer for Van Halen . . . at least for the band's upcoming summer tour. Van Halen announced twenty-eight North American dates, their first since singer Gary Cherone split in 1999 and their first with Hagar in almost a decade.

The band will release a greatest hits album in June featuring the aptly titled new single "It's About Time," featuring Hagar.

Hagar replaced original singer David Lee Roth in 1985 and fronted the band through 1996, when he and guitarist Eddie Van Halen, drummer Alex Van Halen and bassist Michael Anthony began a public squabble over whether Hagar quit or was fired.

Hagar also waged press battles with Roth, who has also been recently flirting with returning to Van Halen, but the two buried the hatchet and toured together in 2002.

Eddie Van Halen was diagnosed with tongue cancer in 2001, but announced his complete recovery the following year. He has been working on songs for the follow-up to 1998's Van Halen III.

Van Halen tour dates:

6/11: Greensboro, NC, Greensboro Coliseum
6/13: Hershey, PA, Hershey Park Stadium
6/16: Philadelphia, Wachovia Center
6/19: Worcester, MA, Worcester Centrum
6/22: East Rutherford, NJ, Continental Arena
6/25: Hartford, CT, Hartford Civic Center
6/26: Albany, NY, Pepsi Center
6/28: Washington, DC, MCI Center
7/1: Pittsburgh, Mellon Arena
7/2: Cleveland, Gund Arena
7/3: Toronto, Air Canada Center
7/6: Columbus, OH, Schottenstein Center
7/7: Indianapolis, IN, Conseco Fieldhouse
7/10: Detroit, Joe Louis Arena
7/11: Auburn Hills, MI, The Palace at Auburn Hills
7/19: Chicago, TBD
7/22: St. Paul, MN, Xcel Energy Center
7/26: Kansas City, MO, Kemper Arena
7/28: St. Louis, MO, Savvis Center
7/31: Omaha, NE, Qwest Center
8/1: Denver, Pepsi Center
8/5: Phoenix, America West Arena
8/7: Las Vegas, Mandalay Bay Events Center
8/10: San Jose, CA, HP Pavilion
8/11: Sacramento, CA, ARCO Arena
8/13: Oakland, CA, Oakland Arena
8/14: Fresno, CA, Save Mart Arena
8/19: Los Angeles, Staples Center

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Song Stories

“Youth Knows No Pain”

Lykke Li | 2011

“Like on 'Youth Knows No Pain' — we are the ones that should demonstrate, because we can take it,” Likke Li said. “We can pierce ourselves, take Ecstasy, dance all night and still go to work at our McDonald's jobs.” Despite the hedonistic sentiment in the song, the Swedish singer also admitted in hindsight her youth had repercussions. “I remember when I was 18-19 and feeling that I know it all,” Li said. “I always feel that I know it all. But that song is about realizing you don’t, and reflecting, ‘Boy, if I only knew what would follow.’”

More Song Stories entries »

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