North American syndicated rock radio show and website, InTheStudio: The Stories Behind History’s Greatest Rock Bands, revisits one of the biggest personnel changes to one of America’s most popular bands. Thirty years ago this month Van Halen released 5150, their first album with new singer Sammy Hagar.

Van Halen had practically ruled the hard rock throne with the album 1984 selling over 10 million copies in the US alone, spawning Van Halen’s first and only #1 pop single “Jump”. But at the height of it all, original singer David Lee Roth quit the band to go solo, leaving America’s biggest band’s future dangling in mid air.  

Enter Sammy Hagar. Having just completed a sold out tour for his most successful solo album to date, VOA, Hagar was not looking for a “band” to join. But after an invitation to Eddie Van Halen’s home studio put Sammy together with the two Van Halen brothers, the magic was just too good to resist, evident in the album 5150 producing five hit singles: “Why Can’t This Be Love”, “Dreams”, “Love Walks In”, “Best Of Both Worlds” and “Summer Nights”. It sold millions and fuelled Van Halen’s ability to fill stadiums for the next decade.

Sammy Hagar shared his thoughts with InTheStudio host Redbeard: “That first (1985) meeting was probably the roughest I’ve ever seen Eddie. The (Van Halen) brothers were both drinking pretty hard back then… I think I provided some discipline to the band… The vocal on “Dreams” is probably the best vocal I’ve ever done, or will ever do in my life… The bottom line is 5150 was a great record.”  - Sammy Hagar

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