Sammy Hagar Rips Singers Who Keep Performing Despite Vocal Issues

Last week, the rock world responded with a flood of tributes following Aerosmith’s announcement that they were retiring from the road. The band canceled their “Peace Out” tour and made the announcement saying, “Sadly it is clear, that a full recovery (for singer Steven Tyler) from his vocal injury is not possible. We have made a heartbreaking and difficult, but necessary, decision – as a band of brothers – to retire from the touring stage.”

Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony paid tribute to the group last Friday at their concert in Clarkston, Michigan, while Hagar also took a swipe at singers who stay too long to the party despite being unable to perform like fans are accustomed to.

“We had some crazy news today,” Hagar said. “We got here this afternoon sometime and we’re all sitting around backstage and a friend of ours that works for Aerosmith came and said, ‘Yeah, Aerosmith called retirement today. They quit. They stopped.’ God bless ’em. It’s a horrible thing. It’s a horrible thing. What a great f*cking loss.”

Hagar continued: “I gotta tell ya, one of the times, Montrose was playing Cobo (Arena in Detroit), and we were opening for Aerosmith, and we didn’t know who they were, and they sold out Cobo, and I’m going, ‘Who the f*ck are these guys?’ So, we did our show, we did an encore, and we played ‘Helter Skelter’ for our encore. And Aerosmith comes on and they opened with ‘Helter Skelter’. Steven and I have been friends ever since.”

“Long story short, we love those guys,” Hagar added. “We all grew up with those guys. You grew up with them, we grew up with them, Mike and I. They’ve been our competitors to Van Halen for f*cking 10 years. You know what I’m saying? ‘F*ck those guys.’ No, no, no, but we really do like them. It’s just that we’re mad at them. But anyway, what a shame. It’s a sad thing, but honest to God, my hat goes off to one of the greatest rock and roll singers of all time, Mister Steven Tyler, for saying, ‘I can’t sing anymore. I quit.’ “

“Fuck yes. Listen, that’s honorable,” Hagar continued. “That’s f*cking honorable. The day I can’t sing anymore, I will f*cking do the same thing. And that’s what a lot of other motherf*ckers should have did a long time ago. So let’s do one. Let’s do one for them. Let’s do one for Aerosmith.”

Hagar and his band then performed “Helter Skelter.” Footage of the song and the entire show can be seen below.