Being in Van Halen wasn’t all fun and games. Despite their fame, tension bubbled beneath the surface, especially between Eddie Van Halen and frontman David Lee Roth.
Eddie was known for his laid-back nature, but Roth’s strict rules often clashed with that. These rules created friction that sometimes exploded into heated arguments.
As much as the band thrived on stage, behind the scenes, Eddie struggled with Roth’s demands. It wasn’t always smooth sailing, even for a rock legend.
Roth’s Control Over Van Halen
Even though Eddie Van Halen was the band’s namesake, he wasn’t always the one making the big decisions. In the early years, lead singer David Lee Roth often called the shots.
This power dynamic led to constant tension and clashing egos. Roth’s control sparked disagreements that couldn’t always be ignored.
While the friction sometimes resulted in incredible music, it wasn’t a recipe for long-term harmony. The battles behind the scenes were bound to unravel.
The Fair Warning Fallout
By 1981, Eddie Van Halen and David Lee Roth’s relationship was nearing its breaking point. During the production of Fair Warning, Roth pushed for radio-friendly hits, while Eddie craved a darker, more experimental sound.
The constant disagreements took a toll on both the music and the band. Fair Warning lacked the cohesion of their earlier albums, marking the beginning of Roth’s eventual exit.
Roth left in 1985, but the conflict stayed with Eddie. The stress even impacted his health, leading to a peptic ulcer during that turbulent period.
Diamond Dave’s Strict Rules
Eddie Van Halen reflected on the tough times during Fair Warning in an interview with Steve Rosen. He recalled how the tension between him and David Lee Roth escalated during that era.
Roth imposed strict rules, including banning wives from the tour bus. Eddie remembered Roth telling him, “Tell your old lady… no wives on the bus,” which he found frustrating.
Looking back, Eddie couldn’t believe he tolerated it. Those rules only fueled the growing tension between him and Roth, making things even harder for the band.
The Rules Led to the Split
David Lee Roth’s authoritarian control over the band’s rules wasn’t easy for Eddie Van Halen to accept. After years of tension, it was no shock when they finally parted ways in 1985.
The conflict peaked during Fair Warning, with both Roth and Van Halen struggling to have their voices heard. The tension proved too much to handle.
When Sammy Hagar replaced Roth, things shifted. While it’s unclear how much things relaxed for Eddie, the divide between fans showed that Roth’s presence had a significant impact on the band’s songwriting.