When Van Halen Opening Act Saw Eddie Assault Sammy Hagar Onstage

Shinedown drummer Barry Kerch, whose band opened for Van Halen during their bad-tempered reunion tour with Sammy Hagar in 2004, recalled how the dream-come-true experience also had a downside.

While Kerch said he had a great time with Hagar, Eddie Van Halen and Michael Anthony, plus Wolfgang Van Halen and his mom Valerie Bertinelli, there was no denying the negative energy between the two factions in the headline act.

And he recalled the moment Eddie Van Halen assaulted Hagar onstage while the singer was partway through the line of a song.

“It was one of the most amazing times of my life – it was unbelievable,” Kerch said in a new episode of Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz. “As much as those guys hated each other at that moment in time, they were so sweet to all of us.”

READ MORE: Sammy Hagar Launches Van Halen-Focused 2024 Tour: Video, Set List

Noting that Eddie had taken “a really big liking” to Shinedown singer Brent Smith, the drummer noted that “Eddie was cigarette in his mouth, bottle of wine in one hand, guitar on, 24-7 – that’s how he lived. He’d kick open our dressing room door, [start talking], teach how [he did something] on guitar. Wolfie was still riding a scooter up and down the hallways – he was like 10 – and Valerie was there, taking care and everything. So I got to meet all that. She’s the sweetest, Wolfie was a good kid.”

But he added, “You never saw Alex; Alex would just show up, do the gig, get out – he didn’t want part of the drama, I’m sure. But I did get to sit behind his drum set, which was awesome!”

You can watch the interview below.

Describing the backstage divide, Kerch said, “Sammy and Michael were their own dudes; they had their own world – they had their own side, their own dressing rooms. Those two camps never got together until they were onstage.

“Sammy and Michael had their little bar side-stage … they’re like, ‘Hey, man, any time during the show, come on over and have a few drinks with us!’ So we go into their little bar, watching Van Halen play.” He added that the experience made him feel like a kid in awe as he told himself, “Oh, my God, I’m on tour with Van Halen, having a drink with Sammy and Michael while they’re playing!”

How Shinedown Realized Eddie Van Halen and Sammy Hagar Had Issues

He went on: “And Sammy would rate our shows … by leaving a bottle of tequila in our room. If it was a shitty show that we did, he gave us the basic model. If it was a good show, he’d give us the good stuff!”

Kerch moved on to describe a more negative moment he’d witnessed. “Onstage you couldn’t really tell that they hated each other – but occasionally you could,” he explained.

“There was one night Sammy was singing, and I don’t know why Eddie was pissed at him, but he was. Eddie comes over and just kicks him as hard as he can, square in the nuts, while he’s singing.”

Kerch was left with no option but to conclude: “Yeah, they really don’t like each other! But I had a dream come true, and they sounded great every night.”