Sammy Hagar & Michael Anthony look back at Van Halen’s ‘dark’ record ‘Balance’

Ahead of the upcoming expanded edition release of Van Halen’s 1995 album, Balance, former members Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony are reflecting on the record in a new video posted on YouTube.

In the clip, Hagar calls Balance “one of the darkest records lyrically I’ve ever done in my life.” He adds, “And a lot of it was just coming off of what was going on within the band. … Everyone’s life was going through changes on this record.”

Despite the turmoil, Sammy says Balance was a “great record,” and they both give credit to producer Bruce Fairbairn and engineer Mike Fraser. 

“Without those two guys, this record probably wouldn’t have got made and the band could have broke up right there,” Sammy says.

He joked, “Instead it waited for the tour.”

Balance was the band’s last studio album with Hagar and the last to feature Anthony on an entire album.

Both Hagar and Anthony also discussed some of the “great music” on Balance, including songs like “The Seventh Seal” and “Can’t Stop Loving You.”

As for the track “Don’t Tell Me What Love Can Do,” Hagar says it was “one of the most painful vocals I’ve ever done in my life. It makes ‘Dreams’ sound easy. But great lyric.”

“These are great songs,” Sammy concludes. “Great record. Great, great, dark record.”

Balance (Expanded Edition), dropping Friday, will be released as a two-LP/two-CD/Blu-Ray set featuring a remastered edition of the original album, along with audio and video rarities. The set will also include eight live performances from the band’s 1995 show at London’s Wembley Stadium. The Blu-ray includes restored promo videos along with a previously unreleased live clip of “The Seventh Seal,” shot in Minneapolis in 1995.

Balance (Expanded Edition) is available for preorder now.

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