A never-published interview with Van Halen's Diamond David Lee Roth. At the time of this interview in December 1984, Roth was 31 years old, and only months away from no longer being in Van Halen. In the interview, Roth talks about the future of Van Halen, his need for attention, whether he’s a bad role model, and what he wants on his tombstone. And in a Tapes Archive exclusive, Mr. Roth busts into an impromptu freestyle rap.
The interview is conducted by a new Tapes Archive contributor, award-winning legendary entertainment journalist, screenwriter, producer, and author, Ethlie Ann Vare. For decades, Ethlie ruled musical taste and celebrity gossip in newspapers, magazines, and TV. Her Top 10 Syndicated column ROCK ON ran in 1,700 newspapers worldwide. She’s interviewed A-list movie celebrities like Johnny Depp and Nicholas Cage and rock royalty like Ozzy Osbourne and David Lee Roth. She wrote for Billboard, Daily Variety, and The Hollywood Reporter. She also reviewed rock concerts and albums for the New York Times, and discussed rock stars on The Gossip Show. Ms. Vare has more accomplishments than we have time to say here. Below is a link in to her website. We are honored she is allowing us to share some of her unpublished historical interviews with all of you.
Ethlie Ann Vare's website https://ethlieannvare.com/
Watch the captioned version https://youtu.be/QodtYVn7tDQ
00:00 - Intro to David Lee Roth interview
01:46 - Start of the David Lee Roth Interview
02:57 - The rumors about Eddie Van Halen wanting to leave the band
03:58 - Was it an ego blow with Van Halen’s album 1984 not hitting #1 on the charts
05:22 - Playing Black Sabbath music while watching a football game
05:49 - Was having a pop hit with “Jump” harmful to the band?
06:57 - About his love life and what his type is
08:38 - Who is the real David Lee Roth
09:29 - How Roth is a bit of a loner, and his need for attention
10:21 - How he’s critical of other bands
12:03 - Roth does a freestyle rap. (Not kidding, not A.I.)
12:52 - His first and other jobs as a teenager
14:01 - Who manages his money
14:39 - Where his next adventure will be
15:05 - How does he defend the criticism that he’s a bad role model
15:55 - What’s next for Van Halen
16:29 - What’s the Van Halen groupie scene like
17:02 - The Hot For Teacher video
17:42 - The auditions for his music videos
18:42 - What would he want on his tombstone
19:04 - Answering machines
19:44 - What he wants back
19:55 - A scene he likes from the movie Cotton Club
20:41 - His Harley Davidson
21:41 - What type of car he drives
22:11 - His height and weight
22:41 - The movie Amadeus
23:10 - He was just offered a low-budget film
23:57 - Who’s going to remember him in 500 years