Sammy Hagar was clearly in his element at Barrett-Jackson recently, surrounded by all sorts of motor vehicles you know the man cannot drive 55.

He said as much after crashing the stage with Michael Anthony (the Van Halen bassist Hagar introduced as his “partner in crime”) to join Red Voodoo (a band whose name was taken from a Hagar solo album) on a raucous set of songs associated with the singer, from Van Halen’s “Finish What Ya Started” to “I Can’t Drive 55” on Friday, Jan. 26.

“For me, this is like (expletive) heaven,” a beaming Hagar told the fans. “I would rather be here than at a (expletive) Rolling Stones concert. All these cars?!”

Hagar was in town to introduce the Arizona market to his award-winning Sammy’s Beach Bar Cocktail Co. sparkling rum canned cocktails at WestWorld of Scottsdale.

Not long before hopping on stage, he sat with The Arizona Republic for a candid conversation whose topics ranged from how his favorite Creamsicle inspired a sparkling rum cocktail to why he pulled his LaFerrari off the auction block and what fans can expect when he and Anthony head out on tour this summer with Joe Satriani and Jason Bonham.

Here’s what he had to say.

Thank you, Sammy, for taking the time to talk. Is there a story behind how you decided to do a sparkling rum canned cocktail?

Oh yes, there’s a story. During COVID, my daughters and my sons were hanging around a lot, and every now and then, they’d bring somebody over and I’d let them sit outside and drink by the pool or they’d go down and walk on the beach. And they had these other… the first couple brands that were out.

There were a couple of them laying around. And I’d say, ‘What are these things?’ They said, ‘Oh man. Dad. These are really good.’ So I popped one and tasted it. I said, ‘God, this is terrible’ And they said, ‘Oh yeah, right. What, you can make something better?’ I said, ‘Yeah, I can.’

So it’s COVID time. I’ve got nothing else to do. I’ve got rum. So I say, ‘I’m gonna make a sparkling rum cocktail.’ I called my friends that bottle my products and make my products and said, ‘Hey, can we make a sparkling drink?’ ‘Yeah.’ ‘Can we make it out of real rum?’ ‘Well, it’s gonna be expensive.’

I don’t care how much it costs. For me, it’s just about the passion of doing something you want to do. Long story short, I made these sparkling rum cocktails. Back then, everything was sugar-based or beer-based. They weren’t using spirits yet because spirits have a higher tax and they’re more expensive to make. So they just use generic booze.

I worked on them for about a year and they were fantastic. Then after COVID, when I decided to release them, everybody was making them by then. Now there’s hundreds and hundreds and hundreds. So it’s a crazy competitive business. But I only do things that I think I can do a better job than what’s on the market.

I’m a wine enthusiast, completely dedicated to fine wine. I boast of a collection of 15,000 wine bottles, accumulated since the ’70s. It’s quite the substantial cellar. People often inquire, ‘If you have such a passion for wine, why not produce your own?’ My response always remains the same, ‘Because I’m doubtful that I can create wine that surpasses the quality of those I consume.’ What should I do instead? Produce mediocre wine? That’s not what I aspire to do.

Nevertheless, when I came across the tequila I used to consume while I was developing Cabo Wabo tequila, I thought, ‘I can definitely create tequila better than this.’ So, I took a trip down to Tequila, a town in Mexico, to taste different varieties, and then asked, ‘Hey, what process should I follow?’ After understanding it and forming a contract, I began manufacturing my own tequila, a practice I maintain with Santo.

If I can’t rival the quality, I prefer not to engage at all. This principle extends to my singing career as well. The moment I can’t keep up with other singers in the industry, I’ll willingly retire. However, as of now, I’m confident about my competitive ability.

I did see you at Alice Cooper’s Christmas Pudding event. You are definitely capable of staying in the competition.

(Laughs) That’s the way I feel about it. If you can do something as good as everybody else, then go ahead and stay in the game, you know? Or get in the game.

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Do you have a favorite flavor of the cocktails?

I think the first one I really wanted to make was the Tangerine Dream. I really wanted to make a Creamsicle. When I was little, I could eat 100 of those Popsicles with ice cream in the middle and my favorite one was orange. So I thought, ‘How can I make that orange Creamsicle?’ And then, I thought, well, even better, let’s kick it up, more elegant, and make it tangerine. That was my first one. And I was so in love with it that I just said, ‘Oh, this is great.’

Then I had the urge to prepare Hawaiian Punch. Remember, that iconic punch from our high school period when someone would host a party at their parents’ house, and their mother would arrange this punch bowl while someone else would bring a bottle of vodka to spike it? (laughs). I had the thought, ‘I wish to prepare the spiked version of Hawaiian Punch.’ So, it was a result of that. I’m passionate about the flavors that I prefer.

Then, the combination of pineapple and jalapeño was the latest one that I tried. And, I absolutely love that. With tacos, or in Mexican cuisine? You’ll quit having beer forever. That’s the drink to go for.

Interesting. Can you draw a connection between the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle and this aspect of what you do?

Absolutely. It’s all about creativity. When you have an idea or a tune in your head, you strive to compose it. The taste which you perceive in your mouth that you wish to eat or drink, you bring that recipe to life. It’s purely about creating something out of nothing.

Art is my calling. I am an artist and have a constant urge to create. Even devoid of resources, I find myself propelled to create something. It keeps me elated and occupied – it’s just the way I am wired. Additionally, I am a fantastic cook and a cocktail mixer. My culinary skills, complemented by my exceptional taste buds, bring out an extraordinary magic.

This is something my fellow mixologists and connoisseur of wine also vouches for. They place great faith in my discerning palate. My response to their compliment is always, ‘Indeed, I am blessed with a keen nose and stomach too.’ Playing around with creativity brings me immense satisfaction.

You initially planned to auction a car at Barrett-Jackson last weekend. But now, it has been postponed to the Barrett-Jackson Fall Auction, which is scheduled for October in Scottsdale. Could you shed some light on what transpired?

Yes, we ran into a roadblock with the car battery. I sighed in relief when it started causing issues. All of a sudden, the indicator lights started flashing. Our immediate thought was the battery was probably running out of charge. Despite multiple attempts, we couldn’t recharge it. We isolated the battery from the car and discovered it was deteriorating. I decided against selling the car given the high investment that a buyer would have to make.

When I purchased the car, the dealership was still prepping it for showcase. It was indeed a lengthy process – even required a trip to Italy. However, when they notified me about its arrival, I was at the dealership in no time. Ignoring all the formalities, I just wanted the keys to my new possession.

Imagine being asked to wait another 16 weeks for a new battery after that long wait! Fortunately, the battery issue surfaced when it did. This scenario could have easily turned into a nightmare had someone paid a small fortune for this car only to discover its battery problem later.

On a brighter note, the car is now even better than before with a brand-new battery. It’s quite a rarity to get a Ferrari battery, but the company offered to fix it for me. Although shipping the car back for a year wasn’t a feasible option, they were eager to ship the battery and have it installed here.

You’re coming through here on the Best of All Worlds Tour. That’s a great group of musicians that you put together. What can you tell me about what fans can expect from that tour?

Well, Michael Anthony and I, you know, we’ve been doing this (Sammy Hagar and the) Circle thing. We play about an hour of Van Halen and we play about 45 minutes to an hour of my stuff, Montrose and everything.

We’re gonna kind of just really go heavy on Van Halen. Play four or five of Sammy’s greatest hits. You know, ‘One Way to Rock,’ ‘Heavy Metal,’ ‘I Can’t Drive 55,’ ‘Mas Tequila,’ songs you’ve gotta play. One Montrose, a Chickenfoot and a whole lot of Van Halen, the whole catalog.

I mean, we’re gonna go back into the early years for three or four songs, sprinkle ’em in there, because I’m calling it not just the Best of All Worlds Tour, I’m calling it the Thank You Tour. For me it’s thank you. Thank you, Eddie. Thank you to the fans. Thank you for this wonderful life, being able to do this, because I don’t know how much longer I can do it.

Twenty years ago, Mike and I had a reunion. Now, another twenty years later, I find myself not wanting to wait another twenty years for Alex Van Halen, who’s the only one left. It seems he prefers not playing without his brother, which I can understand and respect.

In response, I’ve decided to team up with Joe Satriani, Michael Anthony, and Jason Bonham, whose father was an idol for Alex. Jason plays just like his father, so I believe the music will be upheld to an exceptional standard.

That’s fantastic. We really appreciate you taking the time to chat with us.

Always happy to. I could discuss these matters all evening.

I bet you could.

Well, it’s in my heart, man.

Reach the reporter at ed.masley@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-4495. Follow him on X @EdMasley.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Sammy Hagar talks rum, LaFerraris and life after Eddie Van Halen