The former Van Halen lead vocalist is retiring from music as he reveals his upcoming concerts in the Sin City resort and casino next year will be his final curtain.
AceShowbiz -Former Van Halen singer David Lee Roth is retiring from live music after a run of shows in Las Vegas.
The “Jump” singer, who fans call Diamond Dave, will bow out on 8 January (22) at the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay.
“I’m throwing in the shoes,” Roth told the Last Vegas Review on Friday (01Aug21).
He also shared the news to the Van Halen News Desk fansite, stating, “I’m retiring.”
“I am encouraged and compelled to really come to grips with how short time is, and my time is probably even shorter,” he added.
Roth also explained he thought he would die before Van Halen bandmate Eddie Van Halen, who passed away a year ago (06Oct21), adding, “My doctors, my handlers, compelled me to really address that every time I go on stage.”
Roth will wrap up his live career with five shows at the House of Blues, which begin on New Year’s Eve (31Dec21).
In a message to fans he added, “I’ve given you all I’ve got to give. It’s been an amazing, great run, no regrets, nothing to say about anybody. I’ll miss you all. Stay frosty.”
His retirement comes after Sammy Hagar and Kiss star Gene Simmons both suggested the “Just a Gigolo” singer has lost his edge as a performer in recent years. Simmons revealed the rocker had been dumped as Kiss’ opening act for their ongoing End of the Road farewell tour dates because he has no longer got what it takes.
“He took being a frontman way beyond anything, and then, I don’t know what happened to him,” Gene told Rolling Stone. “And you get modern-day Dave. I prefer to remember Elvis Presley in his prime. Sneering lips, back in Memphis, you know, doing all that. I don’t want to think of bloated naked Elvis on the bathroom floor.”
Gene has since apologised, adding, “I am so sorry and ashamed, actually, that I hurt David’s feelings. I’m the guy, actually, that saw Van Halen at a club, signed them to my production company, flew them to New York, produced their first 24-track, 15-song demo and championed the band.”
“We took David out as our opening act on the tour and in the course of an interview… You hear me talking. I just sort of stream of consciousness… I don’t mean to hurt people’s feelings, and every once in a while, diarrhoea of the mouth comes out (sic).”
“I read that quote, and somehow the way they put it together… I think I said something like, ‘Nobody touched David in his prime – not Robert Plant, not (Mick) Jagger, not anybody… He was the king.’ And then somehow there was a segue to Elvis, bloated on the ground and fat and naked, and I don’t wanna see that.”
“I wasn’t talking about David, but that doesn’t matter. What matters is I hurt David’s feelings, and that’s more important than the intent. So I sincerely apologise for that. I didn’t mean to hurt his feelings… But in the way the words came out, yeah, I could see where that was the impression. Not my intention.”
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