In this rare interview, we have the one and only Diamond David Lee Roth. At the time of this interview in 1988, Roth was 34 years old and was promoting his Skyscraper tour and record.. In the interview, Roth talks about Diamond Enterprises, if he thinks Ed and Al are sober, and what’s wrong with Van Halen, and he critiques Axl Rose, Ozzy, and Bon Jovi.

The interview is conducted by Steve Harris

00:00 - Intro
00:45 - Start of David Lee Roth interview
01:03 - If he displays himself as the wild man of rock and roll
01:57 - Is he different on stage than off?
02:43 - What’s Diamond Enterprises
04:44 - If he considers himself a dictator
06:04 - His street smarts
07:05 - If he follows what everyone else is doing
07:57 - The work you must put in
09:10 - Who is his mentors
09:51 - If he’s perceived the way he wants to be
12:27 - His two friends
14:21 - What drives him
15:56 - What crowd he fit in with as a kid
17:00 - Where he developed his flamboyant swagger
17:42 - If he resented being bussed into minority schools
18:25 - How Steve Vai stacks up to Eddie Van Halen
20:22 - The toughness to his music and lyrics.
21:16 - If he can see the quality in other people immediately
22:00 - If he’s one big heap of ego
22:44 - If he listens to his own records
23:02 - His onstage presence
25:45 - What’s wrong with Van Halen
26:31 - How was it different with him in the band
28:00 - Eddie and Alex on the wagon
28:39 - Roth goes off the record about Ed and Al’s sobriety
29:19 - Why he isn’t lucky in love
31:04 - His critique of Axl Rose
31:58 - His critique of Ozzy Osbourne
32:44 - His critique of Brian Wilson
35:15 - Who’s doing a good job among his contemporaries?

#davidleeroth #vanhalen