David Lee Roth Blames Grunge For Career Downturn

David Lee Roth gave a pretty candid, if somewhat sprawling interview to Buzzfeed.com, in which he talked about Van Halen, his personal life, and the down shift his career took in the 1990's. Roth blamed the grunge scene for turning fans off of his live show, saying, "Two words: Kurt Cobain. I went from playing to 12,000 people to 1,200. From arenas to casinos and state fairs and the local House of Blues. That will cause you to reflect a lot more clearly on your values. Fun wasn't seen as fun anymore."

He went on to speculate about his life and career had he and Van Halen not acrimoniously parted ways in 1985: "I wonder who I might have been had I stayed in the band. Not as interesting, not as involved. I probably would have followed the more traditional, long, slow climb to the middle. Enjoying my accomplishments, living off my residuals. I wouldn't have half the stories to tell."