David Lee Roth 2019 Interview | Looking Back on Life

00:00:00 - Intro to David Lee Roth interview 00:01:17 - Debbie Millman intro 00:02:19 - Start of David Lee Roth interview 00:02:47 - His Uncle Manny Roth 00:05:29 - His mother, Sibyl Roth, and her toughness on him 00:07:49 - Wearing leg braces as a kid 00:08:41 - His early jobs 00:09:34 - Where his youthful drive came from 00:11:14 - What the Roth family expected when they had get-togethers 00:12:29 - When he first realized he had a talent for singing 00:15:00 - Him being in plays as a child 00:16:11 - He tells where he really learned to sing from 00:18:59 - His parents threaten him with going to a foster home 00:19:16 - If “bad” Dave comes from his mother 00:21:08 - How he was taught to sing like the girls 00:22:43 - How many instruments he plays 00:23:25 - The first meeting with the Van Halen brothers 00:26:31 - Why he and the Van Halen brothers were crosstown rivals 00:28:26 - What inspired him to write music 00:30:57 - The near-death experience that chokes him up even today 00:34:38 - How much of his Playboy image is a story he was creating 00:37:15 - If he is confident he would make it in show business 00:37:33 - The idea of an album band 00:39:00 - An obscure Dutch radio reference 00:40:14 - Did they write Runnin’ with the Devil in 18 minutes 00:42:25 - Who are the best teachers and coaches 00:45:35 - When he has felt sorry for himself 00:46:45 - Why he hasn’t fallen into a lot of traps, other Rock and Rollers did 00:47:28 - Him stealing books 00:48:31 - What kept him from succumbing to drug abuse 00:49:55 - Where his ability to jump high comes from 00:53:46 - Why did he leave Van Halen in 1985 00:54:38 - Why didn’t he ever get married 00:56:44 - His ability to mimic others 00:58:54 - The teleplay he has been working on for three years 01:00:33 - Why his favorite audience is disbelieving nonbelievers 01:01:29 - Why he isn’t happy 01:02:14 - His window time 01:02:53 - How he’s always solving a catastrophe 01:05:12 - Why he decided to start Ink the Orginal 01:07:43 - Why take his life in this direction 01:09:41 - Tattoos today 01:12:11 - The process of making his product 01:13:53 - How the business is doing 01:14:22 - The difference between having a tattoo today and 30 years ago 01:17:37 - What advice would he give someone who has writer’s block 01:19:28 - Squeezing every single moment out of life

I finally understand him. I ever thought he would be a egomaniac. Know I just think his brain is ultra- and uncontrolled creative. Absolutely fascinating. That interview brought this new understanding to me.

In 1985 had a wallet full of money and i walked into the Seventh Veil strip club on Sunset Blvd and DLR and Frank Infante, Blondie's original lead guitarist were both sitting there drinking twelve dollar teaspoons of champagne...i was working at what was Cherokee Studios and i just started up a conversation with Frank about guitars and TEAC four track reel to reels. The three of us sustained ourselves with the oyster shell tinted ether based Peruvian stuff in Dave's pocket. Dave talked about Al Jolson and Philip Petite - amongst dozens of other people, theories, philosophies, low riders and the Zoot Suit Riots. Frank talked about Keith Moon, Clem Burke, Johnny Thunders, Stiv Bators... Darby Crash and Pat Smear walked into one bar on Sunset and La Brea and were immediately and literally picked up and hurled onto the sidewalk. Monday morning Dave jumped into a long black Limousine with Al Jorgensen and William Burroughs and raced up into the hills. Frank and i shook hands and he had a little 1920s bungalow on Franklin. I was squatting in an old house on Hawthorne, between Hollywood and Sunset Blvds. I'm fifty seven now. I own a small condo in a brand new high rise in downtown Seattle - high above all of the fentanyl and amphetamine zombies down on the street. I'm finally free of a thirty year addiction to heroin. I own lots of musical instruments; mostly guitars. Life is good. 🙏

The guy is a genius in my book,nothing but total respect from me.

Nobody can make David Lee Roth laugh like David Lee Roth

"I never assumed I was great, but I have always assumed I could make YOU feel great" ... A very telling comment on what makes DLR tick.

This interview needs to be in the radio museum.

So well read and an incredibly articulate man. Say what ya want about Roth v Hagar or who is better or whatever...David Lee Roth played a MASSIVE part in getting Van Halen to where they got to. This guys lyrics and swagger were crucial in amassing radio play and fans. Props also to interviewer

In Ted Templeman's book, he said he was amazed at Dave's ability to speak endlessly, stream of consciousness and switch subjects on a dime, and how educated and well-read he was.

There won't be enough time on this earth for Dave Roth. He's an explorer.Always has been.Always will be.

I had the pleasure of seeing David and Van Halen in a small auditorium opening up for Journey in 1978… the stage was on fire 🔥 when they got through!

imagine him just hijacking every conversation ever. eccentric with a side of narcissism. what a gem and amazing nutty talent

The interviewer Debbie Millman is really a great listener and gently tries to get Roth on track to answer questions - many of which he avoids. She did a great job.

Beautiful, Honest, Artful, Esoteric, Philosophical, Entertaining, Funny, Knowledgeable...Diamond Dave.

Wow! You’ve got something here that very few interviewers get. That’s DLR being more himself than the persona. I love hearing the real details of his life and development. He’s definitely a one off

Kudos to Debbie Millman. One of the best DLR interviews I've ever heard because she fought through most of his time-tested deflections. / The man inspires me as much talking as he does singing.

The most down to earth and serious interview of DLR I have heard in the 43 years I've been listening to and watching his interviews. Very insightful and I really enjoyed it. Because she was serious and set the tone, it was very real and conversational. Too many people try to be cool and funny and talk to his image; however she talked to the actual person. Nicely done.

David Lee Roth has never ceased to amaze, a World Class Showmen and this is one hell of an interview. David Lee Roth at his most honest and authentic self. We're incredibly fortunate to have witnessed this moment in time with the legend himself.11/15/2023

Dave should be employed travelling around the country giving motivational and strategical talks to schoolkids,he`s so erudite and eloquent and inspiring I`m sure he could do a lot of good for them.

He's being genuinely honest about his voice. He's not a bad singer, but he's gravelly, and has a limited range, excluding his falsetto squeals. But he's one of the single greatest frontmen and showmen ever seen. I enjoy his voice, but I know many who have expressed dislike for his voice, all the way back to the 80s, at the peak of VH. But he puts himself into it 100 percent, it's pure passion, and that means more than all the skill, training, range and smoothness in the world. DLR and Geddy Lee, both got a lot of grief for their voice when I was in high school. Whatever. I love DLR. More than I loved him in VH. I loved his book, I've listened to every interview I could. He's pure entertainment, and this interview is in the top three of the best I've heard.