#66 David Lee Roth 2019 Interview

The Tapes Archive

Last week, we released an interview with David Lee Roth from 1984. This week, we are releasing another Roth interview, but 35 years later. We go from the height of Roth’s Van Halen career to his twilight years. I believe this interview is one of the most honest and humble interviews he’s ever given; he speaks very candidly on many topics.

At the time of this interview in 2019, Roth was 65 years old and promoting his line of tattoo skin care products called Ink the Orginal. In the interview, Roth talks at great lengths about his parents and growing up, the beginning and ending with Van Halen, why he never got married, why he’s never happy, plus so much more.

The interview was conducted by Debbie Millman and was originally aired on her award-winning awesome podcast Design Matters. We are so grateful that Ms. Millman is allowing us to share one of the most insightful David Lee Roth interviews with you. Please use the link below and subscribe to her podcast.

Subscribe to Debbie Millan's Design Matters: https://www.designmattersmedia.com/

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