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
