In this episode, 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. To learn more about Steve, please check out our podcast-only interview with him, which is out now.

Link to captioned version

In the interview, Roth talks about:

• If he displays himself as the wild man of rock and roll


• If he’s different on stage than off?


• What’s Diamond Enterprises


• If he considers himself a dictator


• His street smarts


• If he follows what everyone else is doing


• The work you must put in 


• Who is his mentors


• If he’s perceived the way he wants to be


• His two friends


• What drives him


• What crowd he fit in with as a kid


• Where he developed his flamboyant swagger


• If he resented being bussed into minority schools


• How Steve Vai stacks up to Eddie Van Halen


• The toughness to his music and lyrics.


• If he can see the quality in other people immediately


• If he’s one big heap of ego


• If he listens to his own records


• His onstage presence


• What’s wrong with Van Halen


• How it was different with him in the band


• Eddie and Alex on the wagon


• Roth goes off the record about Ed and Al’s sobriety


• Why he isn’t lucky in love


• His critique of Axl Rose


• His critique of Ozzy Osbourne


• His critique of Brian Wilson


• His critique of Bon Jovi