Sex Tents, White House Bondage, and Codpiece Crabs

True Tales of Debauchery from Sammy Hagar, Danny DeVito, and Ace Frehley

It’s an occupational hazard of interviewing celebrities for a living that sometimes you have to ask strangers about their sex lives. This is especially true when you’re talking to rock stars. I’ve learned more than I ever wanted to know about the sexual proclivities of people who make their living making music, whether it’s Mötley Crüe's Vince Neil telling me that he’s “officially bored with boobs” or New Order’s Peter Hook telling me about the Joy Division dildo being sold in Germany.

In the coming months, I’ll be sharing some of my favorite sexual exchanges with your favorite (and sometimes less-than-favorite) artists. Most are musicians—because obviously, sex is part of the “sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll” job description—but not always. Some of the filthiest minds have never picked up a guitar. Spend more than five minutes with Danny DeVito and I promise you this: he will mention his balls.

Sammy Hagar

Eric Spitznagel: Your memoir (Red: My Uncensored Life In Rock) is filled with some pretty hilarious sex tales.

Sammy Hager: Hilarious? How are they hilarious?

ES: They weren’t supposed to be funny?

SH: No! What’s so funny about sex? Are you making fun of me?

ES: Well, what about the story where you got blown by a studio receptionist after telling her, “I’ve got a singing headache.” Do you stand behind that as a non-ridiculous pickup line?

SH: Well, it worked. [Laughs.] No, that’s part of the deal. When you’re young and rich and the lead singer of the biggest band in the world, sex is thrown at you. When I was just starting out, the whole groupie scene was more common. I’m sure it’s still there, but it’s not as prevalent as it was in the ‘70s and ‘80s.

ES: I’m not surprised that the members of Van Halen had a lot of recreational sex with their female fans. I just didn’t realize it was happening during the shows, under the stage, in sex tents.

SH: Don’t you wish you would’ve been there? Being in the biggest rock band in the world, that was a special era. We had fifteen trucks on the road, and eleven buses full of roadies. When we rolled into town, we owned that town. It made you feel like somebody. But those days are gone. Some country artists are that big, and maybe U2, but that’s about it. It’s not that way anymore.

ES: Yeah, that all sounds great. But I’m talking specifically about the sex tents.