By Hellen Zaboulani

David Lee Roth announced his retirement.

Roth was the lead singer for hard rock band Van Halen, from 1974 to 1985, briefly in 1996 and again from 2006 till their disbandment in 2020. In an interview with the Las Vegas Review Journal, Roth announced, “I am throwing in the shoes.  I am retiring.  This is the first, and only, official announcement,” he said. “You’ve got the news. Share it with the world.”

“I’m not going to explain the statement,” he added. “The explanation is in a safe. These are my last five shows.”  The 66-year-old has five final shows lined up for January at the House of Blues at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.  Tickets are now being sold.  Regarding the upcoming shows, he said, “I know that when I am in the audience, whether you come out with a ukulele or a marching band, all I ask [is that] you give me everything you’ve got to give. That’s what I did for the last 50 years.”

The rock star, also known as Diamond Dave, was a proud Jew, raised by Jewish parents.  As reported by JTA he first learned to sing in preparation for his bar mitzvah.  In a 2003 interview with the Washington Post, he expanded on his Jewish identity.  “Much of his style and energy came from fury over anti-Semitism and an urge to crush Jewish stereotypes,” wrote Post writer David Segal.  “There’s not a lot of Jewish action figures,” Roth told Segal. “Heroes for little Jewish kids are very few and far between…”  He added, “Jewish kids take a paperback to the beach instead of a football”.

Roth was well known for his wild, energetic stage presence.  As a front man the world-famous band, which also featured illustrious late guitar player Eddie Van Halen, Roth became one of rock and roll’s most famous performers.  Roth also released seven albums on his own, in his solo career.

In the recent interview with Las Vegas Review Journal, Roth also spoke about the death of his former bandmate Eddie Van Halen.  He said he’s been thinking about “the departure of [his] beloved classmate”.

“I am encouraged and compelled to really come to grips with how short time is, and my time is probably even shorter,” Roth said.  “I thought I might have been the first, frankly. I might have thought the Marlboro Man would’ve got me… And my doctors, my handlers, compelled me to really address that every time I go onstage, I endanger that future.”