I was burned out. I think I was just exhausted. It was a very intense five years. We didn't stop. It was constant touring, constant writing, recording.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
I could not finish the rest of the tours the band had planned. I was replaced by Matt Cameron. The next years of my life were about recovery, healing, and right living. I never lost the need to create.
My whole life was writing, recording and touring over and over again. At some point I realised I wasn't enjoying myself any more.
It's been over 15 years since I toured... over 12 years since I did any recording under my own name. I never really intended to take that long of a hiatus.
I was tired. I peaked. I left when I was on top. One year, I did 280 concerts.
I felt pressured by continuous touring.
What had disappointed me at the time of the last tour, was to go on a worldwide tour, we were at some incredible places and we couldn't enjoy it, hadn't the time.
Well it has been very exciting and very changing as well. Celebrating the 40th year and having the album out and the Channel 4 documentary and I resigned from Blind Date.
When I left Van Halen, I went in the studio and made a CD called Marching to Mars with all studio musicians. I did it immediately. With the disappointment riding on my shoulders of the breakup of the band.
I've probably gone a month or two without playing guitar, just because I've gotten so burnt on it touring all year or whatever.
I still felt we had some really good music on that record, but it's a shame that we couldn't make it better. And the tour was a total mess. We just had no life, no energy, and I felt we were going through the motions.