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.

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