From “Warrior” To What If

August 21, 1984, one of the iconic tracks of the 80s hit record stores.  Scandal, featuring the electric vocals of Patty Smyth, released their debut full-length album, “Warrior”. 

Fast forward to 1985. As Van Halen was searching for a new voice after David Lee Roth’s exit, they turned to a surprising candidate: Patty Smyth.  She happened to be eight months pregnant at the time and was on the cusp of motherhood, not ready to uproot her life for an uncertain new chapter.

The phone call came at a crossroads. Smyth recalled that neither the lifestyle nor the location felt right. “They were heavy drinkers. I don’t drink,” she explained, and being a New Yorker, “I never saw myself living in L.A.” The band’s volatile reputation, brothers Eddie and Alex Van Halen were known to fight, only compounded her hesitation. She was also dealing with the emotional and physical demands of late-stage pregnancy, “probably heavily hormoned out,” which made the prospect feel even more overwhelming.

Smyth admits she regrets the decision to this day. “For a long time, I regretted it. When you start to have regrets, I was like, ‘Oh man, I would’ve made so much money.’” Yet, the moment reinforced her priorities: her growing family, independence, and the need to stay true to herself on her own terms.

It’s one of rock’s great “what ifs”.  Just imagine hearing Patty Smyth’s voice with Eddie’s guitar licks! Wow!

Today, we’ll just have to enjoy “The Warrior” and yes, the “finger guns” are required!

Doug O’Brien