Break out the popcorn, rock fans. We've got a public slapfight between ex-band mates a-brewin' that rivals anything that's happened with Kiss. Following this morning's (June 19) slam of Michael Anthony's bass playing by Eddie Van Halen, Sammy Hagar gave a NSFW response that rose to his friend's defense and took a few shots of his own.

"It's really irritating to see them going after Mikey," he said in a video on his Facebook page. "Mikey didn't do anything, ever, to Van Halen. Mikey was the most loyal guy in the band. He was the first guy there at rehearsal, the last guy to leave, the first guy at the gig, the guy that carried the [...] VH banner [...] every night [like] the flagman on the horse in the Cavalry. That was Michael Anthony, OK?"

Today, an interview with Eddie found him criticizing his former bassist's musicianship, saying, "Every note Mike ever played, I had to show him how to play. Before we’d go on tour, he’d come over with a video camera and I’d have to show him how to play all the parts."

Calling Van Halen's words as "the biggest line of bulls--- I've ever heard in my life," Hagar continued, "I was in that band for 11 years. There was never a video camera involved of Eddie showing him what to play. Eddie would tell him what to play once in a while and say, 'No, Mike. Don't play that many notes. Just stay on one note [demonstrates] so that I can f--- up and nobody will know it. It was that kind of s---."

Hagar then referenced the last time both men were in Van Halen. "I'm telling you straight up, especially on the '04 reunion tour. If Mike would have played any more than one note, it would have shown that Eddie wasn't playing the right chords again and again and again. I couldn't sing to him. You couldn't play bass to him. So that is a lot of bulls--- and I don't know why they go after him like that. He doesn't deserve it."

He concludes with even more profanity, even as he's removing his microphone and getting up to leave. "Michael Anthony is a bad motherf-----. F--- you, Eddie Van Halen for saying that about Mikey. You're a liar [...] I'm so pissed about that. A--hole [...] Michael Anthony is the greatest guy on the f---ing planet."

Van Halen and the Top 100 Rock Albums of the '80s