Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth

David Lee Roth at his Pasadena home.   (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

David Lee Roth at his Pasadena home.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

David Lee Roth at his Pasadena home.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

David Lee Roth at his Pasadena home.   (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

David Lee Roth and his dog Russell at their Pasadena home.   (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

David Lee Roth at his Pasadena home.   (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

David Lee Roth at his Pasadena home.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

David Lee Roth at his Pasadena home.   (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Wearing his “Grapes of Roth” look, David Lee Roth sits atop an equipment box at his Pasadena home.   (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Eddie Van Halen, right, and David Lee Roth perform at Cafe Wha? in New York on Jan. 5, 2012.  (Charles Sykes / Associated Press)

David Lee Roth, left, Alex Van Halen and Eddie Van Halen performat Staples Center in Los Angeles on Nov. 20, 2007.  (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)

David Lee Roth performs at UMB Bank Pavilion in Maryland Heights, Mo., on June 7, 2002.   (Bill Greenblatt / For The Times)