Good stuff from Melodicrock.com – there are new developments in the Sammy Hagar project titled “Chickenfoot” that now apparently include Joe Satriani.
Let’s stop for a second: Chickenfoot is a horrendous name.
Now that we’ve got that out of the way, I am definitely excited to see one of my favorite singers pair with one of my favorite guitar players, paired with my favorite rock and roll bass player. I’ve got no opinion one way or the other on Chad Smith from RHCP – he’s solid, and I know he’ll fill the slot well.
Sammy Hagar to hit studio with guitar hero Joe Satriani and ex-Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony plus Red Hot Chilli Peppers drummer Chad Smith –
TORONTO – Sammy Hagar has a new supergroup that includes a virtuoso guitarist and a fellow Van Halen alumnus, but fans eager to see the so-called Red Rocker sing alongside the six-string hero he’s most famously associated with shouldn’t hold their breath. It seems a peace settlement in the war of wills between Hagar and Eddie Van Halen could be years away, if it arrives at all. “I love Eddie, but we don’t love each other,” Hagar said during an interview Thursday.
“I heard that he got cleaned up again. Hopefully he stays that way and doesn’t die, because before we both die we have to be friends again. But like I said, people have to be level-headed and have to be healthy before you can settle a feud.”
Eddie Van Halen’s battles with drug and alcohol addiction are legend, marring past shows with Hagar and delaying the start last year of a reunion tour with original singer, and Hagar’s predecessor, David Lee Roth. Instead of waiting for that friendship to be repaired, Hagar has teamed with acclaimed guitarist Joe Satriani, Red Hot Chili Pepper drummer Chad Smith, and former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony. The group, code-named Chickenfoot, will enter the recording studio just before Labour Day.
“We’ve written eight, nine songs. We just got to go in the studio Sept. 1,” Hagar said.
“When people hear the music, it’s Led Zeppelin. It’s as good as that. I know that’s a mighty bold statement… We could rival Zep.”
Hagar, 60, stills looks remarkably like he did during his time with Van Halen – suntanned and goateed with that trademark mop of curly blonde hair. In town following a show at Casino Rama, north of Toronto, with his “party band” The Wabos, Hagar took up residence for the day in a downtown hotel to promote his latest career turn as a spirits connoisseur.
Halen fans are no doubt familiar with the song “Cabo Wabo”, a track from the multi-platinum 1988 album “OU812” that sang the virtues of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Hagar’s love of all that is Cabo has seen him open cantinas bearing the name, and now he’s spending the summer selling Cabo Wabo Tequila. The brand, with its origins in Hagar’s desire to serve a local, high-end tequila at his cantina in Cabo San Lucas, grew over the years, eventually gaining recognition and robust sales in the United States. Last year, Hagar sold an 80 per cent stake in the company to multinational spirits company Campari for a reported US$80 million. “It wasn’t planned. All this happened step by step. Every time I turned around there was a new opportunity for it,” Hagar said.
“Everyone thought it was a gimmick. It’s an expensive tequila (a 750 ml bottle retails for $71.20 in Canada). They thought, what does this guy know about premium tequila?”
Apparently Hagar has even convinced bassist Anthony, who was known for drinking Jack Daniels whisky straight from the bottle onstage during his Van Halen years, to quaff his tequila while performing. The two have remained close, and perform together often, since the Hagar incarnation of Halen finally folded after a reunion in the late 1990s.
When the band reunited last year to tour with original singer David Lee Roth, Anthony was replaced by Eddie Van Halen’s son Wolfgang. Although it’s “great that they finally did the reunion with Dave,” Hagar said he had no desire to take in the show. “Mikey should have been there. It’s ridiculous,” he said. “(Seeing the show) just wouldn’t interest me in the least, all the hoopla and all that around something without it being the original.”
As for the Van Halen vs. Van Hagar debate, Hagar is content to let the fans choose their favourite and listen to the old recordings. “I’m really not interested in being in that band right now. I’m so much more interested in our little Chickenfoot project,” Hagar said. “To me that’s 10 times Van Halen, because it’s functional, we all like each other.”
WebLink: www.canadaeast.com/entertainment/article/article/304867.
Joe Satriani – The Extremist (live on the G3 tour)
Wow Shambo comparing himself to the mighty Led Zeppelin, Shammy is a complete tool
I was hoping for a positive comment from someone named Sammy’s PJs, but knew that the chances of that were a bit remote.
Thanks for stopping by and reading….
“Holy Crap”, can that guy play guitar!
“Holy Crap”, can that guy play guitar! He makes Eddie V seem lethargic!
Thank God this is finally happening. Rock has been dead too long, and this lineup features two of my favorite guys in the business — Sam and Satch.
For the nay sayers who break bad on Hagar, I would just remind them that there were plenty of balls out rock during Sam’s stay (Good Enough, Get Up, A.F.U., Source of Infection, Sucker in a Three Piece…), but it was the pop tunes that found a bigger audience and were certified hits — just like another tune called “Jump.” Obviously, Ed was the source for all this material, anyway — not Sam.
And as for the Zeppelin proclamation — Even if they turn out to be second to Zep in terms of the music, it will be the best thing on the scene today, and who doesn’t want that?
MacEric….thanks for chimin’ in….I’d actually submit the entire 5150 album in the “balls out” category.
Top to bottom, that album just rocks….
I also love Satch, so I’m looking forward to hearing what he and Sammy come up with….
Sammy should get Gary Hoey insted of
Satch.
Hoey blow’s his ass away.
Hoey? I saw him in Sacramento and like ten peeps showed up. He should stick to Xmas songs.
Hey Matt: Looking back, I gotta agree with you on the 5150 comment — solid stuff top to bottom — although I gotta admit that Dreams became one of those overplayed ditties that can I do without hearing these days (like Kashmir on AOR radio).
I got on board the Van Halen train around the time of Diver Down/1984 — and saw about 80% of all the concerts starting with Monsters of Rock/OU812.
Also saw this latest “reunion” tour with Dave — It was good, but not on par with the hype that surrounded it. People have been so psyched about Ed and Dave getting back together, that the concept seemed more important than the show. I compared it to a wine tasting for alcoholics: Anything would do because the the audience wanted to get smashed on anything.
I would have loved the Monsters of Rock / OU812 tour….I’ve got the Japan bootleg from that tour, and that’s about as close as I’ll ever come to traveling back in time for that one….
Dreams remains a favorite of mine, even though I’ve heard it a ton – I love the positivity in some of the Hagar era stuff – takes me to a cool place, and Dreams is one of those tunes.
I had the opposite reaction to the reunion tour with Dave. Was not psyched at all, and also, I was very unhappy by the exclusion of Michael Anthony.
In the end, I LOVED it….saw the tour three times, and thought they sounded better than any live boot I heard from back in the day…
I’ve been an ultimate Satch fan for a long time now. I think this new project is absolutely great and refreshing. I don’t have any preconceived notions of how good they will be. I will simply enjoy the music.
Mark – I’m looking forward to hearing it – can’t wait!!
Sammy’s making the right move and I’m sure this album is going to be great. I also hope that Sammy and Eddie can make peace someday. I shall pray that they can.
I don’t know that I’m praying for anything — especially if it only results in music that is on par with the three new releases on the Best of Both Worlds collection — real sinkers.
Eddie’s well may be dry at this point, and that’s why he’s going back with Dave to rehash the past.
On a similar note, I hope that Sam’s latest solo was only a collection of mostly rejected stuff that didn’t make it to a previous studio albums, because I’m having a hard time with this one, too.
Even the stuff with Neal Schon is leaving me a little empty — not like it was in HSAS.
There’s maybe three songs on this new album that work for me. Can’t believe I’m saying this.
I really liked most of Cosmic Universal Fashion….er, about 60 percent of it anyway. I dig the two Planet US tunes, and think that John Eddie should get writing duties for an entire album based on his contribution of “Loud.” That tune ROCKS. I like the Planet US tunes, because Sammy sounds better on those vocally than he has in a long time.
The same cannot be said unfortunately for the live stuff tacked on the end of the disc. Holy crap, I can’t believe they even released that.
The disc was indeed a disc of leftovers, and I’m surprised that they didn’t stick Open on there – which is not a tune I like, but as long as you’re releasing a leftovers disc…why not?
I have good expectations for Chickenfoot – I think that like the Planet US stuff, the songs will be there….and it’s going to be good.
SAMMY – 60 YEARS OLD!?!? I hope I’m doing half as good as Sammy when I’m 60!! Rock on Chickenfoot !! I really liked Human’s Being from Twister/Greatest Hits release, it really looked like they were headed in the right direction. Is it just me, but would it have been cool to hear Eddie doing a lot of songs on Sammy’s post VH discs?!? By the same token, it would have been great to hear Sammy sing on VH III. It’s also interesting the amount of material that Sammy has released since VH, as opposed to what they’ve done. Don’t get me wrong, VH, in spite of all it’s version (yes, even VH III), is my favorite of all time, but the brothers Van Halen may have dealt themselves a bad hand by not making it work with Sammy at the helm. Here’s looking forward to what Chickenfoot has to offer in ’09, and hopes that Eddie and Alex get it together for some new and exciting stuff!!
sammy sucks
Reading the previous post, one has to ask the next logical question: Will all the fans with boners for Dave now begin ripping on Joe and saying he sucks compared to Eddie? Grow up already.
I say let’s wait until we have a studio album from both bands and perhaps enjoy them both — that is, if Van Halen can pull it together. I would probably buy both, but it’s hard to believe that Eddie has “three albums worth of music,” and yet there’s nothing from the VH camp about Dave in studio.
(BTW: How many solo albums did Hagar put out since VHIII?)
vanhalen should release 1 or 2 new songs on movie soundtrack before new studio album comes out fans deserve new nusic and no more delays or excuses thanks jmv
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