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Sammy playing it cool at 60
Red Rocker hits Bloomington with ex-Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony
Thursday, October 25, 2007
By Phil Luciano
of the Journal Star
Sammy Hagar gushes over U2, but not like most fans of the Irish band.
Sure, he likes the music. But more so he appreciates how U2 has been able to remain at the top of its game for such a long time.
"They're my favorite band," says Hagar, who plays Saturday at the U.S. Cellular Coliseum in Bloomington. "All the drugs, divorces and whatever, they've hung in there, hung together. They know when to take time off, but they stay together."
You know whom he's thinking about. Hagar sounds wistful, a feeling he lets through once in a while when he thinks about Van Halen. Despite a history of pot shots from both sides since their rancorous 1996 split, the attacks have died down, with all parties more or less currently observing a truce. Much of the peace comes from the surviving Van Halen faction's making a business decision to be on its best behavior since reuniting this year with original vocalist David Lee Roth.
Though Van Halen's current tour has been met with positive reviews, fans and critics are quick to note that the band is doing absolutely no Hagar-era tunes. Hagar warns that the outfit cannot forever ignore the Van Hagar years. Concert-goers might forgive the gap on the current set list, but not forever.
"The fact that they're trying to pretend the last Van Halen album they did was '1984,' that's crazy," he says.
Hagar acknowledges that Roth can't sing as high as needed on Hagar compositions like "Why Can't This Be Love" and "Poundcake." Still, the band needs to figure out how to incorporate Hagar works into the show, just as it did with Roth's songs after Hagar came into the fold.
"I didn't like singing Dave's songs," Hagar says. "But I did. That's fan-friendly."
Today, Hagar makes such statements matter-of-factly, without nasty undertones of years past. When pressed to discuss Van Halen, he often sounds flatly analytical, almost like a sociologist dissecting a peculiar sub-culture:
- On the reunion tour with Van Halen in 2004-05 - one that ended with his complaints about Eddie Van Halen's alcohol problems and Hagar's declaring - "I'm done with Van Halen" - he simply says, "We found we really didn't like each other."
- On his surprise that Roth was invited back to Van Halen: "Dave wasn't just the ex-singer. He was the enemy. He was Iraq."
- On his better days with the band: "That was the pinnacle of my career. That was the pinnacle of their career. ... In fact, without Van Halen I couldn't do the things I do."
In addition to forging forward with touring and recording, Hagar has created a fledgling entertainment empire, with his Cabo Wabo resort, like-named tequila and his latest venture, Cabo Wabo Radio - an Internet site streaming (as he puts it) "feel-good rock" that includes new and old material from across the globe.
He kicked off the station Oct. 13, his 60th birthday, with a performance at his Mexican nightclub. In attendance were buddies like Kenny Chesney and Toby Keith, the latter of whom kept egging him to do birthday shots backstage before the show.
"I told him, 'I can't! I can't! I've got a show to do!'" Hagar says, laughing. "I only did two shots."
Even on a landmark birthday, Hagar insists on staying in control for his fans.
"I drink," he says. "I even party it up sometimes. I mean, I have my own tequila (brand). But I would never go on stage without being in the best shape I can be. Maybe just a shot or two, a little buzz."
Hagar says he feels better as a performer than even his youthful days with Montrose or his heyday in Van Halen. He often cringes at old concert footage.
"I can't believe I acted like that," he says. "I was insecure ... Things would come out of my mouth, mostly things about sex or getting high - I guess, things I thought people wanted to hear."
Today, he no longer tries to play the part of rock star. He just plays the part of Sammy. He likes the role.
"I'm cooler than I was when I was 30," he says with a chuckle. "I'm 60, but I'd rather be the super-cool old guy."
Red Rocker hits Bloomington with ex-Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony
Thursday, October 25, 2007
By Phil Luciano
of the Journal Star
Sammy Hagar gushes over U2, but not like most fans of the Irish band.
Sure, he likes the music. But more so he appreciates how U2 has been able to remain at the top of its game for such a long time.
"They're my favorite band," says Hagar, who plays Saturday at the U.S. Cellular Coliseum in Bloomington. "All the drugs, divorces and whatever, they've hung in there, hung together. They know when to take time off, but they stay together."
You know whom he's thinking about. Hagar sounds wistful, a feeling he lets through once in a while when he thinks about Van Halen. Despite a history of pot shots from both sides since their rancorous 1996 split, the attacks have died down, with all parties more or less currently observing a truce. Much of the peace comes from the surviving Van Halen faction's making a business decision to be on its best behavior since reuniting this year with original vocalist David Lee Roth.
Though Van Halen's current tour has been met with positive reviews, fans and critics are quick to note that the band is doing absolutely no Hagar-era tunes. Hagar warns that the outfit cannot forever ignore the Van Hagar years. Concert-goers might forgive the gap on the current set list, but not forever.
"The fact that they're trying to pretend the last Van Halen album they did was '1984,' that's crazy," he says.
Hagar acknowledges that Roth can't sing as high as needed on Hagar compositions like "Why Can't This Be Love" and "Poundcake." Still, the band needs to figure out how to incorporate Hagar works into the show, just as it did with Roth's songs after Hagar came into the fold.
"I didn't like singing Dave's songs," Hagar says. "But I did. That's fan-friendly."
Today, Hagar makes such statements matter-of-factly, without nasty undertones of years past. When pressed to discuss Van Halen, he often sounds flatly analytical, almost like a sociologist dissecting a peculiar sub-culture:
- On the reunion tour with Van Halen in 2004-05 - one that ended with his complaints about Eddie Van Halen's alcohol problems and Hagar's declaring - "I'm done with Van Halen" - he simply says, "We found we really didn't like each other."
- On his surprise that Roth was invited back to Van Halen: "Dave wasn't just the ex-singer. He was the enemy. He was Iraq."
- On his better days with the band: "That was the pinnacle of my career. That was the pinnacle of their career. ... In fact, without Van Halen I couldn't do the things I do."
In addition to forging forward with touring and recording, Hagar has created a fledgling entertainment empire, with his Cabo Wabo resort, like-named tequila and his latest venture, Cabo Wabo Radio - an Internet site streaming (as he puts it) "feel-good rock" that includes new and old material from across the globe.
He kicked off the station Oct. 13, his 60th birthday, with a performance at his Mexican nightclub. In attendance were buddies like Kenny Chesney and Toby Keith, the latter of whom kept egging him to do birthday shots backstage before the show.
"I told him, 'I can't! I can't! I've got a show to do!'" Hagar says, laughing. "I only did two shots."
Even on a landmark birthday, Hagar insists on staying in control for his fans.
"I drink," he says. "I even party it up sometimes. I mean, I have my own tequila (brand). But I would never go on stage without being in the best shape I can be. Maybe just a shot or two, a little buzz."
Hagar says he feels better as a performer than even his youthful days with Montrose or his heyday in Van Halen. He often cringes at old concert footage.
"I can't believe I acted like that," he says. "I was insecure ... Things would come out of my mouth, mostly things about sex or getting high - I guess, things I thought people wanted to hear."
Today, he no longer tries to play the part of rock star. He just plays the part of Sammy. He likes the role.
"I'm cooler than I was when I was 30," he says with a chuckle. "I'm 60, but I'd rather be the super-cool old guy."
Three time witness to the comeback of the MIGHTY VAN HALEN. And then they faded back into obscurity.
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