Hagar's progression as an artist

[Ain't Talkin' Bout' Love]

I've been listening to a lot of Sammy stuff lately, and I really don't think he gets enough credit for how great of an overall muscian the man is. The first two Montrose albums are spectactular, and when he signed with capitol he wrote a lot of underated stuff. Sure we all know Red, Rock N' Roll Weekend, etc. But what about Straight From The Hip Kid? Run For Your Life? Growing Pains? He wrote some great stuff. Then the Geffen years, Standing Hampton is a true gem, Three Lock Box is good despite the overly poppy 80's tunes, and VOA is great save Dick In The Dirt. The VH years, and I Never Said Goodbye, he really hit his prime far later (his 40's) than most artists seem to.
It was sad to see VH break-up when he and the band were taking such a unique turn. Humans Being, Crossing Over, these tunes seemed to show a turn towards subtlety, a far cry from a lot of the more basic rock and love tunes they'd written. However, when Hagar released Marching to Mars, I think he hit a level of song writing he never before had touched on. The lyrics had a real personal vibe combined with the angst of his VH ousting. After he settled down with the Wabos, he released more of the party songs and love songs like he had early in VH and before, but with a more grown-up, mature feel. After Livin' It Up, I think Sammy had settled on the type of music he'll retire with, while still representing much of his career in his live show.
I don't really have a point here guys, but this guy has delivered year after year, and I would be happy for him to retire at any point. I know if Ed and Al had just called it quits rather than tease us year after year, most if not all of us would be accepting and happy to see them go out on a definite note. Thoughts, comments?

[Van Squalen]

I'm hoping his next release dials back the Livin' It Up calypso style, and harkens back to Not 4 Sale, Ten-13, and Marching to Mars.

More Red Rocker, less Jimmy Buffett.

[Nostalgia Act]

Good post. The only thing i have the slightest issue with(if you can call it that) is the part about him retiring anytime. I hope that he never fully retires. Yea, i know he will be 60 this year and he will at some point probably not tour as much as in the past. But as Sammy himself has said" i get paid to do something i would do for free." To be sure, touring takes him away from his family, but he is in the unique position where he can basically do his shows during the latter part of the week and then fly back home to be with the family for the first half. What a life.

I read somewhere recently where sammy say's that making and selling records this day and age is probably not in his best interest. I think that Livin it Up only sold 57,000 copies. He talks about making future music available thru is website or by some other means. Sorry so vague, not sure where i read it(internet) but it was recently.

[Ain't Talkin' Bout' Love]

I do agree with your retirement statement, because I think it would be nice if he never fully did either. All I mean is if he did than I have no problem with it because he always keeps the fans informed and aware. I hope his next release is more like classic Sammy, but like I read somewhere, Hagar has grown a lot with his aging fan base, and thus his interests have dipped into country and lighter rock. I'd be surprised, yet hopeful, that he lives up to "The Red Rocker" with his next release.

[PlexiBrown]

I think I saw Sammy in my back yard. It was dark so I couldn't really tell. It might have been a deer.

[Nostalgia Act]

I do agree with your retirement statement, because I think it would be nice if he never fully did either. All I mean is if he did than I have no problem with it because he always keeps the fans informed and aware. I hope his next release is more like classic Sammy, but like I read somewhere, Hagar has grown a lot with his aging fan base, and thus his interests have dipped into country and lighter rock. I'd be surprised, yet hopeful, that he lives up to "The Red Rocker" with his next release.

Read the Melodic Rock interview with Andrew. Sammy talks about country, Elvis,and i believe Motown being the music that first influenced him. Rock came later. I think the Beatles might of had something to do with that. I'm probably somewhere in the middle of his aging fan base(43) I first got into him when All Night Long came out.Worked my way back to Musical Chairs. Red, and Nine on a Ten Scale. Too young to fully appreciate Montrose when it originally came out. They also came later.

It wouldn't surprise me if Sammy keeps his ear to the ground on what is fans are saying. I look for the next album to be more of what most fans would expect. The B- Day Bash is the starting point for the next tour. I'm hopeful for new music to go with the tour

[Dont disturb my Paradise]

When I first heard "5150", I did'nt just get into VH, I got into Sammy too. I got all the VH albums on vinyl and The Hagar solo albums too. I could get burnt for this, but I put the Hagar era miles ahead of the Roth era. Sammy is my fave singer/frontman of all time. No one beats him!!! I've got every album of his on CD and vinyl, and I've collected every bit of rarities on him, as I have with VH. I Just love the guy!!!
I agree with everything you said in the first post. The capital years are very under-rated, this was the time when he had a lot of help from Carter, the production of those albums were'nt much, but thew songs were brilliant. I personally love "Free money" and "Little star/Eclipse" from "The Red album".
"Try to fall in love" from Musical chairs is his greatest departure from Hard Rock ever......and one of Sammys best work ever as far as balladry. The man is top class!!!.
I actually prefer "3 Lock box" over "Standing Hampton". SH did get him on track though through the 80's.
As for today, I dont think Sammy will retire for a long time yet....hes still got alot of music in him yet, and I think a return-to-rock is with us in about a year or two. The last album was pretty much fun, fun, fun but if you remember correctly he was'nt intending to put out "Livin it up", it all came spur of the moment and he was just plain enjoying the vibe.
Sammys a happy man, laid back and does'nt need to do this, but he does, cause he cares......

[Railrunner130]

I think we're witnessing the evolution of Sammy. Part of him stays the same- there are certain elements on the first Montrose album that carry through the albums. Yet there is an evolution, where things change. Montrose was a phase in his life, as was Van Halen and the Wabos are now. Maybe Chickenfoot will be, who knows. We all change. Music is fluid enough that it is a good medium to facilitate that change. It keeps things fresh.

[F'nRockstar]

Chickenfoot won't happen. The Peppers are wayyyyyyy to huge and don't really take time off.

[AT]

More and more of the "lifetime achievement award"-type things are being directed Sammy's way, and rightfully so. Few musicians follow a progression like his. Longtime bands usually have just that--the band; few side projects from the Rolling Stones or Aerosmith (just a couple of examples) have been largely successful and sustaining. Sammy's run with VH was obviously huge, but well before that he had the phases of his solo career AND Montrose AND work as a songwriter for other artists, and since VH he's had his modest but very consistent solo work AND all the success in his business ventures. He's had business deals go very bad and lots of things go very well. No matter what he always seems to learn form his experiences and build on them. Sure, sometimes his music or lyrics get sappy or cheesy, but I have no doubt he means what he writes, and for that reason I've always give it a chance. If I had to narrow down my evaluation of his 30 years-plus career, I'd call it "extremely respectable." I'm a Sammy for the music AND all these other reasons.

[Ian Sane]

Chickenfoot won't happen. The Peppers are wayyyyyyy to huge and don't really take time off.

Chad Smith, the drummer & RHCP member involved with Chickenfoot, has managed to find time for other projects in the past. He's drummed on a couple of Glenn Hughes' albums.

This project may come together yet, I guess we'll just have to wait and see...

[Raldo]

His songwriting has definitely gotten more rounded over the years. Like Van Halen, he started off with the pure rock and roll and then as he got older branched out some. I enjoyed 'Livin It Up' for what it was....a nice, laid back type of album. I'd love for him to crank it back up for more hard rock.

[Double Down]

I'm hoping his next release dials back the Livin' It Up calypso style, and harkens back to Not 4 Sale, Ten-13, and Marching to Mars.

More Red Rocker, less Jimmy Buffett.

I would agree with that. I like the Buffett style stuff and I listen to it often, but I think we've got enough of it now. I'd like to see him get back to some good old fashioned guitar-driven tunes.

[Ain't Talkin' Bout' Love]

I would agree with that. I like the Buffett style stuff and I listen to it often, but I think we've got enough of it now. I'd like to see him get back to some good old fashioned guitar-driven tunes.

Although I didn't like Livin' It Up, it was cool to see him try something new. Hopefully he'll get back to rock on his next album.

[extreme red roth]

I buy his albums. I see him when he tours in my part of the woods.
I pretty much like everything he does.