'70s Capitol Sammy Solo

**DFVH5150** · 01.06.23, 07:15 AM

Since that era of his from '76-'80 was clearly his least best era, what songs do you guys like from it?

The ones I like the most, chronologically:

Keep on Rockin'
Urban Guerilla
Flamingos Fly
Silver Lights
All American

Red
Cruisin' & Boozin'
Rock 'N' Roll Weekend
Fillmore Shuffle
Love Has Found Me

Turn Up the Music
It's Gonna Be Alright
You Make Me Crazy
Don't Stop Me Now
Straight from the Hip Kid

Trans Am (Highway Wonderland)
Plain Jane
Feels Like Love
Straight to the Top

Love Or Money
20th Century Man
In the Night (Entering the Danger Zone)

Call My Name

Oddly enough Paper Money is my least favorite album of his, not one of these.

Notice how he, outside of his birthday bashes, rarely plays any of these other than "Red." I've seen him about 30 times without Van Halen and that's the only one I've seen live.

**Bugs Meanie** · 01.06.23, 01:24 PM

I discovered Sammy in my youth mainly through FM radio and radio at the time didn't really pay attention to him until his Geffen years so I started at Geffen and went backwards. I liked what John Kalodner did with Sammy at Geffen but those Capitol releases have some gems on them too.

My Top 10 Would Be

Red
Love or Money
Trans Am
This Planet's On Fire
Cruisin' & Boozin'
Reckless
Silver Lights
20th Century Man
Rock 'N Roll Weekend
Plain Jane

**DFVH5150** · 01.06.23, 11:30 PM

Originally Posted by Bugs Meanie

I discovered Sammy in my youth mainly through FM radio and radio at the time didn't really pay attention to him until his Geffen years so I started at Geffen and went backwards. I liked what John Kalodner did with Sammy at Geffen but those Capitol releases have some gems on them too.

My Top 10 Would Be

Red
Love or Money
Trans Am
This Planet's On Fire
Cruisin' & Boozin'
Reckless
Silver Lights
20th Century Man
Rock 'N Roll Weekend
Plain Jane

I never heard of Montrose when I became a big VH fan in '91, much less '70s Sammy solo. I remember me and my buddy going to tape stores in the '90s and seeing all 340 of his greatest hits compilations with all of these songs on them laughing at the song titles and thinking WTF.

I only remember 55, "Heavy Metal," "Your Love Is Driving Me Crazy," "VOA," "Winner Takes It All," "Give to Live," and "Hands and Knees." And no, strangely not TOOWTR!

**Bugs Meanie** · 01.07.23, 10:42 AM

Haha! I think Capitol is still putting out those "best ofs". Those stupid best ofs were a gateway drug. Bought one, heard Red, bought that album. Liked Trans Am, bought that album.. Next thing you know, I had them all. I really started liking Sammy and VH at around the same time - '82ish - so it was really a mindfuck for me when DLR was gone and Sammy was in

Sammy just signed the worst deal with that company when he left Montrose, but I get it... he kind of had to. I think he was under contract to put out an album a year, no years off, hardly any budget for quality musicians, and very little promotion. He just survived off of touring which essentially led Geffen to take a chance on him.

I don't think Geffen was too enamored at the time but figured they could it work if A&R man John Kalodner helped Sammy work out the songs, they gave him a decent producer, and called radio stations. Those Geffen albums were a huge improvement. I like most of those old "Red Rocker" albums - both Geffen and Capitol

At the time, I don't think any band or musician worked harder than Van Halen did from '75-'84 or Sammy Hagar did for those same years - whether either of them wanted to or whether they had to because of those 1-sided record deals.

**Railrunner130** · 01.08.23, 02:33 PM

I wish that when Sammy had done "Lite Roast" he would've taken on and revisited some of the Capitol songs.

I think that while they would've taken a bit more to rework than what ended up on the album, it may have been more interesting. Plain Jane acoustic, for example.

**DFVH5150** · 01.08.23, 09:05 PM

Originally Posted by Bugs Meanie

Haha! I think Capitol is still putting out those "best ofs". Those stupid best ofs were a gateway drug. Bought one, heard Red, bought that album. Liked Trans Am, bought that album.. Next thing you know, I had them all. I really started liking Sammy and VH at around the same time - '82ish - so it was really a mindfuck for me when DLR was gone and Sammy was in

Sammy just signed the worst deal with that company when he left Montrose, but I get it... he kind of had to. I think he was under contract to put out an album a year, no years off, hardly any budget for quality musicians, and very little promotion. He just survived off of touring which essentially led Geffen to take a chance on him.

I don't think Geffen was too enamored at the time but figured they could it work if A&R man John Kalodner helped Sammy work out the songs, they gave him a decent producer, and called radio stations. Those Geffen albums were a huge improvement. I like most of those old "Red Rocker" albums - both Geffen and Capitol

At the time, I don't think any band or musician worked harder than Van Halen did from '75-'84 or Sammy Hagar did for those same years - whether either of them wanted to or whether they had to because of those 1-sided record deals.

Geffen started putting out number of those as well at one point.

I do, like Unboxed, consider Rematch to be an "official" release though. The artwork with his dad's name on it, the fact that it was the first one, had a different version of "Red" on it, had IDEFY's first inclusion on an album...

**DFVH5150** · 01.08.23, 09:52 PM

"Red" is my favorite (and I'm sure we can all agree it's the best), for the record. Forgot to mention. You could argue the lyrics are silly...but that motherfucker rocks and is a darn good song.

**Dont disturb my Paradise** · 01.08.23, 10:16 PM

The best track from the 70’s is “Little star/Eclipse” right at the end of the
“Red album”. Absolutely love it. The lyrics. The build up. I loved how he incorporated it into his live set too during the ‘77/‘78 tour. He did a space opera medley during his shows with “Silver lights”, “Someone out there” and “Space age sacrifice”. He knocked it out of the park.

The other best tracks from the 70’s were -
Free money
Catch the wind
Red (ofcourse)
Young girl blues (All night long version)
Child to man
Love or money

**CaboChris** · 01.09.23, 04:02 AM

Originally Posted by Dont disturb my Paradise

The best track from the 70’s is “Little star/Eclipse” right at the end of the
“Red album”. Absolutely love it. The lyrics. The build up. I loved how he incorporated it into his live set too during the ‘77/‘78 tour. He did a space opera medley during his shows with “Silver lights”, “Someone out there” and “Space age sacrifice”. He knocked it out of the park.

This

**Dave's Dreidel** · 01.09.23, 07:02 AM

I like very little of Sam's pre VH catalog. I prefer his post VH solo career much more, in fact, I can't remember the last time I pulled one of his old solo records out of the drawer, must be years, maybe a decade.

**DFVH5150** · 01.09.23, 08:33 AM

Originally Posted by Dont disturb my Paradise

The best track from the 70’s is “Little star/Eclipse” right at the end of the
“Red album”. Absolutely love it. The lyrics. The build up. I loved how he incorporated it into his live set too during the ‘77/‘78 tour. He did a space opera medley during his shows with “Silver lights”, “Someone out there” and “Space age sacrifice”. He knocked it out of the park.

Cool tune no doubt, but sounds like he's ripping off "Baba O'Riley" a little though if I remember right. Yeah that space opera was pretty sweet.

**DFVH5150** · 01.09.23, 08:36 AM

Originally Posted by Dont disturb my Paradise

The best track from the 70’s is “Little star/Eclipse” right at the end of the
“Red album”. Absolutely love it. The lyrics. The build up. I loved how he incorporated it into his live set too during the ‘77/‘78 tour. He did a space opera medley during his shows with “Silver lights”, “Someone out there” and “Space age sacrifice”. He knocked it out of the park.

The other best tracks from the 70’s were -
Free money
Catch the wind
Red (ofcourse)
Young girl blues (All night long version)
Child to man
Love or money

Definitely the least best (being an annoying super-fan, I never say "worst"):

Confession (Please Come Back)
The Pits
Try (Try to Fall in Love)
Hey Boys
Mommy Says, Daddy Says

**Dont disturb my Paradise** · 01.10.23, 02:24 AM

Originally Posted by DFVH5150

Definitely the least best (being an annoying super-fan, I never say "worst"):

Confession (Please Come Back)
The Pits
Try (Try to Fall in Love)
Hey Boys
Mommy Says, Daddy Says

I love “The Pits”.
“Try to fall in love” is beautiful. An old Ricky Nelson song.

**DFVH5150** · 01.10.23, 05:19 AM

Originally Posted by Dont disturb my Paradise

I love “The Pits”.
“Try to fall in love” is beautiful. An old Ricky Nelson song.

A lot of those old Sammy songs are covers. Covers of people most of us have never heard of.

**DFVH5150** · 01.10.23, 07:00 AM

What about you guys' Geffen era? For me there's not many more songs, just the ones I like I like better:

I'll Fall in Love Again
There's Only One Way to Rock
Heavy Metal
Baby It's You

Fast Times at Ridgemont High

Remember the Heroes
Your Love Is Driving Me Crazy
Rise of the Animal

I Can't Drive 55
Swept Away
Dick in the Dirt
VOA

Winner Takes It All

When the Hammer Falls
Give to Live
Returning Home
Eagles Fly

High Hopes

It's telling how his songwriting improved as as early as INSG because of writing with Eddie. Even with Geffen he had some duds and you can certainly tell the difference between album tracks like "Remote Love," "Growing Up," and "Burning Down the City" versus the ones on INSG.