Sammy Hagar and the Waboritas

[Chris]

Sammy Hagar and The Waboritas – Thursday, July 15

Sammy Hagar – Lead Singer, Guitar
David Lauser – Drums
Vic Johnson – Guitar
Mona – Bass Guitar

Sammy Hagar got his start in 1973 with the band Montrose, which was led by lead guitarist Ronnie Montrose. After two albums (one going platinum) and the hit “Bad Motor Scooter,” Sammy left taking two members of Montrose with him and starting his own band. His debut album in 1976 Nine on a Ten Scale did not produce any hits but his second album titled Sammy Hagar (also referred to as The Red Album) in 1977 would yield his first hit “Red” and the album would go gold. He would release several more solo albums with moderate success with Capitol Records before signing with Geffen Records and hitting it big with the album Standing Hampton in 1981. The album produced five hit songs, led by “There’s Only One Way to Rock” and “I’ll Fall in Love Again.” The next album, Three Lock Box, in 1982 also spawned two hits, the title song and “Your Love is Driving Me Crazy,” which was his highest charting solo hit. Next Sammy formed a supergroup with Journey’s Neal Schon among others under the name HSAS and released one album. This album contained a cover of Procol Harum’s “Whiter Shade of Pale.” Sammy then released another solo album titled VOA in 1984 and it proved to be another success with probably his most recognizable song “I Can’t Drive 55.” Van Halen came calling in 1985 and Sammy would forever be thrust into super stardom. All four studio Van Halen albums during Sammy’s tenure would top the charts and would be multi-platinum. While with Van Halen, Sammy still recorded a solo album in 1987 that was originally a self-titled album but would be renamed I Never Said Goodbye after an MTV contest that had viewers choose the title. This album contained the hit “Give to Live.” A greatest hits package titled Unboxed would also be released during his Van Halen period. In 1996, Sammy would leave Van Halen and one year later would release his first solo album in 10 years with Marching to Mars, which contained the hit title song as well as “Little White Lies.” Red Voodoo would follow in 1999 and would be his first with his backup band The Waboritas. This album contained the song “Mas Tequila,” which refers to the tequila he had begun selling. He released two more albums with the Wabos, Ten 13 in 2000 and Not 4 Sale in 2001. In 2002, Sammy would tour with the other former Van Halen singer David Lee Roth under a co-headlining format. In 2004, Sammy would again join Van Halen and release a 2-CD best of compilation with three new songs. However, Sammy would return to the Wabos and released Livin’ It Up in 2006. He began touring with the Wabos and also with original Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony. During concerts, Hagar and Anthony perform Van Halen hits under the moniker The Other Half, referring to their half of Van Halen. Sammy and Anthony would be the only representative from Van Halen to show up when the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007. He released a solo album in 2008 titled Cosmic Universal Fashion that did not sell well and was not critically praised. In 2008, Sammy hooked up with Michael Anthony again. The pair would join up with guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani and drummer Chad Smith from the Red Hot Chili Peppers and form Chickenfoot. The supergroup released their self titled album in 2009 to positive reviews and solid sales as the album debuted at #4 on the Billboard album chart. Led by the #21 Mainstream Rock hit “Oh Yeah” and a successful tour, the album went gold. The band is reportedly going to record a new album. Sammy continues to play shows with the Waboritas and will be making his third stop at Moondance Jam as he closes down the first official night of the jam.

Billboard Hits
1978 You Make Me Crazy #62
1979 (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay #65
1979 Plain Jane #77
1982 I’ll Fall in Love Again #43
1982 Piece of My Heart #73
1983 Never Give Up #46
1983 Your Love Is Driving Me Crazy #13
1984 I Can’t Drive 55 #26
1984 Two Sides of Love #38
1984 Whiter Shade of Pale (with HSAS) #94
1986 Dreams (with Van Halen) #22
1986 Love Walks In (VH) #22
1986 Why Can’t This Be Love? (VH) #3
1987 Eagles Fly #82
1987 Give to Live #23
1987 Winner Takes All #54
1988 Black and Blue (VH) #37
1988 Finish What Ya Started (VH) #13
1988 When It’s Love (VH) #5
1989 Feels So Good (VH) #35
1991 Top of the World (VH) #21
1992 Right Now (VH) #22
1995 Can’t Stop Lovin’ You (VH) #30
1995 Not Enough (VH) #97

Setlists
5/23/08 at Salamanca Casino in New York
Mas Tequila
There's Only One Way to Rock
I'll Fall in Love Again
The Girl Gets Around
I Love This Bar
Why Can't This Be Love
Sam I Am
Three Lock Box
Finish What Ya Started
Sun Don't Shine
Marching to Mars
Heavy Metal
Top of the World
Red
Whole Lotta Love
Dreams (acustic)
I Can't Drve 55
Mexico

5/2/08 at Lake Tahoe (Night 1 of 2)
I'm On A Roll( new)
One Way To Rock
I Love This Bar
Why Can't This Be Love
Sam I Am
Piece Of My Heart
Finish What You Started
Heavy Metal
I Can't Drive 55
Bad Motor Scooter
Little White Lie
Good Enough- With Michael Anthony
Serious JuJu
Top of The World
Poundcake
Mas Tequila
Dreams- acoustic
Fight For Your Right

2/2/08 at the Palms in Las Vegas
Mas Tequila
There's Only One Way to Rock
Fall in Love Again
Piece of My Heart
I Love This Bar
3 Lock Box
Girl Gets Around
Little White Lie
Sam I AM
Ju Ju
Top of The World
Why Can't This Be Love
Good Enough
I Can't Drive 55
Heavy Metal
Fight for Your Right (to Party)

Encore with Michael Anthony and Joe Satriani:
Mr. Fantasy
Going Down
Rock N' Roll (Led Zeppelin)


Did You Know?
Sammy was in the audience at 1967’s Monterrey Pop Festival and says it changed his life.
“Bad Motor Scooter” was the first song Sammy ever wrote.
“I’ve Done Everything for You” was originally a B-Side to Sammy’s cover of “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding.
Hagar wrote and recorded “I’ve Done Everything For You,” which eventually became a hit for Rick Springfield.
“Heavy Metal” from the album Standing Hampton was made for the animated sci-fi rock film Heavy Metal.
Sammy also recorded the song “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” for the movie of the same name.
“The Girl Gets Around” was featured in the film Footloose.
While with Van Halen, Sammy went solo and recorded “Winner Takes All” for the movie Over the Top.
Sammy began writing the lyrics for “I Can’t Drive 55” while being pulled over for going 62 in a 55.
The song “Marching to Mars” was co-written by Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart.
Sammy owns the Cabo Wabo Cantinas in Cabo San Lucas, Lake Tahoe, and in Planet Hollywood’s Hotel in Las Vegas.
In 2009, Sammy opened Sammy’s Beach Bar & Grill in St. Louis and Las Vegas.
All profits from Sammy’s Beach Bar & Grill benefit local charities.
Sammy sold 80% of his Cabo Wabo Tequila to the spirits company Gruppo Campari for $80 million.
Sammy is huge in St. Louis. He holds the record for most tickets sold by an entertainer in the town and there are rumors of a Cabo Wabo Cantina being built in St. Louis.
Van Halen won a Grammy in 1991 for Best Hard Rock Performance with the album For Unlawlful Carnal Knowledge.
The Chickenfoot debut album is Sammy’s first album of new material to go gold since 1995’s Balance with Van Halen.
Both Sammy and fellow 2010 Moondance Jam performer Don Felder have songs on the Heavy Metal soundtrack.
Chickenfoot played the 20th Anniversary party for the Cabo Wabo Cantina in March.
Chickenfoot will release a live DVD on April 20.
Sammy was recently quoted saying he wasn't going to go on a big solo tour because he was going to wait to see what Chickenfoot was going to do next.
Sammy supergroup HSAS was named for the four members, Sammy Hagar, Neal Schon, Kenny Aaronson, and Michael Schrieve.
Kenny Aaronson plays bass on HalfPast6's new album. He is also currently writing new material with Tom from HalfPast6.

My Take
You would be hard-pressed to find many people as busy as Sammy Hagar. Two years ago when Sammy played Moondance he had just turned 60. Sammy has shown no signs of slowing down as he continues to tour, owns several restaurants, is still part-owner of the premium tequila Cabo Wabo Tequila, and now has another successful band in Chickenfoot. Sammy’s shows with the Waboritas have taken on a Jimmy Buffett-like role for those who like to rock a little harder than Buffett. He stresses to everyone to have a good time at his concerts and I always have a great time at his concerts. His show at Moondance Jam 2008 was one of the best I have ever seen at the jam. The crowd filled for his 7pm performance and he didn’t disappoint. He even promised to be back the following year and help sponsor the jam with his Cabo Wabo Tequila. I’ll forgive him for being late by one year and time will tell if Cabo Wabo Tequila will actually be a sponsor for the jam. I got into Sammy even more after his performance at the jam in 2008. I have found almost all of his solo releases on vinyl as well as the first Montrose album and the album with his first supergroup with Neal Schon as the band HSAS. It is all great stuff. I also really like the Chickenfoot CD and I am looking forward to the live DVD they have coming out. Sammy has so many great songs from so many different lineups that he could do an entire set and leave out the songs from his Van Halen period. Not that I want him to do that but he has so many hits that it is virtually impossible to please all the fans hoping to hear a certain song. I personally like both versions of Van Halen (no I don’t count that Gary Cherone fiasco as a version of Van Halen) but I like Sammy’s tenure just a little better. I was in high school when he first joined Van Halen and the albums 5150 and OU812 were two of my favorite albums from those years. 5150’s “Summer Nights” truly takes me back to the summer after my freshman year every time I hear it. His solo stuff is also great, with my personal favorite being “Give to Live,” which he unfortunately doesn’t play often. I think Chickenfoot ranks right up there with some of the best stuff he has done. Who knows what his setlist is going to look like but I do know that this is one show most people are in agreement will be a highlight of the jam. Jam Thursday is going to be great with all the modern rock bands and Sammy is one of the few classic rock artists who would be able to follow all those bands and close the jam the right way.

Videos
I Can’t Drive 55 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvV3nn_de2k
Winner Takes All - http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=6PuUflT ... xt_from=ML
Give to Live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_Ah1WUBmgA&feature=fvw
Your Love is Driving Me Crazy - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBdTxGzC ... re=related
Heavy Metal - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHt4eFd_2Co
Why Can’t This Be Love (From Moondance Jam 2008!) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQO_Wpp3 ... re=related
Standing on Top of the World (Jam 2008) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJyisqTq ... re=related
Heavy Metal (Jam 2008) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEYVwWb1 ... re=related
I Can’t Drive 55 (Jam 2008) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=or8eZp3K ... re=related
Where Eagles Fly (Jam 2008) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_PsW773 ... re=related
I’ll Fall in Love Again (studio) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HU1VNiNnUBE
There’s Only One Way to Rock - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he08CS2d ... re=related
Bad Motor Scooter (Montrose) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tk52nGxF ... re=related
Rock Candy (Montrose) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUeuAnMN ... re=related
Oh Yeah (Chickenfoot) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKkxxLEBwBo
Soap on a Rope (Chickenfoot) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIa9hHrate8
Sexy Little Thing (Chickenfoot) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeqpRvFaCtI

[tiedyemom]

Chris, just love all your write-ups. We really appreciate all the effort you go to. Thanks

[Chris]

Chris, just love all your write-ups. We really appreciate all the effort you go to. Thanks

Thanks! I love doing them and I hope it helps people get pumped for the jam.

[Chris]

This writeup has been updated with the following:

Sammy supergroup HSAS was named for the four members, Sammy Hagar, Neal Schon, Kenny Aaronson, and Michael Schrieve.
Kenny Aaronson plays bass on HalfPast6's new album. He is also currently writing new material with Tom from HalfPast6.

That is awesome!

[DrSkank]

He also played with a lot of other great bands... one of my favorites was Billy Squier... back in the day