Gibson Interview: Sammy Hagar Talks Chickenfoot, Guitars, And Songwriting
Gibson recently conducted an in-depth interview with Sammy Hagar:
Russell Hall | 08.28.2009
To paraphrase a well-known ad slogan, with a name like Chickenfoot they had better be good.
And are they ever. Comprised of guitar maestro Joe Satriani, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, and Van Halen alumni Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony, the star-studded Chickenfoot is one of those rare supergroups whose whole is better than the sum of its parts. First and foremost they are a band – a well-oiled unit that sounds as if its members have been playing together for years rather than just months.
Released in June, Chickenfoot’s self-titled debut rocks with a vengeance, mixing scorched-earth metal with good-timey riff-rock in ways that bring to mind more virtuosic versions of, say, AC/DC or Grand Funk Railroad. On tour, the band has been treating fans to a well-rounded set that includes such treats as the Montrose classic “Bad Motor Scooter” and Deep Purple’s “Highway Star,” as well as all the songs from the Chickenfoot album.
While recording the studio disc, Hagar left all the six-string duties to Satriani, but on-stage the charismatic frontman breaks out his trusty Explorer Pro and his Les Paul for several songs. In this first installment of a two-part interview, the veteran singer talks about the Chickenfoot’s chemistry, how Satriani differs from Eddie Van Halen, and his go-to guitars.
What was the original motivation to form Chickenfoot?
Well, I’m a “10-year” kind of guy. After about a decade of doing something, I get kind of antsy and bored, and I want to play with other people. Of course I still have the Waboritas as my main band for the Cabo Wabo, when I do parties.
The main inspiration for Chickenfoot is that I wanted to play with the best players in the business – the best players at their individual instruments. Chad Smith is the best drummer, Michael Anthony is the best bass player and background singer, and Joe is the best guitar player. I wanted to put together that kind of group, and see what would happen.
Early on you described Chickenfoot as “like Cream, without the jazz, with funk mixed in.” Do you still feel that’s a pretty apt description?
Yes, it is. When I say it’s like Cream, it’s because Cream was a strange mix of players who you might not think would be compatible. You wouldn’t think Jack Bruce’s bass style, and Eric Clapton’s really elegant guitar style, and Ginger Baker’s jazzy, swing style would blend, but they did. The chemistry created a special sound. And I think that’s also what we have in Chickenfoot. Chad’s funky style, Joe’s shredding, blues-based futuristic music, and Mike’s distinctive style … you wouldn’t think those things would work, but the chemistry is very special
Were there any disadvantages to working with really seasoned musicians? Was anyone set in his ways?
There really is no disadvantage. We don’t have those problems, and I hope we never do. The advantage of playing with guys who are this good is that when someone comes up with an idea, everyone learns it in about three seconds. You get songs so quickly you never get bored, and you never feel like the songs are being beaten to death, to the point where the life comes out of them. The songs stay fresh.
How do Joe and Eddie Van Halen differ in their approach to the guitar and in their approach to songwriting?
As a writer, Joe is faster. That makes him easier for me to work with, because I come up with things really fast as well. As soon as I hear a chord structure, I have a melody, instantly. And then five seconds later I’m writing lyrics. Working with Joe is great. If I say to him, “Hey, let’s do something funky,” next thing I know he’s saying, “How about this?” It’s like, bang, he’s done. Whereas with Eddie, he would come back a week later and want to re-do something.
But that said, working with Eddie was great, and we wrote great songs together. The Van-Hagar stuff still holds up fantastically well, but it was a slow process. It took three years to write the For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge album. And when I tried to do the Van-Hagar reunion, in 2004, and we were trying to make a new record, Eddie could only squeeze three songs out. He’s just not as prolific, and not as fast. So that’s the difference between them as far as writing.
As far as playing goes, they’re both phenomenal. The innovations Eddie came up with in early Van Halen — before I was in the band – were just so unique, he gets lots of points for that. But as just a straight-up player, who can play anything, and plays perfect every time, there’s no one better than Joe.
Was there ever any consideration of your playing some guitar on the Chickenfoot album? Or did you feel that doing so might interfere with your giving enough emphasis to vocals?
I did want to put my emphasis on vocals, but had there been a need for me to play guitar, I would have played. Things were moving really fast. Joe and I would get together, and he would write some music, and I would come up with some words and melody. It happened so fast there wasn’t time for me to learn the guitar part. First thing I knew, the song we were working on would be finished, and in the can. It took just 43 days in the studio write and record the whole album.
How did you settle on your Explorer Pro as one of your main guitars? What features do you like most about it?
First of all, I like the way it looks. I also love the fact that on the Explorer I can get up to the high notes. And of course it sounds fantastic. The front pickup has a special sound. When you turn the volume back just a bit, it cleans up. It’s kind of fat and round – which I really like. I’m not a Strat player at all, but the Explorer has something that’s a bit Stevie Ray Vaughan-like when you turn that front pickup back a bit. I really love it.
You also play a Les Paul Studio guitar. Which features of that guitar – sound-wise and playability-wise – appeal to you most?
I think the Les Paul Studio guitar is the most versatile, all-round, out-of-sight guitar there is. First of all, I don’t use any effects – no pedals, nothing. I plug that guitar directly into the amp. When you hit a big power chord on that guitar — through, say, a Marshall that’s really cranked up — the Les Paul has a grunt and a growl that’s unbeatable. And when you turn the volume back, on the amp, and play with a clean sound, it’s got a nice rock and roll punch. If I were allowed to have just one guitar, it would be the Les Paul.
[End of Part 1. Part 2 follows]:
“I think the Les Paul Studio guitar is the most versatile, all-round, out-of-sight guitar there is,” says Sammy Hagar. “When you hit a big power chord on that guitar … [it] has a grunt and a growl that’s unbeatable.”
That comment was just one of several six-string assessments offered by Hagar in the first installment of our exclusive interview with the veteran singer. In the second half of our in-depth Q&A, the Chickenfoot frontman talks about his influences, his very first guitar, and what he does to keep in voice in tip-top shape. He also gives the scoop on the future of Chickenfoot.
Who did you first try to emulate when you began playing guitar, as a teenager?
Dick Dale was my first big influence. And then I tried to learn every solo Eric Clapton had ever done, going back his work in the Yardbirds and in John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers. I learned the blues solo for “Have You Heard” note-for-note. And then when the Fresh Cream album came out, I learned those songs. The same was true for Disraeli Gears. I was more into Clapton, and Peter Green, than, say, someone like Hendrix.
Do you remember your very first guitar?
I do. A guy I knew had a Guild. He had broken the neck off it, and it was in a pawn shop, getting fixed. It was for sale for 25 bucks, and he told me I could have it if I went and got it. It didn’t have any pickups or anything. It was just the guitar body. So I got it, and I painted it white, and I saved up enough money to put some humbuckers in it. (laughs) Basically I turned it into a Gibson – a Les Paul or an Explorer – inside a Guild body.
Are there other favorite Gibson models you’ve played through the years, besides your Explorer Pro and your Les Paul Studio guitar?
I used to play SGs, and I used to play Les Paul Juniors. I’m just a Gibson kind of guy. I also had an ES-335. I played the 335 with the toggle switch in the middle position, using both pickups, with a semi-clean – but not totally clean – amp sound. That’s one of the best rhythm sounds you’ll find anywhere on the planet. I also have my little ’59 Les Paul that I used for lap slide, on “Bad Motor Scooter.” That’s just one of the meanest-sounding guitars ever.
Let’s talk a bit about Chickenfoot. How did the songwriting process play out between you and Joe Satriani? Was it a big adjustment for him to write for a band, as opposed to writing strictly for himself?
In some ways, the way Joe wrote for Chickenfoot was the same way he’s always written. He always comes up with a chord structure. But then, as an instrumentalist, his next job would be to come up with a melody. In Chickenfoot he didn’t have to do that. He just came up with the chord structure, and then I wrote the melody and the lyrics. And then Chad [Smith] and Mike [Anthony] played the rhythm section, the way they heard it and felt it.
Every time we wrote a song, Joe would go, “Wow, that’s so much different than what I was thinking! And better!” That’s the great thing about good chemistry, and writing with guys who are great on their instruments. And that’s exactly what I wanted from this band. I wanted Joe to bring in amazing pieces of music – something like “Soap on a Rope” – and I wanted to write words and melody to it. My goal was to make it something more than what he maybe originally had in mind.
Some singers’ voices get better with age, and others get worse. Your voice has definitely gotten better. How do you keep your voice in top form?
I would never smoke cigarettes, and I try not to smoke anything, especially when I’m on tour. Also if you eat really hot, spicy food before you sing, that’s not good for you. But really the only time I can’t sing is when I have a cold, or an allergy. It’s important to keep your voice in tip-top shape. Singers can’t take five or six months off. It’s like being a marathon runner. You don’t just jump out of bed one day and run a marathon. When I was a teenager, I wanted to sing like I sing now. I wanted my voice to be rough and scratchy, and I wanted to sound like an old black guy. Today I’ve got the tone I’ve always been looking for.
A strange question, perhaps, but does being proficient on guitar make you a better singer?
No doubt about it. If I wasn’t able to play the melody structure of a song on piano, or guitar, or something, I wouldn’t be as good a singer. I wouldn’t have the chops. Sometimes I’ll sing the melody for a song, and then I’ll go to the guitar and play the melody there. By doing that, I’ll find extra licks I can add to the vocals — things that makes them more intricate, and more complex.
Will there be more Chickenfoot albums?
I can’t say, “Definitely,” but we want there to be a bunch of Chickenfoot records. We would like to stay together forever. There are some other things that are pulling at us. For instance, Chad has to go back to the Chilis, but hopefully these things won’t dissolve the band. Hopefully the Chilis can give Chad enough time off, between his responsibilities to them, to continue doing this. I don’t want to wait too long, and I can’t wait two or three years. Meanwhile, I’ll just go back and play with the Wabos, and have fun doing that.
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November 5th, 2009 at 8:24 am
As far as I know, compising faster is not composing better. Eddie has 13 (THIRTEEN!) number one hits at the rock charts (Van Halen is the recordist) and shows enourmous good taste on his songs.
First of all Satriani is not a band guitarrist, so he is not on showbiz like Eddie, this means his music is turned to his musician fans, not for the fans at all, so he prefers to show skill than good taste.
Secondly, Eddie is a perfeccionist. I bet he keep changing his songs for months until they are released, this is what makes his music so special as we know. Chickenfoot songs show a lack of this hability, they look like a jam selection of riffs that came to Satriani’s mind all of a sudden, he doesn’t even have a good tone on the Chickenfoot album. I really love Michael Anthony and would like him to be on Van Halen now, but he is a bassist and can’t do much to save Chickenfoot’s intrumental part, Chad Smith does.
On third place, I would like to say I really used to like the way Sammy Hagar did his interviews and cared for the fans, but now he is disapointing me, maybe he is not the person I thought he was. He is putting Chickenfoot on a bad mood with Van Halen and this is not necessary. He even said Eddie is old, c’mon …Sammy Hagar is 63 years old, he is the old guy here.
You can insult me here, Satriani fans, but you know Chickenfoot is not perfect as all people here are saying. They are far from being a great rock band, they are just good and that’s all. The robot-like guitarrist Satriani is not programmed to do better neither worse than this
November 5th, 2009 at 8:39 am
It’s Sammy’s world, and we’re all just living in it
November 5th, 2009 at 8:45 am
Man, let the flaming begin! I don’t know what Sammy was talking about when he said he’s a “10 year guy”, he was in Van Halen for 10 years but he wanted to get stuff done after Balance (did anybody read the leaked passages from his autobiography? He said he wanted to do something like “Pop” by U2 for a follow up to Balance).
That being said, the thing about Eddie sounds like it ring true at a time when we’re promised new material but haven’t got anything yet. Sounds about right.
My favourite guitar I’ve seen Sammy play is the Kramer Baretta from the OU812 tour. Similar to the Striker that Ed had but the bridge pickup is lopsided, it looked pretty mean.
Gonna be interesting to see what other guys make of this.
November 5th, 2009 at 10:06 am
Interesting tid bit in the article where Sammy says “And when I tried to do the Van-Hagar reunion, in 2004, and we were trying to make a new record, Eddie could only squeeze three songs out.”
If Eddie really has “tons” of stuff written, as he’s always saying, why did he only have three (average at best) songs to offer after all that time.
Sammy’s comment clearly suggests what we all fear about Eddie; the well is dry.
I really hope not.
November 5th, 2009 at 11:10 am
Folks don’t believe what you read from a one-sided story. That’s all Sammy’s interview is. The speed of coming up with ideas is a stupid thing to bring up. The only thing that matters is how great it is/was. Eddie has tons of material, but he is a “band” guy. This means that they reason he hasn’t released anything in so long is because there was no Van Halen as a band for all of those years. Eddie and Dave made one record per year in the same years that they toured! You want to talk about speed in writing, Sammy should consider that it was the chemistry between he and Ed that took longer, not an Eddie problem.
November 5th, 2009 at 11:31 am
Kevin I think you’re spot on there. I’ve said for a while now it scares me that if all this supposed “10 albums of material” is written, why is it that the best they could come up with for the 2004 best of package were 3 mediocre songs?
I choose to take the optimistic view that Eddie clearly had issues at that time, and if his performance and appearance on that tour were any indication he was clearly drinking heavily again.
That being said, if all this material is written, why is it so hard to get into the studio and polish it up and get dave on some tracks??
November 5th, 2009 at 11:49 am
There is nothing wrong with being a perfectionist, if that is what Eddie is doing. That’s ok. However, what I really enjoy about this Chickenfoot album is it’s edgy rawness. The sounds and clearity doesn’t sound to tampered with. The cuts usually sound ‘live’, not in that ’studio’ version type of way. Van Halen early years and 5150 had that rawness to it too. I am a bigger Van Hagar era fan myself, purely based on I like Sammy’s vocals better and the songs writing or structures seemed more in-depth.
I suppose to sum it up, these guys really sound like they are having fun and i feel like I can sense that through my speakers. I really dig that. I would much rather listen to this album made up of ‘good players’ than listen to an album of perfectionist anyday. This band is so powerful as a whole. Sometimes you can be great by being just good.
On a related note, I do look forward to a new Van Halen album with Roth and Wolfie. If I’m disappointed with it, then I won’t have a choice but to rub it in the faces of those who did nothing but critisize Gary Cherone from day one. The problem that happened there was they should have toured before making an album. I did see the Cherone show and it was awesome and very memorable. Gary sang a fleet of Roth tunes that most often sounded better than when Roth sang them. The album did sound rushed and unpolished and I think the record company hurt the band by forcing it out before it was finished.
November 5th, 2009 at 11:51 am
I could be wrong but of those 3 songs on that “Best of package” 1 or 2 of those songs were co-written by someone outside the band? Is that true? It is the only VH album I do not own or want to own. Those 3 songs are not mediocre I find them horrible! I like VH3 better and that is not saying much.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
VH3 was horribly underrated. As it is true, I think the album was not mixed well, it would have been better received after a tour and after more care in the producing process.
The only thing that was very different about VH3 was the style. I think you can tell Gary style of writing or concepts really controlled this about, and certain songs actually sounded like Eddie struggled with it because it was so different. Without You should be a VH classic but never will be accepted as such by the band or a majority of fans. My other favs from that album would include One I Want, Fire In The Hole, and Josephina. Once is more of a pop love tune. Not in a Van Halen style at all, but the guitar work on that one was fantastic. If there was ever the greatest ’sadest’ song category Year To The Day would take the cake for sure. Very emotional tune. Musically, I think Ballot or the Bullet was just awesomely heavy. I think that is the one tune Gary could have chosen a different topic to write.
If I wasn’t a Van Halen before I heard VH3, I would have become one. I still listen to this album on a regular basis. A steady 3.5 of 5 stars for me.
November 5th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
If quantity > quality, then Sammy you win.
His songs (lyrically) sound similar too me, regardless of the band. Oh yeah…………
November 5th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
Sammy didn’t call Ed old - get your facts straight.
Whether you like Sam or not, or agree with him or not, he gives you the truth as he sees it. He doesn’t hype without feeling it, and doesn’t say something’s coming when it isn’t.
I really liked the 3 new songs on BOBW, but wow…if Ed is able to pull together an album I’ll be shocked. He does have tonnes of “licks” recorded, because that’s what he does - he rights DAMN GOOD licks. It’s up the singer to pull them together in songs. I had a really interesting chat with the authour of the VH trivia book and a recording tech close to VH and what Sammy is saying about Ed is 100% consistent.
Actions speak louder than words. VH’s inability to pull together more than 3 songs in 11 years is proof enough. Anyone who believes Ed actually has completed tunes, let alone the hundreds he claims to have, is clearly drinking the kool-aid.
Enjoy the great tunes Ed has already given us because I will be absolutely shocked if we ever get anything new, ever, until he’s long gone and Wolfgang starts releasing live cuts and videos piece by piece to fans who have been starved for something new from this once great band.
November 5th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
There was nothing wrong with VH3, and Eddie obviously had ideas as he got the album out 3 or so years after Balance. Its pretty sad that he did nothing for about 5 years, no side projects or anything.
This is a one sided story from Sammy but he’s always been this way. I recently watched interviews from all 4 members of Van Halen when they released FUCK. Sammy was saying that Mike was the best bassist he’d played with, Alex was the best drummer he’d played with, and Eddie the best guitarist and songwriter.
Now he’s in Chickenfoot, Joe is the best guitarist and Chad is the best drummer. Sammy just seems to say these things, I don’t take anything by it. Solo artist or not, his best stuff was in Van Halen. I’m pretty sure everyone here would agree. Don’t get me wrong, Sammys solo stuff is good and Chickenfoot were awesome live, but Van Hagar is where his career really took off.
November 5th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
I think most of VH’s troubles lay at the feet of Edward. No new album for well over a decade now? Give me a break. VH3 was all him and his concept and it was weak.
I don’t think this article was too biased. No new VH album for well over a decade…gives Sam some credibility.
Also, no one knows what Ed has written and saved. He always claims he a has a ton of stuff waiting but nothing is released. The 2 of 3 songs on the last Best Of really sucked (like It’s About Time). Makes me think Ed might be full of crap.
Anyway, I am kinda tired of waiting for a new VH album etc. It’s a joke how long it has been…makes one think it may never happen.
Long live the Foot!
November 5th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Sammy, fast doesn’t make you good! And when you wrote songs with Eddie, they ended up pop love songs. So maybe you leaving Van Halen was good for both of you. So many bands talk about Van Halen not Van Hagar, ChickenFoot will be the same.
November 5th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
I love Chickenfoot. It is its own beast. One of the complaints that critics I know have had is that is sounds like a rushed project. I am not sure about that. However, do NOT underestimate how much music Edward really has on tape up at 5150. The mere fact that nothing has been released is because the followup to VH3 has to be up to VH standards. The VH bros know that. So they can’t just throw something out just to release something. They have had no BAND except for the 2004 mini reunion. The current lineup with Dave has been on hiatus while more of Ed’s personal matter are attened to. He is behind on being a functional person because he just came out of the substance abuse cloud. Give him a break. Trust me, regardless, if there was a Van Halen band in the past they would have released a great new album at some point. The fact that Sammy wants to continue to throw dirt around is childish.
November 5th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
Pete you are 100% right on the money. My soon to be wife used to work for Irving Azoff’s Sales & Marketing division during the 2004 tour and as much as she kept telling me that Eddie was the reason for the delay in releasing new music, I would just not accept it. I used to believe all the BS about legal issues being the cause for the delay of new Van Halen music but it’s no longer holding up anymore.
When you think about it, it makes perfect sense what Sammy is saying. Eddie claims he has 10 albums worth of material and that Sammy’s work ethic sucked. BUT, the facts speak louder than words. Sammy has continued to record and tour and Eddie has not been able to deliver any new music. I love Van Roth better than Van Hagar and I also dig Chickenfoot and to be honest, I am afraid Eddie has reached his endgame…
November 5th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
Chickenfoot is like a breathe of fresh air, and we can only hope that this band continues to write and perform. The new album is a blast, and is just consistly brilliant from start to finish.
Sammy Hagar has proven to be a great musician and song writer, but it is evident that he does succeed with this much better when he works with other great musicians.
November 5th, 2009 at 5:40 pm
I honestly don’t understand all the love for the Chickenfoot album. I like a lot of Hagar stuff, love Van Halen, like the Chili Peppers, and love Satriani. However, I really tried to like the Chickenfoot album, but couldn’t. It sounds terribly generic. There guitar parts are bland. There are none of Satriani’s famous hooks here. Hagar’s vocals are fine, but his lyrics are terrible…
“oh yeah” come on baby tell me whatcha want
“oh yeah” come on baby tell me whatcha need
“oh yeah” nothing I wouldn’t do for you
It’s like he’s not even trying. Seriously, these tracks sound like the throwaway tracks from For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge or Balance. In one song, he even references “Up For Breakfast” which was lyrically one of the worst songs I’ve ever heard. That song reminded me of Adam Sandler’s “Food Innuendo Guy,” but at least Sandler’s was an intentional joke.
I’m sorry, but Chickenfoot’s as much a supergroup as Aquaman’s a superhero.
November 5th, 2009 at 5:44 pm
This is a honest interview from Sam’s point of view. I read it as him complimenting Eddie and Joe. I think it is fair. Don’t dissect every word. Come on.
November 5th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
I remember Mike saying they couldn’t decide to either make a full record or just tour. Of course, he didn’t play on the three songs for Best of Both Worlds; he just sang.
I thought two of the three songs on BoBW were fantastic, by the way. Missed Mike’s bass, but his vocals were amazing.
November 5th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
Edward has forgotten better songs then any song on the CHICKENFOOT album. (sad but true)That should sum this up!Satch is great, great player. Probably perfecto, probably a ROBOT guitar player. There is a lot of them. So many which are not famous. When and if Eddie is firing on all cylinders and gets in that nitch, I dont think there would be a comparison. Call it what you want, but Ed has more feel. It’s something you capture. It’s something that cannot be taught. I say the Same with Hendrix and decent size list of others. Satch is not on there. He is great though. He has every right to play with Sam. I dont see Van Halen or Eddie knocking CHICKENFOOT. I hope this mudslinging I’m gonna hurt your EGO shit ends soon. Good day.
November 5th, 2009 at 6:02 pm
A high quality setlist? These guys could have played their new album and picked cuts from each artist. They blew a great opportunity to showcase their great careers. I wanted to like this tour but I could have stayed home and listened to the album. Pearl Jam played 104 songs over a 4 night stand in Philly. These guys have 100’s of songs to choose from. The same 18 or 19 every night? Come on.
November 5th, 2009 at 6:52 pm
Opinions are like assholes, everybody’s got one. As far as Eddie writing only 3 tunes for that greatest hits package, well, that’s because it was a greatest hits package, not a new album. That was just a teaser for us to have a reason to buy it, plain and simple. Duh! C’mon, anyone knows true VH fans already have all the records anyway. Sammy just wanted back in, and he probably wanted to do more, but didn’t pan out after the tour, for whatever reason(we know). But no one commenting on this page should criticize or bitch, because you are not the one up on the stage, selling records, and writing anything better, now, are you? That’s what I thought…
November 5th, 2009 at 8:56 pm
BOTTOM LINE! If you want honesty. And I love Sammy’s work. Having said that the 3 songs in 2004 were brilliant musically. The melodies that Sam came up with were excellent. The lyrics were so bad, and so “Poison” or “Warrant” sounding that it was an embarrassment. They are so bad that I can’t listen to them. “Cherries on Bananas” etc etc The VH bros were awesome in those new songs. They fought over the lyrics to Up For Breakfast. Sammy mentioned that everyone wanted him to change them in the album launch interviews. I love the licks in Up for Breakfast and It’s about time from Ed. Sorry Sammy, but it was you who ruined those three songs and I don’t blame Ed one bit for not wanting to finish an entire album of “Warrant” or “Poison” style-lyric songs. I bet he puked
November 5th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
Pearl Jam played 104 songs over a 4 night stand in Philly.
And Eddie Vedder got within two zip codes of being on-key on seventeen of them!
November 5th, 2009 at 9:17 pm
Ha!
November 5th, 2009 at 10:13 pm
Well said Sam and congrats for Classic Rock Magazines Best New Band of 2009…..Chickenfoot Rocks!!!!
November 5th, 2009 at 10:48 pm
pearl jam is boring
snoring
sam is still bitter at ed
wow
November 6th, 2009 at 6:31 am
Like I said before. I’m just thankful that they’re all alive and healthy. I’m enjoying the present with Chickenfoot and looking forward to the future, hoping to see a new Van Halen record and tour. I know, I know. Crap in one hand and wish in the other, see what comes first. Personnaly if I had my way. I’d sit Eddie, Alex, Mike and Sammy in one room and lock the friggin door and tell Dave to wait out in hall. Tell them all to grow up. You know, give them that tough love attitude while “We can work it out” by the Beatles playing in the background. Hey person can dream, right? Seriously, they should work it out. Not so much for us the fans. But for them selves. Someday one or all of them may really regret it. Trust me, I know. And I believe most of you know as well.
All you need is Love!!!
Peace,
Scott
November 6th, 2009 at 7:55 am
Greatest Hits packages aren’t a great showcase of talent or new material. Foo Fighters are releasing one soon, and the “new songs” on there sound rushed and pretty empty to be honest.
The trouble is there hasn’t been a vehicle for VH in the last decade. Things with Roth in 2000/2001 didn’t work, the tour with Sammy ended faster than it began, and Gary didn’t want to have the media kicking him in the balls anymore. After 20 years of a hard fan base its pretty impossible to be the new guy.
The trouble is, most bands nowadays are documenting new albums. Or at least, you find out about them. Alice in Chains, Chickenfoot and Biffy Clyro (that i’ve seen) have all documented releases of their new albums…if Ed is on myspace and twitter, he should get some rough demos online or something. I for one would love to hear a lick that he’s not planning to use on a song or album on his myspace page, but we’ll see what happens.
November 6th, 2009 at 8:40 am
Hey, David R Milne, the song ‘Once’ has nothing to do with “love” between two people any more than the Extreme song ‘Hole Hearted’ does. They’re both about God. Go back and listen to them again, especially ‘Hole Hearted’.
“There’s a hole in my heart that can only be filled by you and this hole in my heart can’t be filled with the things I do”
From ‘Once’:
“The assurance only hope can bring with the conviction of the unseen, See it’s greater than everything
See it, oh can you see it?”
As for the whole Chickenfoot vs. Van Halen song writing thing goes, hey…apples and oranges. They’re both good. You just might have a preference between the two. I like both but ‘oranges’ are my favorite.
November 6th, 2009 at 11:13 am
According to SilentSea…
Hagar’s vocals are fine, but his lyrics are terrible…
“oh yeah” come on baby tell me whatcha want
“oh yeah” come on baby tell me whatcha need
“oh yeah” nothing I wouldn’t do for you
It’s like he’s not even trying.
Oh Yeah??? SilentSea, did you check the lyrics in the verses? That’s where Hagar shows his lyrical talent.
For instance…
“When I was a young man, I slept around
When I turned 30, I tried to settle down
To be your teacher preacher…that’s the truth.
I’m prayin’ on my knees my soul is waterproof…”
November 6th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
Dooley…are you seriously going to point out what you perceive as weak lyrics? If so, you might as well Jump (jump!) Go ahead and jump (jump!) Can’tcha see what I mean? Well, go ahead and jump (jump!)
It’s their biggest selling single, yet a juvinile delinquent could have written this in a one hour detention. Don’t get me wrong, I love VH and the DLR era…But…c’mon Dooley gimme a break.
Stop all this nonsense about lyrics. You could say this about any band at some point.
November 6th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
I like Chickenfoot. I was personally surprised at Satch’s songwriting ability in this type of forum. I think Chickenfoot sounds a lot like Van Hagar. I don’t begin to claim to know what Ed has been through this past decade (marriage problems, alcohol/drugs) but I think he is finally working through it. I think Ed feels hurt by Sammy and Mike and that gave him the excuse to play with Wolfie (as a father, I can understand that). As long as Ed’s cancer doesn’t recur I am sure we will hear some new VH songs in the next couple years. And hopefully there will be new Chickenfoot tunes as well. The more of both, the happier I’ll be.
November 6th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Just think of it this way…anything new from VH is a bonus. I was at the 1st chickenfoot show in Seattle and it rocked. It’s all good. True fans support! Be thankful, biatches..
November 6th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
D.O.A.
Pay attention and read it again, bro. I was responding to SilentSea, who earlier blasted Hagar’s lyrics from “Oh Yeah” as weak. I referenced lyrics from one of the verses of the same song which I think are very good. I missed the word “healer”, sorry. But I think you and I are on the same side of this issue, actually.
Peace…bong toke…
November 6th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
actually I was referencing some of the others… I agree with you 100% though…sammy’s lyrics sometimes are um…yeah..lol..peace..toke..
November 6th, 2009 at 8:54 pm
Hey ‘ME’ … I only said it was more of a pop love tune, more or less referencing the style/manner of how the song was written. I wasn’t referencing the lyrics. Sorry, you read it that way.
And for everyone poking fun at the easy lyrics of some of Sammy’s writing on Chickenfoot .. eg. ‘Oh Yeah’, please go back and read most of the tunes Roth wrote with Van Halen .. please!!!
Go ahead and Jump!!! (ha ha)
November 7th, 2009 at 8:31 am
Guys look @ the facts since Eddie said Sammy’s work ethic sucked in 1996 ?? He has released seven solo cds and three Dvds
Chickenfoot Cd/DVD and three songs for Van Halen greatest hits and has toured consistently and done things with the fans in mind ..
Eddie VH # and the 3 songs with Sammy …2004 w/Sammy
2007 tour with Roth
Facts do not lie…
November 7th, 2009 at 9:54 am
Apologies, Dooley…..I think I had one right before I wrote down my thoughts. I knew it wasn’t you I was taking to task! lol. Have a good one!
November 7th, 2009 at 10:24 am
MBoz I understand what you are saying. But you need to realize that Sammy is the lead singer of any band he functions within. That makes him a “band” no matter what he does. Ed and Al play instruments. Without a lead singer they are not a band. They can’t release 7 CD’s and 3 DVD’s like Sammy without a singer can they? People don’t understand that with the exception of 2004 briefly and a couple of failed stunts with Roth, Van Halen has not existed. There was no Van Halen. So how can you release albums and tour when you have no band? This is why the VH Bros are soo bitter towards their lead singers.
November 7th, 2009 at 11:33 am
They could at least release an instrumental EP or something - every VH album has an instrumental on it of some kind.
5150 has “The Inside” which is kind of weird but guitar orientated.
OU812 has “Source of Infection”, which is basically Edward soloing over Sammy for 3 minutes.
Don’t forget stuff like Pleasure Dome…
Eddie has been all about the guitar. He has so many riffs (apparently) and so why do we not see or hear them? Its my firm belief that he should release some solo stuff. Every time he says in an interview “every Van Halen record is a solo record because I write all the music” - fair enough, but Ed’s no lyricist. Although I’ve always wondered how Mikey approached the bass lines…
November 7th, 2009 at 5:52 pm
Soldano SLO-100 - hey man, I agree with you! It’s tough to be honest enough to say “my teen-years hero disappoints me now that I’m an adult”, but there’s a certain honesty in calling a spade a spade.
Just to reconfirm, yes - Ed DOES have tapes and tapes of “licks and sounds”, but he does NOT have completed tunes just laying around waiting for Dave to sing over them. If that were the case Ed would have released more than 3 songs over the past 11 years.
SHAWN - good to hear from you. I agree with you man.
November 8th, 2009 at 10:56 am
Rich.. Yes, it would have been nice if they released an instrumental CD. But it is their career and their preference. ED KEPT HIS PROMISE TO US ALL. HE PROMISED THAT IF THINGS DIDN’T WORK OUT WITH GARY THEY WERE DONE. HE WERE FOREWARNED. HIS EXACT WORDS WERE “I WILL BE PLAYING THE TUBA OR SOMETHING ELSE. We are lucky that he broke his promise twice already to tour with previous singers.
Perhaps they don’t want to do anything unless it’s within a band-type setting. I can’t fault them for that. The HUGE double standard here is that Sammy could switch guitar platers every year and no one would care or even critize him. Ed could switch lead singers every year and he would be an even bigger joke for doing that. I think that this type of seven circle of hell with revolving lead singers
November 9th, 2009 at 7:59 pm
IMO:
VH3- gary had NO chance. after the huge success of vanhagar, and being teased w/ a roth reunion…. fugedaboutit.
bad management. rushed album.
SHOULD have been an EP with: ” without you”/”fire in the hole”/”once”/”dirty water dog”. the rest is crap.
just EP a TOUR baby TOUR~
then maybe…
BOBW- ed was a MESS. the whole thing was rushed. tour was iffy, carried by hagar and mike. new songs were phoned in.
al wanted sam to stay.
ed was disintegrating. ended up doing porn. go ahead and blame sam for that (rolleyes)
chickenfoot-
sam has always touted his peers. whats he supposed to say ? “joe’s ok but ed was better ” ? c’mon. do you tell your wife your ex-girlfriend was hotter?
November 10th, 2009 at 8:19 am
Jor-L5150… I can answer that question for you. The answer is that he could have just as easily stated good things about both of them and bowed out gracefully. Joe S is not his wife. Gary was asked about comparing Ed to Nuno. His reply was classy. It’s just a bad idea to throw dirt around at this point. If he wants Chickenfoot to be all that it can be, he needs to remember that you NEVER get points from diehard Van Hagar fans for discrediting in anyway when Van Hagar was. Big mistake
November 11th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
I loved VH with Dave, loved VAGAR with Sammy and tried to like VIII (four great songs). I am finding my way through Chickenfoot and find my liking of it similar to VIII (a few good songs). And that is the point…….I never “met” a VH song with Dave I didn’t like. So what’s the point of my post? VH with Dave yields the best of everyone’s talents. Just an opinion.