Sammy Hagar
Sammy Hagar
Samuel Roy "Sammy" Hagar, also known as The Red Rocker, is an American rock vocalist, guitarist, songwriter, musician and entrepreneur. Hagar came to prominence in the 1970s with the hard rock band Montrose. He afterwards launched a successful solo career, scoring an enduring hit in 1984 with "I Can't Drive 55". He enjoyed huge commercial success when he replaced David Lee Roth as the lead singer of Van Halen in 1985, but left the band in 1996. He returned to...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionRock Singer
Date of Birth13 October 1947
CitySalinas, CA
CountryUnited States of America
When I did red, it was nine, and that was it for me. I said, "Here I am - nine is my number and red is my color, and I'm in business now."
I've never done a box set, and Eddie's full of it if he says otherwise.
Overall, we had about 50 meetings where the brothers would say that I couldn't do any solo records, I couldn't write for other people, I couldn't do this and I couldn't do that. These guys were trying to nail my feet to the ground.
I had a solo career before Van Halen. My fan base filtered through Van Halen with me and came right on out the other side with me.
I loved that song ["Don't Tell Me"], but man, it was dark. That song did nothing for Van Halen.
In Van Halen there were moments, like in some of the ballads, I put my heart and soul into those records. Those lyrics when I sang 'em, I gave myself goosebumps.
I had written lyrics to a song called The Silent Extreme, which Alex later renamed Humans Being.
I think all the bad blood started when Geffen released a greatest hits package of my solo stuff.
I'd love to be abducted. I'd sit on my deck at home waiting all night long to be abducted. But that's never happened that I know of.
To stay a great singer or guitar player, you've got to do it 24/7. That's what I do.
If you don't ever stop singing, your voice stays in shape. It's like the marathon runner. You've got to run, run, run to stay in shape.
Sometimes you're afraid to fall in love with a chick, but she sucks you in anyway.
I think love could have saved Kurt Cobain.
If I would have ever dreamed that I wouldn't be in Van Halen anymore and was going to have resume my solo career again, I would have never contributed anything towards my own greatest hits package.