My Amazon Reviews: Sammy Hagar "The Red Collection"

Crimson Intensity
4 Out Of 5 Stars

You gotta hand it to Sammy Hagar. He's jumped careers so many times that it's hard to keep up. Frontman for Montrose, Solo Act, Van Halen's second act frontman while still solo Sammy, Post VH breakup solo, Chickenfoot. And a few soundtrack hits on the side. If there was ever a case for rocker as journeyman, Hagar fits the bill. With "The Essential Red Collection," he finally gets his due as Sammy the frontman.

Other than his best song from Montose, "Bad Motor Scooter," this disc covers solo songs from soundtracks, his Capitol years, the breakout years on Geffen, and a couple since becoming as well known for his tequila as his guitar work. Like his Tequila, Sammy knows how to hook you with spiky good hooks that taste great. There's populist Sammy ("Heavy Metal," "I Can't Drive 55"), speed demon Sammy ("Eagles Fly," "Bad Motor Scooter") and pop hook singles Sammy ("I'll Fall In Love Again," "The Girl Gets Around" from Footloose). Hard rock is his forte, but he knows how to reel in radio (and in its height, MTV, which even sponsored a "name the album" contest with Hagar).

Granted, I miss a few personal faves, like "VOA," "The Iceman" or Montrose's "Space Station #5," but the disc is packed to the limit. Commercial Rock doesn't come much better, or with this much crunch.

   

My Amazon Reviews: Montrose "Montrose"

A Definitive American Hard Rock Classic. 
RIP Ronnie Montrose,
5 Out of 5 Stars

The 1973 debut of Ronnie Montrose's self-named band was probably not expected to be a big deal. After all, Montrose himslef was a session pro, his mates Denny Carmassi (drums) and Bill Church (bass) were unknowns, and some kid named Sam Hagar on lead vocals. Frankly, the initial response was underwhelming; the album peaked on Billboard's album charts at 133 and Hagar split after the second Montrose album, "Paper Money." In fact, Ronnie's next band, Gamma, had their second album peak at 65, the highest any Montrose album ever rose to. Who knew that, decades later, "Montrose" would become a platinum seller, Hagar a star on his own, and some upstart band called Van Halen all but ripping off the Montrose debut sound just a few years later?

Well, anyone who had "Montrose" in 1974. Ronnie, who passed away March 4, 2012 could make his guitar squeal like "Space Station #5," rev like a rocketed "Bad Motor Scooter," or spike you with hot leads like "Rock Candy." Hagar was already displaying the burning fire vocals that would eventually make him a solo headliner, and the Carmassi/Church rhythm section pounded like the wheels would fall off the truck any moment. if you think that the album was recorded in 1973 (released in December of that year) and think about most of the rock of the time like BTO, Grand Funk, The Rolling Stones' "It's Only Rock and Roll", then "Montrose seems light years beyond it's debut year. (To the credit of '73, "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath," "Billion Dollar Babies" and Deep Purple's "Who Do We think We Are" were released that year.)

"Whether I'm 12 or whether I'm 64 - I spend my time like there ain't gonna be no' more," Hagar howls in "Make It Last." "Montrose" landed like a lightning bolt and left a lasting impression on those of us who got it the first time around. RIP Ronnie. You rocked my world at 14, and still bring the "Good Rockin' Tonight."

   

Passings: Ronnie Montrose

Maybe one of Rock's most underrated guitarists: his 1974 "Band" debut is an American Heavy Metal classic, and introduced the world to Sammy Hagar. Also had hits with his band "Gamma."

   

My Amazon Reviews: Van Halen "Different Kind of Truth"

Older Brother is Watching You
4 Out Of 5 Stars

When the original edition of Van Halen made 1984, it was a peak that made them explode. Not just commercially, but internally. By the next album, Sammy Hagar was on-board and the band made another great album, 5150. But after that, it was diminishing returns for all involved. David Lee Roth had enough in him for a couple of decent solos, Van Hagar made big, bombastic albums that relied mostly on Eddie's guitar, and Eddie was rapidly going into substance abuse collapse. By "Balance" (and even worse, "VH3"), Van Halen wasn't much to listen to anymore. Naturally, this fed into the nostalgia for the glory days of 1978-84, and the reunion tour fanned the flames.

So, 28 years after "1984," Eddie and Dave are back together. Alex Van Halen and Eddie's son Wolfgang (on bass) complete the line-up. How does the new "A Different Kind of Truth" stack up? For starters, it's no 1984, or 5150. Or even "Women and Children First," for that matter. However, it smokes almost every other laughably juvenile Van Hagar album from OU812 on. It also clobbers Hagar's Chickenfoot with no problems. Everything you loved about those early VH classics is here. Eddie hammerfingers his guitar ("As Is"), Dave scatter sings and raps lasciviously in that dirty way of his. There's even a little social consciousness on "Outta Space."

Missing are any powerhooks or the dynamite covers from the DLR years (think "You Really Got Me" or "Oh Pretty Woman"). The harmonies are just like you remember ("Tattoo" is the finest example) and Eddie has lost none of his power. The riffs on "Chinatown" and "Honeybabysweetiedoll" will rock your sneakers loose. Pretty darn cool stuff, and as Dave hollers in the last song - and I'll bet, encore number to come - "Beats Working!"