The Essential Red Collection is the most complete overview of Sammy Hagar’s solo career on record and showcases one of the most enthusiastic, energetic and exciting performers who has ever rocked a stage. The Essential Red Collection (Hip-O/UMe), released August 10, 2004, features 20 selections, each digitally remastered from the original tapes, spanning 1973 to 1999 with all of Hagar’s Top 40 pop hits plus trademark tracks and popular soundtrack contributions–along with two previously unreleased 70s recordings, Call My Name and Thinking Of You. Compiled with Hagar’s full participation, The Essential Red Collection brings together the best of the Red Rocker.
The retrospective kicks off with a track from Montrose. Former Edgar Winter Group guitarist Ronnie Montrose had invited the Southern Californian to join his self-named group in 1972. Hagar recorded two albums with Montrose, including its self-titled debut that featured the classic Bad Motor Scooter, before going solo in 1976. In addition, from his years on Capitol in the 1907’s, The Essential Red Collection culls Red and a rare b-side version, I’ve Done Everything For You.
Hagar has enjoyed his greatest solo success to date while on Geffen. His 1981 debut on the label, Standing Hampton, went platinum and included I ll Fall In Love Again and There’s Only One Way To Rock. 1982’s Three Lock Box went gold and notched his first Top 40 hit– Your Love Is Driving Me Crazy (#13). 1984’s VOA boasted the top-fuel anthem I Can’t Drive 55, which reached the Top 30 and Two Sides Of Love which peaked in the Top 40. Heard too are the title tracks to the films Heavy Metal (1981) and Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982), The Girl Gets Around from the #1-charting Footloose (1984) and Winner Takes It All from Over The Top (1987).
Sammy released Sammy Hagar (aka I Never Said Goodbye) in 1987, with Give To Live, yet another Top 30 charter, and Eagles Fly. A 1994 solo collection titled Unboxed resurrected the previously unreleased High Hopes. In 1997, Sammy returned to his solo efforts for the first time in 10 years. On MCA’s Marching To Mars, he showcased Little White Lie and the title track, and with his backing band the Waboritas, 1999’s Red Voodoo spun off Mas Tequila.
More than 30 years after he debuted on record, Sammy Hagar continues to rock.
Sammy Hagar sits on top of the world. It’s his world; a world of art and commerce that slams together into an explosion of noise laced with electric guitars and washed down with shots of tequila and a side of guacamole. It’s the best of both worlds and you’re more than welcome to join. There’s only one requirement: you gotta smile.
That’s right, smile. It won’t hurt a bit. We promise.
Sammy owns and oversees the #2 premium tequila in the States, aptly titled Cabo Wabo. Over 5,000 bottles of it were sold in the first two months of his first stateside Cabo Wabo Cantina in Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
That’s right… 5,000 bottles, two months (or 61 days), that’s DANG, 82 bottles A DAY.
100,000 shots worth.
And please, let us not forget the 14-year success story of Sammy’s Cabo Wabo Cantina in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
It has all made the man so happy, he tattooed the logo on his arm. Not too many CEO’s we know have that kind of commitment to their brand. Then again, not too many CEO’s we know also play in not one, but TWO rock bands.
The man simply does not sleep. Come October, he ll head down to Baja way with his band, The Waboritas for his annual CW proprietary Cabo Wabo Meltdown and (separately) Birthday Bash, a rite of passage for Sammy’s legion of fans nicknamed Redheads.
These Redheads; you gotta love em. They come, they party, they party some more, they sleep and then they party again.
Since there’s a couple of thousand of em, it’s one big, honkin party throughout the town that goes into the morning. Gives the roosters a run for their money.
The end result is a pure, unadulterated lovefest on both sides of the stage.
It takes a lot to be committed to your musicianship. It takes a master showman to have longevity. It takes a mastermind to know where your successes can straddle two different worlds, excel at both and still make sure you have time for family, friends, a great meal and a bottle of wine to accompany it.
He’s the man with the plan. A whole lotta miles and a whole lotta smiles. For Sammy there simply isn’t any other way.
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Cabo Meltdown and Birthday Bash
Sammy Hagar Super Bowl party photos
listen to The Essential Red Collection free samples / download from iTunes
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