Label: Tochiba-EMI (Japan), TOCP-8342
Style: Rock, Hard Rock
Country: Salinas, California, U.S. (October 13, 1947)
Time: 39:02
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 255 Mb
I first became a big-time Sammy Hagar fan after I saw him open up for Boston in 1977. It was a concert I will never forget. Boston was good, but Sammy Hagar just completely blew me away because I basically had never heard of him before. I wonder how many people first discovered Sammy Hagar from that tour. When you think about it, that’s one of the reasons why record companies put up-and-coming artists as opening acts on tours for major bands.
Now, of course, Sammy Hagar had already made a name for himself in the music business as the lead vocalist for Montrose. Nonetheless, if you weren’t a Montrose fan or didn’t pay much attention to album credits, you probably never heard of Sammy Hagar. Capital Records and, of course, the Red Rocker himself were out to change all of that. The one song I remember the most from that night was “Red.” The next day, I went to Sam Goody’s record store at the Smith Haven Mall, and there it was.
It made perfect sense. Everything on the cover was red, the car, the buildings, the people on the street and the clothes that Sammy Hager wore. I never understood why they didn’t call the album Red. It was just called Sammy Hagar. However, over the years, most Sammy Hagar fans have referred to it as the Red Album. Just like Beatles fans referred to the White Album as The White Album even though it was just called The Beatles.
The cover for Sammy Hagar’s self-titled debut album was shot on location in London on Stockwell Road. The buildings in the background were actually all red. The outfit, that is the red outfit that Sammy Hagar was wearing was borrowed from Foghat’s Tony Stevens. And, of course, we don’t really know who owned the car, but it’s a cool-looking car. The reason the photograph was taken in London was because Sammy Hagar recorded his self-titled album at the legendary Abbey Road Studios.
The Sammy Hagar album opened up with what would become one of his signature songs called “Red.” This was exciting rock and roll music with a fantastic opening. The way the bass and drums created that driving groove set it all up for those power chords that hit you rapid-fired as if an invasion had just begun. It sounded so good, every instrument thriving in its own space with power and emotion. I still get pumped up every time I hear this song. Scott Mathews was incredibly powerful on this track. David Lewark and Sammy Hagar’s guitar work was extraordinary, while Bill Church’s bass playing provided pulsating eighth-note patterns that took it home. Alan Fitzgerald’s keyboard work wrapped it all up with some special effects that drizzled all over the track at some very key moments.
The album’s second track was a cover of Donovan’s “Catch The Wind.” For myself and probably many other young 16-year-old rock fans, that was the first time I had ever heard of that song. The third track to appear on the album would instantly become a fan favorite. Sammy Hagar’s own composition “Cruisin’ & Boozin'” was a testament to the times. It was common place for young people to get in their cars, stop at a local 7-Eleven, pick up a few six-packs of beer, and drive around all night looking for fun or trouble. What a great song this was, though. The rhythm change from the grooving verse to the half-tempo party atmosphere in the chorus was very effective. It just made you want to have a good time like the song said. We used to play this one all the time in the car.
(full version: classicrockhistory.com/why-sammy-hagars-1977-sammy-hagar-lp-was-one-of-his-best/)
01. Red (04:04)
02. Catch The Wind (04:38)
03. Crusin' And Boozin' (03:09)
04. Free Money (03:59)
05. Rock 'N' Roll Weekend (03:09)
06. Fillmore Shuffle (03:44)
07. Hungry (03:05)
08. The Pits (03:06)
09. Love Has Found Me (03:51)
10. Little Star/Eclipse (06:14)
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