5 Albums I Can’t Live Without: Sammy Hagar

Name  Sammy Hagar

Best identified for  Making tequila and bringing it to the plenty—plus I’m a singer and songwriter.

Current metropolis  San Francisco

Really wish to be in  In Cabo consuming tacos, consuming margaritas and jamming on stage with mates on the Cabo Wabo Cantina!

Excited about  I’m excited that my new album with The Circle, Crazy Times, which was produced by Dave Cobb is popping out this week (Sept. 30)!

My present music assortment has numerous  A whole lot of blues, soul and previous nation.

And somewhat little bit of  Jazz.

Preferred format  I like vinyl for the previous blues, nice traditional rock albums (see beneath) and jazz.  I stream largely new releases and singles.  It’s a simple method to keep present, hear what my mates are placing out–and to maintain up with what my youngsters are listening to!

5 Albums I Can’t Live Without:

1
The Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd

Why…? Because it by no means will get previous. That’s why I find it irresistible. After all these years, when I take heed to it, it nonetheless raises the creative and inventive bar for me and has me saying to myself: “I still haven’t done it.” It’s so profound that it doesn’t want extra rationalization, does it?

While I was making the primary Montrose file, I was listening to “Money” on the radio and the entire album poolside on a cassette participant with headphones and wishing that I was in a band like that. And right here I was making the primary Montrose file, which turned out to be my intro into the music enterprise with Rock Candy, hi there!?

2
Ænima, Tool

This file is so musically nice–and so removed from an album that I may make–that it drives and conjures up me. It’s so progressive, uncooked and darkish. I’ve turn out to be mates with Maynard and I suppose he’s one of many nice artists of our time. He’s a genius, an entire renaissance man. We’re type of just like the odd couple.

3
Grace, Jeff Buckley

Once once more, this album doesn’t really want rationalization. Jeff Buckley’s solely album is likely one of the best, most full albums ever made. Listen to the entire thing. It’s so emotional, it by no means fails to get beneath my pores and skin. It can nonetheless give me goosebumps, choke me up and encourage me to go deeper as an artist. It’s additionally one of many loneliest data – it’s strongest to take heed to on their own with headphones. It’s not the type of album that you just consider cranking up within the automotive whenever you’re driving down the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) along with your buddies – it’s a solo expertise.  His vocal efficiency throughout “Lilac Wine…” God — that tune! He seems like he’s crying. You can really feel his ache throughout that vocal efficiency. I can really feel his ache simply excited about that tune now. I usually take into consideration what he would have created if he’d caught round somewhat longer.

4
Live on the Apollo, Volume I, James Brown and the Famous Flames

You don’t get a tighter band and a extra thrilling efficiency coming off a bit of vinyl! It simply makes you wish to rise up and dance. The lifetime of any Sammy Hagar get together. The tune “Try Me” is essentially the most passionate f-ing vocal efficiency ever. James Brown was undoubtedly the best performer within the historical past of this enterprise. Live on the Apollo, you may hear him performing, not simply vocally, you may see and really feel his efficiency. He was a monster. He was the Hardest Working Man in Show Business, self-titled, however Amen, I testify! I noticed him thrice in my life, early, center and finish. Even on the finish of his profession, he was outworking my ass.

5
Cream, Disraeli Gears

(*5*)

This album takes me again to when I first was stepping into taking part in guitar, making an attempt to put in writing songs and stepping into bands. Cream might be the rationale I put collectively HSAS, my first supergroup– and later Chickenfoot– after which now The Circle. It’s all due to Cream that I’ve at all times wished to play with the best caliber of musicians round me. Cream was the primary band for me that was an actual supergroup. They had a singular chemistry that solely these three guys may have and I’m nonetheless looking for it as we speak. Chemistry is the whole lot. That’s their greatest file. SWLABR is a tune that’s three guys who sound like a 20-piece orchestra. And there aren’t a bunch of overdubs on this file, possibly one or two. This band, throughout this time, made music that was like an orchestra, it was so massive for 3 guys. They didn’t simply jam the blues, man. They wrote some sensible items of music. “Sunshine of Your Love” is a Top 5 rock tune for me.   It was one of many first sophisticated guitar solos that I discovered notice for notice. This album actually modified my life and set me heading in the right direction!

The new album, ‘Crazy Times’, is now out there on all digital and streaming platforms HERE. The CD and vinyl configurations, together with a translucent purple shade vinyl unique, can be found for pre-order HERE.