Biography
Samuel Roy Hagar and 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 the band for a 2-year reunion from 2003 to 2005. On March 12, 2007, Hagar was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Van Halen.
Album & Cover
Sammy Hagar is Sammy Hagar’s second solo album, released in 1977. It is also often referred to as The Red Album, as it includes Hagar’s first anthem, “Red”, which is also the basis for his nickname “The Red Rocker”. Future multi-platinum selling producer Scott Mathews was talked into playing a drum solo on “Red” after being told Ringo Starr had played his only drum solo in the very same room on The Beatles’ last album, named after the EMI Studios this album was recorded in, Abbey Road.
Sammy Hagar wanted a cover with a distinctive ‘RED’ theme. The distinctive cover image was shot in Stockwell Road, London SW9, in the midst of the rows of red Pride & Clark auto shops. Added to the photograph were passers-by in red clothes, a man in red on a red bicycle, a red car and a red post-box. These red-painted buildings are also seen in the 1966 film Blowup.
Cover Location: Stockwell Road, London, UK
Who Did What: Photography – S. Thorgerson/ A. Powell. Cover Design – Hipgnosis/G. Hardie
Label: Capitol ST-11706(US), Capitol E-ST-11706(UK)
Source: Vinyl. Album. Cover. Art, The Complete Hipgnosis Catalogue: Aubrey Powell
Tracklist
| Side One Red Catch The Wind Cruisin’ And Boozin’ Free Money Rock & Roll Weekend |
Side Two Fillmore Shuffle Hungry The Pits Love Has Found Me Little Star/Eclipse |
Credits
Arranged By [Strings & Horns] – Andrew Powell
Bass – BIll Church
Drums – Scott Mathews
Guitar – David Lewark
Keyboards – Alan Fitzgerald
Mastered By – Ken Perry
Producer – Carter
Recorded By – Jimmy Robinson , John Leckie, Neil Brody
Vocals, Guitar – Sammy Hagar
