Search - Sammy Hagar :: Hallelujah

Live h

GPC2 | New Orleans, LA | 04/10/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"What I liked most about this CD was that it really showcases the talent of the band members. I was suprised at how well the guitar player did on the VH tunes. I also liked the song selection. As another reviewer pointed out, this would have made for a great double CD. It's just a fun CD to listen to and you can tell Sammy and the band are simply jamming and having a great time. That goes a long way. It's the 1st live CD that I've heard where I could actually see myself at the show. Solid effort."

Showcases Sammy's Solo Work as well as some Van Halen

L.A. Scene | Indian Trail, NC USA | 06/23/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"When it comes to the band Van Halen, I may be in the minority when I say that I feel they became a better band when Sammy Hagar was brought in to replace David Lee Roth as the lead vocalist. When it comes to showmanship, David Lee Roth would be a tough act to follow. However Sammy Hagar brought something else to the table - the all-around quality of musicianship. It was that musicianship that elevated Van Halen to even greater heights of creativity. It was that same musicianship that could not be replaced when Gary Cherone was later brought into Van Halen to replace Hagar. I subscribe to the notion that sometimes the best thing for a mature band is to bring in an outsider to join the band. It gives the band fresh ideas and a new perspective. I look at the case of the Rolling Stones bringing Ron Wood in. Ron Wood did much more than play guitar, he became a significant contributor to the band. To me Sammy Hagar, like him or not injected some new life into the Van Halen band and became a significant contributor much like Wood did for the Stones Hagar doesn't just sing, he'll contribute to the songwriting and production of the effort of Van Halen. Like Ron Wood, Hagar had already proven himself to be an accomplished musician. Hagar's outstanding musicianship skills and superb voice have always caught my interest as far as live performances go. That is why I was glad to see that Hagar released his own live collection - "Sammy and the Wabos: Live Hallelujah". It is this collection that showcases his solo career as well as his heritage as a part of Van Halen.



"Live Hallelujah" is one of three main live albums that Hagar has made. In 1980, Hagar released "Live 1980" and in 2002 Hagar released "Greatest Hits Live". The nice thing about "Live Hallelujah" is that all of the songs are tracks that do not appear on these two earlier live albums - this includes such Hagar classics as "I Can't Drive 55", "Mas Tequila", and "Eagles Fly". The most unique feature of "Live Hallelujah" is that this is the only Hagar album that includes some of his Van Halen material. There are four songs from the "Van Hagar" era of Van Halen included on "Live Hallelujah": "Why Can't This Be Love", "When It's Love", "Right Now", and "Dreams". Sammy keeps to his Van Halen heritage with the inclusion of Van Halen bass player Michael Anthony on several tracks ("When It's Love", "Right Now", and "Dreams"). Perhaps the most interesting inclusion is of his successor in Van Halen, Gary Cherone. Cherone sings a duet with Hagar on "When It's Love".



In the liner notes, Hagar gives some background on what went into making this album. Originally he wanted to do a straight album of a 2001 show in St. Louis. However, that show unedited was over 2 1/2 hours. Combine that with some of the additional material Hagar wanted to include both when he toured with David Lee Roth and the times he had Michael Anthony on bass, the project was soon looking to be very long. Therefore the decision was made to shorten the set to fit on one CD. The bulk of the album comes from St. Louis, but there are also cuts from Tampa ("Shaka Doobie", "Rock Candy"); Boston ("When It's Love); Charlotte ("Right Now"); and Fresno ("Dreams"). I don't agree with this decision that Hagar made. With two live albums under his belt, I think a multi-CD set would have really done some good. My preference is normally to include the material from a single night's performance in the same order as it was delivered. This allows for the magic of the show to be captured as it was delivered. Because the St. Louis show is edited, you immediately lose some of the magic of the night. There are "gaps" between songs - and that hurts the collection as a whole. While a single night is my preference, I'm really glad to hear the included "Michael Anthony Tracks" from Boston, Charlotte, and Fresno.



It is the "Van Hagar" material that most intrigues me on this album. Hagar's band - The Wabos do a superb job at supporting him on this collection. While they aren't at the level of having an Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, and Michael Anthony as your band, they still hold their own. I was most interested to see how Hagar would do with "Right Now" on his own. "Right Now" is my favorite Van Halen song. While Van Halen provided some incredible musicianship on that track, it was ultimately the passionate vocals of Hagar that took that song to a high level. Again while the Wabos aren't a substitute for the four members of Van Halen, they do a creditable job as Hagar provides the necessary intensity. I was originally intrigued by the duet with Cherone and Hagar on "When It's Love", but would be disappointed by the result. I originally thought Cherone was the perfect choice to head Van Halen, however anything he has done with Van Halen has been a disappointment. While this duet isn't bad, it didn't do much for me. I also enjoyed Sammy and the Wabos covers of "Why Can't This Be Love" and "Dreams".



I enjoyed Hagar's spin on "I Can't Drive 55". On the song Hagar takes into account that the federal speed limit is now 65. Meanwhile Hagar brings the necessary intensity to pull off "Mas Tequila" live - this too also works very well.



As mentioned the liner notes include a short write-up by Hagar about how this album came about. I do like how the liner notes give the necessary credits and point out what material is from what show. I would have liked to have seen the actual dates of the shows listed. Overall, still a very good album - highly recommended."

You'll know within the first 30 seconds if this is the album

Mike | San Jose, CA | 04/15/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Hagar proudly displays his mid-seventies Montrose roots in the KISS-style ("You wanted the best and you've GOT the best, the hottest band in the world, KISS") intro. It's a real "Hello Cleveland" moment as the announcer shouts, Michael Buffer-style, "Please welcome the Red Rocker, Sammy Hagar, and the Waboritas"...followed by the loud, fat slam of a sustained barre chord and the arena-rock rumblings of the second guitar and bass, followed at the 26 second mark by the kick of the drums and the relentlessly catchy, riff-driven theatrics of the opening track "Shaka Doobie." At this point you're either hooked or you've bailed out. In addition to a healthy dose of "Wabo Sammy," you get "Solo Sammy" (Heavy Metal, I Can't Drive 55, Three Lock Box), "VanHagar Sammy" (Top Of The World, Why Can't This Be Love, When It's Love, Right Now, Dreams) and "Montrose Sammy" (Rock Candy). It's a pretty decent overview of what most people love or hate about his music. He's the heavier, louder, perpetually toasted surfer dude equivalent of cult superstar Jimmy Buffett...the reviews will never matter because this man will have an audience as long as he chooses to stand on a stage. Rock On, Sammy...the sky's the limit."