If you looked up the phrase ‘guitar hero magnet’ in the dictionary of rock’n’roll, you’d likely see Sammy Hagar staring back at you. Consider the evidence – Hagar first came to prominence as the voice alongside the idiosyncratic yet ferociously talented guitarist Ronnie Montrose. Then, after a decade-long solo sojourn, Sammy’s magnetic field pulled him next to Eddie Van Halen – the guy who single-handedly redefined rock guitar playing as the flared 70s turned into the Day-Glo 80s. Then, by the time 2008 rolled round, the ebullient frontman found himself drawn to none other than the guitar hero’s guitar hero, Mr Joe Satriani, in Chickenfoot.
But what’s often overlooked is that Sammy Hagar is quite the guitar hero himself, even if he’s reluctant to admit it. We think of him as one of rock’s iconic vocalists, an outspoken frontman whose wows and entertains, but what about when his trademark Gibson Explorer Pro is slung low around him? What about when he truly is the Red Rocker?
.jpg?w=600)
