After a brief career as a boxer in the footsteps of his father, Sammy became interested in the burgeoning Southern California music scene, fronting his first band, "The Fabulous Castiles".
[edit] Montrose years (1973 - 1976)
Hagar's first major success, however, came from his work with the group Montrose on their debut and sophomore albums, including the Hagar-penned song "Bad Motor Scooter". After difficulties with the band's founder, Ronnie Montrose, during a European tour, Sammy departed from the group with bassist Bill Church and drummer Denny Carmassi in tow.
[edit] Solo (1978 - 1984)
Hagar commenced a solo recording and touring career to increasing success. After moderate success on Capital Records, with such albums as Nine on a Ten Scale and hits such as Red, Hagar made some pesonnel changes, including enlisting long time friend and pre-Montrose bandmate David Lauser as his drummer. With these changes, and a change to Geffen Records, Hagar enjoyed hits such as Heavy Metal, Three Lock Box, and perhaps his best-known song I Can't Drive 55, a gripe against the (now-repealed) federally-imposed speed limit of 55 miles per hour (85 km/h) on all U.S. highways.
[edit] H.S.A.S. (1984)
In 1983-84 Sammy Hagar and Neal Schon formed the supergroup HSAS (Hagar Schon Aaronson Shrieve) along with former Foghat bassist Kenny Aaronson and former Santana drummer Michael Shrieve. HSAS did a small Christmas tour to benefit local charities and which released one album, Through the Fire. As intended from its start, HSAS was a short-lived project. One song in particular, a cover of Whiter Shade of Pale received some airplay peaking at #94 on the Billboard Singles chart.
[edit] The Van Halen years (1985 - 1996)
After parting ways with popular vocalist David Lee Roth, the remaining members of the band Van Halen contacted many people looking for a vocalist. Thanks to Eddie's appreciation of Montrose and his car mechanic's suggestion, they auditioned and quickly hired Hagar to fill the opening. With Hagar at the front, Van Halen produced four multi-platinum albums: 5150, OU812, For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge, and Balance as well as many number 1 hits. Yet, trouble in paradise eventually ensued, culminating in 1996. Hagar disagreed with the decision to record two new tracks on the Twister soundtrack, after the band had agreed to take time off after their 1995 world tour, and he maintained his dislike of a greatest hits record at that point in the band's career. These two items were pushed by Van Halen's new management, Alex Van Halen's brother in law, brought in after the death of their longtime manager Ed Leffler. Hagar wanted to do a new studio album instead, but only after Eddie, Alex, and Hagar's pregnant wife all got their medical issues dealt with. Stories have that Sammy was in Hawaii with his wife when Eddie wanted him back in the studio. When Sammy no-showed he claims he was fired. Eddie claims Sammy quit. The end came when Eddie started to work with former lead singer David Lee Roth instead of Hagar, and the band then split up.
[edit] Solo again (1996 - 2002)
Determined to rise from the ashes, Hagar went on to produce several new solo records after parting ways with Van Halen in 1996. Hagar pulled together his new solo band, called The Waboritas, consisting again of David Lauser on drums, as well as former keyboardist Jesse Harms, and new to the mix was former Busboys guitarist Vic Johnson, and former Tommy Tutone bassist Mona.
[edit] Planet Us (2002 - 2003)
In 2002, with Van Halen still unreformed at this point, Hagar joined again with Journey guitarist Neal Schon to form a new side project called Planet Us. Along with Van Halen member Michael Anthony on bass and Deen Castronovo (also of Journey) on drums. Despite big intentions, the band only recorded two songs and played live a few times before dissolving when Hagar and Anthony rejoined Van Halen.
[edit] Van Halen reforms (2003 - 2005)
After the successful "Heavyweights of Rock" tour (2002), where he co-headlined with David Lee Roth, (and jokingly suggesting the name the "Sans Halen Tour") Hagar started thinking about his former Van Halen bandmates, calling Alex in late 2003 from a tip by a mutual friend. In early 2004, Van Halen with Sammy Hagar was announced to the general public, culminating with a highly anticipated summer tour and a 2-CD Best Of album, entitled Best of Both Worlds featuring three new Van Halen tracks fronted by Hagar.
The subsequent tour brought on more problems, most notably Eddie Van Halen's alleged fall back to alcohol resulting in a somewhat infamous final show in Tucson, Arizona. As the show ended, Eddie smashed his guitar on stage sending shrapnel into the audience. This caused tensions to flare up backstage after the show and eventually sidelined possibilities for a future new album.
[edit] Sammy & The Waboritas (1996 - present)
In 2005, Hagar continued to play with The Waboritas as he toured the Atlantic coast and the Midwest and added ex-Van Halen bass player Michael Anthony, calling the band Los Tres Gusanos. In August of that year, Hagar went on another mini-tour starting at DTE Energy Music Theatre in Clarkston, Michigan and then hitting the southwest before finishing at his own Tahoe Wabo Cantina. Hagar's 2006 tour with The Waboritas also included a segment with Michael Anthony playing as a band called The Other Half (a reference to Sammy and Michael being two-fourths of Van Halen, no longer playing with that band) for a set of songs in the middle of the show, including both Hagar- and Roth-era tunes. The band also invited Kid Rock on stage at DTE Energy Theatre for a couple of songs, including covers of Led Zeppelin's Rock and Roll and The Beastie Boys' You Gotta Fight For Your Right (To Party). Hagar also released an album called "Livin' It Up" with the Wabos on July 25, 2006.
[edit] Politics
The title track off the album VOA is a jingoistic, pro-war tune, and he and his brother have suggested in interviews that Sammy supports the Republican Party. According to newsmeat.com he is said to have contributed $2000 to the Bush-Cheney campaign. He has acknowledged that he is a close friend of Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, to whom he contributed $4500 over the course of almost 15 years. Hagar wore a "Hasta La Vista, Davis" t-shirt, apparently in support of then-candidate Arnold Schwarzenegger at some live shows during the 2003 California recall of then-Governor Gray Davis.
On May 23, 2006 San Bernardino County California supervisors declared the day to be "Sammy Hagar Day." Hagar showed up at the county chamber with his mother Gladys. Hagar gave a short speech, posed with commissioners for photos and then hugged his mom and left through a back door.[1][2]