It's 5150 Time!!!! Sammy Hagar Re-Joins Van Halen

Melodicrock.com ^ | 11-20-03 | my favorite headache

[HonkyTonkMan]

I always thought Danny Joe Brown from Hatchet sounds like the alien from Bugs Bunny. (esp on Whiskey Man)

[Skooz]

I predict a massacre on Sunday. The Raiders are down, and the Chiefs don't mind kicking them when their down one bit.

I think the Chiefs are upset about losing last Sunday and will take it out on their next hapless victim, the Raiders.

Chiefs will score at least 35, probably 40.

[Axeslinger]

I agree completely on Hatchett's front man. As a side note, my last band opened for MH a couple years ago. There is not a single original member. The original members sold everything (songs, name, etc.) and now the replacement MH tours.

Re: Van Halen, Hagar, Vai. As a guitar guy, I couldn't really give a flip about who sings what. As long as it's in key. Singers are only there to make the guitarists look good anyhow. As far as Eddie goes, while he can be credited with nearly single-handedly reviving rock guitar, he has always struck as an absolute raving a$$hole.

[NMFXSTC]

With all this hype and commentary, I wonder if anyone actually knows what "5150" really is/means? Just a question....

[gawatchman]

Yeah the dreadful final cut which was basically a Roger Waters solo album. I think a Momentary Lapse of Reason which followed w/o Waters was much better where the other members actually got to work as a group again. Actually, though I go much farther back, and say that Syd Barrett was the real genius as the first 2 Floyd albums were never matched.

[discostu]

Oooh the return of Van Hagar.... they were a more entertaining band with Roth no matter what a jerk he was.

[grumple]

Journey is still around

I've seen them in concert three times over the last two years. All excellent, all sold out. Neal Schon is rippin' the strings better than ever. The difference being a new singer (Steve Augeri) who sounds almost identical to Steve Perry, but has alot more charm, personality and charisma than Perry ever had.

[dfwgator]

You know, there's something about 50+ aging rockers singing "Hot for Teacher" that's just a bit unstable.

[discostu]

Which one would have bigger liner notes to help me start a fire? Both Carnal Knowledge and Eat Em are horrid albums. VH was a better band with Dave, more fun and the sound worked better with his crappy voice; much like how Black Sabbath was a better band with Ozzy than with Dio.

Probably the thing that loses the most points to me for Van Hagar is that we not only lost Van Halen, we also lost Sammy Hagar his stuff with them wasn't nearly as good as his solo efforts. I really wish Roth could sit on his ego long enough for a reunion tour of the real thing.

[dfwgator]

He's Jewish/ born in Roxbury Massachussets.

I didn't know Dave was Jewish until Adam Sandler mentioned it in the "Hannukah Song."

[dfwgator]

And the Who wasn't the Who after Moonie died...And Genesis wasn't Genesis after Gabriel left....

[Pappy Smear]

A case can be made for DLR to be the best rock n roll frontman ever. His singing may be suspect, but the dude knew how to rock n roll.

If they could put animosity aside, I would like to see a tour of Van Halen, with both DLR and Hagar. They could each sing their respective songs, and don't have the strain on their voices after doing a 3 hour show. DLR could open one night, and close the next. That would be huge! It could fill football stadiums. Does anybody do concerts in football stadiums anymore?

[Pappy Smear]

The Final Cut seems to draw love it or hate it, and nothing in the middle. I know a lot of people hate it, but I think it is great. If stranded on a desert island with one Floyd CD, I might just choose that one. But then if I had to listen to it 100 times while bored on some island, I would probably end up blowing my brains out too.

[BlueNgold]

I have been told that one of the greatest concert moments one could hope to enjoy are the times when Sammy goes back stage and returns with the (in)famous Red Rocker Flying V ... and he and Eddie start to duel. Two of the greatest guitarists in rock history whaling away... I can't even imagine the energy that must create. Just one more reason I hope they get it worked out and tour again ... commitments in the Arabian Gulf kept me from seeing the last tour, I won't miss the next one ...

[Freebird Forever]

I wonder if anyone actually knows what "5150" really is/means?

IIRC, it's police code for an escaped mental patient.

[pro libertate]

I think you're close. If I recall it's code for a danger to self or others, or gravely disabled.


As a side note I used to run into Sammy in Marin County a lot during the 80s. He was always cool. I remember one time we were stopped behind him (he was in a Ferrari) at a
light and cranked up "I can't drive 55." He turned his head, laughed, waved, and floored it when the light turned green.

I saw both versions of VH several times and always enjoyed them both and was in the "Top of the World" video. Sammy was always best doing his acoustic version of "Eagles Fly"

[JETDRVR]

"and he and Eddie start to duel. Two of the greatest guitarists in rock history whaling away... I can't even imagine the energy that must create."

You got that right bro! I had an opportunity of a lifetime to transport VH stateside and Canada for 94-95 Balance tour. Absolutly KICKASS!

[pro libertate]

I really enjoy "Piper at the Gates of Dawn," but have to disagree about their 2nd album, "A Saucerful of Secrets."
Barret is credited with only 1 track and he was starting his slide. "Let There Be More Light" is a great opening track and there are other tracks of note on the album, but it doesn't seem to flow as a whole. I wouldn't call it bad, but it's not as good as some of the other early albums in my opinion.

If stuck to choose one album, I'd have to go with "Meddle."

[pchuck]

Come on Dave, gimme a break.

One break, comin' up.

Van Hagar ain't Van Halen.

[wireman]

"David Lee is a modern day Frank Sinatra"

Bite your tongue!