Sammy Hagar - The Essential Red Collection
|
List Price: Our Price: $5.25 You Save: $8.73 (62%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $3.00 (click here) Category: Music CD See more new music releases 
|
|---|
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
Free Music Notes for The Essential Red Collection
Free Music Review: The best Sammy Compilation Out There - Confirms his talents as a Musician
Hit: 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 Bass, 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, Sammy Hagar had already proven himself to be an accomplished musician. This album, "Sammy Hagar: The Essential Red Collection" provides great insight into not just Sammy's pre Van Halen days - but Sammy's entire career outside of Van Halen.
One thing that amazes me is that "The Essential Red Collection" is a single CD of 20 tracks comprising 78 minutes of music. You certainly are going to get value on this CD. For the most part, "The Essential Red Collection" is going to focus on Sammy's 1980s and 1990s solo career. It also contains some of the Soundtrack work that Sammy has done. There are also two unreleased tracks and a track he did with his previous band Montrose.
It is also worth noting there are other compilations out there. When considering "The Essential Red Collection", it probably pays to compare and contrast what this has to offer.
"Rematch": This was a greatest hits compilation that was released in 1982. While it does contain songs that are on "The Essential Red Collection" ("Red", "I've Done Everything for You", and a live version of Montrose's "Bad Motor Scooter"), it also contains a lot of Hagar's 70s work that is not included on "The Essential Red Collection". Albums such as "Nine on a Ten Scale", "Musical Chairs", and "Street Machine" are not represented on "The Essential Red Collection" but are found on this collection.
"Best of Sammy Hagar (Capital Records)": Released in 1992, this is another collection that compliments "The Essential Red Collection". The same three songs overlap this collection that overlap "Rematch" ("Red", "I've Done Everything for You", and "Bad Motor Scooter"). This covers Sammy's work while with Capital Records before moving to Geffen Records. The big difference between this "Best of" and "Rematch" is that "Best of" includes Sammy's cover of Otis Redding's "(Sittin On) The Dock Of the Bay". Sadly, this cover was omitted from "The Essential Red Collection".
"Unboxed": This collection was released in 1994 and covers Sammy's work with Geffen records. There is no overlap between "Unboxed" and the two Capital Records compilations ("Rematch" and "Best of"). Most of the songs on "Unboxed" are included on "The Essential Red Collection". The four songs that are not included on "The Essential Red Collection" are "Buying My Way into Heaven", "Baby's On Fire", "Three Lock Box", and "I Don't Need Love".
Despite many of the songs that are in some of these older compilations that aren't included, "The Essential Red Collection brings some unique things:
- It is the only Sammy Hagar compilation that bridges his Capital Records work with his Geffen Records work.
- It is the only collection that includes Soundtrack work that Sammy has done - "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" (title song); "The Girl Gets Around" (from Footloose), and "The Winner Takes it All" (from "Over The Top").
- It includes two unreleased tracks from the early 1970s: "Thinking of You" and "Call My Name"
- It includes three songs from his 1990s work "Little White Lie", "Marching to Mars", and "Mas Tequila"
One thing I like is when a greatest hits collection arranges its tracks in chronological order. This allows me to see how the artist has progressed over time. Even though there are some "gaps" in "The Essential Red Collection" (Sammy's late 1970s work and his Van Halen days), it is still a very good thing that the tracks have been arranged chronologically. This still gives some sense of how Sammy's career has evolved.
Most importantly though - "The Essential Red Collection" truly will entertain you. Each of the tracks does a great job at showcasing Sammy's talents. This reaffirmed my theory that it was Sammy Hagar that took a group like Van Halen to the next level.
The liner notes truly do justice to this compilation. In addition to the CD packaged in a unique Red tinted jewel case, there are lots of "extras". Ted Nugent writes some introductory words. Scott Schinder writes a terrific biographical sketch of Hagar - focusing on his solo career. Finally each of the tracks are listed with their songwriters (mostly Hagar), production credits, and most importantly - what album each of the songs came from. Overall, this is a terrific snapshot of Hagar's career. If you aren't familiar with his work outside of Van Halen, this is the collection to get. You can always compliment it with the "Rematch" or "Best of" collection to get some of the earlier work. The only negative I can think of his the exclusion of "(Sittin On) The Dock Of the Bay". Otherwise, a highly recommended collection.
Free Music Review: Sammy Hagar at his best.
Hit: 5 Stars
Great rock collection by truly one of the best singers in history. I would have put one of my favorite songs called Rock Candy on this cd as well which is the only thing missing. If your a real Sammy Hagar fan you should check out his band from 1984 called HSAS which they only released one cd before he joined Van Halen the cd is called Through The Fire and it's a great cd from start to finish. Free Music Review: Too Many Songs to choose from IMO
Hit: 5 Stars
Before I review this, I do have a question: If one is not a fan of Sammy Hagar or doesn't care for his work, why bother reviewing a Greatest Hits album? $50 bucks says they only looked at the song listings and didn't even purchase the CD. If you don't like Sammy, why waste your time?
That boggles my mind.
If I had my druthers, this would have been at least a two cd release. As my title states, too many songs to choose from. That said, this is still an excellent compilation.
For Hagar fans anywhere (And yes folks, there are P-L-E-N-T-Y of us), I can't imagine any one of them throwing this CD in their car and saying: This sucks or I was jipped.
Surely I can see a fan reviewing this and being disappointed that their favs didn't make the cut and as a result, their review might lose a star.
But to those who enjoy the Red Rocker, it's what DIDN'T make it on here that is the disappointment. Not what did.
Great stuff Sammy.
Hawk
Free Music Review: Another "best of" but it works!
Hit: 5 Stars
Sammy Hagar and "best of" collections. There seems to be no shortage... Live -- Hallelujah, Unboxed, Loud And Clear live, best of (1999), Live 1980, Red Hot live, best of (1998), Classic Masters, very best of (2001), 36 All-Time Greatest Favorites, Greatest Hits Live (2003), and now Essential Red Collection. I could even throw in two "best of" Van Halen and one live Right Here Right Now by Van Halen.
The thing this collection brings to the table is it pulls all those great 80s soundtrack clips together! Great to have "Fast Times At Ridgemont High" and "Girl Gets Around" from Footloose! You also get two old songs that are previously unreleased called "Thinking Of You" and "Call My Name". It also brings in some of his late 90s and 00 work like "Little White Lies", "Marching To Mars" and "Mas Tequila".
I could spend an hour telling you "he did not put this hit or that song on this collection." But something tells me with all those "best of" Sammy out on the market, you will find your song. If your a long time "Red Rocker" fan like myself you most likely have the album in your collection.
Free Music Review: Barely passable overview
Hit: 2 Stars
I've always had a bit of a problem with Mr. Hagar, especially in recent years. He has always had a tendency towards overkill. In the early days it was "red", Sammy's the red rocker, every song mentions red, then it was speed, Sammy has fast cars, can't drive 55 etc....and now, yes, Sammy we know you have a frickin' bar in Cabo San Lucas called the Cabo Wabo, must you remind us at every stinkin' oppurtunity? Hagar has become the Jimmy Buffett of hard rock!! And that Van Hasbeen tour with David Lee Roth a couple years ago? C'mon Sammy, is that the best you could do? Well, I did see him on a cooking show on the Food Network a while back. As a solo artist, Hagar was always 2nd tier at best, his strongest work coming from Montrose and Van Halen. Unfortunetly his ego allows him to believe he is better than a whole group, and he makes solo albums with 2 okay songs and 10 pieces of fluff). So from the albums he has released they have culled together 20 "hits" (and I use that term loosely, as most of these songs got nowhere near a chart), slipped a Montrose track in, and gave us his modest 80's charting hits (along with album tracks that are hardly essential). It's a nice overview of a minor artist, but only a few tracks rate essential status such as "I'll Fall In Love Again", "Heavy Metal", "There's Only One Way To Rock" and "I Can't Drive 55" (GOD I HATE THAT SONG, THOUGH). Where are some of his stronger late 70's tracks, such as "Trans Am (Highway Wonderland)" and "Bad Reputation"? This compilation would have been much better with those in place of the horrid "Give To Live" which is a bad "Piece of My Heart" ripoff or "Marching To Mars". The last 5 years or so Hagar hasn't even gotten an album into the top 100, proof that Hagar can't buy a hit and therefore at least the last 1/4 of this album is worthless. Caveat emptor.