Poll: Sammy Hagar or Diamond Dave?
- Thread starter DEREKoh2
- Start date
I always thought "Yankee Rose" was a solid song..was it considered a "hit"?...not sure if he wrote that though.
While I totally agree that the entirety of Dave's Van Halen tops Hagar's, I've always considered this song one of the absolute best of either era
The DLR Band solo effort from 1998 is better than anything both Van Hagar and Sammy in any other band or solo ever did as far as a full album is concerned. The songs Counterblast, Little Texas, Weekend With The Babysitter, and especially Going Places fit right in with any Dave era Van Halen - and the guitar work on the album is suburb which is sort of amazing considering three different guys contributed.
The reason it is largely unknown is it was released on Dave's own solo label and had absolutely zero record label push behind it.
Dave is more a lyricist than songwriter. He tends to be as good as who he has to write the music with (which is why he is so good with cover songs). His solo efforts therefore are generally spotty because of the revolving door vagabond-like nature of that end of the musical spectrum - as is the case with most all solo vocalists. Each other album outside of "DLR Band" has some decent stuff on it and I can piece together a greatest hits package out of all the efforts that I'd stack up against a comparable effort from Hagar - especially using the two albums with Stevie Vai.
To me, Sammy...yes I own the first Montrose album from I believe 1973. I tend to believe that if you've heard one Hagar album, you've heard them all from a lyrical standpoint. I've always felt he had a bit of a (for lack of a better way to put it) lowest common denominator "quality" to his lyrics.
I Can't Drive 55
There's Only One Way To Rock
Rock Candy
Bad Motorscooter
Your Love Is Driving Me Crazy
Three Lock Box
Mas Tequila
And it's also fair to state that again given how solo artists tend to be...Hagar has had his equal share of vagabond inconsistency. Sammy has had his fair share of personality conflicts throughout his career also.
I've ranted for years on this site about musical tastes. My tastes are different than everyone else. No two are quite the same.
But Van Halen with Roth is my personal wheelhouse. And I happen to believe that history backs up my opinions about "greatness" when it comes to a Roth versus Hagar comparison.
All one has to do is yet today, which band do you hear in public settings more? Van Hagar, or Van Halen? Can you place a single solitary song from Hagar's entire career with regards to mass worldwide lasting impact within such Roth examples as Jump, Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love, Hot For Teacher, Panama (I heard the drum intro from this ALL game long last night with the NBA Finals), Eruption/You Really Got Me, and Dance The Night Away?
I mean...maybe Dreams. Maybe Finish What Ya Started (easily Van Hagar's best song from an artistic standpoint - that's a damn good song). Yet I wouldn't count those two songs in an "all Van Halen top 10". Hell, top 15 might be pushing it. Dreams wouldn't make my top 40.
Then look at these two from a video perspective. You got Intruder/Pretty Woman (the first video ever banned from MTV), Jump, Hot For Teacher, Panama, California Girls, Just a Gigolo/Ain't Got Nobody. Those were all more or less self-created efforts by the band and Roth that were huge back in the day.
People like to throw out the "Sammy was a better musician" line...but Roth was The Total Package from a lead singer perspective. He was visually stunning to look at, and he knew what fans wanted from its rock stars I thought as great as ANY act from the era.
Entertain me, I want to have fun with regards to a "musical performance". I honestly don't believe very many ever did it better. And with Hagar, I thought Van Halen lost that aspect to the overall experience. I saw Van Hagar live several times, and the events to me seemed sort of tired and lacking spontaneity, and especially later in their time together they looked like they were not having much if any fun at all.
I liked the music better with DLR, but love Sammy too. He seems like a good dude where DLR is an a-hole. I saw them about 7 years ago. The band sounded phenomenal. Dave could sing, if he would actually fuggin do it. Most of the time he was bee-boppin and skatting. Total bullshit.
- Sep 13, 2002
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Hagar.
Roth might have well been richard Simmons.
Hell roth was likely more richard Simmons than gene simmons.
If I want broadway I’d go see a show. If I want to listen to music I’ll listen to Hagar.
Roth might have well been richard Simmons.
Hell roth was likely more richard Simmons than gene simmons.
If I want broadway I’d go see a show. If I want to listen to music I’ll listen to Hagar.
I like Sammy just as a “guy”. Did any of you watch him as a guest on “Finding your Roots”
Last week on PBS? The guy came up really hard in life but has such a great outlook on life.
OP isn’t around anymore, unless he posts under another name. That said, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to vote for his mom.
Funny, but when listening to an album, I don't SEE music, I HEAR music.
And when I compare the music, Van Halen STOMPED Van Hagar unmercifully into the ground.
Funny. People were referring to Dave’s showmanship vs Sammy’s vocals.
Sorry you were unable to pick up on that and thought you needed to be a smartass instead.
Sammy is the man. 76 years old and still bringing it. Pretty amazing.
70s and 80s era Roth was a supreme showman. Hagar is a much better singer and can play guitar as well.
They both brought something to the game.
They both brought something to the game.
Exhibit A.
David Lee Roth slams Eddie Van Halen’s son, Wolfgang, in profanity-laced tirade
Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth slammed Wolfgang Van Halen, the son of Eddie Van Halen, over perceived issues on and offstage.
