Sammy Hagar

 Today in 2008 Sammy Hagar released the album Cosmic Universal Fashion

Salinas, California, Hard rock, heavy metal

Years active : 1976-Present

After spending several years as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the mid-'70s hard rock band Montrose, Sammy Hagar began a solo career that produced several hits and made him an album rock favorite. Hagar became a true star once he joined Van Halen in 1985, but he'd been a popular hard rocker ever since his first album with Montrose.

After giving up a boxing career, Hagar began singing in the late '60s, performing with various California bands including Skinny, the Fabulous Catillas, Justice Brothers, and Dust Cloud. During this time, he built up a solid reputation in the California hard rock scene. Former Edgar Winter guitarist Ronnie Montrose asked Hagar to join his band, Montrose, in 1973. Hagar recorded two albums with Montrose before going solo in 1976, taking the group's bassist, Bill Church, with him. Montrose's drummer Denny Carmassi later joined Hagar's band, along with keyboardist Geoff Workman.

Standing HamptonHagar's self-titled "red album" was his first chart entry; it eventually went gold. In 1979, he created a new supporting band featuring Workman, Church, guitarist Gary Pihl, and drummer Chuck Ruff. This lineup played on Hagar's most popular solo album, 1981's platinum Standing Hampton, plus 1982's gold Three Lock Box with only one member missing -- drummer Ruff was replaced by David Lauser. After Three Lock Box and its number 13 hit single "Your Love Is Driving Me Crazy," Hagar played several shows with guitarist Neal Schon, bassist Kenny Aaronson, and drummer Mike Shrieve; the group recorded a live album under the name Hagar Schon Aaronson Shrieve (HSAS), as well as a studio version of Procol Harum's "A Whiter Shade of Pale." His 1984 album VOA contained the hit single "I Can't Drive 55," which peaked at number 26.

Roadrunner

Sammy Hagar - lead vocals, guitar

Michael Anthony - bass guitar, vocals on tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10

Billy Gibbons - vocals on track 6

Billy Duffy - guitars on track 4

Matt Sorum - drums, percussion on track 4

Bootsy Collins - backing vocals on track 8

Deen Castronovo - drums on tracks 2, 3

Neal Schon - guitars on tracks 2, 3

David Lauser - drums on tracks 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Vic Johnson - guitar, vocals on tracks 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Mona Gnader - bass guitar, vocals on tracks 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

1. "Cosmic Universal Fashion" Sammy Hagar, Steven Lost, David Kahne 3:33

2. "Psycho Vertigo" Hagar, Neal Schon 5:03

3. "Peephole" Hagar, Schon 4:20

4. "LOUD" John Eddie 3:55

5. "Fight for Your Right to Party" Rick Rubin, Adam Yauch, Adam Horovitz 3:48

6. "Switch on the Light" Hagar 3:17

7. "When the Sun Don't Shine" Hagar 4:15

8. "24365" Hagar 3:58

9. "I'm on a Roll" Hagar, Niki Oosterbeen 2:40

10. "Dreams/Cabo" Michael Anthony/Hagar/Alex Van Halen/Eddie Van Halen 8:50

Cosmic Universal Fashion is a solo album by Sammy Hagar, released in 2008. It is his eleventh solo studio album. Shortly after its release, Hagar formed the supergroup Chickenfoot with his former Van Halen band mate Michael Anthony.

Cosmic Universal Fashion debuted at number 95 on the Billboard 200

The title track was previously released in a different version by Baghdad Heavy Metal in an album called Baghdad Heavy Metal in 2007.

"LOUD" features Michael Anthony, The Cult's Billy Duffy with Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver's Matt Sorum.

Hagar's version of "Fight for Your Right to Party" includes a guest lead vocal by his tour manager, Paul Binder, who is introduced as the character "Bling". Hagar has performed the song live with Bling for years, often infusing "Summertime Blues". In the album's liner notes, Hagar explains that the Beastie Boys would not let him change the lyrics. That being the case, Hagar then says, "Then the teacher was right." (In reference to the Beastie Boys lyric "but your teacher preaches class like you're some kind of jerk".)

"Psycho Vertigo" and "Peephole" feature the Journey guitarist Neal Schon and drummer Deen Castronovo with the former Van Halen bass guitarist Michael Anthony. Hagar, Schon and Anthony were originally planning to form a new side project called Planet Us after finishing these two tracks but Hagar and Anthony rejoined Van Halen in 2004.

"Switch On The Light" features ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons.

"24365" features the Funkadelic bass guitarist Bootsy Collins on backup vocals.