Sammy Hagar: 'I got rich and famous through hard f***ing work'

Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Sammy Hagar returns to town touting his new album, “Crazy Times,” with bandmates Vic Johnson, former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony and Led Zeppelin progeny Jason Bonham on drums. Hagar’s band, the Circle, represents the culmination of a career that extends from the early '70s in Montrose, through the '80s as Van Halen’s replacement frontman, to chart-topping solo efforts like “I Can’t Drive 55," through the '90s with backers the Waboritas.

Aside from an exceptional music career, Hagar also escaped the poverty of his youth to become an extremely successful businessman, establishing the Cabo Wabo brand of tequila and several Sammy’s Beach Bar franchises. I recently spoke with the Red Rocker about his work ethic, his role in early hard rock music with help from MTV and the writing process for his new album.

Question: Do you have any stories about coming through Cincinnati?

Answer:I opened 10 shows for Aerosmith with the Wabos about 10 years ago. And in Cincinnati, I got the best review I think I've ever gotten in my life. On each side, they had ramps that went up with a little stage on each side to the left and right, and they had them blocked off. And the managers would always say, “you can't use those.” I had respect. I don't need them. I'll do my thing. That night in Cincinnati, we went out, and I jumped right out there on them. It was the last show.

Question: You have one of the more interesting and inspirational life stories of anyone I've interviewed – rags to riches type fairy tale stuff. Looking back, can you sum up the keys to your success?

Answer: I got rich and famous through hard f***ing work. I don't know if I'm the most talented guy in the world. I don't know if I'm the smartest guy in the world. But I know I'll outwork anybody to get what I want. I wasn't going to accept anything but success. I failed many times in the early days. Finally, Geffen signed me to a huge record deal. And John Kalodner said, now go write me 28 or 30 great songs. I said, you're f***ing crazy. And I went to work. And then joining Van Halen – my name all of a sudden really meant something in the households.

And then I started Cabo Wabo and all of a sudden my tequila was bigger than my career. Millions and millions of people see my face and drink my products and go into my restaurants, and I think that is like having a hit record. None of it was planned. I just had my nose to the grindstone. But it doesn't mean anything to me to make it. It's not like, OK, I can quit now. Now I can do exactly what I want to do. And what I want to do is play music and help people.

Question: Montrose was making music when hard rock was just becoming a thing. What do you think it was about the early '70s that was pushing bands to make heavier music?

Answer: Rock 'n' roll allows you to crank up. I got goosebumps right now. I remember how good it felt when I plugged into a Marshall and cranked it up and nobody's telling me to turn down. And then the way you got to dress when that '70s fashion hit the hippies – the big bell bottoms and satin and leather and jewelry and big old platform boots and spiked up hair and if you wanted to wear makeup, you could do that too.

Question: You came up during the heyday of MTV, and "Can't Drive 55" is an iconic video. How do you think that affected your career?

Answer: Normally I would write a song that would be an arena rock tune. Every song I wrote was either a personal love song or personal philosophical song. With my eyes closed, I can see the people in the audience and say they'll love this. So I wrote like that. When video came out, I had to start thinking about, whoa, people are going to see it. Now I’ve got to put some imagery into it. A song like "I Can't Drive 55" was just automatic, because it was verbatim. Just follow the lyrics. We're going to show you a little movie.

Before that, I was selling out arenas and I could go around the country and nobody would notice me except a hardcore fan that had been to a show. "Three Lock Box" was the first one that made it on MTV in the early days – the first year, actually. And I'm walking through the airport, people said, hey, I know you. They don't know your name, they don't have your record, they're not a fan. But they've seen you. Then after "I Can't Drive 55," then you can't go anywhere. It made you famous – the videos – like movie stars.

Question: You just announced your new album. It's your seventh album in 10 years, which is amazing. You worked with Dave Cobb, and he was pretty hands-on – playing on it and even co-writing a few songs. How was that process different from how you normally write or record?

Answer: I didn't write any different going in. Dave told me, "I want the definitive Sammy Hagar record." He knows how writers my age, when you've written 30 albums or whatever, four or five hundred songs, start questioning – I've said that before. Oh, I played that. He coached me when we talked about it: “I want to hear ‘Standing Hampton.' I want to hear Van Halen.” I'd just sit in the room with my guitar and turn on my iPhone and scream into it. And he gave me that kind of feedback, and I got into it.

I went in with five songs. Then I wrote a couple more for him. And then we got in there and we ended up with 10. Every song is a five-piece. Dave cut every single song with us on guitar. And he was so musical. He led the arrangements. He got us in and out of there in five days for 10 songs. Most guys five days in are still getting the drum sounds.

Sammy Hagar & the Circle: Crazy Times Tour, with George Thorogood & the Destroyers

When: 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 24.

Where: Riverbend Music Center, 6295 Kellogg Ave., Anderson Township.

Tickets: $25-$59.50; riverbend.org.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Sammy Hagar & the Circle: Crazy Times Tour coming to Riverbend