Wednesday, May 20, 2009
What do you get when you take a scorching Sammy Hagar, mix in some guitar shredding Joe Satriani (or Smokin’ Joe, as Hagar lovingly referred to him), toss in bass master Michael Anthony of Van Halen, and top it all off with some banging drum beats from Red Hot Chili Pepper Chad Smith? You get Chickenfoot, one of the self proclaimed “super groups,” members of various well established rock bands coming together and jamming. Although a band is formed, you will still hear the individual style that each member is known for. For example, Anthony and Hagar pulling out the Van Halenesque hard rock, Smith and his funky Chili Pepper drum beats, and guitar virtuoso Satriani’s penchant for the legato technique. That and a shot of the blues.
I caught the band last night at The Roxy on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood. Between Cabo Wabo tequila shots and girls decked out in accompanying straw cowboy hats, you kind of had the feeling you were South of the border minus the Swine Flu and sunburn. The guys joked around a lot on stage. After an explicative laden speech by Sammy, Chad (my second Chili Pepper in a week!) asked Sammy when he started swearing, to which Sammy responded, “My Mom was swearing with me in the womb!” Later he mentioned to Chad that the RHCP “don’t give you no f*$#*%g mic!” Sammy also told the story of how he met Chad 6 years ago when Chad strolled into Sammy’s bar in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico named Cabo Wabo, took 2 tequila shots with Hagar, and then Hagar promptly asked him if he would like to go on stage right then and there and perform. Chad accepted and they have been friends ever since.
Click here to catch Chickenfoot this summer on their North American and European tour.
