Sammy Hagar has confirmed to Ultimate Classic Rock that he has recorded one new song with his CHICKENFOOT bandmates, “Before I Die”, and has vowed to continue making music with the supergroup, which also includes guitarist Joe Satriani, bassist Michael Anthony (ex-VAN HALEN) and drummer Chad Smith (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS).
“What we decided to do [with CHICKENFOOT] is casually write a record the way we’re doing now. Like, Joe and I get together and get the song and then Chad put drums on one song already and Mikey put bass on it and we did the vocals. We’ve got one fucking finished song that, to me, is the coolest song that we’ve maybe ever had. It’s really bluesy and edgy and modern and it’s fucking cool.”
Hagar also once again clarified comments he made to Rolling Stone magazine where he was quoted as saying that he thinks CHICKENFOOT is finished making albums.
“To go in the studio and spend a half a million dollars to make a great record that’s going to sell forty or fifty thousand…. maybe a hundred thousand records, [you] basically pay to play and you’re going to lose money on that,” he said. “And then you go out and tour with a band that could sell two or three thousand tickets in any city in the world, but, you know, flying around in a private jet and staying in Four Seasons hotels and all of that and with these four guys, we’re all rich, so it’s like, we don’t need the money, but at the same time, to go out and do 60 or 70 shows and come back and make as much as I make in one night after a year of that, is pretty hard.”
He continued: “I don’t do things for money, but it’s pretty difficult to put everything else aside. Because I’m saying, ‘Okay, if I’m putting a year of my life aside, I’m not going to make any money, number one. Which I don’t need money, it’s okay, I can get away with that. But the energy that it takes to do all of that and my fans sit there and hound me, as much as they love CHICKENFOOT, they hound me to go out and do [the songs from my history]. ‘We want to hear this song, we want to hear that song,’ and I’m going, ‘Fuck, now I’ve gotta go back out and work again, I’m fuckin’ beat,’ you know?”
Hagar’s new band THE CIRCLE, which also features Michael Anthony, Jason Bonham and Vic Johnson, plays hits from Sammy’s four decades of rock (MONTROSE, solo, VAN HALEN, THE WABORITAS, CHICKENFOOT) as well as classic tracks from the LED ZEPPELIN catalog.
CHICKENFOOT reissued its gold-selling 2009 self-titled debut as a double-disc set. The new version features bonus live tracks recorded on the group’s tour behind its sophomore studio effort, “III”
CHICKENFOOT’s most recent touring lineup included legendary drummer/musician Kenny Aronoff, who was filling in for Smith while Chad was on the road with RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS.
“III” sold 42,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 9 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band’s self-titled debut opened with 49,000 units back in June 2009 to debut at No. 6.
Source: Blabbermouth
