Sammy Hagar news

Sammy Hagar has announced the release of his second studio album with The Circle. Titled “Crazy Times,” it saw Hagar, longtime bassist Michael Anthony, drummer Jason Bonham and guitarist Vic Johnson traveling to Nashville to record the album with producer Dave Cobb at Nashville’s historic RCA Studio A.

Due out Sept. 30 via UMe on CD as well as digitally, with the vinyl following on Oct. 28, the band has released the title track on digital and streaming platforms. The CD and vinyl configurations, including a translucent red color vinyl exclusive, are available for pre-order HERE. The album’s first single, “Crazy Times,” and music video directed by Travis Detweiler – is below and HERE.

Today the band debuted the video for “Pump it Up.” Watch it HERE. The cover of Elvis Costello and the Attractions’ 1978 classic was recorded live during a warm-up session, and on the encouragement of Cobb, who also plays rhythm guitar on the track, it made the album. “Pump it Up” is available now on all digital and streaming platforms. 

Sammy shared about making the album, “Working with Dave Cobb for the first time was enlightening. We went into the studio to record in the fall of 2021, when the world was starting to come out of the pandemic bubble we’d all been living in. The lyrics for ‘Crazy Times’ just came from that new freedom we were feeling, the freedom felt unbelievable, but a little uncertain, too. We had to ask ourselves ‘what are we doing here and what do we want?’”

“Going back in the studio, creating and being with the music is just what felt natural. And it was just so different from any record I've ever made. There was joy in the hard work, catharsis and the comradery we’d craved. It was like those two years of not being able to do very much fell away and we really all came together and let it out in the music and lyrics. We were able to express what we all felt.”

“Crazy Times,” the band’s sophomore album, is a follow-up to their debut “Space Between,” a multi-category #1 Billboard charting album. The new album will include 10 songs, nine of which Hagar wrote or co-wrote, along with a notable cover, “Pump It Up,” a 1978 song by Elvis Costello and the Attractions. The song “Crazy Times” was written by the band along with Dave Cobb and recorded live. 

Sammy explains, “Before I stepped into the studio with Dave, he’d told me he wanted the best of my career on this record, and he wasn't going to let me get out of that studio until I gave it to him. So, I said, ‘If you expect that from me, at my age, as many records as I've made, you're going to have to push me,’ and he said no problem. Obviously, I dug down and just tried to write good strong songs, great lyrics, great melodies and not worry so much about the arrangements because he had that covered. And he pushed and squeezed every one of us. We went in the studio with seven songs and came out with 10. We ended up cowriting three songs with Dave Cobb and the band—including the new track, Crazy Times.”

Following the current tour wrapping on Oct. 1 in Sacramento, California, Hagar will celebrate his 75th birthday at his annual week of Birthday Bash concerts at his Cabo Wabo Cantina in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Visit RedRocker.com for ticket information.

TRACK LIST:

1. INTRO: THE BEGINNING OF THE END

2. SLOW DRAIN
3. FEED YOUR HEAD
4. PUMP IT UP
5. BE STILL
6. YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR
7. CRAZY TIMES
8. FUNKY FENG SHUI
9. FATHER TIME
10. CHILDHOODS END

Tour Dates:

8/21/22 Springfield, IL Illinois State Fair

8/23/22 Clarkston, MI Pine Knob Music Theatre
8/24/22 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center
8/26/22 Maryland Heights, MO Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
8/27/22 Tinley Park, IL Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
8/29/22 Greenwood Village, CO Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre
8/30/22 Salt Lake City, UT USANA Amphitheatre
9/1/22 Bend, OR Hayden Homes Amphitheater
9/3/22 Ridgefield, WA RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater
9/4/22 Auburn, WA White River Amphitheatre
9/7/22 Phoenix, AZ Ak-Chin Pavilion
9/9/22 Mountain View, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre
9/10/22 Irvine, CA FivePoint Amphitheatre
9/16/22 Woodlands, TX The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
9/17/22 Irving, TX The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
10/1/22 Lincoln, CA Thunder Valley Casino

SAMMY HAGAR’S ANNUAL BIRTHDAY BASH IN CABO
10/9/22 Cabo Wabo Cantina Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
10/11/22 Cabo Wabo Cantina Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
10/13/22 Cabo Wabo Cantina Cabo San Lucas, Mexico – Sammy’s 75th!