Chickenfoot - Chickenfoot
Rating
RIYL
Van HagarStevie Ray Vaughn
Release Date
06/09/2009
Tracklist
1."Avenida Revolution"2."Soap on a Rope"
3."Sexy Little Thing"
4."Oh Yeah
5."Runnin' Out
6."Get It Up"
7."Down the Drain"
8."My Kinda Girl"
9."Learning to Fall"
10."Turnin' Left"
11."Future in the Past"
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What do you get when you cross two former Van Halen members, a motivating force behind the drums, and a living legend of a guitar player? I’ll tell ya’ what you get… a finely tuned machine known as Chickenfoot. “What the hell kind of band name is that?” you may ask yourself. Well if you know anything about the mastermind behind this supergroup you would understand the obscurity inside the name. Chickenfoot is the child of Cabo’s finest, the “Red Rocker” Sammy Hagar, who told Rolling Stone Magazine that the band got its name before the fourth and final member was acquired, “There was three of us, three toes. And we’re funky.” They’re funky all right. How could you not be when you have an all-star starting lineup like these guys? So who besides the Red Rocker is in this group? Three of the finest musicians the rock scene has to offer: Mr. Michael Anthony, bass-man for Van Halen, Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers fame and guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani. The four-piece powerhouse just released their self-titled full-length debut and are ready to put the fun back in rock.
Chickenfoot has a certain aura to them. Each member is charismatic in their own right, but the member that stands out the most in this group is Joe Satriani. Any person who says they know a thing or two about music can identify that Satriani is a god among men when it comes to the guitar. The man has an unbelievable résumé to hand over to future employers. He has worked with fellow guitar maestros Steve Vai, John Petrucci and Yngwie Malmsteen. Has played with Deep Purple and was also recruited by Mick Jagger to be lead guitarist on the singer’s second solo tour. Needless to say, the man knows what the hell he is doing. Chickenfoot seems to be a whole other realm of artistic creation for this man, showing that he is more than just a flashy two handed tapping freak. This supergroup really helps the man demonstrate his skills for structured writing while still showcasing his hard-to-believe musical battle-axe skills. Nearly every track has a manifestation of Satriani’s skills, but some standout moments are displayed on “Down the Drain” and “Turnin’ Left”.
Next on the list is the impeccable reunion of Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony. Lets face it; the whole Van Halen vs. Van Hagar skirmish is a squabble that will never be put to rest. Nevertheless, hearing these two rock veterans work with one another again was previously thought to be implausible. The ‘Secret Weapon’ and ‘Red Rocker’ vocal combination really makes you ask yourself, “What the HELL was Eddie thinking?” Trust me, there’s no David Lee Roth “scoobidy bop, shoo bop” in any of these songs. Vocally, Hagar, who is in his sixties, has the range and energy of a man in his thirties and is fully supported with extraordinary back up vocals by Michael, now in his mid-fifties. This nostalgic reunion is one for the masses if you are a rock aficionado. The vocal combination of these two old friends is well displayed on several tracks, but the best demonstration is on “My Kinda Girl”. This particular track, along with several others, is one of the standout recordings.
The album as a whole is nothing spectacular, but it definitely has its shining star moments. Of course the first single, “Oh Yeah”, is a luminary flash but some of the more prominent songs are “Soap On A Rope”, “Turnin’ Left”, and “Down The Drain”. “Down The Drain” has more of a bluesy sound to it and keeps a very steady groove throughout until Satriani decides to unleash the fury of his fingers on us. A slight downfall to the album is the band's choice for the establishing track, “Avenida Revolution”. The track is by far the worst song on the album and is an immediate turn off for those already skeptical to the idea of this supergroup.
If you are a fan of the Van Hagar era do yourself a favor and grab a copy of this heat sensitive packaged album, because since his days in Van Halen, this is Sammy at his best. These four rock heroes without a doubt know how to rock, and it is fantastic to hear this on the radio as opposed to the other drivel that’s out there now. Listen, it’s not going to change the face rock as we know it, but it is definitely going to kick its contenders in the face with a nice wake up call. Sammy made a bold statement that Chickenfoot was going to rival Led Zepplin. We ALL know that it’s next to impossible to come anywhere near the notch in history’s belt that Zepplin made, but I don’t mind listening to these guys make a run for it.
--Bill Lohr
Comments
Atascadero, CA
my best friend loves this band. the album packaging is awesome but im just not that into the music.
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Brooklyn, NY
i really wanted to like this, but i just can't handle Sammy Hagar.
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Lehigh Valley, PA
Oh man, see, Sammy is what does it for me. I love Sammy Hagar. But again, my opinion may be biased because I'm a huge fan of 80's metal and rock.
Minnesota
You ever read Fargo Rock City? You should. I know you'll love it. I share a special bond with the book. It is like reading about my life growing up.
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ARIZONA
Hagar is the worst