It’s a Sammy Hagar Weekend

Sammy Hagar, cruisin’ and boozin’

I originally wrote this piece in April 2009 for Star Maker Machine. However, I think it deserves a revisit, in no small part because this really is a Sammy Hagar Weekend. There’s the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Francisco, the Matador at 21: Lost Weekend in Vegas, and dozens of glorious college football contests going on all over the country. I’m looking at you Alabama-Florida. As we speak, Americans in multiple time zones are guzzling down Hedonism Malt Liquor in 40 oz portions. And so we celebrate in song.

Thelonious Monster – Sammy Hagar Weekend
Stormy Weather, 1989
Amazon

Well, it’s a Sammy Hagar weekend
It’s a Sammy Hagar state of mind
It’s a Sammy Hagar weekend
It’s a Sammy Hagar way of life

We’re gonna drink some beer
Smoke some pot
Snort some coke
And then drive, drive over 55, yeah

‘Cause it’s a Sammy Hagar weekend
It’s a big man’s day

We got a Metallica T-shirt
Got a little tiny baby mustache
Got a jacked-up Camaro
We’re sittin’ in the parking lot at Anaheim Stadium

Drinkin’ beer
Smokin’ pot
Snortin’ coke
And then we drive … drive over 55

Cuz it’s a Sammy Hagar weekend
Well, it’s a big man’s day

[metalriffic solo]
[repeat chorus]
[descent into chaos > back-masking]
[Hagarification complete]

Bob Forrest, bird, Dix Denney w/coat … prob late ’80s

“Sammy Hagar Weekend” is autobiography, disguised as satire, and wrapped in parody. Bob Forrest wrote it partly about his experience at a September 1978 über-concert in Anaheim, California (“Summer Fest”), featuring Boston, Black Sabbath, Van Halen, and the titular Hagar. However, the song also functions as a satire of the Heavy Metal Parking Lot culture. The parody comes at the end of the song, when the Monster transforms into full-on heavy metal band, with pro gear, pro attitude, sweet licks, and slaytanic backward masking.

I also wanted to revisit this post because I think it reveals an interesting element to Bob’s artistic process over the years. Namely, his conflicted (and evolving) relationship with Sammy Hagar. One of the benefits of being a Thelonious Monster live gig archivist is that I’m privy to multiple shows worth of banter. And if you’ve seen the Monster in action, you know that Bob’s between-song banter is as much of the appeal as the actual setlist. So it is with “Hagar.”

Bob Forrest – Sammy Hagar Weekend [solo acoustic]
Bebop Records, Reseda, CA
March 23, 1988

One of the earliest performances of the song, featuring the later-expunged “Lamborghini” verse. Very rare.

Bob Forrest on Sammy Hagar Weekend
Go Boy Records, Redondo Beach, CA
1989

I don’t think Bob is a real big Sammy fan circa 1989. Call it a hunch.

Bob Forrest on Sammy Hagar Weekend
Mercury Lounge, NYC
March 6, 2001

Interesting to see Bob’s evolution from petulant smartass to, well, sober smartass. Sure, he still wishes death upon a douchebaggian industry figure — in this case, Fred Durst — but it’s as if the finger is pointed as much at his younger self as it is Durst and the cruisin’ and boozin’ youngsters in the parking lot.

Finally, 22 years after “Sammy Hagar Weekend” was written, here’s a picture Bob uploaded to his twitter account just a few weeks ago. I’ve included the caption exactly as written. I guess it’s still a big man’s day, only now it’s for slightly different reasons. Enjoy the weekend, but please be safe.

Bob says: “Me n my childhood idol. Sammy Hagar!”