by Sammy Hagar
First published 2011
Sammy Hagar opens his memoir with tales of California's blue-collar music scene, where he first picked up a guitar and started writing songs about fast cars and wild parties. He chronicles his journey from breaking into rock with Montrose through his platinum solo career that produced hits like "I Can't Drive 55." The story shifts to his decade fronting Van Halen, one of rock's biggest-selling bands, where he delivered anthems like "Right Now" and "Why Can't This Be Love." Hagar reveals the backstage chaos, worldwide stadium tours, and growing tensions with Eddie Van Halen that led to his controversial departure. He describes his pivot into business, building Cabo Wabo into a tequila empire while continuing to tour with the Waboritas and Chickenfoot. The book culminates with his Van Halen reunion tour, which became both a commercial triumph and personal disaster. Hagar holds nothing back about the decadence, friendships, and betrayals that shaped four decades in rock.
Genres: autobiography, memoir, music
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, intimate
Tropes: celebrity, memoir
Setting: California
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
242 pages · Hardcover · Dey Street Books