“Red Rocker” Hagar: Not So Red?

Sammy Hagar calls for change in new song/video.

By Randy Harward

Sammy Hagar's donations to George W. Bush and California Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R) evidently-and insistence that he doesn't mind that McCain used his Van Halen song "Right Now" at the RNC-don't indicate he's a true redhead. The title track to his new album Cosmic Universal Fashion (Roadrunner/Loud & Proud) was an online collaboration between Hagar and an Iraqi musician name Steven Lost. The video calls for ideologues from all sides to remove heads from heinie-holes and enact real change.

The clip picks up where VH's "Right Now" video left off-in fact, it's the same concept, and they admit as much at the beginning. "In 1992, 4 minutes and 18 seconds caught the world's attention in a universal fashion," flashes onscreen before a patchwork of images and "right now" statements lament the state of the world. The war and the current administration are ostensibly taken to task over the faltering economy, exorbitant fuel prices, health care, global warming, world hunger, American gluttony, rockstar politicians/political rockstars, fear-mongering and godlessness (although he appears to be non-denominational, showing pictures of Ganesha, Buddha and Christ). True to his partyin' motherfuckerness, Hagar also bemoans spammers and the fact that strippers can't retire on tips. (Oh, and he covers the Beastie Boys' "Fight For Your Right To Party" on the album.)

Really, though, Hagar calls for everybody to pull their heads out and get serious about the country's direction instead of continuing the red-blue slap fight. "We are light years ahead of where we thought we'd be in 1992, yet there will always be issues that continue to need our attention," Hagar says in a press release. "With the upcoming election, global and national issues are at the forefront of everyone's minds. "Cosmic Universal Fashion" is not about supporting left or right, blue or red, but rather an attempt to appeal to people on a personal level to get involved."

This notwithstanding, it's interesting to note that Dubya gets spanked twice, perhaps thrice, in the clip. When the song complains about presidential scandals, Bill Clinton is shown, then we see Bush shaking hands with Tony Blair. In another spot, a picture of the lame duck, lame-ass president is accompanied by a statement says he's more an entertainer than politician. And Hagar and ex-VH bass player Michael Anthony stand arms folded to these words: "Right now it's time to finish what you started." We assume these pertain to the Iraq War as well as Hagar's "do something" theme.

And mind you, the Red Rocker has never claimed to be overly Republican, citing a brand-conscious desire to be outwardly non-partisan. As he told USA Today last month, "I can't take the stage and preach to people, because unfortunately there will always be folks out there who'll say, ‘Oh, he thinks that, then I'll never go to his club again.' So I just do what I do, and hope I don't insult anyone.

"We're at a crossroads, for sure. If we don't make the right changes, right now, we'll have an even bigger depression and more wars. The best thing we can all do is not wait until the government does things, but instead just get involved in our own communities to help those around us."