The Mosh Pit 11.02.07: Before They Were Famous

Posted by Dan Haggerty on 11.02.2007

The Mosh Pit takes a look at the careers of Sammy Hagar and Ronnie James Dio to find the forgotten classics these singers made before they were famous! It's all in the latest edition of The Most Pit!





When I first conceived this column, I had a number if ideas of where to go with it. I left the format fairly free form so I could be free form and take on whatever subject I want. This way, I can write about current events, major industry news, do commentary and analysis, or share a lot of the knowledge I've gained from almost 40 years of raising hell. Amazingly, in the short 6 weeks Mitch and Ashish have allowed me to run on Fridays I've had the opportunity to do each of those in one form or another. And I intend to keep on doing that for as long as they allow me to go. I'm having a great time and I hope you are too.

But when the Mosh Pit was still a gleam in my eye, there was also a couple of ideas I had for long running "Concept Columns" I wanted to do. These would not be the kind of thing you could do weekly, but maybe once every couple of months for something different and fun. Eventually it would become a periodic addition to a sort of online reference that you could look up for fun facts and music information. Each column would be a virtual ‘Volume' in the series, or maybe I'd put them all in a PDF some day. Hell if I know, it just sounds like a cool concept to run with. Yea, I'm ambitious with the big ideas. Feel bad for Mitch, he's the one stuck keeping me in check.

Of course, at the very least these pet projects would be an entertaining diversion for that week. You would see it up and go "Cool. I wonder what the crazy bastard put in there this time."

I'm sure you have already guessed the first idea, with it being the title of this week's column and all: "Before They Were Famous". This is a real simple idea that needs no introduction, but I'm doing one anyway just in the hopes a little clarification will prevent confusion. I will take a few famous music personas, be it a solo artists or an individual from a band, and take a brief look at their career. The idea is to highlight some side projects or bands they were in before they became the person they are now, and in the process we'll get a chance to look at a great album they did in the past. Frequently, in my highly biased opinion you'll find some great music hiding in that artist's past, sometimes even better than what the person is doing now. For some of you, this will be little more than a refresher course in music trivia. For others, hopefully this will be a fun discovery of exciting music to check out. For everyone, I hope it's at least entertaining and a fun fact trip through music history.

Why am I doing just individuals, and not entire bands? Because some bands would end up needing a book with flow charts to do them justice; just think about Deep Purple and all the various members the band has had over years, the other groups those members joined with or side projects they did, plus the many solo careers and bands they formed themselves. It's astronomical, and quite frankly the tracking of it would become comical. I'm better off doing a person, even if it's just the guitarist, and keeping it simple. I can always come back and do other members later. Plus, if I keep it to individuals, I can focus on the people I think you would be more interested in reading about. Using Deep Purple as an example again, I'm sure most of you are more interested in Ian Gillian or Ritchie Blackmore than some of the other members. Simply put, I would rather talk about what interests me, and you, then end up doing an entire band's personnel because I'm boxed into some column concept. I can always come back later and do the others, if the whim or need (You're request) hits me.

Also, with this format, I'm going to start in the present and (mostly) work backwards through history. A little odd, but I think it flows nicely from a presentation stand point. You get to see what the person is doing now, and as we go back through time we'll discover what the artist has done in the past. At least I like the flow of it. I'm sure you'll let me know otherwise.

So here's Volume 1 of "Before They Were Famous". Enjoy, and if all goes well (and you enjoy it) I'll compile another one in a month or two.

And what is the other idea for a column? Well, I'll just keep that under wraps for now. Let's see how well this does before I open up that can of projects…











Sammy Hagar



Everyone knows the king of tequila. Hell, he even has a song about it! The red rocker himself has been a staple of hard rock and pop metal for many years. Everyone knows his solo material, with the possible exception of today's generation not getting the chance to hear his late 70's to early 80's material. Everyone also knows his run with Van Halen (the ‘Van Hagar" years). But there is more to the story of arguably one of the most grounded and well liked dudes to party like its 1984.


Solo:

Hard rock and pop metal party tunes, Hagar's music manages to be the kind of thing that you should not like for its commercialist if basic nature, but manages to be done right and ends up being infectious and fun. Simple is good when done right (ask AC/DC), and add to that Sammy's high levels of charisma and you can't help but enjoy the spectacle. Let's be real. Whose party would you rather go to? One that is being put on by the Van Halens, or one that is being hosted by Sammy? That's what I thought. I'll bring the lime and salt and see you there.

From 2006 to present, Hagar is enjoying his tour as "Sammy and The Waboritas" and has even added Van Halen ex-bassist Michael Anthony (reasons for their good standing relationship will become clear below). Hagar has joked "We have room for any more castaways as well!" The only album released in the current period was last years Livin' It Up!

Besides one solo album in 87 while with Van Halen, after the initial break up Hagar also preformed solo from 96 to the 2002 reunion and released the following:

• I Never Said Goodbye (1987)


• Marching To Mars (1997)


• Red Voodoo (1999)


• Ten 13 (2000)


• Not 4 Sale (2001)


• Live: Hallelujah (2003)

FUN FACT: Sammy Hagar's 2002 tour was called the "Heavyweights of Rock" and was co-headlined with David Lee Roth. They jokingly referred to the tour as the "Sans Halen Tour"

The meat of the material produce by Hagar was done during his solo stint from 1976 to 1984 before joining Van Halen. During this time he produced much of his well known hits, and his best solo material in classics like "Heavy Metal", "Three Locked Box", and the dated but fun car cruising "I can't Drive 55". If you want Sammay solo, then this is where you go for the albums with his best music:

• Nine On A Ten Scale (1976)


• Sammy Hagar (1977)


• Musical Chairs (1978)


• Street Machine (1979)


• Danger Zone (1979)


• Loud & Clear (1980)


• Standing Hampton (1981)


• Three Lock Box (1982)


• Live 1980 (1983)


• VOA (1984)

Van Halen:

This is rather redundant, but for completion sake I would like to at least note the "Van Hagar" years. For the collectors out there, the full albums he sang leads on were:

• 5150


• OU812


• For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge


• Balance

The band dissolved after that, with a disagreement over the bands direction and details like putting out a greatest hits record instead of recording new material. Hagar says he was fired and Eddie Van Halen claims he quit. At any rate, the band brought back David Lee Roth to record the two new songs for Best of Volume I. After the debacle of Roth's short lived stint to promote that CD, the band went with a new debacle in hiring Gary Cherone to perform on what would be the bands last album.

There was a short lived reunion from 2003 to 2005 to promote the Best of Both Worlds double CD best of set (including three new songs with Hagar singing). This tour caused old stresses to resurface including Eddies alcohol problems, and rumors of new material was squashed after the final show in Tucson, Arizona when Eddie smashed a guitar on stage and showered the audience with shrapnel. As the story goes, the band had a big blowout back stage after that incident and the reunion was done.


Side Projects:

In 2002, Hagar worked on a side project called Planet Us. The line up was included Hagar, Joe Satriani on guitars, Neal Schon also on guitars (Jouney), Deen Castronovo on drums (also Journey), and finally Michael Anthony (Van Halen) on bass. This is when Anthony and Hagar further developed their long running friendship that allowed Michael to join Hagar now when Van Halen released him. This project was planned to become a regular act, and even went far enough to record two songs and perform a couple of live shows, but ultimately fell apart when Hagar and Anthony decided to rejoin Van Halen in 2003. To bad really, I would be curious to know what that line up would have come up with.

A second side project Hagar was part of was the "Supergroup" (don't you love it when they call it that) H.S.A.S. in 1985. H.A.S.A. released one album: Through The Fire. The initials stood for Hagar, Schon (Journey – Guitar), Aaronson (Foghat – Bass), and Shrieve (Santana – Drummer). This side project was designed to be a one off and never reformed after the one album.


Before They Were Stars…

And here we go back to 1973 and the band Sammy Hagar was a part of before becoming famous. Indeed, this group's self titled debut is considered a hard rock classic and very influential to the genre despite the fact the band never went anywhere. It is said that the label simply didn't know how to handle or promote the group with its cutting edge sound. Ironically, Van Halen actual asked for the producer and engineer from this album to work on their debut because of how much they liked it. How's that for coming full circle.


Montrose

Sammy Hagar was the singer on the band's first two albums, the self titled Montrose(1973) and Paper Money(1974). Frankly, the sophomore release is like the later two Montrose albums, and not worth your time. Egos and needless domination by group founder Ronnie Montrose resulted in some albums that were disappointing. But the first one, oh boy, it's amazing to listen to this thing and think that it was released in 1973. It's a work of art. The guitars are sizzling on the cutting edge of hard rock, a revolution in what a rock band could be (and would become). Hagar is on and puts on a great performance here. It shows what he can bring to the table when working in cohesion with other great music minds. But cohesion their was not, the gravity wells of conflicting egos starting to tear the band apart after their first album as members departed. Sammy leaving himself after the second album to start his solo career and eventually join the band that was inspired Montrose.

But for one brief moment, the stars aligned and this masterpiece graced the history of the possible. This is easily the best album Hagar ever appeared on, and if you can only own one album with him on it, then this is it. Even if you are not a big fan of Hagar's solo material, but do like 70's rock then I guarantee you will like this gem.





Ronnie James Dio

The elfin one himself, the man who stylized the devil horns metalheads love to lift, and one of the most dominating theatrical voices to front a band, Ronnie James Dio has had a great career. The history of his self titled band is well enough known, plus his part in the second incarnation of Black Sabbath (now known as Heaven and Hell to eliminate confusion with the original band lineup). But there is still more to this metal icon whose voice can punk out men half his age.


Heaven and Hell:

Black Sabbath with Dio, named after the groups first album together from 1980 is Dios current home. Currently touring in support of the ‘Best of Black Sabbath the Dio Years' album, rumors are now suggesting that Sabbath and Dio may go to the studio next year to record new material. The plan is to continue to use the name Heaven and Hell so the original Black Sabbath lineup can continue to be considered active, even if new material or even a tour is starting to look unlikely.

The current release from this latest incarnation of Sabbath is this year's Live Heaven & Hell


Dio:

The band, even if named after him, has gone through numerous lineup changes over its 25 years. Ronnie is Dio in name and spirit and obviously the driving force behind it. Fantastical themes, from dragons and wizards to sci-fi later, his versus are poetry of imagery and make great reading to unlock meanings. Don't let that fool you, as the music delivers, with the bands first offerings setting the bar on power metal to new heights.

Dio formed when the elfin one departed Black Sabbath after the infamous Live Evil production incident (rumors of each band member sneaking into the studio to change the tapes, arguably never confirmed), and Sabbath v2.0 collapsed. Dio took drummer Vinny Appice with him and a legend was born. For completion sake, Dio's discography is:

• Holy Diver (1983)
  
• The Last in Line (1984)
  
• Sacred Heart (1985)
  
• The Dio E.P. (1986)
  
• Intermission (1986)
  
• Dream Evil (1987)
  
• Lock up the Wolves (1990)
  
• Diamonds – The Best of Dio (1992) Unreleased in the U.S.
  
• Strange Highways (1994)
  
• Angry Machines (1996)
  
• Anthology (1997)
  
• Master Series (1998)
  
• Inferno - Last in Live (1998)
  
• Magica (2000)
  
• The Very Beast of Dio (2000)
  
• Anthology Volume 2 (2001)
  
• Killing the Dragon (2002)
  
• Stand Up and Shout - The DIO Anthology (2003)
  
• The Collection (2003)
  
• Master of the Moon (2004)
  
• Evil or Divine - Live In New York City (2005)
  
• Holy Diver - Live (2006)

The only break Dio has experienced during his solo run was during the Sabbath reunion for Dehumanizer in 1992 and it's brief tour. The current status of Dio the band during the current Heaven and Hell tour is active but on hold.

FUN FACT: Dio is well known for his powerful voice and theatrical style but never had any formal vocal training.

Black Sabbath:

In 1979, Dio joined Sabbath after the release of Ozzy. Dio's presence reinvigorated the band with the hugely popular release of Heaven and Hell in 1980. Black Sabbath was reborn and entered the 80's a new band with a new sound and still the masters of metal. Sabbath and Dio turned around and followed with Mob Rules in 1981 and Live Evil in 83 where the union fell apart.

Ten years later, Sabbath and Dio would hook up for Duhumanizer, but disputes quickly settled in again, and when Dio refused to perform with Sabbath at Ozzfest, essentially as an opening act to Osbourne, after comments the man had previously made about him the short reunion was over. The Black Sabbath venture was over until the Heaven and Hell Reunion of this year.

OK. This you know, but now for what Dio did before Sabbath…


Before They Were Stars…


Elf:

From 1971 to 1975 Dio got his start as lead singer for the band Elf, a name that sort of stuck to the short Dio over the years. If you read a column and they refer to him as the elf (Or the elfin one or some such similar moniker), now you know why. The band itself was not successful, but did enjoy some notoriety as an opening act for Deep Purple. The bands relationship with Deep Purple resulted from the bands debut album being produced by ‘Purple' members Roger Glover and Ian Paice after the guys saw the band audition with the label.

The band had personnel issues over its short lifespan and went through a number of members; Dio actual played bass guitar until '73, before a bass player could be brought in full time. The bands short career came to an end when a session gig became a permanent new gig in 1975…

Elf's Official Releases:

• Elf (1972)


• Carolina County Ball (1974) (US title: L.A./59)


• Trying to Burn the Sun (1975)

One Off:

Before I get to the new band formed from the ashes of Elf, I need to make one quick historical note, not only for completion sake but because Dio's roll in this one-off helped perpetuate the end of Elf. In 1973, Roger Glover made a solo album, entitled The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshopper's Feast, and Dio was asked by Glover to sing vocals on it. The two had become familiar with each other thanks to touring and Glovers roll in the Elf's first album, and Dio was a natural choice to be the lead singer on this side project.

But this project got the attention of another member of Deep Purple, Ritchie Blackmore…


Rainbow:

And Ritchie Blackmore was fairly upset with the current direction of Deep Purple. The current incarnation of Purple was moving in a soul and funk direction thanks to new singer David Coverdale and also Glen Hughes. Blackmore has also sited the fact he thinks the band ceased to take his music interests into account and dismissed his ideas. He decided to write his own music, and being impressed with tour support act Elf, and Dio's voice in general he hired them to be the session band to record that album. This is why Rainbow's first album is called Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow. It was literally just Ritchie Blackmore with a session band. It's just the session band happened to be Elf.

Blackmore's satisfaction with the whole project convinced Blackmore to leave Deep Purple and focus on Rainbow, thus ending Elf as a band when they became Rainbow with Blackmore on guitar. At first, this was a great fit. Ritchie wrote music more classically oriented than what he could with Deep Purple, and in Dio he found a new source of creative help. The two actually fed off of each other in the writing process (something Toni Iommi would also say five years later), and Blackmore's music set to Dio's inspired tales of medieval themes would catapult Rainbow forward. Add Dio's greater vocal range and Blackmore was in writing heaven.

But Rainbow was to be a band in turmoil. After the first album, Blackmore fired everyone but Dio. From there, over the next couple of years, more band members would be fired for not meeting Blackmore's standards and the line up of Rainbow was in flux, sans Dio. The story goes one guitarist didn't survive his first day on the recording studio. Finally, after the bands third album, Ritchie Blackmore decided to take Rainbow in a more mainstream and commercial direction. This included dropping Dio's lyrics, and the whole thing combined to finally convinced Dio that enough was enough and he quit. It was 1979 and another famous band had just lost their lead singer…

But for three albums, Blackmore's impressive guitar skills and classical writing style was infused by Dio's vocals and fantasy lyrics. Which album to get? There all good. Pick any of them up and check them out. They are a real treat and the kind of 70's rock that will never be repeated. Unlike Sammy Hagar and Montrose, I'm not going to suggest the Rainbow years are the best thing Dio ever did, although 70 enthusiasts would try to make the case. Dio has done many great albums solo, with Sabbath, and with Rainbow. It's just that Rainbow has fallen off the radar and that is the real crime, and the thing that inspires me to write this kind of column. The music Blackmore and Dio collaborated on is worthy of Dio's later material and should be considered in the same light. It's worth checking out.

Rainbow Albums with Dio:

• Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow (1975)


• Rising (1976)


• Long Live Rock 'N' Roll (1978)

FUN FACT: When Dio left Rainbow, Blackmore attempted to get former Deep Purple band mate Ian Gillian to replace Dio on vocals, but Gillian refused. Several years later Ian Gillian did end up replacing Dio in Black Sabbath.

Encore

Well there you go. Hope you enjoyed our feature presentation, and feel free to drop me a line and let me know what you think. Also feel free to drop me some thoughts on some of your favorite performers and the forgotten gems they were on before becoming famous.



The Set List
The albums on my playlist this week; some new, some old, always good :


Thorr's Hammer - Dommedagsnatt

This was an album that almost made the (very) short list for dark music this Halloween. Holy crap this thing is a torturous and haunting trip through the frozen north of Norway. The sound is painfully slow, the riffs are frozen in a dying waste of a forgotten dirge, and the death vocals growl out the curse of a universe that doesn't care. Yikes. And then the real terror hits you with the female chanting, as you realize the vocalist is a she, and she is dragging you helpless across plains of sharp broken ice with those damn death growls. An EP that clocks in at 30 minutes, this is one of the original death/doom albums. This thing is not for the extreme metal beginner.

Slayer - Reign In Blood

What can be said, we go from a 30 minute EP to a 30 minute LP. Slayer is one of the big four of thrash for a reason, and exhibit ‘A' is right here. This thing turned the idea of thrash and hardcore on its ear, and took metal to extreme places no one thought would happen. Affectively the cure for a having a bad day, or the soundtrack to a drive when you need to get their real fast, this thing just reeks of intensity. To hell with it, it's in my CD player so here it is, you know the rest!

Nightwish - Dark Passion Play

It took an extra week, but this HUGE junk of symphonic metal has finally been digested enough for me to give it the green light. This thing is like 70 minutes of music, ranging from pop metal (still can't shake the annoying "Amaranth" from my mind), to the progressively epic, and album standout "Poet and the Pendulum". Special slip case edition also has a second disc of the album done in instrumental, which is kind of neat in a listen-to-it-at-work sort of way. Fun listen all around.

Forgotten Classics
Time to pull a classic from the collection and give it the attention it deserves!

This one's for you Marty…

Candlemass – Epicus Doomicus Metallicus






God lord but do I love this band. One of the twin pillars that created traditional doom (the other being Trouble), this is just pure down tuned crunchy riff heaven. I dare you to not bang your head during this thing. This was the debut and it hit like an anvil upside the head, taking the concept of metal and stretching it into darkened corners of reality. This is the album with Langquist on vocals, instead of the more famous mad monk Marcolin that entered the scene with the bands sophomore effort. But this shadowy jewel is my personal favorite, although that is just a matter of degrees as most of this band's material rocks hard.

Candlemass is Leif Edling who writes the music, and what he delivered is raw, methodical, ter-riff-ic in a haunting but awesome beauty. The album opens up and blasts proclamations from a cathedral of melting stain glass, where the singer stands on the alter of this abandoned abbey, arms raised to the heavens with a voice reflecting off the arches while the band pounds it's never ending assault methodically six feet deep in the crypts below. If your head is not banging, then someone needs to get you to the doctor!

Besides, the cover kicks ass. Truth in advertising of there ever was any.


Tales from the Pit
Reader Feedback, what's on your playlist, and the great gigs you've seen.

Last weeks column on the darkest metal for Halloween received some good feedback:


Always good to hear from Marty as he chimes in with more ideas on dark Halloween albums:

" Others to consider: Candlemass, Iron Maiden (come on, Number Of The Beast), Priest (numerous songs, but I'd probably go with Sin After Sin - entire second half and Stained Class - Saints In Hell, Beyond The Realms Of Death---might toss in Love Bites from Defenders Of The Faith). Good column though and right on with Sabbath's first album. That's a yearly ritual for me to play that AND Sabotage (the insane babbling at the beginning of The Writ is pretty creepy with candles burning around midnight)"

Sometimes you read my mind Marty. Candlemass was on the short list, and I absolutely LOVE the band, but I ended up cutting it at the last minute with a few other bands to keep the column length down. I guarantee you'll see them on the list for next year.

As for Priest and Maiden… Well, I can't argue with the songs, but they didn't work for the "Ambience" I was shooting for. What can I say, I dised them for the column, but I'd still show up at your Halloween party if they were on so it's all cool by me. At any rate, you win the idea contest as I'm now stuck picturing you playing "The Writ" from Sabbath by candlelight. No way am I doing that. The wife would think I lost my marbles.

Thanks for keeping me on the straight path and keep the faith!



Robert Nickerson wrote in also with following:

"Can't argue with a single item on your list. I just got back into King Diamond again and have been playing Abigail, Fatal Portrait, and Them for the past couple weeks. As messed up as this sounds, my 3 year old daughter digs the creepy stuff on Fatal Portrait. Great albums.

I use google homepage to collect recent articles on Type O Negative and that is how I found this article you wrote. I am a frequent reader of the wrestling section of 411, but I never really dug the change to "411mania" with all the new sections that got thrown in. That was, until today.

Great article. Keep it up."

Damn. Well thanks for the kind and encouraging words! I'm glad I keep reaching the right people who not only get the music I love, but share my passion for it. And your daughter wins "Coolest email" of the month award for liking King Diamond. Now that is just plain AWESOME!

Robert also sent along a great photo of his daughter doing a double fist of rock with both hands! But I'll resist putting it up as I'm not sure if Robert would appreciate it; but needless to say, that made by day.

Thanks for writing and say hi to your daughter for me!



Also chiming in is Marlen:

"It's so funny this shows up here today. I had to stop listening to Type O Negative, as the group was frequently the soundtrack to my nightmares. Particularly a reoccurring dream where this tornado comes that has face of the Master Control Program (the main baddy from Tron) on it and sucks up every single piece of artwork I've ever done in my life. Don't know if that qualifies as scary, or just plain weird, but it bothered the heck out of me."

Dude, that's freaky. And I would call it scary and weird. Dreams are from the subconscious so they have a direct feed on your emotions, so I can only imagine how scary that must have been when you first awoke. I'd avoid the Type O for sure. And stay away from black metal as well. There is no telling what kind of nightmares that would give you.

I recommend some old fashion power metal, stat! Maybe you can get a Manowar dream going…



Final Thoughts

It's been real. Now you be real and go listen to your favorite bands, even if they haven't seen the light of day in 30 years. And while you're at it, turn it up to 11. If someone complains, I know a three year old girl who will raise the fists of rock and tell them we said ‘HI'!