Chickenfoot III

Don't bother looking for the second album.  There wasn't one.  Just all part of the Chickenfoot fun.  As a matter of conjecture, this record wasn't supposed to happen, either.  But damn, why not follow up a Top 5 album?  Here's the little blurb I did on the debut way back at the start of this blog: 

"Best Van Halen release this decade, hell, since OU812 in 1988. What, you say, there hasn't been a Van Halen album this century? Well, there is now, it just doesn't have the VH brothers on it."

And I still say this is Sammy's idea of Van Hagar II, especially giving Michael Anthony's inclusion with those signature yelping background vocals.  The Brothers VH have been ably replaced by Chad Smith (RHCP) on drums and Joe Satriani on guitar.  Since the Peppers have a new album, there won't be much in the way of touring support for "III", but here they are from last week on Jimmy Kimmel's show...



Sammy sounds great for a 64 year-old, doesn't he?  I've been a fan since that fateful day in the fall of '73 in the high school parking lot when Don Thompson summoned me over to his Jeep and dropped Montrose "Rock Candy" on me straight from the new 8-track.  Some say it's hard to take Hagar seriously, but why would you?  He's been living the proverbial rock and roll dream, having fun.  "Does anybody remember laughter?"  As for Satriani, some say he's dumbing down his talent for this band, but I don't believe it for a single minute.  I'll guarantee he's made the fattest paychecks in his life and had more fun doing it.  He can always go back to his core fans (the number of which will probably be greater thanks to CF) and fire up the frets as the frontman.

So let me check my notes for "III"... says here "not as earth-shattering as the debut and it's unbridled energy and enthusiasm".  Yep, I'm still going with that.  The first half of this record sounds contrived, planned, but it's still serviceable old school rock and roll.  Side Two is a fine extension of the debut and the barely "hidden" final track is so good that I truly hope there's gonna be a "V".