THROWBACK THURSDAY: SAMMY HAGAR TAKES US BACK TO 1989

Sammy “The Red Rocker” Hagar takes a spin around his back yard in Malibu in 1989, on the Red Rocker mountain bike built by Gary Fisher. Sammy was an avid mountain biker in those days, and the bike was named for him. MBA staffers Zapata Espinoza and Pat Carrigan got invited to come to Sammy’s house to see his bike right after Sammy had joined the legendary group and they had finished their first album together. While Zap and Pat were there, lead guitarist Eddie Van Halen came by from next door to visit. Sammy told our guys that he would sometimes compose the lyrics to Van Halen’s songs while he was riding his mountain bike in the hills above Malibu. Hagar was also part owner of a bike shop in Sausalito.
Photo: Pat Carrigan/Mountain Bike Action