Sammy Hagar
All Night Long
(Capitol Records)

As live albums go, All Night Long from Sammy Hagar has always been known to be killer. Boasting no overdubs, a cracker-jack band behind the red rocker (Bill Church on bass and background vocals; Alan “Fitz” Fitzgerald on keys and backing vocals; the hard pounding Denny Carmassi on drums; and Gary Pihl on guitars and backing vocals), and a blistering seven-tune collection, this is Hagar post Montrose, pre-Van Halen and giving it his all.

The remastered version of this live album, released initially in 1978, sounds wonderful.  The pounding “Red” opens, then Carmassi and Church begin the chunky “Rock ‘N’ Roll Weekend” and arena rocker sing-along “Turn Up the Music” presents the band straight ahead and wailing. The Hagar live staple and later monster hit for Rick Springfield, “I’ve Done Everything For You,” is here. It’s the poppiest Hagar gets. The heaviest moment (and best tune for me personally) is the over-the-top blues rock fire of “Young Girl Blues.” Singing and playing lead here, this is Hagar’s moment for sure.

Not forgetting his Montrose days, Hagar manages two of his ex-band’s tunes, “Bad Motor Scooter,” the second of two songs here has some killer slide work and ends this rockin’ album.