You've got to hand it to {|Sammy Hagar|} for proving the {|Van Halen|} brothers wrong. When he exited the group in 1997, {|Alex|} and {|Eddie|} blamed {|Hagar|}'s supposed lack of 'work ethic' as the main reason for the downfall of Van {|Hagar|}. But... Read more

You've got to hand it to {|Sammy Hagar|} for proving the {|Van Halen|} brothers wrong. When he exited the group in 1997, {|Alex|} and {|Eddie|} blamed {|Hagar|}'s supposed lack of 'work ethic' as the main reason for the downfall of Van {|Hagar|}. But during the subsequent years immediately after the split, {|Hagar|} issued a total of four studio albums, while {|Van Halen|} could only muster one -- the horrible misfire {|Van Halen III|}. And while {|Van Halen|} seemed quite unsure what they wanted to do musically, {|Hagar|} stuck to his guns -- issuing such classic {|Hagar|}-esque releases as 2002's {|Not 4 Sale|}. By this point in his career, {|Hagar|} knows he's playing to the already converted -- no point in trying to win over the young {|pop|} worshipping whippersnappers -- so there are few surprises here. {|Stand Up|} and {|Halfway to Memphis|} are exactly what you'd expect from {|Hagar|}, while the {|Led Zeppelin|} tribute, {|Whole Lotta Zep,|} gives the listener the feeling that they've just walked into {|Cabo Wabo|} on the night of a hot {|Hagar|}-led jam. With quite a few {|rock|} veterans trying to update their sound with modern touches and failing miserably come the early 21st century, {|Hagar|} wisely sticks to his bread and butter on {|Not 4 Sale|}. ~ Greg Prato Less