CHICKENFOOT READY, RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony discuss the secret to the success of their latest project, Chickenfoot.

Chickenfoot have released their highly anticipated debut album and as soon as the news about the forming of the supergroup hit the streets fans of Van Halen, Joe Satriani and The Red Hot Chili Peppers were counting the days until the release of the new album. With former Van Halen alums, lead vocalist Sammy Hagar and bassist Michael Anthony being joined by Red Hot Chili Pepper drummer Chad Smith and guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani, fans of hard driving Rock N Roll will be pleased to know the band is ready to tour the world in support of their self titled debut album. The bands first single “Oh Yeah” is already being embraced by radio as it’s the #1 single on the Classic Rock charts and the #1 most added single in the mainstream rock charts and the bands first tour together sold out in a matter of minutes.

Artisan News caught up with Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony to find out what the secret to the bands early success has been.

“It was completely crazy. About a year and a half ago, Sammy invited us three to come out to Las Vegas, he was doing a show there and do a little thing for The Encore. As soon as we got on stage it just clicked so well and the magic was there. You could just feel the audience and the intensity from the audience, it was just a special energy. Chemistry is everything. You could get the best players in the world and put them together and you don’t necessarily have a good band. You could get some average players and put them together and have a great band. It’s happened again and again and again. How many times have musicians said ‘Oh man I can play better than those guys.’ Yeah but you don’t have the songs or the chemistry. We have not only great musicianship, we got great chemistry and I think that’s the secret to Chickenfoot right there.”

Chickenfoot have released the album exclusively through Best Buy and they celebrated the release with their fans during an autograph signing at a Los Angeles Best Buy, which brought out a huge number of fans wrapping around the store and even a few hardcore fans who camped out overnight to be first in line for the bands autograph signing. Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony also talked about the amazing reaction of their fans and why it’s so important for the band to have their fans support them in their new project.

“That’s what it’s all about, the fans. We just finished doing nine club shows across the U.S. here and the whole idea was just to get close to the fans and really get them into the band and everything. We needed to get to know our selves muiscally on stage and when you play a small place and it’s an instant four minute sell out. Then the fans that get in are the ones that we reallly want their opinion and their response and their input during our show. It’s just kind of an unspoken thing. When we play for those kind of fans, like those people that are out there camping, you get around them and learn alot about yourself and about what we’re doing and what they like and what you like and what you like about them and what they like about you and you just take that to a grander scale. The hardcores are the ones that really drive the whole thing. It’s awesome.”

Chickenfoot fans should keep an eye out for FMQB Productions’ radio special, inside Chickenfoot, which will air on radio stations nationwide on June 5th to 14. The band has tour dates booked in Europe beginning June 2th in Austria and extending until July 12th in The Netherlands. Chickenfoot will then head back to North America with dates beginning August 2nd in Canada and finishing up September 5th in Lake Tahoe, NV.