Red

There's been no lack of thrills, spills, or drama in the life of Sammy Hagar, most known for his years as a singer with the band Van Halen. With this action-packed memoir he can now add "author" to his many hats, along with rock star and tequila-maker. Not surprisingly, his unabashed celebration of his life and times is as wild and driving as a Van Halen guitar solo. I won't give away the good parts, but despite name-dropping aplenty, Hagar's not afraid to take a few hits to the chin himself. Narrator Scott Shepherd's good-time drawl perfectly mimics Hagar's own swagger and panache. Shepherd makes it seem as if the author himself is sitting with you, sipping his Cabo Wabo tequila and recounting his remarkably charmed tale. J.S.H. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine