Sammy Hagar Talks About Opening for KISS In ’77, and Getting Booed Off Stage!
By jsmith on August 1, 2019
“humiliating and disheartening”
That’s how Sammy Hagar recalls his experience opening for KISS back in 1977. This and several other interviews are included in Drew Fortune’s new book No Encore! Which is available now.
It was the very first of Hagar’s planned 10 shows with Kiss, and it actually ended up being his last.
“I had my second solo record out. Kiss was starting a tour, and it was their first headlining show in New York, their hometown,” Hagar says, in an excerpt provided to LouderSound.com. “They sold out Madison Square Garden, and they asked me at the last minute to be the opening act for the 10-show, East Coast run. … Nobody knew who I was, or even that I was on the bill, because I was added last minute. I didn’t even have any fans yet, anyway.”
The audience booed as soon as Hagar’s name had been announced, and about three songs in, Hagar exploded at the audience in a profanity-laced tirade, before dropping his pants and smashing his guitar on stage. This of course only made the audience boo more, and they pelted Hagar and his band with cups and bottles as they exited the stage.
Over 40 years later, Sammy has yet to actually share a stage with Kiss, or even any of their members. Hagar actually mentions in the interview that when he passed Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons backstage after the outburst and continued to vent his anger toward them as well.
No Encore! features interviews with Alice Cooper, Lita Ford, Dave Navarro, and Dee Snider as well and is on the shelves now.
