Sammy Hagar and his CIRCLE bandmates have once again teamed up via the Internet, this time to record a version of the Red Rocker’s Christmas song “Santa’s Going South”. The original track was released in 2011 and was a duet between Hagar and country singer Toby Keith.
In a statement accompanying the YouTube release of the CIRCLE version of “Santa’s Going South”, Sammy wrote: “This song has been waiting many years for a video. Here it is, courtesy of Lockdown 2020. Merry Christmas Redheads!”
As previously reported, SAMMY HAGAR & THE CIRCLE will release “Lockdown Sessions” as an album collection titled “Lockdown 2020” on January 8, 2021. Fans who pre-order the album now will also receive a new instant-grat track, a cover of David Bowie‘s “Heroes”. Additionally, all proceeds from the song “Heroes” will be donated to food banks nationwide.
“Lockdown Sessions” began in March, when the COVID-19 shelter-at-home order went into effect. With time on their hands and their upcoming tour in limbo, the band’s legendary drummer Jason Bonham challenged his bandmates Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony and Vic Johnson to record a warmup jam they’d been playing backstage before concerts for several years. Equipped with iPhones and their respective instruments, they each laid down their individual tracks from the den, music room, closet and even showers of their homes, and “Funky Feng Shui” and the band’s “Lockdown Sessions” were born.
“When we first start doing these lockdown sessions, it was only meant to stay in touch with the fans until we could get back out on the road again,” Hagar explained. “But as the weeks and months drew on, it also became a fun way to keep the band together, musically and creatively.”
Over the next eight months, their “Lockdown Sessions” became a hit with critics and fans alike, producing 10 tracks and reaching an online audience approaching 30 million. The sessions gave the band the opportunity to throw down raw and raucous compact covers of classic hits that they’d jammed to backstage but never planned to record, including THE WHO‘s “Won’t Get Fooled Again”, Bob Marley‘s “Three Little Birds”, AC/DC‘s “Whole Lotta Rosie” and more. When plans for an album came to fruition around the holidays, the band came together to record one more track, a cover of David Bowie‘s “Heroes” which they’d offer as an instant download or single purchase.
“With the addition of ‘Heroes’, it made sense to help those who are struggling from the effects of COVID-19,” Hagar said. “It probably wouldn’t have happened without it.”
“Lockdown 2020” track listing:
01. Funky Feng Shui
02. Won’t Get Fooled Again (THE WHO)
03. Good Enough (VAN HALEN)
04. Three Little Birds (Bob Marley)
05. Whole Lotta Rosie (AC/DC)
06. For What It’s Worth (Buffalo Springfield)
07. Keep A-Knockin’ (Little Richard)
08. Right Now (VAN HALEN)
09. Don’t Tell Me What Love Can Do (VAN HALEN)
10. Sympathy For The Human (SAMMY HAGAR & THE WABOS)
11. Heroes (David Bowie)
This past May, SAMMY HAGAR & THE CIRCLE‘s U.S. tour with NIGHT RANGER was officially canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic which is sweeping the globe. Produced by Live Nation, the outing was scheduled to kick off July 9 in West Palm Beach, Florida at iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre and make stops in Tampa, Cincinnati, Dallas, Phoenix and more, before wrapping September 20 in Chula Vista, California at North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre.
THE CIRCLE‘s first album of all-original material, “Space Between”, was released in May 2019 via BMG.
