Saturday, January 3, 2009

Saturday Morning Tunes: Get On Your Ba-Yad Motor Scooter And RI-I-I-IDE!

Maybe "Red Rocker" Sammy Hagar's influence on cycling has been underestimated. Check out the skinsuit and Cipollini-esque "Lion King" hair in this 1974 tune with guitarist Ronnie Montrose's band.



Hagar's particular style of bell-bottomed skinsuit never really caught on, but it was clearly a harbinger of the aerodynamic synthetic era to come, just like the flowing blond mane copied 15 years later by cycling's own big-haired rock star. Who Knew?
This video is missing Ronnie's faux motorcycle-engine intro, but you get the idea. I remember this one was good for interval training; heading south on MLK between Broadway and McGlouhglin, sprinting from car to car, pausing behind cars long enough to catch a quick draft before jumping to the next. And if you lucked out with all the traffic lights ... mmm..mmm ... good times!