“Ronnie! Ronnie! Ronnie!”
The debut album of Montrose which featured singer Sammy Hagar — and it was the very best album that the singer has ever worked with.
Sammy Hagar got the gig with the help of hotshot guitarist, Ronnie Montrose, where the band was named after. Ronnie was a session veteran who performed with Van Morrison and Edgar Winter. Ronnie Montrose was known for his raw, thick, flat-out monstrous guitar tone, and always showcases exciting solos, towards the end of songs.
The album starts off with arguably its three best songs such as, “Rock The Nation,” an anthemic track. Being as heavy as hell, “Bad Motor Scooter,” Montrose filled it a ton of bricks and energetic riffs. But the most excellent is “Space Station No. 5,” starting slow, going forward powerful.
Montrose is a groundbreaking record created by a fully talented band and was truly influential on future generations of rock and metal bands. Not many fillers on the album, due to being at a mere 32 minutes long. Some may sound generic, and some lyrics may be interpreted as silly, but it’s the wide-scale of energy and intensity that the band gives made this album such a great listen.
It deserves more recognition and acclaim, rather than being considered as something of a “lost classic.”
Listen to the full album below: