Being that most of the others who might be in a position to make comment on the recent passing of one of rock's most notable guitar heroes Ronnie Montrose have perhaps already chimed in with some form of retrospective, I thought, as a native of Northern California, the place where Montrose really first made a name for himself, it is only proper to save the best for last. 

Having spent most of my youth listening to what I consider to be one of the finest pure hard rock albums of all time, the self-titled Montrose album, I can only say that if that were his only contribution to the genre it would be head and shoulders above almost everything else produced in the name of rock and roll. Though it is arguably a collaborative effort between himself and singer Sam Hagar, as he was billed on the album, the wonderfully powerful tone and raw feel of the entire album made it what it is. 

Montrose started out as a session player sitting in with such notables as Edgar Winter and Van Morrison. He really wasn't given as much credit as he was due for some of the riffs that he created for those albums and I doubt most even realize he was there. He departed for his own band in 1973 when, with the help of an incredible supporting cast like Bill Church on bass and Denny Carmassi on drums, the Ted Templeman produced Montrose album lit a fire under many a rocking teen. It was the first and only album at the time that didn't feature a single soft rock ballad of any sort. Even the slower tempo pieces like Make It Last and Rock Candy rocked harder than most of that which occupied the grooves of albums around the world. He followed that up with the same team for an album that was a stark contrast in many ways but just as good, Paper Money. The sound seemed very different and yet it was still wonderful. Songs like Underground and I Got The Fire, rocked those who wanted more of the first. But there were some wonderful ballads as well like the Connections.

Sadly, that was the end of what I believe could have been a super group that was just beginning to find its niche. Two more undistinguished albums followed "Warner Bros. Presents..." and "Jump On It" but it was 1978's solo album titled "Open Fire" that showed the world what really was in the heart and soul of Mr. Montrose. The instrumental album which was along the same line as much of what Jeff Beck was doing at the time, featured a wonderful cover of the Gene Pitney classic, "Town Without Pity". To this day, that version, the Montrose version, is one to listen to.

Sadly, like far too many, Ronnie Montrose left us too soon. Yes, he had his detractors and many were not fond of the choices he made within his career or his life. He was considered difficult to work with and an egomaniac and yet in reality, what artist can ascend the heights of his profession without a little of each? What I hope will remain in his wake will be a remembrance of that which he gave to the world. I believe he set a standard for hard rock that has been equalled from time to time but never topped. How can you top perfection?

Rest in peace wayward axe man, rest in peace...