After establishing himself as a bit of a guitar wizard backing the likes of Van Morrison, Boz Scaggs and probably most prominently, as the guitar flash behind Edgar Winter's “Frankenstein,” Ronnie Montrose set about creating his own niche with a band made up of the shockingly talented rhythm section of Bill (Electric) Church on bass and Denny Carmassi on drums, and a cocksure young singer named Sammy Hagar. The result was one of the most influential, though modestly successful, rock albums in history. (Hagar has repeatedly claimed that it boasts the longest time from release to attaining platinum status in music history.) Anyone reading a rock magazine from the late 80's through the early 2000's would likely read that the guitarist, especially, of the band featured in an article had been significantly influenced by this album. Featuring eight concise, riff-based rockers, Montrose (released in 1973) announced that America had at least one band to compete with the Zeppelins, Deep Purples and Black Sabbaths of the world. Because of Ronnie's fickle, oftentimes prickly, personality, they never attained the lofty success of these bands, but this debut album blasted out of countless car and home stereos, providing the soundtrack for countless air guitar and ACTUAL guitar players. What a monster of an album! - Kip 

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   Mark: just wanted to start off by giving my appreciation to the two musicians that make up the super cool, happy time A++ rhythm section that is bassist Bill Church and drummer Denny Carmassi. Without them....well, I don't want to go there. Also, I have to say that Mr. Montrose's guitar tone was the tone that launched the tones of a million guitarist around the planet, and that includes Space Station 1 THROUGH 5.

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1. Rock the Nation (Ronnie Montrose) A+

   Talk about announcing your presence with authority! Again, I'm always intrigued by openers, and this one is literally a statement of purpose. From Ronnie's pure Les Paul through a Marshall riff, to Sammy's full throated wails, Rock the Nation embodies all that Ronnie was imagining when he put the band together. Interesting, this is the ONLY song attribute solely to him. This is interesting to those of us that know his imminent habit of jettisoning anyone that, in his mind, tried to overshadow him in his own band. He obviously needed the talents of not only good players, but also talented songwriters. But he definitely brought the goods on his own on this one. A classic!!!

A+

Kip

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   If there ever was a cowbell worthy intro, it's this spicy habanero! It instantly gets my head bobbing. So good! Sammy's voice is also “so good,” powerful and soulful. I love it! Church and Carmassi should have statues erected or a street named after them. At least a sandwich. They hit hard and clean. I love this tune!

A+

Mark

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   Back in the day when I made hard rock cassette tapes for friends I always put “Rock the Nation”  on playlist. Killer riff that starts the song and then the drums kick in and take it to perfection! Hagar’s voice is perfect for the song. I love the tone on the added guitar (1:34) and then Ronnie changes it up with a different lead tone (2:06) which just keeps this song interesting. I like how the riff (2:32) is mixed more up front on the ending refrain keeping the energy of the song plowing ahead all the way to the end. The whole album sounds great due to the excellent production by Ted Templeman and engineered by Donn Landee.  

A+

Jeff

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2. Bad Motor Scooter (Sammy Hagar) A

   This is Sammy Hagar's song and one that would feature prominently in his solo live sets for many years. Opening with distorted slide work that mimics a motorcycle (copied almost verbatim by Motley Crue years later for Kick Start My Heart) Bad Motor Scooter could have easily opened the album as well. A story song of trying to “get some,” narrated by the voice of every father's nightmare, the song is obviously the work of a lead singer. Featuring big, sustained chords that allowed for the story to be told (and room for the singer to be featured) this builds to a climax that just begged to be played live. (The song suffered in the live setting with Montrose, as Ronnie refused to let Sammy play guitar live. Sammy always had a second guitar, even turning the solo spot into a back and forth guitar battle, that was one of the most fist-in-the-air, guitargasm moments I've ever experienced live.) Side note: After having sung along to this for 40+ years, I was so grateful that my brother's band closed with this at their HOF gig, as I finally learned the correct lyric of “there's a red bridge that arcs the bay” that I had been mumbling through for all of those years. 

A+

Kip

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   The slide guitar intro here is rad. I love the drums when they kick in. Denny's a badass. All of this sets you up for a most necessary road trip rocker. Play it loud and with the window down, unless you're on a bad motor scooter. Just crank it.

B

Mark

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   I don’t know if people can remember, but the gear shifting engine sounding guitar at the start of this song was so original and caught people’s attention back in the day! Great second song that kept the energy of this classic album going. Ronnie Montrose guitar work is a real treat, I just focus on that fuzzed out sound throughout the song. I like how almost all the songs have no fade out, they sound like the band was performing in your living room for a great party.

A

Jeff

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3. Space Station #5 (Hagar, Montrose) A

   After opening with two straight ahead bangers, we get the first glimpse into some of the sonic wizardry that Ronnie would be known for. Opening with some squeals and effects that evoked images of other worlds, Ronnie kicks into a straight ahead riff that had teenagers everywhere cranking their stereos to 10. Impossible not to play air guitar along with, this is the first Montrose/Hagar co-write. It also is the first of Sammy's spaced themed lyrics that would show up on several of his subsequent releases. This one starts at a frantic pace, works into some spacey, Captain Beyond feeling breakdown in the middle and then accelerates to what is obviously supposed to mimic a spacecraft blasting off at the conclusion. The longest piece on the album, this is the closest they get to an “epic.” Another great song!

A+

Kip

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   Another slide guitar intro that morphs into an annoying chirping that should be banished to space station #4. Luckily, Mr. Montrose has an oh so cool riff up his sleeve to slap us around the space station with. Sammy's scream would make Roger Daltrey's scrotum shrink to the size of dried cherries. It's that good. This may be a better road trip tune than Bad Motor Scooter.

A

Mark

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   Once again a very unique opening that made you pay attention to the third song from Montrose! Once the riff starts at (:50) I’m always catching a bit of Doobie Brothers here, which isn’t a stretch since Templeman produced them too, but once Hagar’s voice starts the scream it’s Montrose all the way. This song is really head-banging for me until the middle section when Hagar starts singing (2:41) I don’t mind it as just an instrumental, but Hagar’s vocal and the flat tune he sings is a weak part in the song for me. I do like how it kicks back in (3:27). Great song but a little long with the middle section and the wrap up kind of drags for me.  I do like the wild ending (5:00).

B+

Jeff

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4. I Don't Want It (Hagar, Montrose) B-

   This is probably the most straight ahead, by the numbers piece on the record. An absolutely great rocker, and one that would be the highlight of many band's albums, this is as close to “generic” as they get on this album. The fact that the players and singer are so incredibly talented results in another song that no one is certainly skipping over when listening to the album, but one that gets overshadowed by the three ravers that precede it. This was one of the first times in my young life that I noticed how important song placement was on an album. After the lyric and guitar experimenting of the previous song, a 4X4 beat, driving song slotted in perfectly to finish off side one of this amazing album.

A

Kip

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   Even though I like this tune, it's kind of the floor for this album. Great playing, great singing, but I skip this one the most.

C

Mark

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   I never played this song myself much. I like the refrain with the added depth/echo to Hagar’s voice. I guess I just didn’t like the song due to the main lick, never really caught me. Weak ending to an awesome first side of their debut album for me.

C

Jeff

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5. Good Rockin' Tonight (Roy Brown) C+

   Establishing a pattern that would continue in subsequent albums, side two opens with a song that would have been the logical opener for the album. (The reissue of this album includes a CD of their very first live appearance on a radio show and they open with this.) Originally written by early blues pioneer Roy Brown, the song announces to the audience that this is going to be a very good night indeed. Featuring trade off vocal/guitar licks from Sammy and Ronnie, the song is a quick (2:59) romp that establishes mood, gets the listener excited and then concludes. Straight, no frills blues/rock that really works in this setting.

A-

Kip

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   Now there are boogie people and non-boogie people and I must admit being the latter. Again, the guitar tone is great (nice and raspy), Sammy's his usual soulful self and Bill and Denny swing like true sinners, but I'm just not a boogie guy.

C

Mark

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   It’s crazy how old this song is! 1947!!! This song has the first phrase of “good rocking tonight” and as a contender for the first Rock n Roll song that this must have meant a lot to Ronnie Montrose. They played this song often and would even open with it. They loved it! But sorry I don’t... sounds like older 50’s rock to me and never did a thing for me. Always skipped it whenever I played the album.

C-

Jeff

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6. Rock Candy (Hagar, Montrose, Carmassi, Church) A+

   While every aspiring guitarist played along to “Smoke on the Water,” “Iron Man” or “Whole Lotta Love”, I have to imagine that every aspiring drummer wore out the grooves trying to mimic this drum opening by Denny Carmassi. What a foot. Those drums, a sleazy guitar riff and dirty lyrics made this a favorite of horny teenage boys everywhere. Similar to Zeppelin's “When the Levee Breaks,” this song suffers if sped up by the adrenaline of playing live. It needs to keep that behind the beat groove to work...and boy, does it. I can't count the number of concerts I've attended that played this over the P.A. before the lights went down. Countless guitarists and drummers have been quoted as saying this was one of the songs that made them want to play their instrument. An absolute classic.

A+

Kip

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   To quote Hawkeye, those intro drums are like the perfect martini: dry, wet and a sahara of “unreverbness.” And that riff!? Oh my. Powerful, dominant, manly, yet caring....sorry! Got carried away. What can I say about this song? It's a staple of guitar cool. Comfortably nestled right smack dab on the Main Street of guitar riff royalty.

A+

Mark

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   This song predates Kiss, but this always sounds like a later Gene Simmon’s song to me "Larger Than Life". Great drum sound and powerful guitar that still to this day sounds cool as hell. Later on I heard so many other bands copy the vibe of this song. Favorite part is the guitar (3:16) love that piece! It’s not how fast Ronnie Montrose played, it’s the tone he creates! Powerful stuff!  A great band effort.

A

Jeff

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7. One Thing On My Mind (Hagar, Montrose, Sanchez) B

   It's pretty obvious how young Sammy was when writing these lyrics, as even the title doesn't require much interpretation. Opening with Ronnie's stuttering, descending riff, it is almost impossible to strut with this song in your head. Sometimes with his stage persona and just all around big personality, it is sometimes easy to forget how shockingly good a singer Sammy is. Producer Ted Templeman said in his 2020 biography that Sammy was still the best pure singer he ever recorded. This whole album works so perfectly that it would be a sin to play it on “shuffle.” It would be very noticeable if you skipped this song while listening to the whole album, but it is doubtful whether it would be the first one you would play. Again, a song that would be the highlight of many albums of the time, it is a “deep cut” here.

B+

Kip

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   Throw those hands in the air and wave them....well, you get it. This is a “call to party” song. A sweet phased or flanged guitar intro riff sets the stage for a good time with your best buds. A rockin' blues shuffle.

B

Mark

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   This reminds me of later Montrose and Bad Company. I like most of this song, but it jumps in and out of strong and weak points for me. I always thought it needed a little more writing to work out some of the poppy refrain moments.

B

Jeff

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8. Make It Last (Hagar) A

   The other song that seems to get played before every concert, this song starts with a massive, slow riff, then marches along with Carmassi’s drumming being essential to the song maintaining its swagger. Lyrically, it's another Sammy sleaze fest, but the lyrics seem to fit the riff and groove of the song. Another tune that every aspiring guitar HAD to learn and one that doesn't really work if your amp isn't turned up to 10. The perfect conclusion to an almost perfect debut album.

A-

Kip

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   If Rock Candy resides atop Mt. Olympus, rubbing elbows with the Led Zep and Black Sabbath riffs that are his neighbors, then I imagine Make It Last as the crack smoking cousin sneaking in Rock Candy's basement window to swipe Ronnie's power soak to sell for more goodies. Either way, Make It Last is a toe tapper from the get go. The intros on this album are just knockouts. They pull you in and seduce you like a Romulan mistress. This one's no different. Super tasty slide work throughout from Mr. Montrose and Sammy's lyrics are uplifting and positive. Not like a crack smoking cousin at all. A wonderful song to end a remarkable debut.

A

Mark

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   Wow! What a powerful closing song! Love the slow burn of the power chords. Hagars vocals are perfect especially his ending high note on “sixtyfour” (1:25). This song is begging you to turn it up! I’m still giving this song an A+ but I would have preferred a live guitar crunch ending instead of a fade out keeping the whole album like a live performance.

A+

Jeff

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