RIP Ronnie Montrose
March 4, 2012 1:29 AM Subscribe
He started out in Sawbuck, played with other bands, including Edgar Winter Group then launched his own band, Montrose. After Montrose, he formed Gamma, and revealed on tour in 2009 that he had successfully beat prostate cancer. Alas, prostate cancer came back with a vengeance and took Ronnie out on March 3rd, 2012. Get on your bad motor scooter and ride, Ronnie.
♪
posted by Smart Dalek at 2:25 AM on March 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Smart Dalek at 2:25 AM on March 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
I hated the band Montrose when I was young and oh-so-serious and punker-than-thou. But then sometime in the 90s, in the midst of all the gloomy self-absorbed bellowing that passed for rock and roll, I happened to be twiddling the radio dial just as "Rock Candy" came on. It was Big Dumb Fun writ large, a song with all the subtlety of a Saint Bernard puppy, an unapologetically stoopid exercise in cock rock. "You're rock candy, baby. Hot, sweet and sticky." It put a smile on my face. I may or may not have played air guitar a little bit.
So in a way Montrose helped me learn a lesson -- sometimes it's enough to just have fun. To enjoy something because it makes your head bob and your ass shake. Not every song has to change the world. Ronnie Montrose made music that made people smile. There's value enough in that.
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posted by BitterOldPunk at 3:28 AM on March 4, 2012 [11 favorites]
So in a way Montrose helped me learn a lesson -- sometimes it's enough to just have fun. To enjoy something because it makes your head bob and your ass shake. Not every song has to change the world. Ronnie Montrose made music that made people smile. There's value enough in that.
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posted by BitterOldPunk at 3:28 AM on March 4, 2012 [11 favorites]
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posted by Joey Michaels at 3:33 AM on March 4, 2012
posted by Joey Michaels at 3:33 AM on March 4, 2012
Oh no, my friend is going to be heartbroken. He's a huge fan, and used to actually correspond with Montrose.
posted by thelonius at 4:01 AM on March 4, 2012
posted by thelonius at 4:01 AM on March 4, 2012
I eventually considered Montrose to be unintentional-comedy metal. But back in the 70's they were badass as could be.
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posted by telstar at 4:57 AM on March 4, 2012
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posted by telstar at 4:57 AM on March 4, 2012
google news is drawing a blank on Sammy Hagar comments. Sammy is like the most quotable rock star of all time so surely it will be a doozy when it comes. Rock Candy was pure Led Zeppelin copycat but still a great tune.
He was photogenic as hell.
posted by bukvich at 5:01 AM on March 4, 2012
He was photogenic as hell.
posted by bukvich at 5:01 AM on March 4, 2012
Montrose the band was responsible for foisting Sammy Hagar on the world, but I never held that against Ronnie Montrose personally, because after all, it was the seventies. RIP, Ronnie.
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posted by MexicanYenta at 5:04 AM on March 4, 2012
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posted by MexicanYenta at 5:04 AM on March 4, 2012
Montrose was beloved by the boys I chased in my misspent youth. Obviously more sunk in than I was aware. Get on your bad motor scooter and ride, indeed. RIP Ronnie.
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posted by readery at 6:16 AM on March 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
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posted by readery at 6:16 AM on March 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
I think my knowledge is limited to "Rock Candy," which I don't think I've listened to since the eighth grade, but I am listening to it right now and it is fantastic.
posted by kittens for breakfast at 6:17 AM on March 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by kittens for breakfast at 6:17 AM on March 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
His instrumental version of "Town Without Pity" blew me away when I first heard it and continues to even today.
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posted by tommasz at 7:17 AM on March 4, 2012
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posted by tommasz at 7:17 AM on March 4, 2012
Drag. Montrose kicked out some truly asskicking jams.
RIP, Ronnie.
posted by jonmc at 7:58 AM on March 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
RIP, Ronnie.
posted by jonmc at 7:58 AM on March 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
Oh what a time we had
Living on the ground
I've moved to station #5
See you next time around
posted by Senator at 8:01 AM on March 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
Living on the ground
I've moved to station #5
See you next time around
posted by Senator at 8:01 AM on March 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
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posted by doctor_negative at 9:32 AM on March 4, 2012
posted by doctor_negative at 9:32 AM on March 4, 2012
Oh, man. :(
His music was Big Dumb Fun, but that ain't such a bad thing. Another part of my high school years slips away...
The younger brother of a friend actually took some "master class"-level guitar lessons from RM in the late 80's/early 90's. I'll have to drop him a line and see how he's doing.
posted by mosk at 12:13 PM on March 4, 2012
His music was Big Dumb Fun, but that ain't such a bad thing. Another part of my high school years slips away...
The younger brother of a friend actually took some "master class"-level guitar lessons from RM in the late 80's/early 90's. I'll have to drop him a line and see how he's doing.
posted by mosk at 12:13 PM on March 4, 2012
I would agree that his music with Montrose and Gamma were big dumb fun but his solo stuff was truly tasty. R.I.P. Ronnie.
posted by Ber at 1:48 PM on March 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Ber at 1:48 PM on March 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
My uncle Bruce played with him in San Francisco in the late 60s/early 70s, a little before Montrose was MONTROSE. So I came at this kind of big-balls alpha-male rock-n-roll stuff as a sort of relative, unlike bitteroldpunk above, and kinda liked it still when I became all punk rock in my teens. If Uncle Bruce thought it was worthy of playing, it was probably worth my listening to.
posted by goofyfoot at 1:05 AM on March 5, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by goofyfoot at 1:05 AM on March 5, 2012 [2 favorites]
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