Rocker Ronnie Montrose Got on His Bad Motor Scooter and Rode

World says goodbye to a high performance rocker who put the late 70's into perspective.

Ronnie Montrose

(LOS ANGELES) - A few months ago, we held a surprise party for Ronnie Montrose's 64th birthday. He gave an impromptu speech, and told us that after a long life, filled with joy and hardship, he didn't take any of our love for granted.

He passed today. He'd battled cancer, and staved off old age for long enough. And true to form, he chose his own exit the way he chose his own life. We miss him already, but we're glad to have shared with him while we could.

The Website for legendary rock star Ronnie Montrose, who died today, states, "Music legends aren't born easily. It has to be just the right band, with just the right sound, coming along at just the right time. That band was Montrose, and that sound was heavy, melodic, no-holds-barred rock and roll."

Fewer things are more true. Songs by Montrose defined a generation, his musical match with his longtime performer friend Sammy Hagar, led to one hit after another and all of it isn't music played on top-40 stations; this was more album-oriented music that real enthusiasts listened to.

In critical assessments, Montrose was called "a scorching outfit…" "incredibly impressive…" "part [Jeff] Beck, part Led Zeppelin, and three-fourths nitroglycerin…" "sheer rock and roll ecstasy."

From the Website:

The original Montrose remains the stuff of rock and roll legend, the ultimate stateside power trio with vocals. The songs are a virtual greatest hits of American hard rock: "Rock the Nation," "Bad Motor Scooter," "Space Station #5," "I Got the Fire," "Jump On It," and the immortal "Rock Candy." The fans have been begging for more ever since.

It is said that Ronnie Montrose always followed his heart, and that he was ever anxious to take his music to the next level. It was 1979 when he founded the trailblazing band Gamma, a group whose trio of ahead-of-their-time albums were an explosion of guitar and synthesizer pyrotechnics anchored by a bluesy edge.

Montrose the player devoted himself to exploring instrumental guitar music on landmark albums like 'Open Fire' and 'The Speed of Sound'. He carried a theme that took us back to another time, yet remained timeless also.

Though he had physical challenges, Ronnie Montrose was in the act of making a full-force return, playing the tunes that rocked a nation with heart-thumping, foot-stomping, fist-pumping energy.

TK