Montrose - Bad Motor Scooter

Sunday, time for a classic.

"Bad Motor Scooter" was the second track from the self titled debut album by the rock band MONTROSE. It, along with "Rock Candy", was arguably the best known song by the band. The song was penned by frontman Sammy Hagar. Its introduction, a distorted electric slide guitar sound which closely emulates that of a revving motorcycle, became the defining component of the song. When the song was conceived before this guitar sound, the band and Ted Templeman were not impressed because they thought it was missing a "hook", to make it stand out. Ronnie Montrose stumbled upon it while messing with a slide and fuzz box one day in the studio. Playing his guitar in Open D tuning, Montrose improvised what became the motorcycle sound — although Templeman and engineer Donn Landee kept him going when they failed to get the recording tape rolling.

When performed live by the original MONTROSE line up, Sammy Hagar would play the "motorcycle" introduction on a lap steel slide guitar. Hagar provided the same intro when CHICKENFOOT, the supergroup composed of Hagar, Joe Satriani, Michael Anthony and Chad Smith, performed a version during their live performances. Joe Satriani did the "motorcycle" introduction at the Montrose tribute concert using the whammy bar on his guitar instead of the slide guitar.

The song has also been included on the Sammy Hagar compilation "The Essential Red Collection".

MONTROSE was a California-based hard rock band formed in 1973 and named after guitarist and founder Ronnie Montrose. The band's original lineup featured Montrose and vocalist Sammy Hagar, who later gained greater fame as a solo artist and as a member of VAN HALEN. Rounding out the original foursome were bassist Bill Church and drummer Denny Carmassi. The group disbanded in early 1977.



More info @

Official Sammy Hagar Web

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Montrose - Space Station #5

Sunday, time for a classic tune!

"Space Station #5", sometimes known as "Space Station Number Five", was co-written by lead guitarist Ronnie Montrose and then lead vocalist Sammy Hagar; the latter has also recorded this track himself.

Is this a song about living in outer space, or is it about how "Hager" was abducted by aliens as a child? Well nobody really knows.

MONTROSE was a California-based hard rock band. The band originally featured Ronnie Montrose on guitar and future solo artist and VAN HALEN frontman Sammy Hagar. Rounding out the original foursome were bassist Bill Church and drummer Denny Carmassi.

"Space Station #5" was released on self titled début album "Montrose", released in 1973. It was produced by Ted Templeman.

After having done session work for various musicians including Van Morrison, Herbie Hancock and Edgar Winter, Montrose was Ronnie Montrose's first record leading his own band which featured Denny Carmassi on drums, Bill Church on bass, and a then-unknown Sammy Hagar (at that time 'Sam Hagar') on vocals. While considered a classic by many hard rock fans, tracks from the album received scant radio airplay, with "Rock Candy" and "Bad Motor Scooter" being notable exceptions. It has been reported that the band's label, Warner Bros., did not know how to market MONTROSE, and, already having the DOOBIE BROTHERS and DEEP PURPLE to cover the rock and hard rock genres, saw the band as something of a redundancy on their roster of artists. Though the album was not a big seller upon its initial release, peaking at #133 on the U.S. Billboard chart, it eventually proved to be an international sleeper hit which over a period of several decades has sold in excess of one million copies, attaining platinum status. Often cited as 'America's answer to LED ZEPPELIN, it is held to be highly influential amongst hard rock/heavy metal musicians including IRON MAIDEN, both of whom have recorded and/or performed cover versions of songs from the album. Some critics have arguably labeled it the "first American heavy metal album".

Ronnie Montrose chiefly used a Gibson Les Paul, a Fender Bandmaster amp, and a Big Muff effect box to record the Montrose album.

"Make It Last" was covered by VAN HALEN in their early club days (available on VAN HALEN bootlegs).

IRON MAIDEN has recorded & performed several cover versions of songs from the album, including "Space Station #5", which was released as the B-Side of their single "Be Quick or Be Dead" (1992).

Punk band STIFF LITTLE FINGERS used the riff from the "Space Station #5" for the introduction on their single "Suspect Device" (1978).

Today's tune "Space Station #5" is taken from the self titled début album "Montrose".

Ronnie Montrose with Keith St. John, David Ellefson and Jimmy DeGrasso


3/4 of the original Montrose paying tribute to Ronnie Montrose at "A Concert for Ronnie".

Sammy Hagar - Vocals
Danny Carmassi - Drums
Bill Church - Bass
Joe Satriani - Guitar



On 3 March 2012, Montrose died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. His death was originally assumed to be the result of his prostate cancer returning. However, the San Mateo County Coroner's Office released a report which confirmed the guitarist had taken his own life.

The toxicology reported a blood-alcohol level of 0.31 percent at the time of death. In early 2012, the deaths of his uncle and Lola (his beloved bulldog, whose companionship helped him cope with his cancer recovery) apparently worsened what Guitar Player described as “the clinical depression that plagued him since he was a toddler.”

More info @

Official Montrose Web

Listen to ”Montrose - Space Station #5" on Spotify here!

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Coverdale/Page - Take Me For A Little While

Time for another DUO, but today we leave the term "Power DUO" and play a Rock DUO instead, do you remember the difference between them? Well todays DUO is where two men are combining their experience and create something that sounds like both worlds, really good actually.

We hear Whitesnake but in a light Led Zeppelin touch. The sound of this album was the John Bonham-influenced and former Montrose drummer Denny Carmassi.

Coverdale/Page was a musical collaboration featuring Whitesnake and former Deep Purple, Whitesnake lead vocalist David Coverdale, and former Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page.

The project between the two artists commenced in 1991 at the suggestion of American A&R executive John Kalodner, as both artists were signed to Geffen Records at the time in North America. Their debut album, Coverdale/Page was released on 15 March 1993, reaching No. 4 in the UK and No. 5 on the US Billboard 200 chart. Five singles were released to promote the album: "Pride and Joy", "Shake My Tree", "Take Me for a Little While", "Take a Look at Yourself" and "Over Now".

It has been rumoured that Page collaborated with Coverdale in order to irk Page's former Led Zeppelin bandmate Robert Plant, who up to that point had been reluctant to reunite with Page. In interviews at the time, Plant expressed some derision at the guitarist's collaboration with Coverdale.

An American arena tour was planned for the summer of 1993, but after sluggish ticket sales the tour was scrapped in favour of a series of concerts in Japan, after which the partnership was dissolved. Page subsequently teamed up with Plant for an "UnLedded" MTV project and Coverdale returned to Whitesnake.

According to David Coverdale, the traffic sign shown on the cover of the album signified "two roads joining to one road. Try to express unification or joining together."

Todays tune ”Take Me For A Little While” is taken from the self titled album "Coverdale/Page", released by Geffen Records on 15 March 1993.



Members:

David Coverdale - lead vocals, acoustic guitar
Jimmy Page - electric guitars, bass, harmonica, dulcimer, backing vocals

Additional musicians:

Denny Carmassi - drums, percussion (album and tour)
Lester Mendel - keyboards, percussion
Jorge Casas - bass
Ricky Phillips - bass
John Harris - harmonica
Tommy Funderburk - backing vocals
John Sambataro - backing vocals
Brett Tuggle - keyboards, backing vocals (tour)
Guy Pratt - bass, backing vocals (tour)
Mark Luckhurst - Bass (Rehearsals and Video shoot)

More info @

Official Whitesnake Web

Official Led Zeppelin Web

Listen to "Coverdale/Page - Take Me For A Little While" on Spotify here!

Follow tuneoftheday.blogspot.com on Spotify here

Kottak - Sunset Blvd

 

James R. Kottak (born December 26, 1962, Louisville, Kentucky), who has beaten up the drums for the German super group Scorpions for the last 16 years.

Prior to joining Scorpions, Kottak was a drummer for Nut House, Mister Charlie, Buster Brown, Montrose, Kingdom Come, Wild Horses, the McAuley Schenker Group, Warrant, and Ashba. In February 1997 he helped Dio on their US tour by replacing Vinny Appice for four or five shows when Vinny Appice had pneumonia. He also gave drum lessons at Far-Out Music in Jeffersonville, Indiana, once having former Bride drummer, Jerry McBroom, as a student. He was married to Athena Lee, rocker Tommy Lee's younger sister, who is also a drummer and was a fellow member of Kottak. The couple has three children; one girl, Tobi, and two boys, Miles and Matthew. Athena was nominated for "BEST DRUMMER" (Males and Females) category. She was the first female ever nominated in the history of the L.A. Music Awards.

James has recorded 6 CDs and 5 DVDs with the Scorpions so far. He also plays in his own band Kottak, formerly known as KrunK. Kottak has just released its fourth studio album Attack, which was produced by Tommy Henriksen (Daughtry, BC Jean, Lady Gaga). It was recorded in Los Angeles and Nashville at Henriksens’ Anarchy Studios.

The current line up is James Kottak (vocals, guitars), Stephanie Smith (lead guitars, backing vocals), Nils Wandrey (bass, backing vocals) and Francis Ruiz (drums).

Kottak is touring with Edguy atm on their Age Of The Joker tour.

James Kottak, yes, do not really know how to say this, a nice lad, lovely confused, a bit Ozzy over him, as when he and guitarist sang together as did the feeling that Ozzy stood there and did a duet with Courtney Love. It was a good gig, even James got behind the drum stool on one occasion. He offered truly of himself and it was a lot of humor on stage. He dragged up a photographer on the stage that had a worn Motley Crue t-shirt on as he pointed a little about, even a "Kottak 'fan did come up and sing a bit.

Soundcheck

Soundcheck

Live

Live

James Kottak surprises Edguy onstage at the Tyrol in Stockholm, Sweden on Sept 25th 2011....he shows up onstage in the middle of a song in a towel, to the suprise of Edguy and Tobias, and flashes the entire audience....with only a sock on!!! Classic insane Kottak moment....Kottak is currently having a blast on tour opening for Edguy on their Fall European tour!!!





Todays tune is "Sunset Blvd" is taken from his album Rock & Roll Forever, it's like “Cheap Trick meets Green Day on a bad day.”  Enjoy!




More info @

Official Kottak Web
Official Kottak MySpace

Listen to ”Kottak - Sunset Blvd" on Spotify here!

Follow tuneoftheday.blogspot.com on Spotify here!