Ranking the Studio Albums: Montrose & Gamma (w/Martin Popoff)
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- Опубликовано: 12 сен 2024
- Join host Pete Pardo and special guest co-host Martin Popoff as they rank the studio albums of two of guitar legend Ronnie Montrose's two main bands all in ONE ranking, Montrose and Gamma! #montrose #gamma #ronniemontrose
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Thank you guys for your ranking of Montrose and Gamma.🎤🎸🎵🥁
Finally, someone recognizes Gamma.I thought I was the only one who knew who they were.
I saw them twice in the 80's and Met Davey a few times too!
@@robmlisanti ..this guy is a Facebook book friend of mine..through a friend of mine..
I know right !
I saw them twice in Dallas Texas 1980 and 1981.
The fact that they left off the Montrose solo albums is a shame because had they included them I would say that the "Open Fire" solo album is Ronnie's greatest guitar work still to this day. He also collaborated with Edgar Winter on that record. And I ought to know because I had everything Ronnie is musically involved in.
SPACE STATION NO#5- one ☝️ of the most “ distinct” songs in rock. / obviously- just my opinion! That first MONTROSE album 1973/ unreal ! PETE- you & MARTIN shows- awesome!
Years back there was a Cadillac ad, I think it was for the new CTS-V hot rod, that for a brief time started out with Space Station #5 as its intro. A couple of weeks later they re-issued the commercial with Zeppelin's Rock and Roll. While it's really hard to knock the latter, I was so jazzed for the Montrose backed ad that I jumped in the air and surprised the family. I just figure that it didn't have quite the universal recognition that the Zep did. Montrose #1 = the best value/dollar of vinyl in my entire collection, still.
Thanks for that guys. Thanks for citing the man’s finest work: Montrose 1 and the first 2 by Gamma. Gamma 2 is really a groundbreaking album, a sort of jazz/metal fusion. I cite Cat on a Leash as being the song that blew me away and opened my mind to the possibilities. 40 years later and it still dazzles!
A cousin got me into Montrose when I was real young, and I've been a fan since. I would say that all of these are worth listening to, but the top 5 are pretty essential, IMO.
9) Mean (Pretty faceless pop-metal)
8) Gamma 4
7) Gamma 3 (For some reason I never listened to this one much)
6) Warner Bros. Presents
5) Gamma 1
4) Gamma 2 (This could flip with "Jump On It" any day)
3) Jump on It (This is a very nostalgic album for me. The first of his I owned.)
2) Paper Money
1) Montrose (A desert island disc for me)
Thanks to Pete & Martin for keeping me entertained!
Nice to know I am not alone on PAPER MONEY. Got the LP (still have, my copy is much cleaner than Mr. Popoff's) on a '70s-era Christmas. Even then, my teenage ears thought WTF happened?
Keep these up guys! Totally informative and entertaining! Thank you!
WOW 😮 Montrose, you really are going deep, respect ✊ man.
I have always totally adored the Jump On It album and also think it has a fantastic and sexy cover! I especially love the song Rich Man. I think that the album is very underrated as it has some great tunes and superb vocals.
The song Whaler on "Warner brothers presents" is the most beautiful progressive song that Montrose put out. with Novi the violinist playing.
Please note! In the late 90s in Des Moines Iowa I was at a used cd shop and the guy working there had really long brown hair. kind of like Steve Perry. He was a drummer for Bob James's new group that came from St Louis and moved to Des Moines. It just so happened Bob James came in to the shop from a bachelor party that they had for him and he was kind of drunk. I just happened to have my Warner Bros presents with me and he signed it for me.
Whaler!!!
I am recovering from my 2nd surgery and hospital stay in the last few years and I just wanted to say what a joy it’s been listening to all these album ranking shows while laid up in bed. They have brought me many many hours of entertainment. TY Pete.
Montrose Debut and Paper Money, Gamma 2, my favourites.
Those 3 + Jump on it.
Great show and Martin is awesome again as your sidekick. I will check out some of those Gamma albums after listening to you guys.
@SabuPtolemy Ok, great info. Thanks.
i loved the eponymous 'montrose' album...sammy cooked on that....but my favorite album was ronnie's solo 'open fire' album...his version of 'town without pity' is one of my favorite instrumentals of all time....
Thanks for the tip. I love the original Gene Pitney Town Without Pity. Actually a soundtrack song in a sad movie with the Sargent Carter character from Gomer Pyle.
I agree with you about Montrose version of Town Without Pity. Amazing!
"Spaceage Sacrifice" was my introduction to Montrose when I first heard it on the radio in 1974. I immediately bought the Paper Money LP. I love that album and personally I think the production is better than any of the other Montrose or Gamma albums. I really like the diversity of song styles. Maybe it helped that I bought this before the debut, so I had no preconceived notion of what it should sound like.
In my freshman year at college, the student concert committee promoted a triple bill at the fieldhouse. Poor Spooky Tooth, whom I like, found themselves in the middle of a rock and roll sandwich. Montrose, supporting that immortal first album, opened up and just killed it. The headliners were Humble Pie in support of Smokin'. I wouldn't have blamed the Spookies for demanding to go first for the rest of the tour.
1 Montrose (one of the greatest debut albums in rock history)
2 Paper Money
3 Gamma 2
4 Warner Brothers Presents
5 Gamma 1
6 Mean
7 Jump On It
8 Gamma 4
9 Gamma 3
I got into that first Montrose record the same summer that I got into Deep Purple's "Burn". T'was a rockin' year!
You can’t get any better than the Ronnie -Sammy partnership
Cool i have been waiting on this one
Got to love Martin Popoff. I genuinely admire his opinion, his sometimes off the wall views, and his incredible knowledge. But, putting the Montrose debut in 3rd, behind the first 2 Gamma albums is sacrilege. Great stuff
The problem with Popoff is that he is so full of himself. Albums in the seventies were just much more varied in styles than today. Just look at LED Zeppelin, or Aerosmith (Toys in the attic is more than just hard rock only). Paper Money and Jump on it are no different in that respect. Just 2 fantastic 70ies classics.
@@pvdguitars2951 Holding an honest opinion about how most of Ronnie's recordings ( including his Instrumental period from the Speed of Sound record, forward ) being varied, style-wise, doesn't make Martin full of himself. In fact, I spoke to Ronnie very briefly after a show at a Music club in downtown San Jose back in the late '90s and he made a point to say his intention was to NOT sound the same album to album - or even within the same album. ( at the detriment of his music career, unfortunately ) So your comment about Martin makes absolutely zero sense and is unfounded in reality. You apparently, are alone in thinking there is a "problem" with Martin Popoff.
I don’t think any of the Gamma albums are considered to be classics in the same way as the first Montrose album. Martin Popoff’s rating is just his opinion and I think he enjoys his role as contrarian. It makes for interesting debate but he shouldn’t be considered authoritative just because of his knowledge of the genre. I like him but don’t necessarily agree with him.
There's lots I don't agree with him.
Agree. Gamma 1 is number 2.
This video makes me want to shake my hips, throw my head back and shout! Huge Montrose fan; thanks for posting this! I loved Martin’s Montrose book!
Glad you finally were able to tackle Ronnie's work! My ranking might be sacrilege to some lol...
01) Gamma 2 (one of the greatest albums ever!)
02) Gamma 1
03) Gamma 3
04) Montrose
05) Warner Bros Presents
06) Paper Money
07) Jump On It
08) Gamma 4
09) Mean
Exactly
Pete, you and Martin should start some kind of a show., maybe where you discuss a single album and the production behind it, songwriting etc. I think it would be a smash. You two make a great team. I’m really digging these album rankings you’re doing with him
I've only heard gamma 2 so far and my mind was blown 100% I'll check out montrose now
Thank you! Very under appreciated. Gamma was one of the best! Gamma 3 my favorite of Ronnie's btw!
I'm 18 and I love Montrose.
Really enjoy watching these videos with Martin Popoff, I feel like I'm learning alot about groups i don't even know.
Excellent show! Thoroughly enjoying you two titans discussing rock! Looking forward to you two doing more together.
Sammy Hagar har done lots of music over the years. Montrose, Van Halen, Chickenfoot and more solo albums than all mentioned efforts put together. Sammy Hagar might be a huge name in the U.S. but feels very underrated outside the country. I like plenty he has done over the years!
Great episode guys - keep it going!
1 Montrose
2 Warner Bros. Presents
3 Gamma 1
4 Paper Money
5 Jump On It
Pete, another quick note to tell you how much I enjoy the shows you and Martin Popoff do together. I particularly enjoy your occasional disagreements and he is a knowledgeable and very personable co-host. Then thanks to the two of you for the introduction to Gamma, another 'need to listen to' on my list from watching your channel.
Maybe be I'm the only one but my favorite Montrose album of all time is jump on it followed by there debut.
You’re not alone. I love the Jump on it album. I played it to death back in the seventies. The variety in styles and timbres makes it better that the Monotonous Montrose debut.
@@pvdguitars2951 Agreed!
Ronnie montrose has been a long time guitar hero for me, been a fan since my teenage days in the 70s, the first album is a rock masterpiece and one of my favorites from the 70s
Have you heard the news theres good rockin tonight and i feel so good
1. Montrose 2. Gamma 2 3. Gamma 1. After that a big drop off, guess I'd go with Jump On It next because I LOVE the title track. (Early) Gamma are the most criminally underrated/unknown band in hard rock history, IMO. Really sophisticated and dark. Almost like Rainbow in some ways, but at the same time their polar opposite as Gamma was "futuristic" and Rainbow was "medieval".
I’m in the minority, but love Gamma 3. Love those Gamma albums.
I know you've already done it but I'd love to hear you bring back Martin and do a top albums for black sabbath. Think his list could be surprisingly varied and interesting.
I forgot how much I love the 1st two Gamma Albums which are really great Albums.
The Gamma song "Right The First Time" in 1982 was a big hit in Mainstream Radio!!!
The Montrose debut is supremely amazing! Never listened to Gamma before... one more band on my list!
Hey Pete, you misspoke; “Fight to the Finish” is on Gamma 1, not Paper Money. . .
I did...my notes got jumbled up
Sea of Tranquility No problem, only a hardcore Montrose savant would have caught that. . . BTW, I really appreciate your channel, keep up the great work!
We opened for Gamma in 1980 in New Haven at a big nightclub . I think Gamma 2 was just out. Ronnie had some bizarre silver guitar. Wish I had pics.
Yeah, love the Montrose debut album. Paper money may sound not as good but I think is still a pretty damned good album. Gamma 2 is a bit special to me, man I went to so much trouble getting this one back in the day (but I got it!) ... voyager .... ahhh.
I love paper money, and Sammys singing on connection
Paper Money is vastly underrated and suffered from coming after the debut Montrose album. I like it for its different styles - and yes love Underground
Love Jump On It! A friend in high school loaned me the eight track.Have it now on cd & vinyl.Big fan! Self titled is #1.Paper Money #2.Jump On It #3.
Because I havent listened to these albums for many years, I would've like a snippet of some of the songs mentioned.
Sammy is always saying that he wants Montrose in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Just like you said about Van Halen being influenced by Montrose. I think if you ask EVH he will say Montrose was a big influence on his band.
Randy Rhoads was a big Ronnie Montrose fan as well.
I doubt Montrose will ever get in as they have to induct rock giants like Ice Tea, Ice Cube, P. Diddy and others of that ilk.
@@raymondkizer1216 I know it's so ridiculous. I don't even want to think about Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next year when they are this year's winners inductees. Exception for me is the Doobie Brothers.
The first Montrose album is hands down their best and a top ten greatest hard rock album ever. Rock Candy baby!!!
The producer Ted Templeman went on to produce Van Halen....
Love gamma got all 4 albums
Surprised to hear Ken Scott doing a bad job producing Gamma , his production with Bowie was stellar on Hunky Dory, Ziggy Stardust,Aladdin Sane and Pin Ups
Love it all. Ronnie did a soundtrack CD for Sega, Mr. Bones, which had some great songs on it too.
I have that. It's actually pretty interesting material, and since no one seemed to care or know of it's existence, I got it for like $3.00 in the "Bargain Bin" at a used record shop in the Bay Area :)
I love the Paper Money album. It is more consistent than the first album for me and doesn't have a weak track. Connection is one of the all time great covers, with Sammy creating vocal tension in the build up to Ronnie's outstanding solo. As for Underground, the catchy melody, the multipart harmonies and the layered guitar solo make me feel Tom Scholtz and others were definitely listening. I agree I Got the Fire is absolutely killer.
Totally agree about Paper Money. Played the hell out of it in college. A very underrated album.
First two Montrose albums and first two Gamma albums are all you need.
Gamma 2 will always be my fave Montrose album!
THE SPEED OF SOUND
TERRITORY
THE DIVA STATION
10 X 10
GAMMA 1
GAMMA 3
+1 for Speed of Sound & Diva Station!
Gamma 1 takes me back to some fun party years!
I saw Montrose live in '74 with Sammy Hagar (they were the warmup act for a band called Jo Jo Gunne & again in '77 (Gamma?) the middle band between Van Halen & Journey. Great both times/incarnations...
Ronnie was solo for that tour I'm pretty sure
Hagar did his career best work on the self-titled debut and Paper Money. While this isn't saying much its clear that Hagar rapidly descended into crapola during his solo career and garbage with Van Halen. Ronnie Montrose on the other hand is a monster guitarist and is sadly underrated by the general public.
Dead right , Sammy and Montrose were a great fit , Dave was a much better fit with VH than Sam !
Montrose. That is a really good one and Sammy fans all of us Redheads will enjoy this.
Love jump on it. Memories
Crazy as this is to admit, I don't own nor have ever owned any Montrose or Gamma. Gotta remedy that stat !! Like these Pete/Popoff vids they are good fun and fairly in depth. Keep em' going as long as possible !!
I'm going with Pete's order without a doubt.
I find the like/unlike ratio of this video to be kinda odd. What has everyone's feathers so rustled?
Gotta be a bot day...no way we have that many people who hate Montrose or Gamma
Too many ads interrupting the flow?
@@fredhamilton4687 most of the thumbs down were there literally within 5 minutes of the video being posted, so there's some funny stuff going on for sure.
1 Montrose
2 Gamma 2
3 Gamma 1
4 Paper Money
5 Gamma 3
6 Warner Brothers Presents
7 Jump On It
8 Gamma 4
9 Mean
I like the ping pong action of these two heavyweights going back and forth with the rankings. More please.
Jump on it has always been one of my favorites!
Martin Popoff...this guy is a legend to me! I love you too, Pete!
The phenomenal soundtrack Ronnie created for the SEGA Saturn video game, "Mr Bones" (1996), certainly merits attention. In my estimation, "In This World" ruclips.net/video/moVavb7Pkq4/видео.html (vocal by Fitz Houston) and "The First Thing" (with spoken word by blind singer/songwriter Paul Pena) ruclips.net/video/UUe8YdM16RM/видео.html are as haunting as anything he ever recorded with Montrose or Gamma.
I saw Glenn Letch and Davey Pattison when they were in Robin Trowers Band
Many times, the passion tour was exceptional
@@blazerk9614 yes it was
My ratings
1. Montrose
2.Paper Money
3.Gamma 2
4.Gamma 3
5.Warner Bros Presents
6.Gamma 1
7.Jump on it
8.Mean
9.Gamma 4
That was fun!!!!!....
Pete, love your stuff and appreciate what you do, but 9 ads makes this unwatchable. I turned the Trower one off after 8. Happy to watch a couple to support the show, but they cut off you or Martin talking, and just make this unwatchable to me. Sorry. Know you need to support the page but wow
Thanks for the feedback-I've looked into it and have that turned off now. Just experimenting with the ad layouts.
Thank you
Mahogany Rush and Montrose/Gamma! Looking forward to a Pat Travers album ranking. That was the best time to grow up and be a budding guitar player. Class of 81.
I played Gamma 1 and 2 to death as a teenager.Razor King was about knife gangs in Glasgow.
Montrose - Gamma 2 - Gamma 1 - Gamma 3 - Montrose Paper Money
The first two Gamma albums are epic. The Four Horsemen is timeless. Saw them in the UK when they toured the albums and they were as tight as a drum.... brilliant.
I got most of the reissues of Gamma and Montrose. There was interviews involving the surviving members. They basically said that Ronnie Montrose was a prick to deal with. It was his way or the highway. Even though Sammy did not care for him after he left Montrose. He at least showed up to appear for his benefit when he was dying of cancer.
1. Warner Bros . Presents
2. Paper Money
3. Gamma 2
4. Montrose 1973
5. Jump On It
6. Gamma 1979
7. Gamma 3
8. Edgar Winter Group
9. Gamma 4
10. M For Machine ( Mean )
I cant express enough my love of that first montrose record and i love paper money to i got the fire spaceage sacrifice paper money i love connection when i die slap a montrose tshirt on me and put those records in my hands and put trower bridge of sighs in my coffin
Great rankings. I could go with either, but I believe Montrose 1 should be first and Gamma1 second. The same formula was used on both and it worked. I really enjoyed the interplay between you both and look forward to future works
He had quite the disadvantage of having to follow that first album! One of the greatest rock albums ever. D. Pattison was sitting at a table at a club in Houston that was really close to where I worked so I got there really early for a Robin Trower concert one night, sat and talked to me like I was one of his old pals for 15-20 minutes before people started to arrive. What a vocalist and played with two of the greatest guitar players ever.
The fact that they left off the Montrose solo albums is a shame because had they included them I would say that the "Open Fire" solo album is Ronnie's greatest guitar work still to this day. He also collaborated with Edgar Winter on that record. And I ought to know because I had everything Ronnie is musically involved in.
Montrose is my favorite guitarists mainly because he changed his music approach with each album. I disagree that Montrose didn’t have his distinctive style - he was a tone master
I read that book by Martin Popoff!
Black Train was originally written to be a Country song . The lyrics deal with a friend dying from a Heroin overdose . I like Warner Bros Presents because it's overall got a similar feel to Led Zeppelin IV ZoSo Self Titled
Gamma 2 The best Hard rock album!!!
1) Montrose
2) Paper Money
3) Gamma 2
4) Warner Bros. Presents
5) Gamma 1
6) Jump On It
7) Gamma 3
8) Mean
9) Gamma 4
"Space Station #5" was the first song that got me into Montrose and also got me getting the vinyl album.
Montrose!
I was about 11 when I first heard Rock Candy from my neighbor and it opened up a whole new world. Never got to see the Montrose band proper but did see Sammy in '78 with Boston and Gamma in '81 with Kansas, UFO, .38 Special and REO Speedwagon. RIP Ronnie
My Order:
1. Montrose
2 Gamma 2
3. Gamma 1
His instrumental albums were great up to Mutatis Mutandis. After that they are just okay. Check them out.
Gamma ranking
1 - Gamma 2
2 - Gamma 1
3 - Gamma 3
4 - Gamma 4
The first 3 Gamma albums are better than all the Montrose albums other than the first Montrose.
The first two Montrose albums were good. After that, not so good.
Too bad about excluding Montrose's solo stuff, that's my favorite (by far). One of my favorite all-time tracks is "The Diva Station". Mr Bones & Music From Here are excellent solo albums. So can't really rank the other Montrose/Gamma albums as such...
I like Montrose (the band) less than Gamma, but from them I like a few tunes: "Tuft-Sedge", "Spaceage Sacrifice", "We're Going Home", "All I Need", "One And A Half". Basically the more mellow stuff. I think my biggest issue with Montrose (the band) are the vocals. Weird 'cause I usually like Hagar's singing.
Similar issues with Gamma but I like a few more of their tunes (I think due to Davey Pattison's vocals). "Cat On A Leash" & "Voyager" are very cool, so is "What's Gone Is Gone". Reminds me very much of later Trower, I'm sure it's the vocals
Speed of sound is his masterpiece
The only Montrose albums I own are Montrose and Gamma 1, both awesome
records. I used to have Open Fire on vinyl , but it got lost in a move. I must get
more of his records on CD. I always thought he was a great guitarist. I only saw
him live once in '97, when he was a guest guitarist with Blue Oyster Cult. They played Don't
Fear The Reaper. He traded licks with Buck Dharma and it was absolutely amazing!
This performance might be on RUclips.
1ST Montrose Album with Hagar was Legendary.
My list would mirror Pete's pretty close. People need to remember that in Gamma, many of those sounds, that were common later, were pioneered by Ronnie, and on Gamma 3 Mitch Froom. My list: 1) Montrose, 2) Gamma 2, 3) Gamma, 4) Paper Money, 5) Gamma 3, 6) W.B. Presents, 7)Jump On It, 8) Gamma 4, 9) Mean.
nice!
Pete makes the better choices. Paper Money, Jump on it and the s/t debut are just pillars of the 70ies hard Rock legacy. These 3 albums were hugely important for me growing up as a teenage rocker. Gamma 2 is a fantastic very unique record. The rest of the catalogue is kinda forgettable for me.
I love Gamma 3!
Gamma 2 , cover of the year .
Early Grand Funk were heavy as it got in 1969-72
You HAVE to do a show on the Wildhearts’ studio albums, and I’d love you to do a show on albums by bands related to the Wildhearts. That would be a killer episode given the insanely complex genealogy leading into and following on from that band. There’s another show just on Ginger’s solo output too. Whenever you’re feeling particularly strong ...
Chris Drake I’m pretty sure he said there is one in the pipeline. Looking forward to that one!
Ta - just watched it! Perhaps not the best episode but still great to have the rundown. Cheers!
The first Montrose album was deadly! That album ranks very high in the Top All Time Rock Debuts. Boston, Van Halen, Led Zeppelin, Hendrix, Zebra and put Montrose right there.
Project "Gamma" is no Bad for Ronnie Montrose! Really I'm find something original and new of Rock Music sound.