Former Montrose singer Sammy Hagar reunites with his former bandmate Ronnie Montrose on “Color Blind”, the lead single from the September 29 posthumous release of the late guitarist’s final studio album, “10x10.”
“It’s valuable to have 10x10 be seen as Ronnie’s last work, rather than going and digging up some stuff from his past,” says Hagar. “This was something he truly had a vision for.”
Before his March 2012 death from a self-inflicted gunshot wound following a five year battle with prostate cancer, Montrose was working on the project as a power trio with bassist Ricky Phillips (Styx, Bad English) and drummer Eric Singer (Kiss, Alice Cooper).
Under the guitarist’s concept to record ten songs with ten different singers, the trio recorded basic tracks for all the songs live in the studio in just a few days.
Following Montrose’s suicide, Phillips was determined to complete the album on behalf of his late colleague.
"I was talking to Eric Singer about 10x10 after Ronnie died, and I was pretty sure that I wanted to see if I could finish it, but I hadn't been able to move forward on it," explains Phillips. "But Eric said, 'It has to be you. You and I were there to record it. We were there when Ronnie was talking about it - what he wanted to do, who he wanted to sing on it, how he wanted it to sound. If someone else gets into this thing, it's going to suck, and you're going to hate it.' That did it. I called [his widow] Leighsa Montrose."
Featured guests on the project include Edgar Winter, Glenn Hughes, Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen, Aerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford, Joe Bonamassa and Tommy Shaw, among others.
“10x10” will be available on CD, vinyl and via digital formats.
Ronnie Montrose
“10x10”
Release date: September 29
“Heavy Traffic” (Eric Martin and Dave Meniketti)
“Love Is an Art” (Edgar Winter and Rick Derringer)
“Color Blind” (Sammy Hagar and Steve Lukather)
“Still Singin’ With the Band” (Glenn Hughes, Phil Collen Jimmy “Z” Zavala)
“Strong Enough” (Tommy Shaw)
“Any Minute” (Mark Farner and Ricky Phillips)
“The Kingdom’s Come Undone” (Ricky Phillips and Joe Bonamassa)
“One Good Reason” (Bruce Turgon and Brad Whitford)
“Head On Straight” (Davey Pattison and Marc Bonilla)
“I’m Not Lying” (Gregg Rolie, Tom Gimbel and Lawrence Gowan)
See also:
Ronnie Montrose memorial concert announced
Sammy Hagar recalls final conversation with Ronnie Montrose
Ronnie Montrose tribute concert announced
Ronnie Montrose memorabilia up for auction
Search Montrose at hennemusic
