# The band Sammy Hagar thought could have been “the American Led Zeppelin”

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/the-band-sammy-hagar-thought-could-have-been-the-american-led-zeppelin/
- Published: 2026-07-19T19:00:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-08-01T06:14:51+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-band-sammy-hagar-thought-could-have-been-the-american-led-zeppelin/
- Topics: Entertainment, Music

## Key points

- Hagar believed Montrose could have rivalled Led Zeppelin.
- Internal conflict ended the band’s early momentum.
- Montrose’s 1973 debut remains influential.

## Summary

Sammy Hagar said his early band Montrose had the potential to become “the American Led Zeppelin”, but that internal tensions prevented it from reaching that level. He believed the group was close to breaking through, making its unrealised promise a notable part of 1970s hard-rock history.

Montrose formed in 1973 around guitarist Ronnie Montrose, with Hagar on vocals, and its self-titled debut produced enduring songs including ‘Bad Motor Scooter’ and ‘Rock Candy’. Hagar said Ronnie Montrose became fearful that he was taking over the band, and Hagar was later dismissed; the singer has connected those tensions with Ronnie’s wider personal struggles before his death in 2012.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.