I'll always remember in the mid/late 70's passing on going to see Boston in concert because they had some country & western singer opening the show...Sammy Hagar!!!
I figured Merle Haggard/Sammy Hagar...he had to be C&W. Being only 16 there was only one way to rock & C&W was not one of them. A year or 2 later Cheap Trick was coming & I was going despite this Sammy Hagar guy opening...The day of the show around 10AM 97 Rock FM played "Growing Pains" from Hagar's brand new Street Machine album & I was fired up!!! This guy wasn't C&W he was kick ass rock & roll!!!! I hate to say it but he blew Cheap Trick away that night! Later I found out he sang in Montrose which I had & loved their debut but man that Street Machine album is great. To me Hagar never put out a better record & his band was tight as hell as well.
I really love Marauder too but Hagar wins this for me hands down!