in 1969, he started out in a band called 'sawbuck' with mojo collins (lead vocals, guitar), starr donaldson (guitar, vocals), chuck ruff (drums) and bill church (bass). they were signed to fillmore records, co-owned by producer david rubinson and promoter bill graham (promoter), and toured and opened for major acts. at the end of 1970 and beginning of '71, they were recording their first and only album, sawbuck. during this time, rubinson had arranged an audition for montrose with van morrison. morrison, having recently moved from new york to california, needed a new band to record his next album "tupelo honey". both montrose and church left sawbuck to join morrison, but both did appear on two songs on the sawbuck album which was released in 1972. montrose and church also played on the song "listen to the lion", which was recorded during the tupelo honey sessions but released on morrison's next album "saint dominic's preview" (1972).