Doing your research on an artist sometimes can be a daunting task. A lot of the times an artist will request certain topics to be omitted from their bio. Other times artists still “have beef” towards another artist that they’ve done a previous collaboration with. A long career carries a lot of untold stories, stories that are hard to portray in such a short amount of time. Why a certain decision was made to leave a band, why they decided to record a certain song or put a project on hold. The music industry of tomorrow is not the music industry of today and definitely, a hollow shell of what it once was. Maybe for the better, sometimes for not as good. For the old-school artists they still relying a lot of the times on royalties, agencies, management, and publishers to move forward on a project. This can be stifling to creative output, and can stop an artist dead in their tracks because the money isn’t what it used to be. Record labels are not as willing to take a gamble on a new artist and even with legacy artists They have their trepidation’s. Does the artist still have a following, does the market still want music from this artist and if the artist put out something new how old the market except it. The business side of music has very much pushed the artistic side into remission.
Yet all is not lost. There are still record labels out there that are willing to not only take a chance on new artist but breathe life into a legacy artists career and allow them carte blanche on new directions and new ideas. In the case of Cleopatra records and Pat Travers there is a healthy relationship of “do it, do it right, and make it interesting”. Patrick Hennery Travers is a Canadian rock guitarist, keyboardist and singer who began his recording career with Polydor Records in the mid-1970s. Pat Thrall, Nicko McBrain, Clive Edwards, Mick Dyche, Tommy Aldridge, Peter “Mars” Cowling, Barry Dunaway, Jerry Riggs, Gunter Nezhoda, Carmine Appice, Michael Shrieve, Rodney O’Quinn are some of the noted musicians who have been members of the Pat Travers Band through the years. Kirk Hammett of Metallica has cited him as one of his favorite guitar players. (1) For long time fans of the guitar aficionado, the newest effort from Pat Travers is going to be quite a breath of fresh air and slight turn to the right. He is planning on releasing five new songs through the label, and not just any songs. Jazz standards of yesteryear that have cried out and vibrated their way into his bones. Anywhere from the roaring 20s to the Hoppin 50s will provide the backdrop to this painting of rock ‘n’ roll doing its justice. No exact confirmation yet on what The track listing will be, but Glenn Miller is one of the main influences for this album. So we may see a few deep cuts from the old-schooler getting a little bit more old-school as he plays fast and loose with his signature Pat Travers whaling guitar sound. Maybe that’s what this side of the industry needs, a little bit of mystery to the madness. If you’re a fan of Pat Travers then anything he does will resonate with the heart beat pumping that rock ‘n’ roll blood in your veins.
The Pat Travers Band (PTB) currently consists of Pat Travers (guitars, vocals, keyboards), Tommy Craig (drums), and David Pastorius (bass/vocals). As for the live performance, after I interviewed Pat, I made my way downstairs from the green room onto the main floor of the venue. The Moose Lodge in Oceanside California played host to this epic gathering of rock ‘n’ roll music and the congregation filled the chapel from wall-to-wall. As with any show there were a few minor adjustments taking place right out of the gate that were just sound issues. But as any good sound-man will tell you if you can dial everything in at sound check, remember that you’re going to have to redial it in once the room is filled with people. The room was full and after those minor adjustments were made, loud and clear was Pat Travers guitar, big and booming where the drums, and warm and fuzzy was the bass. I settled in in the back right corner and enjoyed the heck out of the show. The guitar player side of my soul wished I would’ve gotten up a little bit closer to really visually study what Pat was doing. That guy flies up and down the fret board of the guitar like a peregrine falcon diving in on its prey. Attacking every note with precision and finesse all the while making it look incredibly effortless. National or international I encourage you to go to Pat Travers website find out where and when he’s touring to a town near you and get there early not only for a good seat but for some good conversation with other people that enjoy his music. Pat Travers seems to Attract an array of fans from old to new male to female and they all love what he does and love to talk about it.
Timmy D / Pullman Standard / BackStage360
* Travers also sang on Boston metal band Extreme‘s minor hit “Get the Funk Out,” from their hugely successful 1990 Pornograffitti album.
* Travers has recently become a part of and performed with the All-Star band Scrap Metal. (2)
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